The Best Things to Buy on Amazon: Smart Shopping Tips for 2025
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Lead with needs over wants to save money where it counts. Use these tips to shop smart on Amazon in 2025.
Put personal care items on autopilot
It’s often easier to order paper towels, toilet paper and wipes online than go out and get them from the store. Plus, when you shop online, you can set the purchase and forget it. Items like paper products are competitively priced on Amazon, especially when using “Subscribe & Save,” said Kallie Branciforte, Connecticut blogger and YouTuber, in an email to NerdWallet.
“I am always surprised by how many people don’t take advantage of Subscribe & Save,” she said. “It’s the easiest way to save on the stuff you use all the time.”
Branciforte, who reaches millions of viewers with her “That Practical Mom” YouTube channel, lets Amazon replenish vitamins, diaper cream, her kids’ body wash and more to make life easier, and often cheaper.
Try subscribing to more unique essentials, like nasal strips you use nightly, or electric toothbrush heads that wear out after a few months. Buying items like these on Amazon is more about selection and convenience than price.
As an incentive, Amazon offers up to 15% off when you receive five or more products in one auto-delivery to the same address.
“It’s such a simple way to save on things you’re already buying, completely on autopilot,” says Branciforte.
Order pet food and litter to save money (and your back)
Automating pet food orders makes sense for Prime members too. Nobody likes scanning 20 tiny cans of Fancy Feast at the grocery store self-checkout lane. Save the hassle and try to beat the per-can price by ordering the 24 pack on Amazon.
You can save your back by getting big bags of dog food or a 38-pound box of cat litter delivered too.
Turn to other retailers for comfortable clothes that fit
Clothing can be hard to get right on Amazon, says Trae Bodge, the shopping expert at truetrae.com.
Bodge bought a dress on Amazon a while back and loved the look, but says it turned out to be super scratchy inside. She prefers a store like Target for affordable pieces she can feel first.
When it comes to jeans and sneakers, you might be able to do better by buying from the source. Joining the Levi’s rewards program, for example, gets you free shipping and returns on Levi.com.
“What you’ll find is that the style selection is broader, the size selection is broader,” says Bodge.
Nike is another brand with a slick online experience. Members get free shipping on orders $50+, and shoes and apparel on Nike.com regularly go on sale.
Look at batteries, cables and phone cases
The Amazon Basics brand of batteries is an exceptional deal. At around $12 for an 8-pack of 9 volt batteries (at the time of writing), you can add it and a pack of AA and AAAs to your cart next time you checkout. Compare that to the 8-pack of Duracell 9-volt batteries we spotted at the Home Depot for $29.05.
Make Amazon your first stop after you buy a new or used iPhone or Android too. Apple’s $49-silicone case is highway robbery when you compare it to cases on Amazon that look, feel and protect the same for under $15 bucks. Amazon is also the place for power adapters, cables and wireless charging pads at prices that are cheaper than at Apple. According to Reddit, Anker is an affordable and reliable brand for cell phone accessories on Amazon.
Browse “best sellers” for proven products
A super helpful hack Branciforte shares in one of her YouTube videos is to use Amazon’s “Best Sellers” lists to narrow down searches.
It’s a little out of the way, but you get there by navigating to the top left of the desktop site and clicking the three bars to open the menu. Select “Best Sellers,” and from there, you can dive down by department to find popular buys in specific product categories.
Let’s say, for example, you’re looking for a showerhead with better water pressure than the one you have. Rather than roll the dice on something pricey from Home Depot or Lowe’s, you can look up best sellers in the bath section on Amazon. Go with one of the top results to increase your chances of getting a quality product.
Skip large furniture pieces that can be painful to return
Kind of like clothes, online furniture purchases can be regrettable.
Bodge avoids buying larger items you have to assemble on Amazon. The hassle of making a return could compel you to keep something you don’t want. And even if you do like it, all the cardboard and styrofoam that comes with a new coffee table can be a royal pain in the trash.
It can save you time and strife to pick something out and buy it in person. You can also save by buying used. Thrift stores, antique shops and Facebook Marketplace are great places to look for quality pieces from yesteryear.
Read reviews and check price history before buying
It’s important to read the reviews and it’s better when there are plenty of them, said Branciforte. She tends to be leary of items with few ratings unless the category is very niche.
“I’d rather buy something with 4.3 stars and 1,000+ reviews than 4.8 stars and 15 reviews because I know the first has been on the site longer, making it more trustworthy and valid,” she said.
Given that other retailers are working hard to outprice Amazon, Bodge says it pays to check the price history and look around before buying. Shopping browser extensions like PayPal Honey and the Camelizer make light work of making sure you aren’t overpaying. And it’s easy to do a quick Google search for any product you’re after.
Use these strategies to keep your Amazon shopping in check at all times. And as summer approaches, you may want to exercise some restraint with the hope of finding a better deal on Prime Day.