When does Amazon bill you? (Order, Prime, Pre-Order, Out of Stock + more)
As a global e-commerce leader shipping to more than 100 countries, Amazon processes millions of orders every day.
If you’ve ever shopped on Amazon or plan to do so soon, a credit/debit card is a must. You might be wondering when does Amazon charge you for an order? I had the same thought and here’s what I’ve learned!
When does Amazon bill you?
When you use a credit or debit card to order something Amazon sells, Amazon doesn’t charge you immediately, only at the beginning of the fulfillment process for your order. Additionally, Amazon Marketplace third-party sellers may be charged at the time of purchase or when ready to ship, depending on the retailer.
If you want to learn more about when Amazon charges your card, read on for all the details on Amazon Pay.
Does Amazon charge you before shipping?
Like many other e-commerce companies, Amazon charges for orders a few days before shipping or after the order ships.
The FTC has fairly strict rules for credit card issuers and merchants, so many e-retailers wait to charge until a product is close to shipping or has already shipped.
According to the FTC, it’s not illegal for companies to charge for items before they ship.
However, if the order does not ship within the stated timeframe, the merchant will need to notify the shopper of the updated ship date and provide the option to accept the new package arrival date or cancel the order for a full refund.
To save time and hassle, unless a third party is involved, Amazon generally waits to charge the customer’s card until the order has entered the shipping process stage.
Additionally, Amazon Marketplace third-party sellers follow their own policies and preferences when collecting payments through Amazon, so more sellers charge before shipping when you first buy something.
When are Amazon orders charged?
If you order an Amazon product such as the Amazon Basics budget private label line or Amazon Fresh grocery delivery, your card will not be charged until the order reaches the shipping stage.
Also, depending on your order and how long it takes, it could be before or after shipping.
Due to the huge order volume and efficient warehouses all over the country, many orders are fulfilled quickly.
If you choose the shorter delivery time frame of several days, you will be charged shortly after the order is placed, as that is how quickly the Amazon shipping process begins.
For products that are Amazon Subscribe and Save or Backordered, Amazon sends an email notification a few days before shipping and charges when the box arrives en route.
Sidenote: Remember the difference between ordering Amazon products directly and marketplace items.
If the item is sold by Amazon, such as a Kindle e-reader or Amazon Basics office supplies, you will not be charged until shipment begins.
Plus, if you buy from one of the millions of Marketplace third-party sellers, they can charge your card as soon as you click to buy.
However, some third-party sellers also wait until the item is in the shipping stage to prevent unfulfilled orders and refund issues.
How often do you pay for Amazon Prime?
Amazon Prime membership fees may be charged monthly or annually, depending on your selections when you signed up.
When you first sign up for Prime, your card will be charged at confirmation of enrollment. Your Prime settings will then indicate when your next payment is due.
Tracking this date is critical because customers agree to pay their membership dues on the month or year date specified in the Amazon Prime Terms and Conditions.
If you’re considering canceling your Prime membership, you need to make sure you do so before the next charge goes through.
Otherwise, it might be difficult to get a refund, especially if you’ve already purchased Prime items since then.
Additionally, the Terminate Membership Option on Amazon Prime outlines how members who have not yet used their Prime benefits can qualify for a full refund of their current membership fees.
This is only true if you haven’t ordered anything from Prime or used your digital subscription since the billing date.
It’s a good idea to mark your Amazon Prime billing date in your calendar and keep an eye out for emails from Amazon as it approaches.
When does Amazon charge for pre-orders?
Amazon pre-orders are popular for hot-selling items that people want but haven’t released yet.
Items like video games, consoles, tech gadgets and books are some of the top pre-order items on Amazon.
Preorders are not charged to your card immediately, but are only charged a few days before the release date when the product ships or is about to leave the warehouse.
You can track your pre-orders and when your card will be charged in the Orders tab.
By monitoring the shipping status of your order, you can get a good idea of when your charges will appear on your credit or debit account.
When does Amazon charge credit cards?
Whether someone has an Amazon credit card or one of the currently accepted credit cards such as Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, Diners Club, and JCB, most Amazon fees will be incurred during shipping.
Anything sold directly by Amazon will be charged to your credit card after the order ships.
If using a credit card to purchase in a third-party marketplace, the retailer can choose to charge when the order is placed or after delivery is confirmed.
When does Amazon charge the debit card?
A debit card functions in much the same way as a credit card, except that funds are withdrawn directly from the bank account instead of being debited from the credit card.
This means Amazon treats debit cards like credit cards and follows the same charging schedule and policies.
Any item sold directly by Amazon will not be charged until it ships.
Card payments are charged immediately on Amazon product orders only if you pay with a gift card.
Don’t forget that some third-party marketplace sellers may charge within minutes of placing an order.
What happens if an Amazon product is out of stock?
One of the main reasons Amazon and its many third-party marketplace sellers don’t charge for items until they ship is because it prevents inventory issues.
If a product is out of stock but the order is already awaiting fulfillment, then the merchant must provide more stock or offer a refund.
Watch out for email notifications or check the status of your order to make sure nothing is out of stock. In many cases, your card will not be charged until the item is close to shipping.
If you want to learn more about shopping on Amazon, you can also check out our related articles on Amazon delivery delays, whether Amazon Prime delivers on Sundays, and what it means to “renew” on Amazon.
in conclusion
As an e-commerce giant, Amazon processes millions of transactions every day.
For direct orders sold by Amazon, such as Amazon Basics, Amazon Fresh, or Kindle e-readers, Amazon will not change the credit or debit card until the order is almost ready to ship or is in transit.
Amazon Prime membership fees are billed monthly or annually on specified dates, depending on your preference.
The only other situation where your card might be charged for a purchase is if you buy from a third-party seller on Amazon.
Marketplace retailers can choose when to charge, and they can charge at the point of purchase if they have reason to believe the order will be fulfilled.
