Amazon’s Buy with Prime, a service that lets Prime members shop directly from third-party merchants and get Prime benefits like free shipping and returns, launched today new features, including the ability to track Buy with Prime orders through Amazon’s website and mobile app as well as access to 24/7 live chats with customer service.
Amazon is also adding more drop-off sites for returns. Customers can now return eligible Buy with Prime orders at nearby UPS Store locations, Whole Foods Market, Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go stores without a box or label.
Additionally, shoppers can now see Amazon reviews on “off-Amazon product pages for participating brands that offer Buy with Prime,” the e-commerce giant wrote in today’s announcement. Theoretically, having reviews from real Amazon customers helps shoppers feel more confident about the products they’re buying on a third-party website.
The new Buy with Prime features come as the 2023 holiday season kicks off. Amazon is likely hoping to entice more customers to try out the service as well as nab fee revenue from additional online stores as it faces new competition with marketplaces like TikTok Shop and Shein. According to the company, Buy with Prime has proven to increase a merchant’s customer base — an average of three out of every four Buy with Prime orders are from new shoppers.
Buy with Prime officially launched in April 2022 and expanded its availability earlier this year. Brands like Wyze, KNOW Beauty and ALT. Fragrances offer Buy with Prime in their online stores, among many others.