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Alexa, order one million LEGOs!
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One of the handiest features of Amazon — and similar online retailers — is that you can store your credit cards right in your account. This way, you don’t need to input the information each time you want to make a purchase.
Convenient, right?
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But what if that convenience was part of Amazon’s plan to get you to spend more money? Because it is.
Instead of letting convenience rule your purchases, consider removing your credit card information from your Amazon account. Here are a few ways it could help.
1. Purchase friction can curb impulse buys
We’ve all been there. You’re on the sofa, enjoying an evening drink, scrolling the “deals” on Amazon. A couple days later, a package shows up — one you only sort of remember buying.
Even if you’re not prone to late-night shopping, pretty much everyone with an Amazon Prime account has let one-click shopping talk them into a purchase (or two, or three) they later regretted.
Removing your credit card information from your Amazon account is an excellent way to curb those impulse buys. In fact, it’s the whole reason Amazon — and every other online retailer — encourages you to store that information in the first place.
The less friction there is in the sale, the more likely you are to complete it. And the opposite is equally true: The more friction you introduce to the process, the less likely you are to make it.
If you have to track down your credit card and input the information for each and every purchase, you’re baking in some important second-thought time. Do I really need to make this purchase? Will I actually use this thing?
If it’s not worth getting off the sofa to get your credit card, you probably shouldn’t be buying it in the first place.
2. Get back to comparison shopping
There’s another big reason Amazon wants you to rely on the “convenience” of your stored information: comparison shopping.
If you’re already programmed to think of Amazon as your no-fuss, go-to place to buy your essentials, well, chances are good you click first, ask questions never. This means you’re missing out on all of the comparison shopping you’d otherwise perform to ensure you get the best deal.
And Amazon isn’t always the best deal.
Taking your credit cards out of your account can encourage you to think twice not just about whether you need a given purchase, but if you need to get it from Amazon.
3. No more ‘accidental’ pet/kid orders
I often get a good laugh out of the social media posts about how someone’s kid — or, even more amusing, their dog or cat — figured out how to place an Amazon order without their parents’ knowledge. Usually it’s through Alexa, or one of those weird little buy-it-again buttons you can get.
As funny as it is for me, however, it’s probably a lot less funny for the person footing the bill.
And it’s not just your family you have to worry about. For every cute story about a kid asking Alexa for a pallet of chocolate, there’s a less-cute story of someone’s account being used by thieves or hackers to run up a bill.
You know how you ensure this never happens? Don’t store your credit card information in your account. No payment method, no purchases. After all, Amazon isn’t going to ship it if you haven’t paid for it.
4. The best card, every time
Alright, so this one is mostly for rewards maximizers like me. But it’s still valid.
If you need to manually input your credit card information for each purchase, you can ensure you’re using the best rewards card for each and every transaction.
Maybe you have an issuer offer on a specific card that you forgot about, or perhaps your rotating category card offers a bonus on Amazon purchases this quarter. Whatever the case, taking the time to ensure you’re using the best card possible can go a long way towards ensuring you’re making the most of your rewards.
Convenience isn’t everything
If you’re one of the folks who set up automatic Amazon shipments on your necessities, keeping a credit card on file is a basic requirement. For everyone else, however, it’s down to simple convenience.
But convenience isn’t everything. And at a certain point, you have to ask what Amazon’s convenience is really costing you.
Convenience can be expensive. Whether it’s impulse buys or missing deals, sometimes it’s best to slow down the process so you can be sure you’re really making the best purchase before hitting that checkout button.
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We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Brittney Myers has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon.com. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
