You now have to spend more to get free delivery from Amazon – our deals expert explores your other options

Another day, another price rise. This time, it’s Amazon that has upped the minimum amount you need to spend to get free delivery by £10, jumping to £35 from £25. That’s a huge 40% price rise and as with the mobile network and broadband mid-contract rises earlier this year, Amazon is citing “external factors” as the reason.

An Amazon spokesperson provided the following statement to Expert Reviews: “There are a number of external factors influencing shipping costs right now. We are constantly innovating and working to bring more value to our customers, and customers who are not Prime members will receive free shipping on all orders above £35. Prime members will continue to benefit from unlimited fast, free One-Day Delivery on millions of items regardless of order value.”

However, there are still some ways of avoiding delivery charges in these difficult financial times.

As the deals editor of Expert Reviews, I spend most of my working life hunting for the best offers for our readers, making me ideally placed to provide completely independent shopping advice. Below, I’ve rounded up three simple ways of beating the Amazon minimum spend boost.

1. Look at prices elsewhere

While it’s hard to beat Amazon’s convenience and sheer range of products, it doesn’t always serve up the best prices on the market. It is, therefore, always worth searching around to see if any other retailers are undercutting it. What’s more, you can often get exclusive discounts, a lower delivery threshold and freebies by buying direct from the manufacturer. A good example of this is Samsung, who frequently offer some terrific preorder bonuses on their electronics.

Not sure where to start? Our regularly updated deals section covers everything from broadband to mattresses, mobile phones, toothbrushes, laptops, TVs, smart speakers and many more.

2. Sign up for a free Amazon Prime trial

Amazon Prime members automatically get free delivery on thousands of products, with no minimum spend required. If you rarely order items via the website, it’s worth taking advantage of the free, 30-day Amazon Prime trial to complete a one-off order. You’ll also gain access to Amazon Prime Video, as well as other streaming exclusives, but make sure you cancel your subscription before the end of the trial to avoid being charged £8.99/mth (or £95 per year).

3. Collect your order

Thousands of products on Amazon are eligible to be picked up for free at a local collection point, which might be a locker or the counter of a supermarket. The ease of pickup will depend on the size of the parcel, your transport and the distance you’ll have to travel to the collection point, but it’s a handy way of avoiding delivery costs. Simply click on this link and follow the instructions to find locations in your area.