Do you need to order something on Amazon, but don’t want to create an account to do so?
With so many online stores having the option to check out as a guest using just an email or phone number, you may find yourself wondering if you can do this on Amazon as well.
Technically, ordering without your own account is possible. In this article, I’ll cover everything you need to know.
Do You Need An Account To Order From Amazon?
Unfortunately, Amazon requires an account in order to complete your purchase. If you attempt to checkout without being logged into an account, Amazon will either prompt you to login, or create an account to complete your purchase.
However, this doesn’t have to be your account. A family member or friend can log on to their account, start the checkout process, and have the items shipped to your house.
Gift shopping on Amazon is quite common, so Amazon has no problems with this, even if you order to the same address frequently.
Of course, if you plan on placing regular orders on Amazon, it’s probably a good idea to just take the time to create an account. It doesn’t really take long at all, and will make shopping on Amazon a lot more convenient.
How To Create An Amazon Account
- Fortunately, making an account on Amazon is simple. To start, visit Amazon.com and go to the top-right corner of your screen, until you find ‘Account & Lists’.
- Next, click ‘Start here.’
- Follow the onscreen instructions. At the time of writing, Amazon asks for your name, email, and a password. They may also ask for a phone number, which they will send a one-time code to verify, so make sure you have this on hand!
Once you’re done, sign into your account if necessary, and you’ll be able to checkout!
Amazon keeps you logged in by default, so you shouldn’t have to sign back in unless you change devices or browsers.
Can You Order From Amazon Without Amazon Prime?
You do not need an Amazon Prime subscription in order to order from Amazon. However, Amazon Prime usually pays for itself if you order from Amazon regularly.
Amazon Prime is a service that Amazon offers, that gives you free 2-day shipping on most Prime eligible items, among a whole host of other benefits including but not limited to:
- One-day or even same-day delivery for select items.
- Amazon Day, allowing you to pick a day of the week for all items to be delivered if you wish.
- Amazon Prime video
- Prime Reading
- Prime Photos
A full list of Amazon Prime benefits can be found here, on Amazon’s website.
Without an Amazon Prime subscription, you are still able to order from Amazon’s website, but you may need to pay shipping costs on orders $25 and under.
Can You Order Using An Amazon Gift Card Without An Account?
You may be wondering if there is an exception for people that have an Amazon gift card to redeem.
Unfortunately, the answer is no. Even if you have an Amazon gift card, you still must have an Amazon account in order to use it.
In fact, the first thing that will happen when you go to Amazon’s gift card redemption page, is that you will be prompted to log in so that the balance can be added to your account.
Note that even if paying for your order using a gift card, you may still be prompted to enter in your credit card information as a backup payment option, just in case.
Can You Order On Amazon Using A Family Member’s Account?
Yes! This isn’t a problem, though the account owner should be the one actually placing the order.
They can then send items directly to your home address as a gift. If this isn’t just a one-time thing, you should really consider making your own account however.
Note that if you only want to use a friend or family member’s account for Amazon Prime, that even this isn’t necessary! Using a program called Amazon Household, Prime subscribers are able to share their Prime benefits with other family members, even if they have their own separate accounts.
This feature is not all that well known, so I wanted to let you know about it! It’s a great way for everyone in your home to benefit from Prime even if you prefer to keep your accounts separate.
Is There Any Way To Check Out As A Guest On Amazon?
We know already that you’re unable to checkout on Amazon without logging into an account. But is there any way to check out as a guest? Can you make a temporary guest account to check out with, just for one order?
Although other shopping websites like Etsy allow you to check out as a guest and track all of your order information using your email and order number, this isn’t a possibility on Amazon.
All Amazon purchases require an Amazon account, and there is no way around that at this time. This is surely by design – Amazon is the world’s largest online retailer and they know you’re likely to shop more often if you already have an account.
Conclusion
Is an account required to order from Amazon? Unfortunately, the answer is yes. There is no way to check out as a guest, and without an account you will be unable to complete your purchase.
That being said, creating an Amazon account only requires a few minutes of your time, and you do not need to join Amazon Prime in order to shop on Amazon. All things considered, it’s worth taking the time to do.
If you have any questions about shopping on Amazon or there’s anything I can help with, please feel free to ask using the comment form below.
Wishing you the best!
– James McAllister
Thanks for this explanation. I agree, it is unfortunate to have to create an Amazon account for a single purchase.
What I strongly disagree with is the need to add (register??) my credit card info (as a payment method) on the Amazon web site when I'm only making a one time purchase. I do NOT want a saved payment method anywhere I shop. Most purchases on web sites always have a guest checkout choice. Amazon should as well.
Pops(Quote)
I completely agree! Considering guest checkouts are so popular on other websites, it’s a shame that Amazon doesn’t allow it as well.
One service that you may like is called Privacy.com. Essentially, it allows you to create ‘virtual’ debit cards to use online, so you don’t have to have your real one saved.
You could then delete the card when you’re done and your orders have shipped, or lock it so it can only spend X amount of dollars, etc.
It’s not a perfect solution, but I still wanted to mention it in case it’s something that interests you!
James McAllister(Quote)