The Secret Section Of Amazon Where You'll Get Even Better Deals

Amazon has become the go-to shopping source for many looking for an easy way to shop. You can get just about everything you want, including great deals, and ordinarily you don't have to wait long to have your purchases in your hot little hands. And the best part is — you don't even have to leave your house to do it. But savvy Amazon shoppers have found a secret section of the Amazon website where you can score even better deals.

E-commerce is a flourishing industry, and Amazon seems to be leading the way. According to Statista, the online shopping behemoth had nearly $575 billion in sales revenue in 2023 alone, and with no signs of slowing down, it is no wonder that it is the go-to option for many online shoppers looking for everything from groceries to appliances. While online shopping may have a few pitfalls like shelling out extra money for expediting shipping when it isn't necessary, the great deals on Amazon are undeniable, especially once you know about the secret area of the website offering deals that are almost too good to be true: Amazon Outlet.

Amazon, the online retail giant we know and love today, didn't start off that way. In fact, Amazon wasn't even the original name. According to History, Jeff Bezos started a bookselling business called "Cadabra" in his garage in 1994, which was later changed to "Amazon." The business went online for the first time in 1995, and three years later it expanded to include music and videos. The marketplace continued to expand, eventually becoming an "everything store," selling much more than books at great prices.

Throughout the years Amazon has continuously reinvented itself, not only keeping itself relevant but giving customers new ways to shop and save money on things they want (or in some cases, didn't even know they wanted). This includes making big moves, like launching the Amazon Prime subscription service in 2005, and purchasing Whole Foods in 2017, making selling fresh groceries(MDLINK) part of their business model. In 2015, Amazon surpassed another longtime retail giant, Walmart, taking the lead as the most valuable retailer in the United States.

The Amazon Outlet may seem like a well-kept secret, but it is actually really easy to access. You'll find it under the Products and Services section of the pull-down menu tab. Once there, you have a variety of categories to choose from, all offering extra savings on items that are either extra inventory that didn't sell as expected, discontinued or old product models, or customer returns. The savings get even better when you click on the 'Overstock' category tab, where you will find an overstock supply of various items offered at steep discounts. The supply in these sections is limited (like shopping the Ikea 'As Is' section) — these are items being offloaded at a really great price, after all), and the items change based on availability, but you'll find things priced as much as 90% off.

The items marked down in the Overstock section run the gamut of categories, with everything you could imagine from pet supplies like specialty litter boxes and dog brushes to welding helmets, handheld vacuum cleaners, and even clothing. The items listed in this section aren't grouped by category — you are as likely to find pet food and water bowls listed next to 850-pound paracord rope as you are to find a waterproof mattress protector listed next to a pair of heated gloves. Because the items are so randomly listed and only listed while supplies last (not to mention on sale for incredible savings), it is a section of Amazon that is worth checking frequently if you enjoy a good deal.