When I first moved to Spain, I found that buying many things in physical stores was expensive and inconvenient, so I turned to Amazon. However, I quickly discovered that Amazon has separate websites for different countries, unlike some regions with a single, unified site. I bet many newcomers have made this mistake, so today I’m sharing the right way to use Amazon in Spain, along with some tips I’ve gathered over the years.
The Official Amazon Spain Website: Amazon.es
First things first, the official website for Amazon Spain is Amazon.es. Make sure you don’t accidentally go to the US site (.com) or the German one (.de). While they can sometimes deliver to Spain, the shipping costs and times are completely different, and returns can be a huge hassle. Stick with the .es domain; it’s the local Spanish site, offering the fastest logistics and even next-day delivery for many items with Prime.
When you first open the website, you might be met with a page full of Spanish and feel a bit lost. Don’t worry, Amazon supports multiple languages. You can find a globe or flag icon in the top-right corner to switch the language to English. Some pages, such as those for Amazon Flex, even have automatic translation, and if you run into any trouble, you can always contact Amazon Spain customer service. While machine translation isn’t always perfect, it’s good enough to understand the basics. For those of us whose Spanish is still at a beginner level, this feature is a real lifesaver.
Is a Prime Membership Worth It?
When talking about Amazon, we have to mention Prime membership. I’m a heavy user myself and find it extremely valuable. Here’s a quick summary of a few benefits I use the most:
| Key Prime Membership Benefits | Brief Description |
|---|
| Free and Fast Delivery | Most items are eligible for free 1-2 day shipping, saving you time and money on delivery fees. |
| Prime Video | Includes a huge library of movies and TV shows, comparable to Netflix. |
| Prime Reading | Allows you to read a selection of Kindle e-books and magazines for free. |
| Amazon Photos | Unlimited full-resolution photo storage, a fantastic tool for backing up your phone’s photos. |
| Exclusive Discounts | There are frequent exclusive discounts for Prime members. |
The annual fee is €49.90, and students can get a 50% discount. That breaks down to just over €4 per month. If you buy something just once or twice a month, you’ll likely make back the cost in shipping fees alone, not to mention the included video and music services. New users typically get a 30-day free trial, so you can try it out. If you’re not satisfied, just cancel before the trial ends to avoid being charged. I hope this little summary helps, and happy shopping in Spain!
