Shopping Black Friday sales at Amazon? Here are the best ways to pay

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

Shopping on Amazon is a favorite for millions of Americans because of its ease and convenience. And the retailer loves to roll out tons of deals leading up to the holidays, including Black Friday and Cyber Monday. But depending on how you shop, you could be missing out on valuable rewards, savings and consumer protections.

If you're using the right credit card and taking advantage of rewards through shopping portals, you could save big on your holiday shopping this season.

Select analyzed dozens of credit cards to find the top picks for Amazon Black Friday purchases. Here are the details of the benefits you should know about before you place next order.

There are a few ways to pay for Amazon purchases: with a credit card, debit card or Amazon gift card. While some may prefer a debit card as it is linked directly to a checking account, credit cards provide excellent benefits including rewards and consumer protections.

Here are a few of the best cards to use when shopping Amazon's Black Friday sales:

Best card for cash back

The Prime Visa offers excellent rewards for shoppers who love Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market. You can earn 5% cash back on all purchases at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, and Whole Foods, along with 5% back on Chase Travel purchases, unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare) and 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases. And the card comes with a unique welcome bonus: New cardholders earn a $$100 Amazon Gift Card) instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members.

Best card for welcome offer bonus

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a premium credit card from Capital One. New cardholders can currently earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. When redeemed through Capital One travel, these miles are worth $750 in travel. However, if you decide to transfer the points to any of Capital One's travel partners, you can potentially get even more value for them.

Best card for travel rewards

The Platinum Card® from American Express is a luxury travel card with an abundance of benefits, including TSA PreCheck/Global Entry credits, airport lounge access, travel credits and more. While it has a steep $695 annual fee (see rates and fees), the card more than makes up for the annual fee in its benefits. Additionally, the card comes with a large welcome bonus. Cardholders can earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $8,000 on purchases within the first six months of account opening.

Best card for interest-free financing

The Wells Fargo Reflect Card recently launched and is a good option for consumers looking to avoid paying interest charges on their purchases. With the Reflect Card, cardholders enjoy an introductory 0% APR on purchases and qualifying balance transfers for the first 21 months from account opening. After the intro period, the interest rate is 18.24%, 24.74%, or 29.99% variable APR on purchases and balance transfers. Balance transfers made within 120 days from account opening qualify for the intro rate, BT fee of 5%, min $5.

As you consider which card to use to make your Amazon purchases, also keep in mind a few strategies to help you save when shopping.

Shopping portals

A shopping portal is a service offered by affiliates of Amazon to bring in more customers through special offers, usually by offering cash back, points or airline miles. All you need to do to earn further rewards is to enter the Amazon website through a special link.

To get started, visit CashBackMonitor, and browse the current Amazon offers (or other retailers). Once you find the shopping portal that is best for you, simply click the link (you'll need to be logged in and have an account with the portal before doing so) and you'll be redirected to Amazon. Once you submit your order, your additional rewards or cash back will be added to the rewards program you selected.

Credit card shopping benefits

Unfortunately, there are cases where Amazon packages show up damaged or they're stolen from your doorstep. In these cases, there are credit cards with shopping protections which can help consumers who find themselves with lost or damaged gifts. These benefits include purchase protection, return protection and extended warranty.

However, for coverage to kick in, the purchase must be made with the credit card that offers the benefits. Check with your credit card provider to see what protections your card offers. A few examples of credit cards with these benefits are the Amex Platinum, Chase Sapphire Reserve® and the Chase Freedom Unlimited®.

Amazon Prime student

If you're currently enrolled in college courses, don't forget that you can qualify for a discounted Amazon Prime membership. Prime includes free shipping (sometimes as fast as same-day delivery), access to Prime video and music as well as to exclusive Amazon Prime deals. Amazon Prime is $12.99 per month or $119 per year, plus taxes, but if you enroll in Amazon Prime Student, it is only $59/year, plus taxes.

If you want a bit of repayment flexibility for your holiday shopping, Amazon offers a buy now, pay later service through Affirm. Launched in late Aug. 2021, consumers can spread out their payments over three to 48 months for orders over $50. While there are no hidden or late fees when using Affirm, you could be charged up to 30% interest when financing purchases. Make sure you understand the terms before you sign up.

Affirm might be useful to some customers but be sure to consider the potential negative impact it could have on your credit score. And if you're in need of flexible financing for your holiday shopping, consider a 0% intro APR credit card.

Black Friday sales continue to be the true kick-off of the holiday shopping season. However, because of the supply chain issues faced by retailers, some shoppers and retailers have gotten an early start. But regardless of whether you've begun your shopping, if Amazon is your preferred retailer this Black Friday, be sure you are paying with the best credit card possible to earn rewards and protect your purchases.

Catch up on Select's in-depth coverage of personal finance, tech and tools, wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date.

For rates and fees of the Platinum Card from American Express, click here.

Information about the Prime Visa has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer prior to publication; if you purchase something through Select links for the Amazon products, we may earn a commission.