Why You Can Trust CNET Traveling During Prime Day? How to Get Amazon Delivered Globally
Commentary: Amazon ships to six continents. Here's how to purchase something while traveling and still scoop up great deals.
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Amazon Prime Day is July 16-17 this year. I've spent most of my adult life ordering and getting items from Amazon, so when I became a digital nomad eight years ago, I assumed the sun had set on the amazingness of getting almost anything I wanted with just a few clicks and two-day shipping.
Fortunately for me, Amazon ships globally. Through AmazonGlobal, you can get Amazon orders shipped to you on six continents. Medellin, Colombia, was one of the first countries I decided to live long-term. I started my digital nomad journey in Medellin because I could move there and live in the country on a student visa to study Spanish. I signed a lease for a fully furnished apartment in my favorite part of the city (Poblado), got a Colombian national ID, registered for the national health care system and decided to furnish my apartment and give it as much of a homey feel as possible.
Having the comforts of home and specific tech needs shipped to me in Colombia via Amazon gave me a bit more confidence that I could live a digital nomad life. If you want those good Prime Day deals while traveling, here's how it worked out for me.
I can get the gadgets I need
I've gotten many great deals and gadgets through Amazon over the years. One of my favorite shopping events is Prime Day, because I can get what I want and need in a budget-friendly way. It was nice to shop on Prime Day and get some items I needed while being in another country.
Through Prime Day, I've been able to buy Anker extension cords, bamboo sheets (that I travel with everywhere now), an iPad Air, a laptop stand, AirPods and a webcam. I had these items shipped to me while I lived in Colombia, Malaysia and Japan. When I needed specific tools like microphones or webcams, I could order on Amazon when they were too expensive or country-specific locally (in either language or configuration).
Amazon makes it easy to get the gadgets that help me work abroad and stay connected to family, and it does so in an easy way. As usual, I order on the app, and my Amazon items are shipped to me. I get notifications when the package is shipped, when it clears customs in the country I'm in, and when Amazon or its local partner is on the way to where I am with the delivery.
I can still get the comforts of home while working abroad
One thing no one tells you about living a digital nomad lifestyle is that you'll experience loneliness and miss the comforts of home. You come to miss your favorite restaurants, getting coffee at your local coffee shop, and the little items that make your living space feel cozy. When I discovered that Amazon shipped internationally, I ordered items that made me feel more at home.
While in Japan, I ordered the bamboo sheets I always had in the States. In Malaysia, I got an iPad so I could watch TV in bed (using a VPN) and FaceTime more comfortably with family. In Colombia, I ordered Christmas knickknacks to decorate my apartment for the holidays and relive a ritual I'd enjoyed for years.
Home can mean different things to different people. For me, home is wherever I'm traveling and living as long as I can make it my own. Local finds are great and make each place special, but I like that I can also lean on Amazon when needed for some everyday items.
Saving money on Amazon means I have more room in my budget
Amazon has great prices, especially during its Prime Day sales. I've been able to save money shopping on Amazon and use the savings for activities in the country I'm visiting. Living a digital nomad lifestyle has meant learning to manage my expenses well, especially with the costs of travel. I've kept expenses low, getting items on Amazon whenever possible.
If you want to be a digital nomad, already live that lifestyle, or just want what you need while traveling, consider using those AmazonGlobal perks. You can get almost everything you need at a good price, shipped to you in countries all over the world.