Amazon Users Guide
Since March 2020 all Amazon spending is consolidated under the SF Business Account. Only Authorized Users may make purchases on behalf of the college. Use of personal accounts and reimbursement is not permitted.
On This Page
Creating an Account
- Contact the Account Administrator to get started. You must have supervisor approval and the ability to submit requisitions in eStaff. Do not create an account before contacting Purchasing.
- You'll receive an email from noreply@amazon.com with a link to register. Opening this link takes you to Amazon, where you'll be prompted to click a large yellow button labeled Activate Your Account. (Make sure you're not logged into any personal accounts before opening the link.)
- Upon activation you'll be prompted to re-enter your sfcollege.edu email address and choose a password, and then your account will be created.
- Accounts are automatically set up to use purchase orders via Pay by Invoice. P-Card holders may also add their card as a payment method.
- If you'll be ordering for more than one campus, let the Administrator know. The ship-to address(es) will be added to your account and can be selected at checkout.
Once your account has been activated and payment method(s) added, you are ready to begin shopping.
Important
You must use your sfcollege.edu email address, which cannot be connected to any personal account. If it is, you must remove it from your personal account before creating your Authorized User account.
The only allowable payment methods are Pay By Invoice and your P-Card. Do not use anyone else's P-Card, SF AmEx, or any personal cards/accounts to make purchases. Never use your Authorized User account for personal purchases.
Only SF campus addresses may be used for delivery. College purchases may not be delivered to personal residences. If a teleworking staff member requests an Amazon order, they must come to campus to pick it up.
Only Authorized Users are allowed to make Amazon purchases on behalf of the college. Staff in your area must send their requests to you rather than using petty cash reimbursement. Accounts may not be shared; if someone else in your area needs access, have their supervisor contact the Administrator.
Using Purchase Orders
Blanket POs
As with other vendors, you can set up one or more blanket POs to use at Amazon throughout the fiscal year. Blanket POs are recommended for most Amazon orders, to prevent delays. They are attached to your account in a drop-down menu at checkout. Amazon will alert you when a PO balance is low; however, it is your responsibility to keep track of your POs and choose the correct one when ordering.
Line Item POs
Blanket POs are preferable at Amazon, because prices and availability often change before a requisition can be processed. In certain circumstances, such as when buying capital items, a line item PO must be used. In such cases, put on a requisition as per normal; when the PO is ready, Purchasing will give you the number to type in manually at checkout. If prices have changed, let Purchasing know and the PO can be amended.
Using Your P-Card
If you have a Procurement Card, you'll be able to add it as your default payment method when creating your account. Remember to keep all receipts, invoices, and packing slips for reconciling on your P-Card Monthly Transaction Log report. All Amazon orders must follow P-Card rules, including daily/monthly spend limits.
When necessary you can also use a PO for items that cannot be purchased with a P-Card, such as food or capital expenses. Your primary payment method is selected by default at checkout, so be sure to change it to Pay By Invoice and type in the PO number to prevent your card from being charged.
Please note: Leave the PO Number field blank at checkout when using a P-Card, but always enter a name in the Deliver To field - this tells Receiving where the delivery goes.
Shipping and Tax
Sept 2023: SF is currently enrolled in a trial period of Business Prime. You will receive Prime benefits until the trial expires in September 2024. The college has not permanently switched to Prime, so these instructions will not be changed until/unless we do. Your account will explain Prime features for you to explore.
Shipping
Orders totaling over $25 of qualifying items will get free shipping. Orders that do not qualify will have shipping charges added. To avoid shipping charges, look for Eligible for Free Shipping over $25 near the price of an item. At checkout, make sure to select Free Shipping on each item, as Amazon will select the $5.99 option by default. SF does not get automatic free shipping or Prime 2-day shipping. It is each buyer's responsibility to know what they're buying and include any shipping charges on line item POs.
Sales Tax
The college does not pay sales tax. The SF Business Account is set up to filter out any seller that does not honor sales tax exemption. If you see sales tax applied to any order, notify the Administrator at once.
Deliveries and Invoices
Order Approval
Each time an Authorized User places an order, the Administrator is alerted via email to approve it. Most purchases are approved shortly after the order is placed. In the rare instance that an order cannot be approved (usually for safety reasons), the Administrator will let you know via email.
Certain purchases may need additional department approvals, such as ITS, MarCom, or Safety. In such cases, Purchasing will communicate with you and the department to get the order approved as quickly as possible.
Delivery Status
After placing an order, you'll receive a confirmation email with an estimated delivery date and shipping speed. You can track the status of all your orders in your Authorized User account:
- Navigate to Your Orders
- Here you can view the status of all your orders including returns, cancels, estimated delivery, and time delivered.
- To track an order in transit, select Track Package
Missing Deliveries
- If an order is marked Delivered but you haven't received anything, check with the Mailroom to see if they have any stray Amazon packages. It may be that the PO number and/or Deliver To name was not listed on the shipping label.
- If the estimated delivery date has passed by several days and the order still hasn't been delivered, use the Where's My Stuff? button to contact Amazon Customer Service.
Submitting Invoices
- You will receive an invoice via email from Amazon for every order, usually a few days after placing it. PO users should forward invoices to Accounts Payable as soon as all items have been received and inspected.
- If you've received some items but not others, let AP know so they can pay for the items received.
- Amazon uses individual invoicing rather than a college-wide monthly statement, so it's important that invoices are turned in as soon as possible to avoid late payment.
- P-Card users should save all invoices and packing slips to file with their monthly P-Card report.
- You can access the packing slip and Printable Order Summary for any order on the Your Orders screen.
Returns
The return process for an Authorized User account is the same as with a personal Amazon account.
- In your account, navigate to Your Orders.
- Use the Return Items button to start the return process. You'll need to specify why you're returning the item(s) and whether you want a replacement or a refund*.
- Amazon will generate a return label for you. Print this out, put the item(s) back in the original box, and ask Receiving to pick it up.
- Refunds for P-Card purchases will be issued as a credit on your card. File the refund email with your monthly P-Card report.
- Refunds for PO purchases will be issued as a credit on your account. If the items were part of a blanket PO, the funds will be reapplied to the total. If the items were part of a line-item PO, let Purchasing know so we can cancel the PO and un-encumber the funds.
*You may have to pay shipping for returned items, which will be deducted from the total amount of your refund. Replacements for broken items usually (not always) include return shipping if applicable.
IMPORTANT
The return window at Amazon is thirty (30) days. Every time you receive an order, open it immediately and check to make sure all items are there and in good condition. If there's a problem with anything, complete the replacement/return process right away. Once the window has closed, you will not be able to return items.
Other Tips
- Always log into your Authorized User account before you start browsing. (Look for the Business logo at top left.) This will ensure you see correct pricing, sales tax exemption is applied, and purchases are not accidentally made with personal accounts.
- Business accounts are not the same as Prime accounts. Prime Pantry and Prime Only items are not available, and there is no free guaranteed 2-day shipping.
- Amazon Marketplace items are not recommended for line item PO purchases. By the time a requisition is approved and processed, the item will most likely be sold out or a different price. Amazon Marketplace items often lack tracking information and are not guaranteed unless fulfilled by Amazon.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I'm using my SF email for a personal account?
The SF Business Account has been configured so that no sfcollege.edu email address may be connected to a personal Amazon account. If you've been using your SF email for a personal account, you must switch to another email. You should be able to do so without affecting Prime benefits, but if you encounter problems, contact Amazon Customer Service at 1-866-486-2360 for assistance.
Can I combine my personal and SF accounts?
No. Do not use a personal Amazon account for college purchases (even with your P-Card), and never use your college account to make personal purchases. You can switch between business and personal accounts by using the drop-down menu underneath Account & Lists on the Amazon homepage.
Can my office create one account for several people to share?
No. Each Authorized User account is assigned to one sfcollege.edu email address and name, and only that person may use it. Do not share your account with anyone; if someone else needs access to Amazon, they should request their own account.
Can other users see my account? Can Purchasing access it?
No. Each Authorized User only has access to their own account. The Administrator can see your order history and change some general settings (such as addresses), but cannot log into your account or see your password.
Can I place an order on my own and get reimbursed?
No. All college-funded Amazon purchases must be made by an Authorized User using a PO or P-Card. Personal reimbursements (including SF AmEx) are no longer permitted. This prevents unapproved purchases, delayed or misdelivered orders, and issues with sales tax and business pricing.
How do I make sure my order is sent to the right place?
Always specify a name in the Deliver To field on the Shipping Address screen at checkout. This (and the PO number if applicable) tells Receiving where the order goes. List the person by name, but do not list a room number — all Amazon deliveries must go to Receiving on the Northwest Campus or the main delivery area at other campuses. Delivery to personal residences is not permitted.
Why does my order have shipping charges?
SF is eligible for free shipping on orders over $25 of qualifying items. The main reasons for shipping charges are: didn't select free shipping at checkout; order is less than $25; order contains ineligible item(s).
Contact
Amazon Account Administrator: Heather Domin (395-5237)
Technical Assistance: Amazon Customer Service 866-486-2360