Amazon in Portugal: How Does it Work and What Are Your Options?

If you’re an expat setting up home in Portugal, you probably love exploring the local shops in your new neighborhood.

Even so, you might not be able to find everything you’re looking for, so you’ll need to order from Amazon now and then. But how does Amazon work in Portugal, and what are your options?

How does Amazon work in Portugal?

The giant multinational delivery company, Amazon, has become an integral part of most people’s lives. From Christmas presents to school books to its online streaming service that rivals Netflix, Amazon provides a staggering quantity of services, and you can order just about everything from their online store.

We have just one question: Is there an Amazon Portugal? The short answer is, yes and no. Amazon does not actually have any warehouses in Portugal. In 2018, we had heard rumors that Amazon was considering opening a warehouse in the Porto area, but that hasn’t happened — at least not yet.

However, if you’re living in Portugal, you can still order from Amazon in much the same way you’ve always done it.

Will Amazon deliver to Portugal?

Yes, you can still order from Amazon receive deliveries in Portugal! The easiest — and probably least expensive — way to do this is use the Spanish site: Amazon.es, as it is the closest country to Portugal with Amazon warehouses. 

You can also shop Amazon sites for other European countries, such as Amazon UK or Amazon Germany. However, with the UK or Germany stores, be prepared for higher shipping fees and taxes.

How much do Amazon deliveries to Portugal cost?

As you’re probably used to, book orders over €19 and any other orders over €29 receive free delivery to Portugal from Amazon.es. Items that total less can be delivered for standard European shipping fees which begin at €3.99.

Which site should I use for Amazon Portugal?

As mentioned before, the best way to use Amazon if you’re in Portugal is to use the Spanish site, Amazon.es. However, if you’re looking for English-language books or products, your selection on Amazon.es will be limited. In this case it is better to use Amazon UK or even Amazon Germany. Most books will have higher shipping rates when sent to Portugal, though it isn’t terribly expensive from the UK.

But no matter what goods you’re looking for, if you use Amazon UK or Amazon Germany, you’ll find a much larger selection overall. Note that you can use the US Amazon site, but you’re going to pay high shipping and taxes to receive those goods in Europe. Shipping items from Amazon US also takes a lot longer.

Can I change the language on Amazon?

Again, yes and no. If you’re using the US Amazon site, you can change your preferred language to Portuguese. But if you’re looking for an Amazon site in Portuguese, there isn’t one.

There are workarounds, however. If you want to browse the Spanish Amazon site, for example, it will be in Spanish — but you can change your browser settings to automatically translate the site via Google translate. This is often really helpful when you’re trying to search for specific items.

What happens if Amazon won’t ship the product I want to Portugal?

Unfortunately, this does happen. But you have options. Besides searching different companies to find one that will ship to Portugal, you can also use services such as Forward2Me in the UK.

Forward2Me allows you to ship to a UK address, and from there, the service will forward your parcel to your address in Portugal.

What should I do if I want a delivery to the Azores or Madeira?

This can be a little more difficult. We recommend using a forwarding service if you need a delivery to the Azores or Madeira, as many companies will not ship to either place.

Can I get Amazon Echo in Portugal?

You can! If you would really like to get your hands on an Amazon Echo and you live in Portugal, your best bet is to order an international version from Amazon in Germany. It only comes in British English, as Portuguese is not yet available for this product.

Can I get Amazon Kindle in Portugal?

Definitely. If you would like to order an Amazon Kindle to Portugal, the best way to do so is through Amazon.es.

Bear in mind that the latest models might not be available, and you might have to try a few different ones to figure out which ones can be shipped to Portugal.

What alternatives are there for online shopping in Portugal?

Depending on the product you’re looking for, there are a few other alternatives to consider using for your online shopping in Portugal.

OLX

OLX (website in Portuguese) is a site with a wide range of second-hand products, from electrical items to surfboards. However, you won’t have much luck looking here if you’re looking for something that was only released recently.

eBay

If you’re looking for second-hand items, you’ll probably have more luck on OLX than eBay, as it is the more popular site of the two in Portugal. However, if you’re looking for international items, then eBay could also be a good bet. It’s worth noting that there isn’t a Portuguese version of eBay either, but we have all the answers for working around this in our article: How to Use eBay in Portugal.

Worten

Worten is one of the biggest suppliers of electrical goods in Portugal, so if you’re looking for a new device or appliance, then check out the Worten online store (website in Portuguese).

Fnac

Fnac (website is in Portuguese) is a large electronics and books retailer. Their website can be particularly useful if you’re looking to buy books, especially foreign-language ones. It can quite often be the cheapest place to buy English-language books online in Portugal.

Will services like Amazon Locker be coming to Portugal?

Amazon Locker is a self-service kiosk which allows you to pick up your deliveries from a locker. This can be convenient if you aren’t home to receive deliveries during the day, or if you don’t have a secure area where Amazon can leave deliveries.

There are currently Amazon Lockers in Spain, but none in Portugal yet, and Amazon hasn’t noted whether this is something we should expect in the near future. It is possible that if an Amazon Portugal eventually opens, Amazon Locker services would come with it.

What about Amazon Pantry?

Amazon Pantry is a service that allows Amazon Prime members to order boxes of non-perishable goods. As with Amazon Locker, Amazon Pantry will probably only come to Portugal once Amazon Portugal exists. Amazon Prime customers can, however, order from the Amazon Pantry store from Spain.