You've seen them. Everyone has. You're scrolling through TikTok or Instagram at 11:00 PM, and suddenly there’s someone sitting on a bedroom floor surrounded by a mountain of gray plastic mailers and cardboard. They’re pulling out everything from $5 "skims-dupe" bodysuits to strange kitchen gadgets that peel garlic in three seconds. That, in its simplest form, is an amazon haul what is it moment that has basically redefined how we shop in the 2020s.
It isn't just shopping. It's a performance.
Honestly, the "haul" culture started on YouTube over a decade ago with brands like Forever 21, but Amazon changed the math. Because the barrier to entry is so low—literally anyone with a Prime account and a smartphone can do it—it became a viral phenomenon. You don’t need a fashion degree. You just need a ring light and a pile of packages.
Breaking Down the Amazon Haul: What Is It Exactly?
At its core, an amazon haul what is it search usually leads you to a specific type of user-generated content where a creator showcases a bulk purchase of items from the retail giant. But it's more than just "showing stuff." It’s a curation process. People look to these creators to filter through the millions of junk listings on the site to find the actual gems.
Think about the sheer volume of products on Amazon. It's overwhelming. Most of us don't have the patience to read 4,000 reviews for a spatula. We want to see it in someone’s hand. We want to see how the fabric moves. This is why "hauls" are essentially a decentralized marketing arm for Amazon.
There are different "flavors" of these hauls. You’ve got the fashion hauls, where the focus is on "dupes" for high-end brands like Lululemon or Aritzia. Then there are the home organization hauls—this is where the clear acrylic bins and labeling machines live. Lately, the "Amazon Finds" sub-genre has taken over, focusing on "things you didn't know you needed." It’s a rabbit hole. A deep, expensive rabbit hole.
The Psychology of the "Add to Cart" High
Why do we watch these? It's weird, right? Watching a stranger unpack boxes should be boring. But it's not. It’s vicarious consumption.
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According to consumer psychologists, watching a haul triggers a dopamine response similar to actually shopping. You get the thrill of the "find" without spending your own money—at least until you click the link in their bio. There is also a massive element of trust involved. When a creator you’ve followed for two years says a $12 leggings brand is "squat-proof," you believe them more than a polished TV commercial.
The Rise of the "Amazon Haul" App Feature
If you’ve been paying attention to the news lately, you’ll notice that Amazon officially launched something actually called Amazon Haul. This isn't just a hashtag anymore. It's a literal section of their mobile app.
Amazon saw the massive success of platforms like Temu and Shein—sites where everything is dirt cheap and takes two weeks to arrive—and they wanted a piece of that "extreme value" pie. This new feature is a dedicated space for items that are almost entirely under $20, with many under $5.
It’s a different vibe than regular Prime shopping.
Standard Amazon is about "I need this tomorrow."
Amazon Haul is about "I want ten things for $30 and I don't care if they get here in ten days."
This marks a huge shift in their business model. They are moving away from just being the "fastest" to being the "cheapest." It's a direct response to the "haul" culture where quantity often trumps quality for the sake of entertainment and variety.
The "Dupe" Economy and Why It Matters
You can't talk about an amazon haul what is it without talking about dupes. The word "dupe" (short for duplicate) is the lifeblood of Amazon content. In 2023 and 2024, the search volume for "Amazon dupes" skyrocketed. People are looking for the aesthetic of luxury brands without the three-digit price tags.
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But there is a darker side to this.
Many small designers have accused Amazon sellers of "stealing" their designs and mass-producing them for pennies. It’s a legal gray area that the platform struggles to police. When you buy a $15 version of a $200 designer bag, you’re participating in a complex global supply chain that often prioritizes speed and cost over intellectual property rights. It’s something most haul videos conveniently ignore.
How Creators Actually Make Money
Nobody is doing this just for fun. Well, some people are, but the ones you see on your "For You" page are usually running a business.
The Amazon Associates program and the Amazon Influencer Program are the engines behind these videos. When a creator tells you to "check the link in my storefront," they are using an affiliate link. If you buy that viral ice cube tray, they get a small commission—usually between 1% and 10% depending on the category.
- Storefronts: A personalized page on Amazon where a creator can group all their "hauls" into categories like "Kitchen Must-Haves" or "Winter Fashion."
- Livestreams: Amazon Live is basically QVC for the TikTok generation. Creators demo products in real-time, and you can chat with them while you shop.
- Bounties: Sometimes Amazon pays creators flat fees for promoting specific services, like signing up for a wedding registry or an Auditor Audible trial.
It’s a lucrative gig if you can build an audience. Top-tier Amazon influencers can make six or seven figures a year just by being professional shoppers. It's wild.
The Environmental Elephant in the Room
We have to talk about the trash. Every amazon haul what is it video represents a significant amount of packaging waste. The plastic mailers, the bubble wrap, the boxes—it adds up.
A 2022 report by Oceana estimated that Amazon generated 709 million pounds of plastic packaging waste in that year alone. While Amazon has made strides in using more recyclable paper padded mailers, the sheer volume of "micro-purchasing" fueled by haul culture is a sustainability nightmare.
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Then there's the "return" problem.
Because Amazon makes returns so easy (just drop it off at Kohl's or a UPS Store!), people buy ten things in a haul, keep two, and send eight back. A lot of those returned items don't end up back on a shelf. They often get sold to "liquidation" pallets or, unfortunately, end up in landfills because it's cheaper for the company than inspecting and repackaging them.
Is the Trend Fading?
Actually, no. It’s evolving.
We are seeing a shift toward "De-influencing." This is where a creator tells you what not to buy in an Amazon haul. It’s a reaction to the overconsumption of the last few years. People are getting "stuff fatigue." They want quality over quantity.
However, as long as the "Amazon Haul" section of the app exists and provides $4 sunglasses, the cycle of bulk buying for entertainment isn't going anywhere. It’s too baked into our digital habits now.
How to Do an Amazon Haul Without Losing Your Mind (or Money)
If you're tempted to dive into the world of Amazon shopping because of a video you saw, you need a strategy. It's easy to get swept up in the "it's only $10" trap.
- Check the "Review Photos" Religiously. Never trust the professional product shots. Always look for the photos uploaded by real humans. That’s where you’ll see if the fabric is actually see-through or if the "giant" rug is actually the size of a postage stamp.
- Use Price Trackers. Tools like CamelCamelCamel (yes, that’s the real name) allow you to see the price history of an item. Amazon prices fluctuate daily. Don't buy a "haul" item just because it says it’s on sale; check if that sale price is actually the normal price.
- Wait 24 Hours. Put everything in your cart, then walk away. If you still want that weird mushroom-shaped lamp the next day, go for it. Usually, the "must-have" feeling fades once the dopamine spike from the video wears off.
- Check the "Sold By" Info. If it's not "Shipped and Sold by Amazon," look at the third-party seller's ratings. If they have a 60% rating and they're shipping from overseas, that haul is going to be a disappointment.
Practical Steps for Smart Shopping
The next time you encounter an amazon haul what is it post, remember that it is a curated advertisement. You are seeing the "best" version of those products.
To shop smarter:
- Filter by "Recent" reviews. Older reviews might be for a previous version of the product that was better quality.
- Look for "Verified Purchase" badges. These are harder to fake, though not impossible.
- Avoid "sponsored" results at the top of search. Those sellers paid to be there; they didn't necessarily earn the spot through quality.
Focus on buying things that solve a problem in your life rather than things that just look cool in a 15-second clip. Shopping should be about utility, not just filling a void or following a trend. If you find yourself buying things just to unbox them, it might be time to hit the "unfollow" button on a few accounts.