Hilton and Amazon have partnered up to offer yet a new payment option for Amazon (and Hilton Honors) members. It’s simple yet ingenious: Hilton Honors members get points for their stay at Hilton, and those points can now be used as currency on Amazon. We understand that five hundred Hilton points will be equivalent to one American dollar, and also that there are restrictions to what can be purchased with points instead of money.
Kindle and music downloads, Amazon videos and apps, AmazonFresh products, prime memberships (for yourself – they will be available as gifts for someone else), pre-orders, textbook rentals and gift cards are all off limit to buy with points. Everything else is fair game, from the most luxurious items down to toilet paper.
Here’s how it works: Hilton Honors members need to link their Hilton account with their Amazon account. They only need to do this once, and then they can shop through their Amazon account as usual. When they’ve selected their purchase(s), they head out to the checkout screen where they will be given the option to choose how many of their Hilton Honors points they want to use towards their purchase. They can also choose to change their payment option if they want to purchase their items with money instead of points.
One interesting feature is that it doesn’t matter if they don’t have enough Hilton Honors points to pay for their items – they also have the option of paying for part of their purchase with points, and the other part with money. This no doubt benefits Amazon – Hilton Honors members will go see what they can get with points on Amazon, find something they like and purchase it at a “discount” using their points. A purchase they might not have made otherwise.
The only downside is that customers who buy items with points will not be able to use the “One-Click Checkout” option which, to me, seems like a small price to pay to be able to take advantage of the deal. David Williams, Vice-President at Amazon Payment Products, said “Amazon continuously strives to delight our customers with new paying experiences and we are pleased to launch this new program with Hilton Honors”. Amazon also hints at the fact that this is only the first partnership of its kind, and that more points programs are to come.