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How to Get a Zappos VIP Membership
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About a year ago, I saw an listing on a deal site for a Zappos VIP membership. A Zappos VIP membership, which was itself free, gives you a litany of perks but the best is free next business day shipping on all of your orders for life. It seems seems like a ridiculous deal (Amazon Prime offers two day shipping at $79 a year and Amazon owns Zappos), so I signed up. Non-VIPs get two day shipping, so they are still pretty fast.
Fast forward a few months, after the deal ended, and it appears I took advantage of a special offer because the signup page now has a waiting list sign up form.
Updated Dec 10, 2012: Zappos is currently giving away free VIP memberships as a thank you to Facebook fans. This gives you free overnight shipping and expedited returns.
Here’s the interesting part, if you go to vip.zappos.com and start shopping, you are given the ability to create a vip.zappos.com account upon checkout. Add something to your cart, checkout, and click the “Register and Checkout” button. On this next page you are given the ability to create an account for the “special” VIP site, the same type of account you’d get for joining the waiting list I mentioned earlier. I’m not quite sure why the regular sign up page has a waiting list but here’s a way to get a VIP account for anyone.
In addition to the tangible benefit of next business day shipping, VIP members can earn badges and points for writing reviews and buying products. There is a special VIP only section with contest and giveaways – but ultimately the best perk is the next business day shipping. Since discovering Zappos, I haven’t purchased a pair of shoes anywhere else. I order what I think I like and return anything I’m not 100% in love with. I don’t know how they make money off me but I’ve probably ordered a dozen shoes and kept three (in some cases, I ordered two sizes of the same shoe).
I knew about the company before Amazon acquired them but I never purchased anything, but I imagine it doesn’t get that much better than this in terms of customer service. So if you’ve been wanting to get into the VIP section, this is your ticket in. No waiting required. 
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I got my VIP when I called them once to exchange some boots. The customer rep said he would upgrade my account to VIP. I asked if he could update my wife’s too and he did.
Awesome customer service!
I guess they want you to actually be using the account before they give away the VIP?
Fun fact, that’s somewhat of a marketing ploy. Even though their website says that shipping is up to 5 business days, when you place an order Zappos surprises you by giving you a free upgrade to overnight shipping. They do it on almost every single order. I’ve experienced the surprise upgrade myself, and I also read about it in Tony Hsieh’s book.
To make the VIP account do you actually have to buy something?
I already have an account so I can’t test this but I don’t see why anyone else couldn’t give it a whirl? I just assume that you don’t need to buy anything at the moment to register.
Following the link to vip.zappos.com gave me an option to either login or sign up for the waiting list. After that I registered a new account on the main site and added something to my cart and went to checkout to see if I would get any VIP options but nothing came up. I didn’t actually checkout though, so I don’t know if they’d upgrade me during the actual shipping process.
their customer service is insane…even without the VIP account. as is the shipping. perhaps my location factors in, but before i ever had the VIP account, i could place an order late in the day and it would show up the next afternoon.
i had zero complaints with zappos, and only praise with the standard account. the same can be said for the VIP.
The first time I ordered shoes from Zappos I was concerned about the size factor, after placing my order I decided to call customer service to ask a few questions. Not only was the customer service guy very helpful, shortly after I received an email stating I had been upgrade to VIP, woo-hoo!!!! I was was introduced to Zappos on a television documentary about the owner and business. I would love to work there.
Damn, I just bought shoes from Zappos.com and totally forgot about this post…
I tried doing what you suggested in the article but it didnt work. But I signed up for the wait list and just got an email inviting me in for free, after four days.
Zappos & Tony Hseieh are marketing geniuses, yet more importantly are a great example of what customer service is all about! Love their VIP program & messages!
This loophole has since been closed.
Yes, Zappo’s has been sent by the gods!
Ive been a member sense ’09. after you spend a certain amount and have been a member for a while you become a VIP member. its great! they are awesome about returning and they have great costumer service
How come Nigerians can’t shop at zappos.com?
I’ve been a member since 1999. I was automatically switched over to Zappos VIP. I OWN OVER 200 pair of shoes from Zappos. I love the fact that you have a whole year to return shoes if u do not like them. I also love the next day shipping. They Aldo carry so many different
Styles and designers. I highly recommend Zappos. It is so hard to find a shoe store with a large variety of beautiful shoes. This is why I choose Zappos for my online shoe store love it.
I don’t know when I got my VIP…. Since 2005 when I ordered my first ugg they’ve been delivering my next uggs , or north face jackets the next day…I’ve been bragging zappos ever since, no hassle with exchanges..I kept a merchandise for almost a year( untouched) and I got my money back.. I simply love zappos!