How can I sync my Amazon cart across multiple devices?

Question

Why isnt my Amazon cart syncing correctly between my phone and my desktop anymore? Ive been using the site for like a decade and never really had this issue until this week but it is seriously annoying. I am currently trying to get all the stuff for my new apartment in Chicago ready to go—got a budget of roughly $2k for furniture and kitchen stuff—and I keep adding things to my cart while I am commuting on the Blue Line. Then I get home, log into the browser on my desktop, and the items are just gone. Or sometimes it shows stuff I deleted three days ago.

I know my way around a UI and I have already checked the basic stuff. Im logged into the same account, I cleared the cookies on my Chrome browser, and I even reinstalled the app on my iPhone but it still feels like the sessions are totally disconnected. Is there some hidden setting in the account preferences I missed that handles cross-device sync? I really need to get this order placed by Thursday so the delivery arrives before my move-in date. Its weird because usually the cloud sync is instant with these big platforms but right now it feels totally broken...

Calvinjef · Accepted Answer

I just saw this and honestly it sounds like a weird edge case because I'm usually super happy with how the sync works. I've got a pretty complex setup with multiple tablets and a workstation, and it generally works well for me without any complaints. It really sounds like a session handshake issue tho. I was browsing Smartphone Board the other day and saw a thread about how certain iOS updates mess with background data refresh for shopping apps. It made me wonder about your specific setup.

Are you using the standalone Amazon app on your iPhone, or are you just logged in through a mobile browser like Safari?

When you're on the Blue Line, are you using a VPN or any specific ad-blocking DNS settings on your phone? Technical specs-wise, the cart should update via a simple POST request to their retail service, so it's wild that it's failing. I'm curious if the desktop is actually hitting a different regional server than your mobile data. If we can figure out if it's a network layer problem or a localized app cache issue, it'll be way easier to fix before your move-in date. Honestly, once the metadata syncs properly, the experience is usually flawless.

Vortexdjz · Answer

I'm usually satisfied with how it handles my orders, so this is weird. Are you using the regular Amazon app or the Lite version? Using the Lists feature instead of the cart works well for planning big purchases like your apartment setup.

hit the save for later button

use the your lists section

refresh the app manually Just saw a post on Smartphone Board about this — it's a common snag for power users.

Anya67Kn · Answer

Amazon sync is unfortunately trash now. I had this same mess when buying gear for my old place in 2021.Are you on a VPN?Is your app updated? Its gotten kinda broken.