Planning to buy something from Amazon? There could be a free movie in your future.
To help promote “Kung Fu Panda 3,” which opens in theaters Jan. 29, Amazon is offering a free digital HD copy of the original “Kung Fu Panda” when you purchase any eligible item between now and midnight, January 1.
Ah, the old “eligible” trick, eh? That must mean you need to buy an Amazon-branded item priced at $100 or more, right?
Wrong: the “eligible” umbrella includes a large variety of items in categories including books, movies, toys and electronics. As you’ll see on the promo page, this encompasses thousands of products.
Now, here’s where it gets a bit confusing: On any given product page, there’s nothing to indicate you’ll be getting your free movie. According to the terms and conditions, Amazon will email you a promotional code and instructions for redeeming it.
In other words, unless you pick one of the sample items on the promo page, it’s hard to know for sure if you’re purchasing something eligible.
That said, I went ahead and grabbed a digital copy of “It’s a Wonderful Life” ($4.99), which my wife had mentioned wanting to see. Sure enough, seconds after my purchase-confirmation email arrived, so did my free promo code for “Kung Fu Panda.” Make sure to follow the redemption instructions closely, as the process is a bit confusing in places.
Normally the HD version of the movie sells for $7.99. To watch it, you’ll need any device that supports Amazon Instant Video.
Now for the big question: What’s the cheapest item you can find that still qualifies for the freebie? Let me know your findings in the comments.