Amazon may raise Prime prices.

[Ginwen]

Originally Posted by ApK

You go make nice-nice with the IT folks and maybe they'll let you keep that .edu address forever!

One of my clients is a college...I need to convince them I need an .edu email account for system testing....

Nah, i work at a college so i have a permanent edu address, but they wanted me to send proof of enrollment (your registration info) after a couple of years. This would be easy for me to do, actually, but would also be illegal (from the state's standpoint).

[eschwartz]

The difference is that discriminating based on race or religion or gender or job etc. is a matter of prejudicial bias, whereas discriminating based on wealth is a business decision, as they are not saying "we won;t sell to you because you're not rich" they are saying "we'd love to sell to you, but unfortunately, you cannot afford the price we need to charge in order to remain competitive". Amazon is not required to give premium service away for free, or at an excessive cost to themselves.

I think we can all agree the Cessna plane example is clearly not discriminatory. I also think Amazon is doing the same thing, on a lesser scale, so how are they being any more discriminatory? It is the same business decision at heart.

[sirmaru]

Originally Posted by crich70

If a sizable portion of the public can't get something because of the price being too high isn't it on a parallel of not being able to go somewhere because of other things they can't change like ethnic origin or skin color? I don't know if it fits the legal definition of the term as most people think of it or not, but it seems that way to me as a layman. I mean it's illegal to not rent to someone based on their job for example if I understand right or based on their race, or if they have a physical handicap so is it that far a stretch to say that raising the price of a service which makes it impossible for someone to afford it (if they want it) or so they no longer can (if they had already had it) amounts to the same thing? I'm not a lawyer but it does sound that way to me. If anyone here at MR is a lawyer and can clarify what the difference is feel free.

Certain groups are designated "protected minorities" in certain jurisdictions. Thus, one may not be able to deny them jobs on that basis or deny them living quarters in certain areas.

So far as I know, no jurisdictions have designated the Underclass a protected minority. Every jurisdiction (nation) on the planet does discriminate against their Underclass. Even in communist nations there are special stores for the Oligarchy where the Underclass is not even permitted to shop. Even in Stalinist Russia dachas were only owned by the Oligarchy and many in the Underclass were kept in a life of forced labor at high danger to themselves.

Price discrimination is the way of the world and the poor are expected to suffer quietly and not complain. If they complain violently, they get sent to prison.

Amazon may end up with four classes of customers: no Prime with 3 to 5 day shipping; Prime Ground with 2 day shipping; Prime Special with 1 day shipping; and Prime Air (Drone) with same day shipping. Prices for all four classes will be sharply different.

I am getting 80% of my shipments in ONE DAY. Thus, the regular Prime membership is a bargain for me. I fully expect to get a price increase eventually if I expect to continue to get one day service.

Amazon has already reduced the features of the Prime service. Certain low price items are designated "Add On" and will NOT be delivered until the total price of the shipment is over $25.00.

By the way, I already received a special offer from UPS to pay an extra $ 40 per year to get all my deliveries in ONE DAY. Since I order almost everything from Amazon and get 80% in one day, I did not accept the UPS offer. I use the free UPS MY CHOICE service and now get emails from UPS when a delivery is coming to me showing the date and time of delivery allowing me to change the delivery date and / or time to my convenience. That service is free. If there are delays due to weather or other events, I get advance notice of the changes.

If UPS is selling a large quantity of their $ 40 per year Premium One Day shipping service, that may have given Amazon the idea of raising their fees for Prime by $ 40.

[Kumabjorn]

@sirmaru
Just to set things right, in Stalinist Soviet Union dachas were owned by the Nomenclatura. Oligarchs are a phenomena of capitalist Russia.

[sirmaru]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

@sirmaru
Just to set things right, in Stalinist Soviet Union dachas were owned by the Nomenclatura. Oligarchs are a phenomena of capitalist Russia.

The Communist Party hierarchy, military leadership, secret police leadership and scientific leadership ARE the Oligarchy in Communist nations.

However, China's Oligarchy is now evolving to bring in Manufacturing and Technology leaders who may eventually dominate that Oligarchy as well.

Every nation in history has had an Oligarchy. Revolutions simply have replaced the old Oligarchy with a new Oligarchy.

Communist nations in the Eastern European Block had severe upheavals in the late 1980's and early 1990's and the old Oligarchies were replaced by new Oligarchies.

The American Revolution replaced the Oligarchy of Royals and Dukes with slave owners. The later American Civil War replaced the slave oligarchs with railroad and manufacturing oligarchs.

Today the American Oligarchy keeps changing with Technology Oligarchs gradually replacing manufacturing, shipping and banking Oligarchs. Changing Oligarchies like in America is the best system devised so far. A lucky few in every generation move from the Middle and Underclass into the Oligarchy. Descendants of Oligarchs remain in the Oligarchy for several generations.

The 1933 revolution in Germany replaced the Prussian Military and Manufacturing Oligarchs with Nazi Party and SS Oligarchs.

In Japan the 1945 war loss changed the land owning and military oligarchy to a manufacturing oligarchy which is now evolving to a technology oligarchy.

And so it goes down through history. However, in ALL nations the Underclass just kept on suffering. Changes in the faces of Oligarchs never helped them.

[HarryT]

Moderator Notice
Any further posts that are political in nature will be immediately deleted without comment or warning. Take it to the P&R forum, folks, if you want to talk about politics.

[Lemurion]

Personally, I can see them doing both, $99 up front or $9.99 a month...

That would give them the best of both worlds.

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by Lemurion

Personally, I can see them doing both, $99 up front or $9.99 a month...

That would give them the best of both worlds.

Yup $9.99 a month would make it a little more affordable for those unable to save, and it is about 35 cents a day, approximately the price of a cup of coffee made at home.

Helen

[Tarana]

Honestly, people, if Amazon Prime is not meeting your needs for their reasonable price, stop griping about it and simply cancel. You are not forced to pay for it.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by Tarana

Honestly, people, if Amazon Prime is not meeting your needs for their reasonable price, stop griping about it and simply cancel. You are not forced to pay for it.

"But it's a basic necessity of life! I need it!"

[theducks]

Originally Posted by stormcloude

Wonder what they're gonna charge for their "drone" shipping.

The Feds just shot down the use of Beer deliver drones.
( pun intended)

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

Yup $9.99 a month would make it a little more affordable for those unable to save, and it is about 35 cents a day, approximately the price of a cup of coffee made at home.

People who are unable to save should not be wasting money on extras like Prime.

[sirmaru]

Amazon Prime is really just a prestige service for those who can afford it. Does it really matter if one gets his product shipped to arrive in 5 days or 1 day? The product, itself, is still EXACTLY the same.

By the way there are lots of Courier Services now who make much quicker deliveries than normal and FEDEX and UPS also have many different types of services for those who want to pay for them.

Amazon is just copying those specialized delivery services and / or developing them using those specialized services. I have not yet seen Amazon delivery trucks in my neighborhood.

[frahse]

Originally Posted by Historiann

I finally signed up for prime and I've enjoyed the convenience-- but not enough to pay more for it. Because I have it and therefore have paid for shipping in advance, I buy a lot more from amazon than I used to. Without it, I'm more likely to shop around and reduce the amount of money I spend with them.

I have similar feelings.
My wife and I make over a 100 buys a year. Some are over $25 and others not. The 2 day delivery is nice. No postage is nice.

Then Amazon started adding things and subtracting things making the calculation more difficult. Some of the things are of dubious value.

1. book lending. I have had the same book on my Kindle for months. Perused it a bit, but never really read it.
2. video viewing. Never have the time for their offerings. I do stream new movies that I want but not from Prime.

3. Add on category. This is bothersome, but I have adapted somewhat.
4. Adding to the videos available - adding value in Amazon's mind.

on, and on.

I think I still get my money's worth, but it is getting complicated, hard to calculate the actual value.

It has been very convenient, but I may soon have to redo the calculation, just like I recently did with AT&T U-Verse.

[Tarana]

Amazon Prime is really just a prestige service for those who can afford it.

That's your view of it. Many people who use it live in rural areas or are unable to shop for themselves because of disability. They aren't forced to have to buy $35 worth of stuff to get free shipping, when they only need $20 now. In addition, it appears that Prime members get first dibs on stock, so I guess that would be a prestige thing. Having Prime is just paying for your shipping costs in advance without having to determine whether you have $35 worth of stuff per ship AND getting it faster.

As to the difference between 2 days and 5 days? Sometimes that 5 days is actually 7-10 days. I'll bet you live in or very near a major city. Try living in a small city or town. The timing can make a huge difference if you are ordering medical supplies (yes, you can order these through Amazon) or specialty food (gluten free). The shipping costs can add up well over the Prime cost.

I personally have no need for Prime, but have a subPrime account on my disabled bro's Prime account. I always choose standard shipping and as a result, he gets credits that he can later spend on something else. Since he can no longer read, I am getting an ebook every month as well. Even if I only get 6 that are not available at my regular library, that is a savings of $30-60 depending on which books I select.