Amazon offers new perk for Prime

[fjtorres]

http://www.cnet.com/news/amazon-now-...ower-shipping/

A $1 video store credit for choosing slower shipping.

Amazon Prime subscribers who don't need an item right away can now opt to delay the shipping time in exchange for a credit toward a video.

In the past, Prime members trying to purchase an item would see a few choices, such as free standard shipping, free two-day shipping, and one-day shipping at an extra cost. Now a new option has appeared: "Free No-Rush Shipping (5-7 business days)."

In return for waiting the extra few days, a Prime buyer gets a $1 credit good toward an Amazon Instant video. That means you can save a buck if you want to buy or rent an instant video that is not free for Prime subscribers. That may not sound like the greatest deal, but with many rentals going for $1.99 or $2.99, it shaves a bit off the price.

Too bad it's not ebook credits.
Yet.

[faithbw]

Free two day shipping must really be costing them.

Offering e-book credits would be very cool for Prime customers.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by faithbw

Free two day shipping must really be costing them.

Offering e-book credits would be very cool for Prime customers.

I think it's probably complaints, rather than cost. They switched up to using "Fedex Home," which is Fedex subcontracting out to the Post Office. Lots of customers--like yours truly--live in rural, or semi-rural areas, that use community mailbox setups. My mailbox, for example, is half-a-mile from my actual house. It's not in a Post office; it's a bunch of boxes. Like these: http://www.tucsonazrealestateblog.co...ailboxessm.jpg

Ergo, if I am supposed to receive a package that's too big for those "big" boxes you see at the bottom, I'm just OUTTA LUCK. My post-person won't bring it to "my door." They simply leave me a green slip, telling me I have to schelp 30MI to go fetch the delivery for which I've paid for "to my door" service. Needless to say, I've had some pretty heated discussions with Amazon about it, and I've left everything that they've shipped to the PO, and refused to pay for it.

My attitude on it is that I'm, and they are, paying Fedex to deliver the package to my home. I won't "fetch." Period. I suspect that this situation is now plaguing the millions of Americans who bought homes since the mid-80's. That's when the Post Office decided to go to community mailboxes in all new housing and all rural-ish areas. I have asked Amazon repeatedly to make shipping OPTIONS available, so I can always choose UPS (which will always come to my door), even if it's slower, which I don't mind.

{shrug}. That's my guess as to the reasoning behnd this. I'll bet it's customer dissatisfaction over the PO's delivery services, rather than the money, given Amazon's view of the world.

Hitch

[fjtorres]

The USPS is considering expanding the community mailboxes to the 'burbs as an alternative to reduced delivery days.

http://usgovinfo.about.com/b/2014/05...livery-gao.htm


If shipping costs keep on rising, Amazon might be better off, at some point, just dropping the two day guarantee and refunding the full subscription fee to the subscribers who find it unacceptable. Or buying USPS outright.


Me, I'm happy enough with no-limit free shipping; I never order stuff I can't afford to wait for.

[faithbw]

Originally Posted by Hitch

I think it's probably complaints, rather than cost. They switched up to using "Fedex Home," which is Fedex subcontracting out to the Post Office. Lots of customers--like yours truly--live in rural, or semi-rural areas, that use community mailbox setups. My mailbox, for example, is half-a-mile from my actual house. It's not in a Post office; it's a bunch of boxes. Like these: http://www.tucsonazrealestateblog.co...ailboxessm.jpg

Ergo, if I am supposed to receive a package that's too big for those "big" boxes you see at the bottom, I'm just OUTTA LUCK. My post-person won't bring it to "my door." They simply leave me a green slip, telling me I have to schelp 30MI to go fetch the delivery for which I've paid for "to my door" service. Needless to say, I've had some pretty heated discussions with Amazon about it, and I've left everything that they've shipped to the PO, and refused to pay for it.

My attitude on it is that I'm, and they are, paying Fedex to deliver the package to my home. I won't "fetch." Period. I suspect that this situation is now plaguing the millions of Americans who bought homes since the mid-80's. That's when the Post Office decided to go to community mailboxes in all new housing and all rural-ish areas. I have asked Amazon repeatedly to make shipping OPTIONS available, so I can always choose UPS (which will always come to my door), even if it's slower, which I don't mind.

{shrug}. That's my guess as to the reasoning behnd this. I'll bet it's customer dissatisfaction over the PO's delivery services, rather than the money, given Amazon's view of the world.

Hitch

I would do the same thing if I were in your shoes. I hope Amazon provides customers like you more shipping options in the future.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by Hitch

I think it's probably complaints, rather than cost. They switched up to using "Fedex Home," which is Fedex subcontracting out to the Post Office. Lots of customers--like yours truly--live in rural, or semi-rural areas, that use community mailbox setups. My mailbox, for example, is half-a-mile from my actual house. It's not in a Post office; it's a bunch of boxes. Like these: http://www.tucsonazrealestateblog.co...ailboxessm.jpg

Ergo, if I am supposed to receive a package that's too big for those "big" boxes you see at the bottom, I'm just OUTTA LUCK. My post-person won't bring it to "my door." They simply leave me a green slip, telling me I have to schelp 30MI to go fetch the delivery for which I've paid for "to my door" service. Needless to say, I've had some pretty heated discussions with Amazon about it, and I've left everything that they've shipped to the PO, and refused to pay for it.

My attitude on it is that I'm, and they are, paying Fedex to deliver the package to my home. I won't "fetch." Period. I suspect that this situation is now plaguing the millions of Americans who bought homes since the mid-80's. That's when the Post Office decided to go to community mailboxes in all new housing and all rural-ish areas. I have asked Amazon repeatedly to make shipping OPTIONS available, so I can always choose UPS (which will always come to my door), even if it's slower, which I don't mind.

{shrug}. That's my guess as to the reasoning behnd this. I'll bet it's customer dissatisfaction over the PO's delivery services, rather than the money, given Amazon's view of the world.

Hitch

Part of the reason that Amazon has done well is fast shipping. Order it today, have it show up on your door step in two days. If it goes to 5-7 days, then they lose a lot of their edge over the other online stores. I feel your pain. I've had a number of packages where I was promised free 2 day delivery, they sub contract the last mile to the post office, and I get the package 3 or 4 days later. And I don't live somewhere with community mail boxes!

I would also say that the inevitable result to a race to the bottom in price, is a race to the bottom in service. It's the old saying, pick two of the three - good, fast, cheap, because you won't get all three, at least not for very long.

[JSWolf]

I ordered something from Newegg on Sunday and it arrived on Tuesday. Newegg shipped via UPS. It was sent "Super Eggsaver (4-7 Business Days)" and it arrived at the front door. No USPS involved. Since Newegg can get things delivered on time door-to-door, there's no reason Amazon cannot as well.

It's shameful for Amazon to use Fedex-Home when that involves USPS and it doesn't always get delivered straight to the front door.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

Part of the reason that Amazon has done well is fast shipping. Order it today, have it show up on your door step in two days. If it goes to 5-7 days, then they lose a lot of their edge over the other online stores. I feel your pain. I've had a number of packages where I was promised free 2 day delivery, they sub contract the last mile to the post office, and I get the package 3 or 4 days later. And I don't live somewhere with community mail boxes!

I would also say that the inevitable result to a race to the bottom in price, is a race to the bottom in service. It's the old saying, pick two of the three - good, fast, cheap, because you won't get all three, at least not for very long.

The speed used to be cool. I agree. But now, I just want it TO my damn door, because I moved, and I'm now way (way!) out of "town." Driving anywhere, to anything, is a schlep; the closest thing to me is a convenience store (Circle K, for you US residents), and it's 10+ miles each direction. It's ~$6.00 a trip, in gas money. "Real" stores are further away. Gas ain't cheap, now, which hurts them and me both.

So, no, all things considered, I (now) don't mind waiting longer. I've moved shopping for things that can come to me via (whatever) from Amazon to XYZ company, as long as I can choose UPS shipping. I mean, for example, Walmart loses my business for online purchases for the same reason: no shipping choices.

Everybody got so obsessed with SPEED (chasing Amazon) that they forgot that most of us like to have options. So, ye olden days, in which you could pick "UPS ground," and wait 10 days, have disappeared, while Fedex subcontracts out crappy service to the USPS, all under the guise of "speed." But it's not speedy when I find the dreaded green slip in my box.

And a $1 coupon (or whatever it is) isn't going to cheer me up if I pick slower shipping AND the accursed object of my desire ends up at the PO, which is a $12+ trip, gas-wise. I don't mean to sound measly cheap, but really: making trips I don't need to, to pick up s**t that is supposed to be AT MY DOOR, and paying $$$ for the privilege, in gas? Ohhhh, noooo. Nyet, no, no. (And none of this even addresses the dreaded, I buy some things online, just BECAUSE they'll come to my door, and I don't have to take my bum shoulder to carry them, like 40lb sacks of cat litter. Drive to the PO for that, and cost myself MORE than the damned litter in the first place, AND have to lift it???? Nix, nein, no, hell no.) Sorry, Amazon, I have loved thee well, but you're gonna have to do better than that.

Hitch

[Atunah]

Originally Posted by Hitch

I think it's probably complaints, rather than cost. They switched up to using "Fedex Home," which is Fedex subcontracting out to the Post Office. Lots of customers--like yours truly--live in rural, or semi-rural areas, that use community mailbox setups. My mailbox, for example, is half-a-mile from my actual house. It's not in a Post office; it's a bunch of boxes. Like these: http://www.tucsonazrealestateblog.co...ailboxessm.jpg

Ergo, if I am supposed to receive a package that's too big for those "big" boxes you see at the bottom, I'm just OUTTA LUCK. My post-person won't bring it to "my door." They simply leave me a green slip, telling me I have to schelp 30MI to go fetch the delivery for which I've paid for "to my door" service. Needless to say, I've had some pretty heated discussions with Amazon about it, and I've left everything that they've shipped to the PO, and refused to pay for it.

My attitude on it is that I'm, and they are, paying Fedex to deliver the package to my home. I won't "fetch." Period. I suspect that this situation is now plaguing the millions of Americans who bought homes since the mid-80's. That's when the Post Office decided to go to community mailboxes in all new housing and all rural-ish areas. I have asked Amazon repeatedly to make shipping OPTIONS available, so I can always choose UPS (which will always come to my door), even if it's slower, which I don't mind.

{shrug}. That's my guess as to the reasoning behnd this. I'll bet it's customer dissatisfaction over the PO's delivery services, rather than the money, given Amazon's view of the world.

Hitch

I agree. For me its a bit of a different problem. I loved prime because UPS and Fedex deliver to my apartment address. But now that most of the stuff comes with just USPS or through the UPS smartpost thingy that goes to the USPS, I have to get my package from the apartment office. Problem is that they are always out and about and I have to hunt down my packages. Even if you home here, postal service does not deliver packages to the door, but only to the leasing office. Its rare now that I get packages with UPS and Fedex when up until a while back everything pretty much came with UPS. I never had to worry to hunt down my package and I have had the same driver for the last 14 years.

So often for me its more than 2 days because I can't always find the office open the day it gets delivered or the office is closed when the postal guy tries to deliver so they take it back to the base and try again the next day.

It was my reason for signing up for Prime in the first place. To the door UPS/Fedex deliveries.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Hitch

The speed used to be cool. I agree. But now, I just want it TO my damn door

Maybe you should do away with Amazon Prime. I don't have it and Amazon purchases do come to my door.

[pidgeon92]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Maybe you should do away with Amazon Prime. I don't have it and Amazon purchases do come to my door.

I have Prime, and they come to my door just fine.

[FizzyWater]

I noticed this the other day. If I remember the fine print correctly, it expires in October. So I took it to be a push to get more people to use their video service (and get hooked on using it).

[Jessica Lares]

Amazon has started using a bunch of different carriers besides USPS/UPS/FedEx here. But they're using USPS more than usual now, and it's weird.

I would rather Amazon MP3 credits, which I think they did for awhile. I did Amazon Instant Video for a year years and years ago now when I first started getting loads of Amazon gift certificates, but then they sent me a notice that they couldn't give me access to one of my movies or series anymore. So that made me reconsider using them ever again for anything other than Prime access.

I don't like how rentals work either. I still prefer Netflix for that.

[Bookworm_Girl]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

Part of the reason that Amazon has done well is fast shipping. Order it today, have it show up on your door step in two days. If it goes to 5-7 days, then they lose a lot of their edge over the other online stores. I feel your pain. I've had a number of packages where I was promised free 2 day delivery, they sub contract the last mile to the post office, and I get the package 3 or 4 days later. And I don't live somewhere with community mail boxes!

Same here. Whenever they subcontract to USPS the package gets delivered in 3-4 days instead of 2. It is frustrating. Even so I doubt I would select the slower service for a video credit. I don't buy videos that often.

My mail comes to one of these community style boxes. I guess I should consider myself lucky that so far my packages have fit inside the mailboxes. Anything bigger has still been delivered by a service to my door.

[elemenoP]

This is not new. Amazon has run this promotion before; last time around it was MP3 credits instead of video. Sadly I don't think it will ever be ebooks, due to the discounting restrictions that publishers have insisted on.

I just placed an order this week; I chose to get the $1 credit on one item in my order, and that item ending up in a box with the express items anyway!

eP