Amazon may raise Prime prices.

[sirmaru]

I noticed yesterday that Amazon may have to raise its Prime membership price of $ 79 per year by $ 20 or $ 40.

I just hope they make one day delivery standard if they do that rather than the two day delivery.

[Dr. Drib]

Since you've posted this in the NEWS forum, it would be helpful if you provided a link so that all our members can look further into the source.



Don

[QuantumIguana]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2...price/5063693/

Amazon.com said it may raise the annual price of its popular Prime subscription by as much as $40 as the world's largest Internet retailer battles higher shipping costs.

I might drop it if the raise prices. The free shipping is nice, but I don't do all that much shopping online.

[Sydney's Mom]

Well, I have been a Prime Member for years, but the last couple orders (within the last week or so) have taken 4 business days to arrive. It tells me that is exactly the same as standard shipping. Not happy. Don't know if Prime movies and renting books is worth it.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Sydney's Mom

Well, I have been a Prime Member for years, but the last couple orders (within the last week or so) have taken 4 business days to arrive. It tells me that is exactly the same as standard shipping. Not happy. Don't know if Prime movies and renting books is worth it.

Note that some sections of the country were under paralyzing ice storms last week. Maybe don't judge by that.

I apologize for this threat of a price increase. My wife and just joined Prime a few months ago, and whenever we buy something new we like, it tends to go away soon after, so this is probably our fault....

Truthfully, we'd be unlikely to keep it any any higher price, as Prime is just a mildly nice-to-have set of bonus features for us, no must-haves.

[crich70]

Amazon would catch more flies (er customers) for Prime if they lowered the price rather than raising it. I have never been a Prime customer because $70.00 + dollars a year is a bit steep for me. If they lowered it, added more incentives or a bit of both I bet they would see more people sign up for it.

[DiapDealer]

I'll just have to wait and see, I guess. I don't order a whole lot stuff (but I might go on a bit of a splurge every now and again), but even so ... $79 for the shipping, the videos and the occasional book rental is very much "in my wheelhouse."

Forty dollars more (for the same service) wouldn't be very attractive to me--I admit it. But I also have little doubt (based on Amazon's past customer-centric policies), that they will find a way to throw in some new perks that just might make the new price as tempting as the old one was.

[xg4bx]

I took my physical book buying business to B&N after Amazon raised their threshold for free shipping from $25 to $35. For $25 a year B&N gives me free express shipping even if I'm just buying one paperback.

[Jessica Lares]

I'm good for the student pricing ($39) for another year.

I will cancel when I have to pay full price though.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Jessica Lares

I'm good for the student pricing ($39) for another year.

I will cancel when I have to pay full price though.

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....

[crich70]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I'll just have to wait and see, I guess. I don't order a whole lot stuff (but I might go on a bit of a splurge every now and again), but even so ... $79 for the shipping, the videos and the occasional book rental is very much "in my wheelhouse."

Forty dollars more (for the same service) wouldn't be very attractive to me--I admit it. But I also have little doubt (based on Amazon's past customer-centric policies), that they will find a way to throw in some new perks that just might make the new price as tempting as the old one was.

Ah but won't they be leaving themselves open to possible lawsuit if they raise it too high? I mean a business like Amazon is supposed to be open to all the public not just the few. The common man is their customer base, and if they say we'll give you this if you pay this much but it's outside the reach of the general public because they can't afford it then it becomes discriminatory I would think. That takes a step back to the 19th century when the rich would shop in one store and the poor would shop in another. And if that happens again how can Amazon claim to be a global marketplace when some 90-95% of the populace won't be able to afford what no doubt Amazon claims is and will be available to everyone? Something isn't available to everyone if most people can't afford it.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by crich70

Ah but won't they be leaving themselves open to possible lawsuit if they raise it too high?

I don't see any scenario where that would be likely. Or even remotely possible for that matter.

Originally Posted by crich70

I mean a business like Amazon is supposed to be open to all the public not just the few. The common man is their customer base, and if they say we'll give you this if you pay this much but it's outside the reach of the general public because they can't afford it then it becomes discriminatory I would think. That takes a step back to the 19th century when the rich would shop in one store and the poor would shop in another. And if that happens again how can Amazon claim to be a global marketplace when some 90-95% of the populace won't be able to afford what no doubt Amazon claims is and will be available to everyone? Something isn't available to everyone if most people can't afford it.

Umm... yeah. Not sure I follow.
I thought we talking about, Prime here? The premium "club" membership that nobody has to buy/join in order to still purchase anything they want from Amazon... for the same great price that Prime members are paying, no less.

Maybe if you HAD to pay for a Prime membership in order to buy ANYTHING from Amazon, you might possibly have a case. Just maybe. But you don't.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by crich70

Ah but won't they be leaving themselves open to possible lawsuit if they raise it too high? I mean a business like Amazon is supposed to be open to all the public not just the few. The common man is their customer base, and if they say we'll give you this if you pay this much but it's outside the reach of the general public because they can't afford it then it becomes discriminatory I would think. That takes a step back to the 19th century when the rich would shop in one store and the poor would shop in another. And if that happens again how can Amazon claim to be a global marketplace when some 90-95% of the populace won't be able to afford what no doubt Amazon claims is and will be available to everyone? Something isn't available to everyone if most people can't afford it.

Charging a fair price for what they offer is hardly discriminatory, and rising costs of business always lead to rising prices.

Anyone can still buy whatever they want on Amazon, and anyone who can't, couldn't beforehand either.

Many people have never had Prime, are they unable to shop on Amazon?

[Polyphemus]

I had a Prime membership a couple of years ago. The free shipping was nice when I was ordering a lot for an extended trip to Europe. The free lending library didn't have a lot of titles that interested myself or anyone in my family. The free movie selection was okay, not good but not bad, however the offerings on Netflix proved to be more pleasing.

I have three kids attending university and they have convinced me to get the student Prime. It seems to be the best, since it provides the free shipping, but I'm not paying for a poor selection of free movies and books. Somehow, the tuition payment does not seem to balance the prime membership fee.

[Polyphemus]

Originally Posted by crich70

Ah but won't they be leaving themselves open to possible lawsuit if they raise it too high? I mean a business like Amazon is supposed to be open to all the public not just the few. The common man is their customer base, and if they say we'll give you this if you pay this much but it's outside the reach of the general public because they can't afford it then it becomes discriminatory I would think. That takes a step back to the 19th century when the rich would shop in one store and the poor would shop in another. And if that happens again how can Amazon claim to be a global marketplace when some 90-95% of the populace won't be able to afford what no doubt Amazon claims is and will be available to everyone? Something isn't available to everyone if most people can't afford it.

I think this would be a valid argument if Amazon was a warehouse store like Costco or Sam's Club. There, one pays a fee just to be able to walk through the door.