Amazon may raise Prime prices. - Page 3

Jessica Lares · 01-31-2014, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

But that's just it: Amazon Prime IS available to all who can afford it.

Amazon's Prime membership is not a staple, it's a luxury item (relatively speaking). I don't think it's ever been advertised as something "everyone should be able to afford."

Exactly.

My reasonings of canceling would be that we already have Netflix and while I like the Amazon made shows, I'm not paying $70+ for them, the new books every month are just $2, and I'm not using the Lending Library all that much. When I make purchases, they're over $100 already as I throw stuff in there and buy later with my gift cards and points, so the "perks" are not so much ones for me.

Sydney's Mom · 01-31-2014, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ApK

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.

I live in Chicago. No pity here. It is the same every year. We laugh at ice storms

Sydney's Mom · 01-31-2014, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jessica Lares

I've been in college since 2008, I'm pretty sure they'd like me out of there ASAP.

So would your parents!

DiapDealer · 01-31-2014, 07:12 PM

I've had it take longer than two business days, once or twice. I was bummed out when it happened, sure. But if I'm honest with myself, there were also a few times that I got things the very next business day (order on Friday; on doorstep Monday). I have no real complaints about the shipping after two-ish years of Prime membership.

Sydney's Mom · 01-31-2014, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I've had it take longer than two business days, once or twice. I was bummed out when it happened, sure. But if I'm honest with myself, there were also a few times that I got things the very next business day (order on Friday; on doorstep Monday). I have no real complaints about the shipping after two-ish years of Prime membership.

I guess you are right. I have ordered things on Friday and gotten them on Sunday all the time. But I did order something with one-day shipping this week, and I got that in one day.

Catlady · 01-31-2014, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crich70

With AP on the other hand it's just a matter of paying the fee to access the extra features. Even at $79.00 a year that is too much for me as I wouldn't know I'd have the extra to pay for it when the bill renewed in the following year. Limited income means just that. And if it goes higher then it is even more unlikely that I can afford it. So yes I think it would be discriminatory even if they didn't mean it to be. It's basically saying that if you are of a particular social level you can have what others who are less fortunate than you can't have. i.e. the rich get things that are denied to the poor.

Of course people with more money can buy more stuff more easily. What's the problem?

Saurabhdutta · 01-31-2014, 07:31 PM

Hi everyone..

I am Saurabh from Dhaka, Bangladesh.. I want coupon treading.. please give me some advice..

Thanks

tubemonkey · 01-31-2014, 07:47 PM

Another thing Amazon has to consider with a price hike is the ability of customers to pay the yearly service all up front. $79 has proven doable; but when you approach $100, many might balk at this threshold. To make it less painful, Amazon might consider monthly or quarterly payments.

For perspective, Netflix is $7.99/mo ($95.88/yr) and Prime is $6.58/mo ($79/yr).

sirmaru · 01-31-2014, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crich70

I wasn't saying that someone has to have prime and do acknowledge that people can shop at Amazon without it but it is a fact that members of prime get some perks that the rest of us don't get. And if they raise the price even more than that option will be even more closed off to those of us who can't afford it. And to me that smacks of discrimination. i.e. if you have the $$ you can get this in addition to what everyone else can get. If you don't have the $$ then you don't get these extras. There is a difference between being able to choose if you want something and being prevented from being able to get it because the price is higher than you are able to afford.

Some folks buy private jets and others cannot afford bicycles. There always has been price discrimination and always will be. The Upper Class lives in a different world than the Underclass. The residents of Buckingham Palace live quite differently than the London East Enders.

However, everyone wants value for additional costs if possible. Right now 80% of my Amazon deliveries come in ONE DAY although two days is promised. I'd want a guarantee of one day delivery to justify the higher costs.

Next year we may see Amazon Drone same day deliveries. I'm sure they will cost more than the truck deliveries. Each customer will evaluate the costs compared to his own needs and desires.

crich70 · 01-31-2014, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

But that's just it: Amazon Prime IS available to all who can afford it.

Amazon's Prime membership is not a staple, it's a luxury item (relatively speaking). I don't think it's ever been advertised as something "everyone should be able to afford."

It hasn't been advertised as a rich customer only section either. But that is what it will quickly become if they raise the price any higher. I grant you that not everyone will want AP and it is an extra. in fact I've never disputed that, but by raising the price up they will be taking the choice of whether or not someone will sign up for it away from some people, because even among those that have it now not everyone will be able to afford it. If something like the perks that AP gives is only accessible to someone because they are at a certain social level financially and they can't have that item simply because they can't afford it isn't that discriminatory? Granted there are some things that most people can't afford even with a higher level of income and some of them (like private planes and sports cars) have always been luxury items, but those same items have always cost more than most people have because of how much it costs to produce them. Things like AP are on a whole different level because they aren't that expensive. Just over the margin of what is affordable by everyone. Right now the cost of AP is more than what I pay each month for electric service but that's only because I qualify for the budget plan. Otherwise it'd be a lot more than it is. And what of those who can afford it now but won't be able to if they raise the price higher? Isn't that discrimination against them?

OtterBooks · 01-31-2014, 08:35 PM

just about everyone I know has at least the shipping version of Prime membership, either through a friend/family member's account or by way of one of the discounted/free memberships. I suppose if I were paying $80 for it an extra $40 may cause me to cancel, but if their shipping costs jumped 19%, I don't really fault them for not eating it.

pidgeon92 · 01-31-2014, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sydney's Mom

I live in Chicago. No pity here. It is the same every year. We laugh at ice storms

The first two weeks of this year all of my FedEx and UPS shipments were delayed for days because of the snow, despite all of the snowplows and salt.

tubemonkey · 01-31-2014, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pidgeon92

The first two weeks of this year all of my FedEx and UPS shipments were delayed for days because of the snow, despite all of the snowplows and salt.

Quote:

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.

sissies

pidgeon92 · 01-31-2014, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crich70

If something like the perks that AP gives is only accessible to someone because they are at a certain social level financially and they can't have that item simply because they can't afford it isn't that discriminatory?

No.

Quote:

Originally Posted by crich70

And what of those who can afford it now but won't be able to if they raise the price higher? Isn't that discrimination against them?

No.

DiapDealer · 01-31-2014, 08:58 PM

The whole "discrimination" and "possible lawsuit" discussion RE raising the price of Amazon Prime is silly. There's absolutely no point in continuing it. No one has any inherent right to be able to afford all the things they WANT to buy. Period.

I can no longer justify the price of a pound of bacon. I miss having it, but I'm not being discriminated against (even though it may feel like it when I'm making my lettuce & tomato sandwiches).

01-31-2014, 07:31 PM	#37
Saurabhdutta Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2014 Device: none	New User ... Hi everyone.. I am Saurabh from Dhaka, Bangladesh.. I want coupon treading.. please give me some advice.. Thanks

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01-31-2014, 07:12 PM	#34
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,891 Karma: 207182180 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	I've had it take longer than two business days, once or twice. I was bummed out when it happened, sure. But if I'm honest with myself, there were also a few times that I got things the very next business day (order on Friday; on doorstep Monday). I have no real complaints about the shipping after two-ish years of Prime membership.

01-31-2014, 07:47 PM	#38
tubemonkey monkey on the fringe Posts: 45,858 Karma: 158733736 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Seattle Metro Device: Moto E6, Echo Show	Another thing Amazon has to consider with a price hike is the ability of customers to pay the yearly service all up front. $79 has proven doable; but when you approach $100, many might balk at this threshold. To make it less painful, Amazon might consider monthly or quarterly payments. For perspective, Netflix is $7.99/mo ($95.88/yr) and Prime is $6.58/mo ($79/yr).

01-31-2014, 08:35 PM	#41
OtterBooks Wizard Posts: 1,262 Karma: 2979086 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Kindle 4, iPad Mini/Retina	just about everyone I know has at least the shipping version of Prime membership, either through a friend/family member's account or by way of one of the discounted/free memberships. I suppose if I were paying $80 for it an extra $40 may cause me to cancel, but if their shipping costs jumped 19%, I don't really fault them for not eating it.

01-31-2014, 08:58 PM	#45
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,891 Karma: 207182180 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	The whole "discrimination" and "possible lawsuit" discussion RE raising the price of Amazon Prime is silly. There's absolutely no point in continuing it. No one has any inherent right to be able to afford all the things they WANT to buy. Period. I can no longer justify the price of a pound of bacon. I miss having it, but I'm not being discriminated against (even though it may feel like it when I'm making my lettuce & tomato sandwiches).