Amazon offers new perk for Prime

[DiapDealer]

I find I'm watching Prime Videos more and more all the time. I'm sure the HBO contract has a lot to do with that, but still ... credits toward buying videos would be welcome. My two-day Prime shipping has been exceptional at being on time thus far. I'm close enough to a warehouse that opting for slower service probably won't change my delivery time all that much (if at all). I often got 2 & 3 day shipping times before I signed up for Prime.

Nice to have the option to save a buck. I'll take it (sometimes ).

[ApK]

Nice option. I like movies, and while I only pay for Prime because I want stuff NOW, darn it!, I guess there are indeed things I order that I wouldn't care about a delay on, and this may encourage me to choose a slower option.

Hitch, I disagree, this is all about costs. This is Amazon saying "yeah, you can have free 2 day shipping, but PLEASE, considering not using it!"

I don't see how this service would help with your complaints. If people are unhappy with the express service, either by Prime or by paying for it as a one-off, this won't change that.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I find I'm watching Prime Videos more and more all the time. I'm sure the HBO contract has a lot to do with that, but still ... credits toward buying videos would be welcome. My two-day Prime shipping has been exceptional at being on time thus far. I'm close enough to a warehouse that opting for slower service probably won't change my delivery time all that much (if at all). I often got 2 & 3 day shipping times before I signed up for Prime.

Nice to have the option to save a buck. I'll take it (sometimes ).

I'm watching more Prime now, too. Partially because I'm finding some documentaries that aren't on Netflix, but mostly because my kids are often taking up both our allowed Netflix streams, so if I want to watch Star Trek, Prime it is. I wish Amazon would set up Prime for Chrome-cast viewing.....

[sirmaru]

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

By this December Amazon should receive FAA permission to start drone deliveries. However, package size may be limited plus you may be required to buy a Drone Receiver from Amazon to be placed in your front or back yard.

Finally, there is sure to be an extra charge for this service and every one of our 50 States will have different regulations concerning commercial drones.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by sirmaru

By this December Amazon should receive FAA permission to start drone deliveries. However, package size may be limited plus you may be required to buy a Drone Receiver from Amazon to be placed in your front or back yard.

Finally, there is sure to be an extra charge for this service and every one of our 50 States will have different regulations concerning commercial drones.

Amazon should get the NSA to fund the deliveries. In return, the NSA gets to spy on us using innocent looking Amazon delivery drones. Win-win

[Sydney's Mom]

I used to take advantage of the MP3 credit, but then I realized I never used them anyway. Then I picked slower shipping, just because I didn't need it right away, and it felt wasteful. Now, with Video credit, I can really use that! I love Amazon video. They have sent emails, refunding money, because they noticed the movie didn't stream well. I have the first 5 seasons of Breaking Bad-I will use this to get the 6th season. Unfortunately, it brings to mind another wasteful practice. I can get my stuff one-by-one, and that way I will maximize my credits.

They will never please everyone. I like the video credit, and would not like the ebook credit. I hardly ever buy ebooks from Amazon.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I find I'm watching Prime Videos more and more all the time. I'm sure the HBO contract has a lot to do with that, but still ... credits toward buying videos would be welcome. My two-day Prime shipping has been exceptional at being on time thus far. I'm close enough to a warehouse that opting for slower service probably won't change my delivery time all that much (if at all). I often got 2 & 3 day shipping times before I signed up for Prime.

Nice to have the option to save a buck. I'll take it (sometimes ).

We, too, use a fair amount of Prime viewing, but most of it is also on Netflix; I just hate the adaptive streaming on Netflix. I watched some movie recently that was actually FUZZY throughout. Not good. (We watch via Roku, and no, it's not our bandwidth).

Ironically, we live in the same metro area as an Amazon warehouse. My stuff STILL gets sent via USPS. when I asked one seller for UPS, he was happy to do so--for basically twice the price of the item, even for UPS ground. Thanks, but, nyah.

And it's hardly a secret that Prime costs. Not only annually; Prime items are marked up far beyond non-Prime.

As far as how that might save--on non-Prime items, a lot of sellers will give you shipping options, so you could choose UPS. UPS does come to my door; USPS simply won't. I'm not sure I blame USPS per se; as I said, it's 1/2 mile to my door, plus the hundred-some-odd other homes in this little area up here near the mountains on the north side of town. But my attitude is, they take the contract, then they should fulfill the terms. They don't want to door-deliver stuff, then they shouldn't take it to this area code, which is ALL rural like that, nobody has a mailbox at the house or even near the house.

It seems to me that I get screwed either way. Everyone points fingers...Amazon says that they're trying, but do nothing to solve it. I'm paying ~$100/year for "prime shipping," which I don't get. (Yes, I get videos). Fedex gets their money for doing nothing, and the USPS gets their money for NOT delivering to me. All of this on items that are marked-up over the price I could buy them elsewhere (online or not), as well, because they have "free shipping." It's a double-whammy, AND insulting, all things considered.

Just sayin'.

Hitch

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Prime items are marked up far beyond non-Prime.

It is certainly true that very low priced items or item with too low a margin are not on Prime, so the items that are on Prime tend to be the ones with more markup, but you seem to be saying that they marked it up "far beyond" what the price would be if they didn't offer it with Prime.
I don't believe that's true. If that's what you mean, do you have any evidence?

Any price increases I've noticed since the inception of Prime have been right in line with inflation and price increases everywhere.
Amazon goes so far as to alert you if there is a lower price on a non-Prime offer for the same item that you are looking at.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by ApK

It is certainly true that very low priced items or item with too low a margin are not on Prime, so the items that are on Prime tend to be the ones with more markup, but you seem to be saying that they marked it up "far beyond" what the price would be if they didn't offer it with Prime.
I don't believe that's true. If that's what you mean, do you have any evidence?

Any price increases I've noticed since the inception of Prime have been right in line with inflation and price increases everywhere.
Amazon goes so far as to alert you if there is a lower price on a non-Prime offer for the same item that you are looking at.

ApK:

Well, I mean, it doesn't take much to do a search for a particular item, and see that the Prime-priced item is pretty much ALWAYS higher-priced than the identical not-prime item. Sometimes, it's even more than not-prime + shipping. I know, because I spend a fair amount of time doing comparisons now, given the shipping situation. I frequently (frequently) report lower prices elsewhere on the type of goods I buy online now due to the shoulder thing (e.g., cat litter in 40lb sacks). And the price for the item is less through an Amazon seller, as well.

That's it.

Hitch

[skinmaan]

Originally Posted by 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

This promo was one of the main reasons I joined Prime in the first place. I wish it was still mp3's (or your choice) but I'll take Instant Video. One difference: you can still (mostly) get a mp3 file for $1, but most videos are $1.99 for SD and $2.99 for HD. I'll probably still take advantage of it most of the time.

[Catlady]

Wish the credit was would apply for any digital purchase--mp3, video, or e-book!

Amazon gave me a $10 credit the one time they were late on a Prime delivery, even though the fault was entirely with my local post office.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

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.

We have one of those community mailbox setups. But we also have a way to get packages if they are not too larger left in the mailbox. But the thing is, if I was to get a USPS slip saying I had to go to the post office (even though I could walk there), I would not be happy as I paid for shipping to my door and not to the post office.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Catlady

Wish the credit was would apply for any digital purchase--mp3, video, or e-book!

Amazon gave me a $10 credit the one time they were late on a Prime delivery, even though the fault was entirely with my local post office.

It's Amazon's fault regardless because they are using the USPS as part of the delivery service and that doesn't always get the package to the door. That sometimes will get you the slip saying you have to go to the post office to pick it up. That is unacceptable when you've paid for door-to-door.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

It's Amazon's fault regardless because they are using the USPS as part of the delivery service and that doesn't always get the package to the door. That sometimes will get you the slip saying you have to go to the post office to pick it up. That is unacceptable when you've paid for door-to-door.

It's not Amazon's fault if the package arrives at my local post office and the driver doesn't bother to deliver it or to even leave me a notice. It's the incompetent worker who's at fault, and the supervisor who defends him.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Catlady

It's not Amazon's fault if the package arrives at my local post office and the driver doesn't bother to deliver it or to even leave me a notice. It's the incompetent worker who's at fault, and the supervisor who defends him.

I've found that when Fedex & UPS use some other method of getting package to the door other then one of their drivers, something can and usually does go wrong.

We lived in an apartment before we got married and we had a package delivered by UPS. We stayed in knowing the day it was to be delivered. It was delivered by what they called home delivery which is someone delivering packages on his way home from work. This was not a UPS driver doing it. The person who left the package left it in the front entryway of the building and never bothered to ring our bell. The package was stolen and we had to call the person who sent it and hope we could get it replaced ASAP as it was something important that we needed for a specific time. It was able to be made again and sent via Fedex and we did get it in time. There was nothing UPS could do for us. Their home driver messed up and it almost caused a major issue.

I have had less issues when Fedex or UPS comes to the door. When they go through a third party, then more problems are likely to happen.