"Amazon lifts the veil on Prime" - Page 2

barryem · 12-30-2015, 10:37 PM

I've had Prime since it first became available. I think that was about 10 years ago but I'm not sure. When I got it the only benefit was free shipping. I live in a town of 3,000 and I don't have a car so I was doing most of my buying online and shipping was a significant expense. Prime then was $80 a year but it probably saved me between 2 and 4 times that much, although I never really calculated it.

Of course from that time on the bulk of my purchases were from Amazon. Before that I bought from a lot of different online places. And I'm sure that's what Prime is all about for Amazon. My guess is that it makes them a lot of money while saving me money.

I also watch the videos more and more and today they might even be enough to justify the cost of Prime. I don't own a TV because commercials ruin the mood of shows I like. I do have Netflix and I watch it more than Prime TV but I watch Prime TV shows and movies a lot too.

For me it's a great deal. By the way, living in a retirement home I also buy a lot of stuff for my neighbors. It's all tax free and mostly shipping free and it saves them a bunch too. And it gets me an occasional free home-cooked meal.

Barry

GeoffR · 12-31-2015, 02:03 AM

Amazon want me to join Prime for the same price as US customers, but they won't include free shipping to my address.

That just doesn't make sense to me. They should either reduce the membership cost to compensate for the features that are not available in my area, or charge me extra and include those features.

DuckieTigger · 12-31-2015, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoffR

Amazon want me to join Prime for the same price as US customers, but they won't include free shipping to my address.

That just doesn't make sense to me. They should either reduce the membership cost to compensate for the features that are not available in my area, or charge me extra and include those features.

Amazon doesn't need the money from Prime to make money if all it did include was shipping. The free shipping they could theoretically offer anybody, but they want the loyality. Okay, Amazon doesn't make as much money when a Prime member buys something, but a little less is still much better than a lost sale to somebody else.

Otherwise it doesn't make sense that a single big ticket item already pays for a whole year of Prime.

frahse · 12-31-2015, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I can't help but believe that the number of things in "quotation marks" (in both the article and the OP) suggest a certain level of tongue-in-cheek-edness.

True. I was in a hurry. Meant to put a few ??marks too.

Will do so now.

fjtorres · 12-31-2015, 06:15 PM

The NYT has a story on Amazon and Prime:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/31/te...rans.html?_r=0

DuckieTigger · 12-31-2015, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fjtorres

The NYT has a story on Amazon and Prime:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/31/te...rans.html?_r=0

Interesting. "Once you are hooked you are hooked" in the article is very true. And it doesn't feel that you are cheated out of anything either. For what Prime offers the price is competetive. For movies maybe Netflix is better, I don't know, but it is not worth the money if not used regularly. Prime offering movies simply means that I don't have to spend any money on Netflix.

wizwor · 01-01-2016, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katie1

Bet a Lot of those are folks like me. Got my Free Year just buying a Amazon Phone. I thing they gave the same deal for the TV [not stick] & Echo when they came out. So a Lot of Deals going on

I jumped in on the September deal. I figured the free shipping would pay for the account cost (it did) and, after six years with Netflix, it was time for a change of library. We stream a lot less these days, so Prime may be a one year thing.

Not much of a peek. More like statistically interesting data points. The $25 Fire TV sticks made great stocking stuffers. At less than 1/2 the price of the new Apple and Roku streamers, The $75 4k FTV was pretty tempting.

kennyc · 01-01-2016, 09:36 AM

Worth it to me just for the free two-day shipping.

I even ordered a new Garbage Disposal from them.

Got an exercise bike from my kids for christmas.....musta weighed 60 pounds.....free shipping.

Deal!

Ravensknight · 01-01-2016, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

Prime offering movies simply means that I don't have to spend any money on Netflix.

This. I'm not a big tv/movie watch'er and most things I watch are background as I'm online, so to get shipping and movies simply meant I didn't need netflix anymore.

wizwor · 01-01-2016, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

Interesting. "Once you are hooked you are hooked" in the article is very true. And it doesn't feel that you are cheated out of anything either. For what Prime offers the price is competetive. For movies maybe Netflix is better, I don't know, but it is not worth the money if not used regularly. Prime offering movies simply means that I don't have to spend any money on Netflix.

They have nine months to 'hook' me. It's going to have to be about food and staples. I do not have any big ticket items on my radar. As noted, Amazon's prices are not always best these days (The MS Store killed Amazon for the Xbox One and accessories this BF).

wizwor · 01-01-2016, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barryem

I live in a town of 3,000 and I don't have a car so I was doing most of my buying online and shipping was a significant expense.
Of course from that time on the bulk of my purchases were from Amazon. Before that I bought from a lot of different online places.
I also watch the videos more and more and today they might even be enough to justify the cost of Prime.

This is what I am hoping for. As I approach retirement, I am hoping to become a one car family. Having EVERYTHING delivered will help a lot with that.

wizwor · 01-01-2016, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by soulfuldog

I've no interest in the video, and the music is nice but not particularly valuable to me, so the 'free' delivery isn't enough to make Prime any use. Which means while I still use Amazon, I'm more likely to check elsewhere and have definitely bought less from Amazon in the past couple of years.

I haven't really used the music or book libraries yet. I am generally not in a hurry to get my orders, so I get the music credit when I order things. I have accumulated quite a bit of credit, so when I hear a song I like, I just download it from Amazon.

wizwor · 01-01-2016, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jswinden

The digital portion of Prime is lackluster, IMO. But Prime is worth the money to me for the shipping savings alone.

I don't agree with this. The HBO library is very good and I have no problem finding movies and tv shows to watch.

DiapDealer · 01-01-2016, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wizwor

I don't agree with this. The HBO library is very good and I have no problem finding movies and tv shows to watch.

I feel the same way. Especially since I've apparently worn out Netflix's selections.

I like several of their (Prime's) original series, as well.

DuckieTigger · 01-02-2016, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wizwor

They have nine months to 'hook' me. It's going to have to be about food and staples. I do not have any big ticket items on my radar. As noted, Amazon's prices are not always best these days (The MS Store killed Amazon for the Xbox One and accessories this BF).

There might be better prices, but does it still work with free shipping on smaller amounts? If you got wet pets (e.g. fish) then most everything is cheaper online with one exception of frozen food maybe. If I am close to running out of flakes or pellets I can order just one container for $7, have it shipped for free in 2 days, and still be cheaper than any B&M can do (including Walmart).

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12-30-2015, 10:37 PM	#16
barryem Wizard Posts: 2,459 Karma: 68781975 Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Arkansas Device: Paperwhite 4	I've had Prime since it first became available. I think that was about 10 years ago but I'm not sure. When I got it the only benefit was free shipping. I live in a town of 3,000 and I don't have a car so I was doing most of my buying online and shipping was a significant expense. Prime then was $80 a year but it probably saved me between 2 and 4 times that much, although I never really calculated it. Of course from that time on the bulk of my purchases were from Amazon. Before that I bought from a lot of different online places. And I'm sure that's what Prime is all about for Amazon. My guess is that it makes them a lot of money while saving me money. I also watch the videos more and more and today they might even be enough to justify the cost of Prime. I don't own a TV because commercials ruin the mood of shows I like. I do have Netflix and I watch it more than Prime TV but I watch Prime TV shows and movies a lot too. For me it's a great deal. By the way, living in a retirement home I also buy a lot of stuff for my neighbors. It's all tax free and mostly shipping free and it saves them a bunch too. And it gets me an occasional free home-cooked meal. Barry

12-31-2015, 02:03 AM	#17
GeoffR Wizard Posts: 3,821 Karma: 19162882 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Te Riu-a-Māui Device: Kobo Glo	Amazon want me to join Prime for the same price as US customers, but they won't include free shipping to my address. That just doesn't make sense to me. They should either reduce the membership cost to compensate for the features that are not available in my area, or charge me extra and include those features.

12-31-2015, 06:15 PM	#20
fjtorres Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,732 Karma: 128354696 Join Date: May 2009 Location: 26 kly from Sgr A* Device: T100TA,PW2,PRS-T1,KT,FireHD 8.9,K2, PB360,BeBook One,Axim51v,TC1000	The NYT has a story on Amazon and Prime: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/31/te...rans.html?_r=0

01-01-2016, 09:36 AM	#23
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,901 Karma: 119230421 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	Worth it to me just for the free two-day shipping. I even ordered a new Garbage Disposal from them. Got an exercise bike from my kids for christmas.....musta weighed 60 pounds.....free shipping. Deal!

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