Amazon Prime/Amazon Fresh

[Catlady]

On the heels of eliminating AmazonSmile, Amazon has now decided to charge Prime members for Amazon Fresh deliveries under $150. Per the email I received today:

Starting Feb. 28, 2023, Amazon Fresh delivery orders under $150 will incur a service fee. Prime members will continue to receive free grocery delivery on orders more than $150. Delivery charges will be $3.95 for orders $100-$150, $6.95 for orders $50-$100, and $9.95 for orders under $50.

This addition of a delivery fee eliminates what has become the major reason for my Amazon Prime membership; I started grocery shopping with Fresh early in the pandemic and have continued because of the convenience and generally good prices. I don't think I've ever hit the $150 level, though--that's a lot of groceries!

My Prime membership is up for renewal in only two weeks, and renewing seemed to be a no-brainer, but now? I really don't know if it's worth it.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Catlady

On the heels of eliminating AmazonSmile, Amazon has now decided to charge Prime members for Amazon Fresh deliveries under $150. Per the email I received today:



This addition of a delivery fee eliminates what has become the major reason for my Amazon Prime membership; I started grocery shopping with Fresh early in the pandemic and have continued because of the convenience and generally good prices. I don't think I've ever hit the $150 level, though--that's a lot of groceries!

My Prime membership is up for renewal in only two weeks, and renewing seemed to be a no-brainer, but now? I really don't know if it's worth it.

I live in the hinterlands, or at least the hinterlandish, and a lot of Prime benefits including Fresh aren’t available here, so I can see the justification. There’s Prime and there’s Prime, depending on where you live. That said, why not order ahead for a bit on all fronts and then quit Prime and see how you feel? And even if you only go a month without it, that’s a significant savings.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by issybird

I live in the hinterlands, or at least the hinterlandish, and a lot of Prime benefits including Fresh aren’t available here, so I can see the justification. There’s Prime and there’s Prime, depending on where you live. That said, why not order ahead for a bit on all fronts and then quit Prime and see how you feel? And even if you only go a month without it, that’s a significant savings.

That's my first inclination--not to renew, and possibly pick up membership later, maybe even wait till Prime Day. Last year my membership was $120, renewal now is $140, so that price increase is another factor.

I'd like to see what Amazon is doing regarding delivery fees and minimums for non-Prime members.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Catlady

That's my first inclination--not to renew, and possibly pick up membership later, maybe even wait till Prime Day. Last year my membership was $120, renewal now is $140, so that price increase is another factor.

I'd like to see what Amazon is doing regarding delivery fees and minimums for non-Prime members.

I understand bean counting and making perks pay for themselves, but Amazon’s getting people’s backs up lately. That they broke Prime Music under the guise of offering more fooled no one at all.

[John F]

Originally Posted by issybird

I live in the hinterlands, or at least the hinterlandish, and a lot of Prime benefits including Fresh aren’t available here, so I can see the justification. ...

Are you saying they are adding a delivery price floor so they will be able to deliver to the hinterlandish?

[issybird]

Originally Posted by John F

Are you saying they are adding a delivery price floor so they will be able to deliver to the hinterlandish?

Nope; just saying that the same Prime fee gets fewer perks.

[John F]

Originally Posted by issybird

Nope; just saying that the same Prime fee gets fewer perks.

Thanks.

I am in a similar situation, and I don't even consider myself hinterlandish. 2 large grocery stores and a Walmart superstore (and 5 Dunkins ) are within a 10 minute drive.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by John F

(and 5 Dunkins )

I am not a New England native and while I like it here, there are a few exceptions. Dunkin’s is one of them.

[ownedbycats]

edit: Misunderstood, oops.

[Apache]

Originally Posted by issybird

I am not a New England native and while I like it here, there are a few exceptions. Dunkin’s is one of them.

Krispy Kreme for the win.
Apache

[stumped]

i may be missing something but having to order over $150 of FRESH,is not going to work. Unless you have a monster fridge or a large dinner party to serve ?

i struggle to find enough stuff i need to reach the £40 minimum for a free-for-prime members Morrisons groceries order in UK. [ & that's an appalling service anyway, so when I give up prime I wont miss it ]. I don't qualify for Fresh - we must be too rural. I do still qualify on prime for a years free deliveroo deliveries, apparently, but I don't want to use deliveroo.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by stumped

i may be missing something but having to order over $150 of FRESH,is not going to work. Unless you have a monster fridge or a large dinner party to serve ?

Have you seen the price of groceries these days? (Relevant Beaverton article.)

[Tarana]

If your primary reason for using Prime is no longer available to you (due to the minimum order), then it doesn't make sense to renew it.

Note: an order over $150 would be nothing for a family of 4. For one or two people, you'd have to be buying pretty pricey items or setting up for a party or something. Unfortunately, this will be a problem for disabled people or those without a car within the delivery area.

I'm not sure we can really justify Prime either, but my brother pays for it as he is unable to shop, so it's covered. I have a subaccount on his, so get most of the same benefits.

[cfrizz]

I get my groceries delivered by one of the Stop & Shops here in MA It's just me ordering and my bill is always over $200.00 with a 6.95 delivery fee. The minimum amount you can order is $60.00 for the same $6.95 fee. Considering all the time, effort and back breaking work they are saving me, I have no problem paying that fee and have been doing so for 25 years!

I order my groceries once a month and buy enough to make it last for that month.

Put it into perspective, someone else shops for you, packs it up, and delivers it for you. You don't have to get up, dress, spend your gas, time and wandering all over a store then have to lug what you bought home.

Quite frankly that is quite a bargain. It's no doubt costing Amazon quite a bit to provide this service, just like the 2-day free shipping. It's why they invested in buying their own fleet of vehicles to bypass utilizing the other mail services.

Sometimes we get so caught up in the money, we forget to see the forest for the trees.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by cfrizz

I get my groceries delivered by one of the Stop & Shops here in MA It's just me ordering and my bill is always over $200.00 with a 6.95 delivery fee. The minimum amount you can order is $60.00 for the same $6.95 fee. Considering all the time, effort and back breaking work they are saving me, I have no problem paying that fee and have been doing so for 25 years!

I order my groceries once a month and buy enough to make it last for that month.

Put it into perspective, someone else shops for you, packs it up, and delivers it for you. You don't have to get up, dress, spend your gas, time and wandering all over a store then have to lug what you bought home.

Quite frankly that is quite a bargain. It's no doubt costing Amazon quite a bit to provide this service, just like the 2-day free shipping. It's why they invested in buying their own fleet of vehicles to bypass utilizing the other mail services.

Sometimes we get so caught up in the money, we forget to see the forest for the trees.

Yes and no. I use Amazon Fresh because it was a perk. If it's no longer a perk, I might as well use Stop and Shop's delivery instead, for a similar cost. It was what I used early in the pandemic, but Stop and Shop's service was horrible then--understandably so, but I'd be lucky to get half the items I ordered and delivery slots were extremely hard to get. Presumably it's better now! I don't have a problem paying for delivery; I have a problem with Amazon charging me for delivery on top of my Prime membership, devaluing it considerably.

The cancellation of AmazonSmile, knowing the effect it has on small community organizations, like the one I supported, is certainly a factor in my resistance to Amazon wanting to charge me more for groceries now. It feels like two blows in quick succession, and I'm angry.