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How many of you are Amazon Prime members?
- Thread starter heyyitssusan
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Just NZ/AU as far as I'm aware. The company is called Mighty Ape and doesn't have video streaming, just shopping. It's still useful though
I am (well more accurately my wife is but she can share it with me). We probably get an Amazon delivery every week (at least). We have used the video a bit. We use the music a lot.
I do actually. I just caught myself saving like six items in my ‘saved for later’ area of my cart. Guess I will go sign up for it as it will be convienient to get those in two days or less.
There is another aspect about mail order in general, convenience, having the choice of 15 items over 1-3, typically at a discount over retail, and the amount the fuel and time saved by not driving all over town. And Amazon is miles ahead of the competition by offering 2 and 1 day delivery for free, after you paid the membership fee which also includes a subscription to Amazon Prime Video. They are kicking the **** out of their competition. It’s happening whether you participate or not, might as well enjoy it until Amazon priceing become bloated.
Of note, there are cases where Amazon is not always the best price, so continue to compare shop online!
Now there are cases where I need something today, usually at the hardware/home supply store, but even there, I see the Amazon Effect. If it is not something they sell enough of, it may only be ordered online, fortunately it’s usually free shipping, but it won’t be delivered in 1-2 days.
Of note, there are cases where Amazon is not always the best price, so continue to compare shop online!
Now there are cases where I need something today, usually at the hardware/home supply store, but even there, I see the Amazon Effect. If it is not something they sell enough of, it may only be ordered online, fortunately it’s usually free shipping, but it won’t be delivered in 1-2 days.
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Cost is one thing. Selection is I think even bigger. There are a lot of times that the local stores don’t have what I want. They might have something similar, but I can be particular about certain things.
And then there is the actual shipping. Last Christmas our microwave finally died. I did. some research and looked around. Home Depot didn’t have the model I wanted in stores. They could order it, but they wanted to charge me some ridiculous appliance delivery fee to ship it to the store. I’d have to go pick it up from the store. Amazon had the same model, for $10 cheaper and free shipping.
I don’t want to sound like an Amazon fan boy, but they are kicking butt all over the retail space. It is transformative in some ways good and others bad, such as unemployment. The thing I really hope more competition arises to do battle with Amazon. And I remain sad that Sears, Roebuck the original mail order, (or one of the originals), did not transform into an Amazon instead of dieing. The issue is a business model built on brick and mortar retail spaces versus regional warehouses.
Walmart has its own host of issues, but I think they and Amazon are in the most similar position. It's not too much of a stretch to consider Walmart B&M stores as localized warehouses that are in *some* way "better" (<- highly qualified statement) than Amazon (1-hr pickup, free ship to store, etc).
Walmart.com is showing a lot more 3rd party sellers than it used to. I think Amazon is even partnering with Walmart for fulfillment of certain orders. Listen to the charcoal portion of Episode 265 of "The Talk Show" with John Gruber & Ben Thompson.
This isn’t really related to ‘Amazon Prime’ per se, (more of a side tangent), one thing I like that they implemented over the course of the last couple months or so, was they partnered with Kohls to drop off ‘returned items’. I’ve utilized this a few times now, it’s so easy/convenient, you literally bring the item in (Kohls packages the item for you) , they scan a barcode on your phone and you’re off with the receipt in your hand in under one minute. The bonus for me, I have three Kohls in my city, so I have a choice if I’m running errands on one specific side of town.
Versus how it used to be (Or Still is if you don’t have access to a Kohls), you print off the label, find a return box, drop off at a local UPS return site, Etc.
Side note:
So something else I’ve noticed, whenever I purchase items from Amazon, and if I do end up returning them, you have the option of refunding to your Amazon account or your original card purchase method, I always opt for returning the funds to my Amazon account (being I purchase from them 3/4 days a week), I noticed that it’s almost instantly refunded once Kohls scans the item. So it’s kinda nice if you want to make another purchase, the funds are already in your Amazon account for another purchase [versus] having to wait 4/5 business days for your refund to your debit/credit card.
Versus how it used to be (Or Still is if you don’t have access to a Kohls), you print off the label, find a return box, drop off at a local UPS return site, Etc.
Side note:
So something else I’ve noticed, whenever I purchase items from Amazon, and if I do end up returning them, you have the option of refunding to your Amazon account or your original card purchase method, I always opt for returning the funds to my Amazon account (being I purchase from them 3/4 days a week), I noticed that it’s almost instantly refunded once Kohls scans the item. So it’s kinda nice if you want to make another purchase, the funds are already in your Amazon account for another purchase [versus] having to wait 4/5 business days for your refund to your debit/credit card.
They've gotten better with this also. You just bring the box to a UPS store and they scan a QR code you give them. They print the label for you at the store.
We mooch off of my in-laws' account from back when they used to allow you to have separate accounts under the same prime subscription. We use it so much that if they decided to get rid of it, we would sign up outselves before they even finished telling us they were out.
Depends what areas you are talking about. I know that where I am located, Walmart also serves this area with fast deliveries.
Sure, however....the initial difference between a UPS drop off store V.S. Kohl’s, you need to have a box with you for the item you’re returning or you purchase a box directly from the UPS drop off store, where with Kohl’s,you need no packaging whatsoever (Aside from the manufacturing packaging), Kohls will package everything for you. It’s literally an instantaneous one minute process. But, the other advantage to UPS drop off stores, they have far more locations than Kohl’s does in my city, but I also shop at Kohl’s quite a bit, so it’s a win-win for me.
That is a nice benefit. I do shop at Kohl's but none are conveniently located to me where I can get to a UPS store quickly. I usually save a few Amazon boxes for possible returns.
I've been a prime member for several years. I mainly use it for free next day deliveries but also use the prime video service.
For those who have been members for several years, do you guys do the monthly or yearly option? the yearly option is definitely cheaper, but sometimes it can be a pain to have to renew every year instead of just charging it to your card monthly and not thinking about it I guess.
There's zero pain with the yearly option. They send you an email that your annual renewal is coming up and they charge your stored credit card when it happens. You don't have to do anything.
Yep, for as long as it's been available, Amazon customer for 20 years
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Instant gratification baby! Love the next day and 2 day shipping. Totally worth it - we shop a lot on Amazon.
We’ve also enjoyed Amazon Prime Video and have watch quite a few quality series on there.
We’ve also enjoyed Amazon Prime Video and have watch quite a few quality series on there.
I agree! I bought an Amazon Fire stick 2 years ago and have been loving it.