Forum Discussion

5thwheeleroldma's avatar
Mar 19, 2014

Amazon Prime --- Worth It?

Little uncertain which forum. Is the Amazon prime worth it? Not every thing you purchase is eligible, right? Not everything is eligible for 2 day shipping? Are the books in the free Kindle lending library really good, or just junk? I wonder if all theses exclusions would apply to most things I might purchase, or only to a rare few.

I just paid $35 shipping for a couple things, but not sure if they would have been "free". I figure saving the $99 annual fee might be close for me, but not sure.

34 Replies

  • Some people love it. Personally, I don't use the streaming videos nor Kindle lending library. My cable company offers online videos, and I get eBooks free from my library.
    I always keep some things in my cart that I regularly have to buy, (guitar strings, etc) so I can always bump my purchases amount to $35. That way I get the regular free shipping. I don't mind waiting an extra day or two for my package.
    I actually try to arrange my purchases so that my package will be big enough so that it goes UPS ground, rather than Smart Post-which can be unreliable.
    I would recommend trying the free 30 day trial that they offer and see if you like it.
    It wasn't worth it at $79 for me, it certainly won't be worth it at $99!
  • Many, many items are Prime eligible, but not all. As far as the books in the lending library, I have not seen many mainstream titles available at all, but I haven't looked in a while. You also get free video streaming, but with a very limited selection of shows & movies.

    Do this - go back to the items you just paid $35 shipping on and see if they say "Prime eligible". It would be clearly marked.

    Having Prime changes your buying habits to be sure. I think nothing of placing 2 or 3 separate orders during Christmas time because I no longer have to save up my purchases to qualify for free super-saver shipping. But that's what Amazon is counting on.

    Often you'll find cheaper prices online than other places, but once shipping is factored in it may not be as much of a bargain, if at all. With Prime that factor is removed so many things are definitely cheaper online, even some you wouldn't normally think to buy online. If you do much online shopping at all Prime may very well be worth it to you, even at the new higher $99 price.
  • As with most things, it depends on whether or not it's worth it for you. If you make just a few purchases per year, it is not. If you don't care if it takes a week or 10 days to receive your order, it's not worth it. There are SLOW free shipping options available on most goods, without PRIME.

    I tend to use it for both work and home, so my company paid for the Prime subscription, which makes it very worthwhile for me! ;-)
  • I think their recent price jump from $79.95 to $99.95 still makes it worth it. True, not everything is free 2 day shipping, but those items are few and far between. They also have a HUGE video streaming library (besides the books)

    I'll be renewing my subscription!

    WoodGlue

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