General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCancel Amazon Prime: The subscription service is Amazon's greatest--and most terrifying--invention.
I've had Prime for years and now I'm rethinking renewing based on the information laid out in the article. Is it worth $10/month? Do I spend more than I need to so I can get free delivery today if I spend over $35? Yeah, it's convenient and can save some legwork, but is it worth it? We all know Amazon is big but she lays out how much of a behemoth this behemoth is.
"In 2020, Amazons revenue from subscriptions alonemostly Primewas $25.2 billion, which is a 31 percent increase from the previous year, and also about three times the revenue of the entire NBA. "
Worth a read.
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/06/amazon-prime-day-dystopian/619265/

sarcasmo
(23,968 posts)Phoenix61
(18,189 posts)The test will be what the next year begins as people go back to work, school etc.
lindysalsagal
(22,504 posts)film, find the title, find the image, click on it, and find out "It's not available;" Or, it's $5, or $10, or $20." Many times I can get it on googleTV for less without any subscription.
Netflix doesn't post thumbnails of the films it doesn't own. It will give you the name in a search but not pretend it's on their list. It will give you other suggestions.
Demsrule86
(71,078 posts)Renew Deal
(83,654 posts)Its not as deceptive as Netflix completing searches for alternatives for content it doesnt own.
Marrah_Goodman
(1,586 posts)Hoyt
(54,770 posts)Ilsa
(62,602 posts)use my phone for other business. We have been shut-ins to a degree for several years. Finding an item on Prime has been immensely helpful, and saves us at $10/mo in gas.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)Not to mention the free and fast shipping. I definitely get my money's worth.
d_r
(6,908 posts)My kids have instant access to basically every album ever.
If I had that when I was a kid it would have seen God like, I can not imagine.
Happy Hoosier
(8,820 posts)Some 3rd party vendors jack up the price for free shipping, but others do not.
I find the video service worth it, but to each his own.
48656c6c6f20
(7,638 posts)Now same day delivery on a lot of stuff. Pretty great movie selection. Prime deals of the day. Buying stuff that would not be available locally. Hmm yeah they really don't suck. I offered to gift that writer a prime account. They seemed jealous.
samnsara
(18,449 posts)agingdem
(8,543 posts)yes some of the vendors price gouged during the early days of the pandemic but I could buy what I needed in bulk with very few grocery runs..and what kept me somewhat sane were the multitude of streaming channels both foreign and domestic...
Demovictory9
(34,777 posts)comradebillyboy
(10,630 posts)now that I am older and can't get around as well as I used to.
If Jeff Bezos gets richer by making my life better I can live with that.
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)Shes become quite the philanthropist. I applaud her!
LisaL
(47,122 posts)
brooklynite
(96,882 posts)I get video and music streaming services, a free e-book every month, and free shipping. Prime Day is just an annual discount program.
mcar
(44,217 posts)It more than pays for itself and there are a lot of good things to watch on Prime Video - we're in the middle of "Underground Railroad" right now. I highly recommend it.
I use Prime Music for my playlists and am working on transferring photos to Prime photos.
I wish Amazon employees would unionize. I wish Walmart employees would unionize.
obamanut2012
(28,339 posts)Before they even had Prime, but a Primer member since the beginning. Even before Covid, it has been much used by me, including the videos and music.
tavernier
(13,537 posts)Forinstance, I ordered a portable treadmill last month because the weather here in the summer is too hot to walk outdoors on a daily basis, and room is very limited in my home. There were several options to choose from for various prices. Because I live in a very small town I wouldve had to drive thirty miles and do a lot of searching in stores to find just the right product.
I found and ordered this model in ten minutes and it arrived five days later exactly the way described. The cost was reasonable and I chose the low monthly payments without interest on my Amazon card.
Ive since walked off quite a few pounds as I YouTube through Rome and Paris and London in my air conditioning bedroom.
renate
(13,776 posts)Not that we travel often anyway, but when all youre looking at for months is four walls, it was and is so much fun to walk around other cities.
Im on my phone so if you provided a link maybe thats why I dont see it, but Im looking for exactly the kind of treadmill you described... if you like yours, can you please tell me what you bought?
Goonch
(3,862 posts)
KPN
(16,479 posts)after I called to complain about an interest charge for having paid my monthly bill one day late and the only charge on it was Amazon Prime monthly subscription for the 3rd month in a row.
jmbar2
(6,692 posts)I don't order a lot of stuff online anymore. Trying to shop local as much as possible.
I've also noticed that the free movie benefits are shrinking. More and more, you have to pay extra to watch anything good.
If it's real good, I'll pay to view and/or ship, rather than paying monthly.
FarPoint
(13,877 posts)Local for groceries...I love Amazon.
Response to QED (Original post)
Post removed
obamanut2012
(28,339 posts)Good grief.
USALiberal
(10,877 posts)Klaralven
(7,510 posts)Heres a list of the top 10 retailers for 2020 and top 100 grocery chains:
1. Walmart BB #:143789 $408.9 billion, 5,259 stores
2. Amazon BB #:283186 $155.5 billion, 533 stores
3. Kroger BB #:100073 $122.3 billion, 3,007 stores
4. Costco BB #:150902 $119.9 billion, 553 stores
5. Home Depot $105.5 billion, 1,973 stores
6. Walgreens Boots Alliance $104.6 billion, 8,910 stores
7. CVS $93.8 billion, 9,927 stores
8. Target BB #:166987 $81.5 billion, 1,886 stores
9. Lowes $67.4 billion, 1,723 stores
10. Albertsons Companies BB #:193326 $60.9 billion, 2,228 stores
https://www.producebluebook.com/2019/12/14/top-50-u-s-retailers-in-2020-by-sales/#
Binkie The Clown
(7,911 posts)obamanut2012
(28,339 posts)Midnight Writer
(23,511 posts)I watch something on there pretty much every day.
Binkie The Clown
(7,911 posts)A couple weeks ago it was Buffy and Angel.
There's always some cool movie I'd like to see.
Midnight Writer
(23,511 posts)I like a lot of the lesser known films, independents and foreign.
As you say, there is always something. They add hundreds of titles a month.
I still have a Netflix DVD account for big "blockbuster" films and stuff I can't find on Prime.
Demsrule86
(71,078 posts)Midnight Writer
(23,511 posts)In fact, I found it, as I recall, from someone mentioning it here on DU.
Demsrule86
(71,078 posts)
obamanut2012
(28,339 posts)I'm doing my 9th or 10th rew2atch, and just watched this episode again.
sarcasmo
(23,968 posts)Renew Deal
(83,654 posts)Its excellent.
progree
(11,713 posts)days to 2 weeks for things to be delivered free. Almost always it all arrives within 10 days.
Also probably better for the environment - with several days to 2 week delivery, they can almost certainly move things in a more efficient way than rushing everything in one day.
As for all the free streaming crap -- nice in theory, but I don't have the time to watch. Just another one of those "life sucks and then you die" situations. Oh well.
yonder
(10,036 posts)We don't use Amazon much but when we do, we usually wait to take delivery. Most often its for things we can't find locally - if we've never had it before, we can wait a few more days.
DavidDvorkin
(20,096 posts)We're certainly sticking with it.
Bettie
(17,995 posts)an extension of my arm. I read a lot and use Kindle Unlimited to get new stuff to read every couple of days. I love having many books in my hand instead of carrying a tote bag of books everywhere I go as I used to.
We try to buy stuff in stores in the area when we can, but for things we can't find within a reasonable drive? Amazon, because I can order it all at once. We're also 40 minutes drive from most larger retailers and UPS is at our home daily anyway due to DH's parts orders for work.
Ms. Toad
(36,243 posts)Because I don't have time to sit down and read (and my arms are too short to read with my eyes as I drop off to sleep), I now "read" an average of a book a week driving to and from work, and while dropping off to sleep. I mostly "read" mystery/crime books and have being doing Kindle Unlimited for about 3 years now - and still haven't run out of "read and listen for free" books in that category.
Demsrule86
(71,078 posts)They have had more and better books lately. I also borrow books from the library...you can get e-cards at multiple libraries...are you in Ohio? All you have to do is live in Ohio. They are also offering three free magazine subscriptions with Kindle unlimited.
mzmolly
(52,037 posts)as well. I'm glad to see more discussion and awareness of the consequences of Amazon's business model.
eppur_se_muova
(38,572 posts)Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin
(120,323 posts)Blue_Adept
(6,446 posts)
Worried2020
(444 posts).
Amazon Prime costs me just $9.03/mo canuckbucks
Most of my shopping is done on Amazon, delivered to our local PO, and picked up at my convenience,
When I need a single item like ibuprophen, click click it's on it's way - no need to wait until I reach the min. for free shipping.
I, like most of us, have to stay within a budget -
Amazon helps me do this
W
ps: currently watching Season 1 of Snowy River: The McGregor Saga and the Mike Hammer Private Eye series
MineralMan
(148,692 posts)Everyone has a different outlook on Amazon Prime. It makes sense for some people, but not for others. You have to decide for yourself, and so do I.
We're moving this week. My wife has been making excellent use of her Prime account, and will continue to as we move in and need things. Getting ready for a move is very time-consuming, and sometimes the time saved by buying from Amazon is essential.
Also, if we're shopping there, we're not driving around from place to place, burning gas and wasting time. I'll give you an example: Our new place has a small dining area, so our current dining room set, which can seat 8 won't fit in there. We checked prices locally for smaller scale dining furniture options. Very expensive. So, we went on Amazon and searched for small dining room sets that seat four. There were hundreds of them available. Literally. So, we found one that matched our needs and that looked good to us. Amazon had many reviews of the set, which has to be assembled on arrival. The reviewers rated the set highly with most giving it four or five stars, and several commented on its ease of assembly. So, we ordered it, to be delivered a couple of days after we move in. Very affordable, too, and made of solid wood, rather than veneered engineered wood. Free delivery, of course. What other option would you have suggested for us?
Its a personal decision, really, isn't it? I don't take advice from magazine writers on subjects like this. Instead, I do the math and calculate the savings of time and money. If Amazon Prime does both things, then it is more than worth $10 per month to us. Truly.
Indykatie
(3,853 posts)I'll be homebound mostly even now that I'm vaccinated. I do all my shopping online including groceries via Amazon's Fresh option. Sometimes I only purchased a single item costing less than $20. This can be a life saver when you need something right away. My last 2 small purchase was zip lock bags and hooks to hang some pictures. I got both orders within 2 days and of course with no sipping costs.
StarfishSaver
(18,486 posts)because a company in the business of making money is making lots of money charging me for a service that's helpful, convenient, reliable, and well worth the cost?
mcar
(44,217 posts)that make a lot of money selling us stuff.
StarfishSaver
(18,486 posts)mcar
(44,217 posts)because they were bad. Now it's Amazon - no one talks about Walmart anymore.
I live in a rural area in FL. I worked full time (now part) and raised 2 children with my husband. I remember driving an hour each way to get to Target to buy my kids clothes and get other stuff. It'd take me most of a weekend day. Plus, I hate shopping.
Amazon has been a godsend to me.
I wish both companies, and loads others, would unionize. I wish they'd put their gains to better use. I wish they'd use better, more Earth friendly practices.
But I won't feel guilty about using these services ever again.
Oh, and where I live? Most of those local businesses I do try to frequent are run by RWNJs.
SoCalNative
(4,613 posts)for grocery delivery via Amazon Fresh or Whole Foods, if that is available in your area. Often same day delivery is available and I find a lot of their prices, even on name brands, a dollar or two cheaper than my local grocery stores.
obamanut2012
(28,339 posts)Way cheaper than anyplace else. I can go on early on a Saturday, order via Amazon, and get it by 10 or 11 am. And, at the beginning of Covid, it's where my GF and I got almost all of our food, no contact (with the rest filled at at low-contact Trader Joe's).
Demsrule86
(71,078 posts)jeffreyi
(2,317 posts)The nearest big city shopping is 2hrs away. Otherwise, probably wouldn't belong to it.
obamanut2012
(28,339 posts)Whole Foods delivery all make that $10/mo worth it, and that is without how much I save on shipping, and I get quite a few necessary things via Prime.
Cinnamonspice
(163 posts)If I don't use a lot this month, I may very well make up for it next month.
I am trying not to order as much from them though because they treat their workers like crap.
csziggy
(34,189 posts)For many of the things for my house, I would check the web sites for Lowes, Home Depot, Ace Hardware to see if they carried the items and if they were in stock. Problem was, even if they listed them in stock locally, often their inventory was wrong and they were not in stock. If I had to order the item, it would take a week or more to arrive, sometimes much longer, in several cases more than a month.
If Amazon listed something in stock, it was in stock. With Prime, it usually arrived in two or three days - sometimes the supplying vendor took longer, but it never took longer than a week.
Since I also use Prime TV regularly, Prime membership is well worth it to me.
EX500rider
(11,756 posts)yes, how scary, free 2 day shipping and video streaming service for the same price Hulu would charge me for just the video service.
GoodRaisin
(10,014 posts)together kept me in essentials during Covid with their delivery and outside pick-up services.
I also have found many things I've enjoyed watching on the Prime TV service that didn't cost extra. I still avoid going out, so the monthly fee is worth it to me.
I'm finishing up the 5th and final season of Poldark, which is a pretty decent series. All free on Prime.
Ms. Toad
(36,243 posts)And - like everything else, in choosing to use this tool I do my research. Nothing in the article surprised me. I pay less for the Prime than the benefits I receive. I would not separately choose to buy a subscription for "first reads" - a book a month. At the right price I might buy a subscription to the video service. We haven't had access to TV since the analog to digital conversion, so we rely on netflix and Prime videos for entertainment. That changed recently, with the advent of Locast.org I now have access to the "local" stations via a streaming service. So the "might buy" video, plus the free shipping covers the cost of membership (including the intangible price in data). (And, I do a check annually when I review annual purchases for sales tax reporting to make sure the balance still holds.)
The ony thing I hate - which is not mentioned expressly in the article (and not directly connected to Prime) - a year-ish a go Amazon redesigned its search tool which makes its "order by" sorting worthless. I always search by price (lowest to highest). When I order my search by lowest to highest 2/3 or more of the "sponsored" products fill the page - so I have to move through page after page after page before I reach any significant quantity of unsponsored products arranged in order from low to high. I've been able to work around it a little bit by choosing anything in the left filters, which seems to override most of "put sponsored items on top" algorithms.
obamanut2012
(28,339 posts)Ms. Toad
(36,243 posts)We learned about it in a newspaper article - and signed up for a year at the "suggested" donation price. (It's available free, apparently with persistent pestering to become a donating member - but like Public Radio, it provides a service I want to see continue - so I choose to donate.)
Definitely worth it to have access to regular local news, and some of the regular network shows. I've never had cable, so I don't miss it. And I'm stubborn enough that I refuse to pay cable prices to get back what used to be free.
LiberalFighter
(53,544 posts)Marrah_Goodman
(1,586 posts)5.99 (because I am on food stamps/medicaid)for free delivery, no minimum. Plus, prime video, music and books. Saves me a lot on gas. I often can't afford the gas to get to any major stores.
With my limited SSDI income it is a lifesaver.
obamanut2012
(28,339 posts)LisaL
(47,122 posts)NT
Baitball Blogger
(49,530 posts)Tomorrow War. After I watch it for a couple of months, I'll probably unsubscribe.
To watch The Tomorrow War on Prime Video when it premieres on Friday, July 2, you'll need to subscribe to Amazon Prime. Prime Video is included with an Amazon Prime membership for $13 per month (or $119 per year), but if you only want Prime Video, you can subscribe for just that for $9 a month.2 days ago
Response to QED (Original post)
Mosby This message was self-deleted by its author.
Poiuyt
(18,272 posts)We watch a lot of videos on on Roku with Prime.
brooklynite
(96,882 posts)HipChick
(25,540 posts)$12B per year...should we abandon all those other companies too...
herding cats
(19,659 posts)Prime works well for me. I use the video and music daily and also shop at Amazon at least once a week for items I can't get locally.
I'll not be canceling my prime, but I'm not telling anyone else what to do.
Oh, and oddly enough I read recently prime video is causing some grief for Netflix. Could this be a part of this new, unwarranted push, here?
MerryBlooms
(11,916 posts)you believe no one else does either, and should toss their Prime? You obviously are not taking care of an elderly Diabetic2. I save my sister a lot of money by ordering certain supplies from Amazon. Not to mention, other supplies for her, that the stores around us don't carry or often run short of, that I cannot take a chance of not having for her. How about you shop for yourself, and I'll shop for my sister with Zero terror. There is Nothing Terrifying about Amazon Prime. Good Grief. I also shop at WalMart for certain things for her that I can't get at other stores. Ooo, toss me into the non-pure-enough pile. Meh.
Marrah_Goodman
(1,586 posts)She had alziemers. Amazon was a lifesaver for me. I was able to find everything we needed and never left the house during the pandemic.
MerryBlooms
(11,916 posts)Swiss made test strips tripled in price. I was able to research, find the new test strips the company was recommending as an alternative, and find her strips at 1/10th the price from Amazon. My sister couldn't understand why I wanted her to change products, and was terrified to try a new 'finger poker'... When you're taking care of someone you love and companies turn their world upside-down, it's a nightmare. Her insulin pins that she can manage on her own have gone up... Her co-pay is just under $200 a month. I used to give her her shots, but she is scared of needles and would jerk and you know how painful that is for her and me, because it hurts her and bruises her.
Taking care of my sister is a blessing and an honor. I just want companies to make it easier, and folks to understand... Us who use Amazon aren't monsters.
Take care.
Iggo
(48,740 posts)Does he think people who use Amazon Prime dont shop anywhere else besides, or in addition to, Amazon? Does he not know how to ignore and scroll past the sponsored shit to find what he came for? (Has he never used Google? )
And slightly off topic, but how fucking long is that editorial? I quit reading at a point which I thought was about 2/3 or hopefully 3/4 of the way through. Then I started scrolling to see how much was left. Im not sure I was a tenth of the way through it!
But anyway: Come up with something as good or better and Ill use that instead.
msfiddlestix
(8,019 posts)For those who aren't aware, Amazon has a really low monthly rate for low income Seniors.
I like using Amazon. Refunds/Returns are painless and expeditiously processed.
As far as streaming is concerned, I would first cancel out my netflex before I cancelled my prime. I've been on the verge of cancelling my netflix account which I've had for as long as they've been streaming i think, for nearly 13 or more years. it's been a while since I felt it was worth keeping.
diehardblue
(11,094 posts)put your package inside. It is their new tactic to prevent porch theft. Evaluate your subscription to see if you signed for this feature. I watched today on my camera as the delivery person opened my garage and placed my package inside. I never knew I had that included in my Prime subscription. Freaked me out and sent me running to login the website to cancel the feature.
LisaL
(47,122 posts)
nightthinker
(268 posts)It's been a few months and the only thing I really miss is Bosch (TV series). I shop locally and I never even look at Prime Day and other online sales. I don't care anymore. I don't need to buy "stuff" online. I didn't even buy anything in 2020 online, not even a pizza.
Klaralven
(7,510 posts)nightthinker
(268 posts)That was serendipity for sure!
Roisin Ni Fiachra
(2,574 posts)fascists that inhabit the Covid breeding farm that is the small town where the closest Walmart is, 22 miles away from where I live.
Not going there.
Calista241
(5,621 posts)OriginalGeek
(12,132 posts)Best Buy carries the mouse but he was on the phone for an hour trying to get in touch with someone at the store nearest us to confirm they actually had the 1 in stock the website claimed. (Been burned by that way too often) He never got ahold of anyone at the store because Best Buy no longer allows customers to call stores. They have to call the support line and the support line will answer questions and they finally figured out the 1 mouse at the store nearest us was a display model. No thanks, not paying full price (150 dollar gaming mouse) for a mouse that's been clicked on and snotted on by every grubby, nose-picking kid that comes through the store.
The next option was delivery next week of a new one or pick up 50 miles away on thursday.
So best buy is out.
He called gamestop and they had them but not in stock near us. They could order for in-store pick-up July 2nd. meh.
Looked on Amazon, it was in stock for prime delivery same day. He had it a couple hours after placing the order.
I used to love going into stores but I don't like it so much any more. Prime is worth it to us.
obamanut2012
(28,339 posts)The website said my store had three of the speaker stands. None. I stopped at a local place. None. I ordered some Amazon walking to the car and had them a few hours later.
OriginalGeek
(12,132 posts)I will still go to locally owned non-franchise stores for things (i love my record store that gets death metal vinyl in for me) and there are some clothes (a kid just opened up a t-shirt store in a mall near me and all he sells is band t-shirts which I love) and shoe stores I like around here but it's just so easy to order stuff from Amazon and I don't feel even a little bit bad for Best Buy because every single experience I have had with them for the last few years has been a PITA. Barely any staff and the 2 that are there are clueless if it isn't on their computer. They used to have people that knew about computers and stereos and stuff but no more. And this bs about not being allowed to call a store is just the last straw. I may never buy something from Best Buy again.
obamanut2012
(28,339 posts)The other half from a terrific local place. Same for golf and bike stuff, only local. I bought my new laptop at Costco and not Best Buy, because no one would help me reach a laptop box down. They literally were texting on their phone.