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I've come here with questions before, and you guys always answer thoughtfully. When I asked about hearing aids, I got some good advice, with pointers to Costco, and we are going to follow up there after DH has his eye surgery.
But about Amazon Prime: do you have it, and do you like it? Has it been useful to you, and is it worth the up front cost of $100? I know some family members who do use it extensively to buy things. I am not sure about the streaming, but I do know they buy certain things that way. Part of my question concerns pricing. We do pay to shop at Costco, but we have confidence that we aren't paying too much for anything--in fact we feel that we usually we get good deals.
If you subscribe to Amazon Prime, do you feel you get good value? It looks like you can buy a multitude of things that way, although not everything in the world.
Any insight about this? Thanks in advance!
You have to be careful of what you buy on Amazon Prime. Not all prices are the lowest but most are. I don't know how I even got Amazon Prime but they did deduct almost a hundred bucks from my checking account for using it. I guess it depends on how much you are going to buy on line to see if it is worth it. Needless to say the number of products they sell is enormous.
You have to be careful of what you buy on Amazon Prime. Not all prices are the lowest but most are. I don't know how I even got Amazon Prime but they did deduct almost a hundred bucks from my checking account for using it. I guess it depends on how much you are going to buy on line to see if it is worth it. Needless to say the number of products they sell is enormous.
They did an auto deduction from me the first time I tried it - I did get it back. I never check auto renewal and those boogers did it anyway.
I vowed never to try it again, but broke down last year and signed up. Thought I would get most of my pet supplies through them. But they don't carry everything I like and I realized it wasn't that big of a deal to just drive to the store.
So I am letting it expire and not renewing. I still buy things online through other sources. I use the military exchange online store for Frontline - cheaper and free shipping with a 49 dollar purchase. Wal-mart also has free shipping with a 49 dollar purchase.
I buy my clothes and shoes from three sources and it is usually free shipping.
I don't think it's worth it, it's just an expensive loyalty card. You can get free shipping on anything if you shop around, including Amazon. Not everything on Amazon is Prime eligible.
For TV, Netflix is better, and around the same price. Amazon has a lot of stuff that's not available on Prime, you need to pay, and they also have ADS!!! That is not OK. Who has ads anymore? You could do a free trial of either to see if they have the shows you like, or to watch the ones you really really want to see.
It's not a card, it's a service -- are you confusing it with the Amazon credit card?
Get a private mailbox. That's what I did, because packages will disappear if left in the hall. They will sign for my packages and keep them safe until I pick them up.
Where are you seeing ads? Unless you mean the Amazon show promos at the beginning of a show sometimes, but that's it. There are no ads in the middle of any of the shows or movies.
There were a lot for Geico (Dora at the south pole, etc), they're the only actual ones I remember, plus ads before every video for Amazon shows. I've had Netflix for many years now and am just totally anti ad. It might be less annoying for someone who still watches broadcast TV or cable.
Here it is 6:45 AM on January 1st, happy new year everyone, and I just purchased a pair of Lee khaki pleated pants that will be delivered to my door on Tuesday.
No muss, no fuss and no 50 mile round trip (I live in the boonies) to the mall where I would deal with idiots and fight crowds. Then there is the $6 gas it would take to get me there and back.
I did my shopping in 15 minutes WITHOUT GETTING OUT OF BED! Yep, smartphone shopping!
The more I use Amazon the more I like it and I will add their selection is much larger than any store I've been to.
I hate brick and morter.
But how is that specific to Amazon. There are dozens, if not hundreds of places online to buy Lee khakis, and you didn't get two day shipping, either, right?
Plus, if you want to return them, an online only store like Amazon has you pay return shipping, but a store with a B&M presence like Kohls or JC Penney or Target or Sears will accept returns in store, even of items they don't carry in store.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dblackga
It's not a card, it's a service -- are you confusing it with the Amazon credit card?
No, it's a loyalty card because you don't bother shopping around any more, you just go to Amazon because you know you'll get quick free shipping. Often Amazon prices are not the best you can find, and the temptation for quick is not usually necessary. And with having some items Prime and others not they can draw you in with the Prime and keep you for the laziness. I was going to use them for dry groceries and pet supplies, but the prices are really quite high, and many of the brands I use aren't available. It was more sensible for me to set up for local grocery delivery and get milk and produce as well.
Tell me, how often do you shop at a non-Amazon site now you have Prime?
Last edited by WildColonialGirl; 01-01-2016 at 11:16 AM..
We use Prime relentlessly and buy a lot on Amazon in general.
Recent Amazon purchases:
4 $100 Amazon gift cards
1 Amazon Prime membership (as a gift)
1 Honda EU2000I 2000 Watt Super Quiet Inverter Generator (Not Prime)
1 Honda EU2000I 2000 Watt Super Quiet Inverter Generator (Prime)
1 Cover for Honda generator
1 set of DC charging cables for Honda generator
Lingerie
30-up Avery white labels
Set of 3 Anne Tyler books
I buy 95% of my clothing either on Amazon or on Costco.com. I hardly ever go into Costco any more. It's too hard to find parking.
I had a $1,000 purchase reimbursed by Amazon this Christmas season when UPS lost the shipment.
Agreed. Amazon Prime is not the great deal it used to be, in my experience. I know there are many who may still find it a good value, but I have noticed many customers are getting less value for their money.<snip>
I think it depends on how a person uses Amazon. I buy lots of little things on Amazon, spur of the moment, and always find them on Prime. Love the free shipping. I usually do a quick price check before I click (use Google Shopping), and as long as it's close, Amazon Prime it is. It's not unusual for me to buy 8-10 items a month from them, so I definitely get my money's worth.
Quick example: I wanted some bias lighting LED strips. Amazon had them for $25, the cheapest I found was $23.50 on another site. But with free shipping, Amazon was less expensive. I do this 2-4 times a week.
Add in the free music and the free streaming shows (looking at you, Transparent!), and it's one of the better bargains around.
But, if there is just one show you love, might it be better to just buy that show? I'll buy a series of catastrophe or Alpha house, but that will be cheaper than a prime membership.
Quote:
Originally Posted by treeluvr
I've had Amazon Prime for years. I have a Kindle and a FireTV for streaming video, so it's probably worth the money. Their customer service is remarkably good and, as others have mentioned, returns are easy. The reviews make it easy to get some idea of merchandise quality.
These guys are really Master marketers. And, therein lies a potential problem. They make it so easy to shop and buy just what I want (or think I might want), that I spend a lot more money shopping than I would if I always had to go out to a store. I'm in the process of downsizing and am a little appalled at the number of non-essential items that I have purchased from Amazon. I try to be a fairly frugal person, but Amazon is a little too easy for me. One thing that helps is to put something on my "Wish list" instead of buying it immediately. Later, I often realize I really don't want the item. I definitely don't activate the One-Click shopping feature.
For me, the $35 for free shipping is very useful to curb this. I put stuff in my basket, then walk away. At some point when I need something else I come back and add it, and often I find the old thing is no longer attractive. The shopping basket is where impulse buys go to die.
I got Amazon Prime last spring and love it. I live in a very rural area an hour from any kind of shopping and being able to order just one thing and get it in two days is great. Gas alone costs me $8 to $12 per trip depending on gas prices.
Tell me, how often do you shop at a non-Amazon site now you have Prime?
Last night my clock radio finally totally bit the dust. I read reviews on Amazon, compared prices at other stores, and ended up buying from Amazon. I do this on anything that is commonly sold in different places. I did buy a microwave from BestBuy recently, with free shipping, because I thought it would be easier to return it if it was bad. Free shipping goes a long way, and Amazon sells some things I can't find elsewhere except maybe with a high shipping charge.
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