Amazon prime is ridiculous sometimes

[Shawn]

I've been wondering lately how Amazon Prime is profitable. I mean, I order a couple things a week with free 2 day shipping. I know 2 day shipping isn't cheap... And I considered the possibility that UPS is giving them a huge discount... But the fact remains, shipping some rhino ramps to me with 2 day shipping has to cost UPS a good chunk of my yearly prime subscription fee.

Well, I've had things shipped ups 3 day before and came into their center 2 days early. Instead of shipping it out early they waited 2 days. I'm sure UPS can offer a much cheaper price to Amazon since most of their costs are profit anyway.

 

[hclarkjr]

is prime worth it if you use post office box for shipping?

 

[Ns1]

FYI, most things on amazon over $25 have free 3 day shipping. Sure you would have had to wait an extra day, but it still would have been free.

amazon super saver shipping =/= 3 day shipping

 

[Baked]

I order so much stuff for my business from Amazon, it makes perfect sense for me to have Prime.

 

[KLin]

is prime worth it if you use post office box for shipping?

Nope. Fedex and UPS do not deliver to post office boxes. Get a box at a UPS store instead. 15 bucks a month, and they accept deliveries from anyone.

 

[manly]

I've been wondering lately how Amazon Prime is profitable. I mean, I order a couple things a week with free 2 day shipping. I know 2 day shipping isn't cheap... And I considered the possibility that UPS is giving them a huge discount... But the fact remains, shipping some rhino ramps to me with 2 day shipping has to cost UPS a good chunk of my yearly prime subscription fee.

people have speculated Amazon's contracts with shippers isn't calculated per box or unit weight as everybody else pays.

I've seen FedEx's internal rates before, they're extremely low compared to what consumers pay at retail. It's plausible Amazon somehow undercuts even that with bulk shipping contracts.

 

[datalink7]

I just ordered something and it got to my place 5 days later.

Which is pretty impressive considering I'm in Afghanistan.

 

[Doppel]

I ordered a Dremel on SATURDAY with 2 day shipping.

It will be here tomorrow (Monday).

Agreed. In fact, I cancelled prime for this reason. I found I was on amazon too much. Prime doesn't cost $79/year, more like $2k/year after all the extra sh*t I can get in two days.

 

[ScoobMaster]

During the major historic flooding we had here in the Southern-Tier of NY back in the first week of September, my dehumidifier crapped out just after my basement got wet. Due to the sheer number of basements that were flooded, not a store in a 50 mile radius had a dehumidifier in stock (and my damp basement wasn't going to get any drier on its own - I needed one FAST!) Amazon Prime to the rescue! I ordered a dehumidifier on Monday at 9:00 AM, spent the extra $4 for overnight shipping, and it arrived at my house at 11:30 AM on Tuesday! No mold in my basement and I am a happy Prime customer!

 

[Circlenaut]

During the major historic flooding we had here in the Southern-Tier of NY back in the first week of September, my dehumidifier crapped out just after my basement got wet. Due to the sheer number of basements that were flooded, not a store in a 50 mile radius had a dehumidifier in stock (and my damp basement wasn't going to get any drier on its own - I needed one FAST!) Amazon Prime to the rescue! I ordered a dehumidifier on Monday at 9:00 AM, spent the extra $4 for overnight shipping, and it arrived at my house at 11:30 AM on Tuesday! No mold in my basement and I am a happy Prime customer!

Send that story to Amazon. I'm sure they'll love to use that as a promo.

 

[xanis]

My buddy just moved into a new apartment and ordered furniture from Amazon. Got a chaise lounge + sofa and some other shit delivered to his front door in 2 days for free (his mom shares the account with him). Ridiculous.

 

[Sonikku]

I've been wondering lately how Amazon Prime is profitable. I mean, I order a couple things a week with free 2 day shipping. I know 2 day shipping isn't cheap... And I considered the possibility that UPS is giving them a huge discount... But the fact remains, shipping some rhino ramps to me with 2 day shipping has to cost UPS a good chunk of my yearly prime subscription fee.

They probably figure that if you pay money for unlimited 2 day shipping a year then you will under increased incentive to shop only on amazon and no one else to get the most mileage out of the service you paid for. That can end up being a net gain for the company as a hole even if the feature itself is a net loss. I imagine they also make money off of people that either don't use the service nearly as much as heavy users, or people that signed up for the free month on one of their orders not realizing or forgetting that they were going to be automatically charged for a whole year unless they went out of their way to cancel.

 

[Ika]

I've been wondering lately how Amazon Prime is profitable. I mean, I order a couple things a week with free 2 day shipping. I know 2 day shipping isn't cheap... And I considered the possibility that UPS is giving them a huge discount... But the fact remains, shipping some rhino ramps to me with 2 day shipping has to cost UPS a good chunk of my yearly prime subscription fee.

Sometimes people buy stuff off Amazon just because they have Prime and it will arrive quickly. It's the Amazon's version of a B&M loss-leader, except it is much easier to make impulse buys on Amazon. I know I've been guilty of buying something I don't really need just because it will arrive quickly and I can use it.

 

[arcenite]

Dremel was here waiting for me when I got home from work.

I have a similar story as the dehumidifier guy. I wanted a decent inverter (2500w) to have in the house incase we lost power durring Hurricane Irene. No one had them. I ordered one on Amazon, had it overnighted for $3.99. It, according to their inventory, was one of two that they had left. I got it at 11:00am the next day (Saturday).

Amazon Prime FTW.

 

[Slew Foot]

people have speculated Amazon's contracts with shippers isn't calculated per box or unit weight as everybody else pays.

I've seen FedEx's internal rates before, they're extremely low compared to what consumers pay at retail. It's plausible Amazon somehow undercuts even that with bulk shipping contracts.

Ive heard that amazon gets to ship via UPS any item anywhere in the US for $3.

 

[dabuddha]

FYI, most things on amazon over $25 have free 3 day shipping. Sure you would have had to wait an extra day, but it still would have been free.

The free shipping if 5-8 business days, not 3 days.

 

[RadiclDreamer]

I ordered a Dremel on SATURDAY with 2 day shipping.

It will be here tomorrow (Monday).

I ordered a phone battery saturday and it arrived monday, hows that for amazing