For those of you that have Amazon Prime...

[K1052]

I use the shit out of my Prime membership. Fast free or super cheap next day shipping and I don't have to search multiple B&M stores in the city wins every time. Why the hell do I want to spend half a day dragging myself across the greater Chicago area shopping for stuff when I can make a couple clicks and it's here the next day for less money.

The $79 is an insignificant amount for the reliability, selection, and shipping cost offered by Amazon.

 

[RadiclDreamer]

If you order more than 10 things a year its easily worth it.

 

[BrownShoes]

I order a lot from Amazon - prime is more than worth it to me.

 

[airdata]

I got prime free for about a year for when we were buying baby stuff earlier in the year.

I don't know if I'd pay the $80 a year or not... depends how much you order. It is nice though. I have had a couple things arrive next day too.

 

[sciencewhiz]

I'm curious with prime, how often Amazon uses real 1 day and 2 day shipping (fedex or UPS), and how often their warehouses are so close that they use cheaper shipping but it still gets there in 1-2 days.

 

[Eos]

I'm curious with prime, how often Amazon uses real 1 day and 2 day shipping (fedex or UPS), and how often their warehouses are so close that they use cheaper shipping but it still gets there in 1-2 days.

Why do you want to know?

 

[Gigantopithecus]

Everything except fresh fruits and vegetables, essentially. Amazon is doing an increasingly good job of competing with Newegg, too, so the former is getting more and more of my PC orders lately. $4 overnight components on Amazon vs. $70+ from Newegg? Tough call there! :sneaky:

 

[sswingle]

I'm curious with prime, how often Amazon uses real 1 day and 2 day shipping (fedex or UPS), and how often their warehouses are so close that they use cheaper shipping but it still gets there in 1-2 days.

We are close enough that 2 days stuff frequently shows up the next day if we order it soon enough.

 

[SP33Demon]

I'm curious with prime, how often Amazon uses real 1 day and 2 day shipping (fedex or UPS), and how often their warehouses are so close that they use cheaper shipping but it still gets there in 1-2 days.

It really depends where you're at. If you're in a major metro area, you'll see at least 1/3 of your stuff shipped overnight (what I've personally seen). YMMV.

 

[Rumpltzer]

I got a free year of Prime, and I can tell you that my orders went up by at least 5X (maybe 10X). It was especially helpful around the holidays last year when just about all common gifts (books, toys, Wii stuff, Nerf guns) came from Amazon. It was helpful when I had family coming to visit and I needed to stock up on baby/kid stuff that I don't keep around the house. It was helpful because it's 2-day shipping and because I didn't need to spend $25 for free shipping.

When my free Prime ended (mid-July), they offered for $40/year and I've not taken them up on it. I'm back to collecting $25 worth of stuff and waiting for shipping. Maybe when we get nearer to the holidays, I'll sign up at $40/year. We'll see. They do send me an email about once a week reminding me that I can get the $40/year deal.

Also, I've noticed that the 2-day shipping isn't so much about the shipping service; it seems mostly that they pack and ship my stuff faster. Without Prime, it seems like they just hold on to my order for a couple of days before sending it out.

The poor selection of their video on demand product (the one that comes free with paid Prime) has no influence on whether I'd get into Prime or not.

 

[ponyo]

I'm curious with prime, how often Amazon uses real 1 day and 2 day shipping (fedex or UPS), and how often their warehouses are so close that they use cheaper shipping but it still gets there in 1-2 days.

I know when I had free Prime, they used cheaper shipping couple of times. 2 day free shipping is deceptive. Many times when I ordered an item Monday, the item wasn't delivered til Thursday. That's more like 3 days shipping in my book and inline with ground shipping time.

Tax saving from buying at Amazon is why Prime is worth $80/yr. I save 7% over brick & mortar retail stores on every purchase just on tax and 3% Amazon rewards. That's 10% instant savings right there. When you consider Costco margin is only 10% on products, it really is unfair Amazon gets away with not having to charge and collect tax. It gives them huge advantage over stores like Costco and Walmart.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Not worth it for me IMO ...

I already get free super saver shipping, and when I order stuff, It really doesn't matter 99% of the time if my order arrives in 2 days or in 2 weeks.

I have netflix for streaming, and last I heard, Prime's streaming library is less impressive vs Netflix....

 

[AstroManLuca]

The other thing preventing me from seriously considering a paid Prime membership is that their streaming isn't compatible with my WD TV Live Plus. It only just got Hulu Plus compatibility, so I'm not holding my breath for Amazon streaming to make it anytime soon.

 

[IceBergSLiM]

What do I buy? Almost everything. I rarely shop @ B&M anymore.

 

[IceBergSLiM]

I know when I had free Prime, they used cheaper shipping couple of times. 2 day free shipping is deceptive. Many times when I ordered an item Monday, the item wasn't delivered til Thursday. That's more like 3 days shipping in my book and inline with ground shipping time.

Tax saving from buying at Amazon is why Prime is worth $80/yr. I save 7% over brick & mortar retail stores on every purchase just on tax and 3% Amazon rewards. That's 10% instant savings right there. When you consider Costco margin is only 10% on products, it really is unfair Amazon gets away with not having to charge and collect tax. It gives them huge advantage over stores like Costco and Walmart.

Bullshit on that. i've gotten nothing later than 2 business days in over 50 orders. Sometimes (10-15% of the time) it comes in 1 day.

Are you ordering at 11:59 pm on Monday or something? It says right on there page what day it will get to you with 2 days shipping.

 

[ponyo]

The other thing preventing me from seriously considering a paid Prime membership is that their streaming isn't compatible with my WD TV Live Plus. It only just got Hulu Plus compatibility, so I'm not holding my breath for Amazon streaming to make it anytime soon.

Amazon streaming selection is a joke. It's so bad I didn't even use it when I had free Prime. Only reason they're throwing in free with Prime is that if Amazon charged, no one would pay to use it.

 

[ss284]

Same day delivery for 3.99 is pretty amazing.

 

[ponyo]

Bullshit on that. i've gotten nothing later than 2 business days in over 50 orders. Sometimes (10-15% of the time) it comes in 1 day.

Are you ordering at 11:59 pm on Monday or something? It says right on there page what day it will get to you with 2 days shipping.

Why would I be BSing? It says on the order page what day it will be delivered. Certain orders it would say Thursday for Monday orders.

 

[IceBergSLiM]

Why would I be BSing? It says on the order page what day it will be delivered. Certain orders it would say Thursday for Monday orders.

find me an example. I've never seen this.

 

[DCal430]

Bullshit on that. i've gotten nothing later than 2 business days in over 50 orders. Sometimes (10-15% of the time) it comes in 1 day.

Are you ordering at 11:59 pm on Monday or something? It says right on there page what day it will get to you with 2 days shipping.

I have had 2 day packages come in 1 day, but I have also had 2 day packages come in 3 days, and 1 day packages come in 2 days. They always ship it on time, it just doesn't get delivered on time. They even use priority mail for 2 day delivery some times for me, which can take 3 days. I also had times when UPS fucks up and my package comes 1 day late.

What sucks if you pay the 3.99 for 1 day and it comes late they will not refund the 3.99 you paid extra.

 

[Meghan54]

Why would I be BSing? It says on the order page what day it will be delivered. Certain orders it would say Thursday for Monday orders.

There are thousands of items that won't ship/deliver in two days, but almost every one is not Prime eligible.

But when I buy from Amazon and the item's Prime eligible, it never has taken over two days to arrive....provided I don't overnight it (and overnight always arrives overnight, even on Saturday. Then again, not every item will one-day ship on a Saturday. You have to watch/read.)

 

[IceBergSLiM]

There are thousands of items that won't ship/deliver in two days, but almost every one is not Prime eligible.

But when I buy from Amazon and the item's Prime eligible, it never has taken over two days to arrive....provided I don't overnight it (and overnight always arrives overnight, even on Saturday. Then again, not every item will one-day ship on a Saturday. You have to watch/read.)

Exactly. He prob doesn't realize the difference between fulfilled by seller and fulfilled by amazon.

 

[ponyo]

Exactly. He prob doesn't realize the difference between fulfilled by seller and fulfilled by amazon.

So if I order Prime item from Amazon on Sunday and it arrives on Wednesday, is that really 2 day shipping? Or how about Monday and it arrives on Thursday? According to Amazon, that's 2 day shipping. To me, it's 3 days.

The items in question is from Amazon as the seller and Prime eligible. I don't see why you think I'm BSing.

 

[DCal430]

Exactly. He prob doesn't realize the difference between fulfilled by seller and fulfilled by amazon.

He isn't BS I have had it happen multiple times to me. Amazon does NOT gaurantee the delivery time for prime customers.

 

[Eos]

I know when I had free Prime, they used cheaper shipping couple of times. 2 day free shipping is deceptive. Many times when I ordered an item Monday, the item wasn't delivered til Thursday. That's more like 3 days shipping in my book and inline with ground shipping time.

Depends on the item and the time of day the order was placed. GENERALLY, items ordered before 4pm Pacific ship the same day.

When you consider Costco margin is only 10% on products, it really is unfair Amazon gets away with not having to charge and collect tax. It gives them huge advantage over stores like Costco and Walmart.

Can you cite your 10% margin assertion for Costco products? Also, Costco has the advantage for old school dweebs that they can hold the 5 gallon bucket of mayo before they pay for it.... Seriously, Costco has the advantage of being able to touch and feel the merch before buying. Plus, a really nice return policy. Not saying Amazon's is bad, but if you open something bought from amazon, you're paying return shipping unless it's broken.

So if I order Prime item from Amazon on Sunday and it arrives on Wednesday, is that really 2 day shipping? Or how about Monday and it arrives on Thursday? According to Amazon, that's 2 day shipping. To me, it's 3 days.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custom...nodeId=3043211