Amazon Prime
Amazon has built a reputation as the online shop where you can find nearly everything without having to leave the house. Since the company’s early days of delivering books by mail, Amazon has expanded its product offerings to include groceries, electronics, home health supplies, mobility scooters, adaptive furniture, and digital entertainment to watch or listen to on your TV, computer and mobile devices.
If you look around the site you’ll notice the Prime logo next to many items. Prime is Amazon’s paid membership service for frequent shoppers. They (and I, because I’ve paid for Prime membership for several years now) get free 2-day shipping on those Prime-marked items, along with free access to many videos and music, books in Kindle-format, and online storage space for their digital photos.
Here’s our review of Amazon Prime. We’d love to hear from you! Share your opinion by writing a review.
Pros:
Prime’s streaming free video and music features are what first got me to sign up for the service. I didn’t think I would use the free 2-day product delivery option very often because I was good at planning ahead and didn’t mind waiting a few extra days for the slower standard free shipping option. Fast forward a few years and I’ve come to rely on the free quick-ship option for household items, pet supplies, over the counter medicines, birthday gifts, and items my kids need for school. For the number of 2-day deliveries I order in a typical year, the $99 annual fee is cost-effective.
Cons:
For patient shoppers and those who plan ahead, the 2-day shipping freebie may not be worth the membership fee. Not everything Amazon sells is available for free Prime shipping, just as some digital music, television shows and films still require a purchase. In addition, not all Prime-eligible products are available for 2-day delivery, depending on shipping size, available quantity and other conditions.
Fine print:
Full refunds for Amazon Prime membership fees are available if you cancel within 3 business days of signing up or going from a free trial to a paid subscription, and any Prime shipping discounts you’ve received may be pro-rated from your refund. If more than 3 days has passed and you haven’t used your Prime benefits at all, you may still receive a refund if you cancel.
Cost:
Prime membership costs $99 per year. Purchases through Prime Now, Amazon’s same-day delivery service (accessible only on smartphones and tablets in selected markets) have a delivery fee for each order.
Best for…
Adults who want to shop from home and get 2-day delivery without paying each time for expedited shipping; adult children and caregivers who want to save time shopping for household, grocery and personal care items; TV, film and music fans who want instant access to a Amazon’s digital catalogs; Kindle owners who want access to more than half a million titles in Amazon’s Kindle Owners Lending Library.