Amazon Prime Now......what do you buy?

[kaneohe]

We've been getting these automatic messages on Amazon........if you waive the 2 day Prime shipping, they will credit you w/ $5 each time. The first time I misinterpreted/misread the message and thought they were giving me $5 credit to use at Amazon. In many cases, a no brainer.......just wait a few days more. Belatedly I realized you have to use it for Amazon Prime Now which is stuff I normally wouldn't buy online.......market stuff (foods) and crafts?
What do you buy on Prime Now? Do you have to pay for shipping? I think
there's a $5.99 minimum order? What else am I missing? Also a relatively short expiration date of 2-3 mos?

 

[audreyh1]

I don't think that's available where I live. I'm only offered $5 off on Prime Pantry if I choose the slower shipping.

Yes - the expiration has always been short. I usually ignore it.

 

[cathy63]

Oooh good question. I have a bunch of Prime Now and Prime Pantry credits that expire in February. I'll be interested to see what everyone else does with them. It seems to be random which type of credit you get.

 

[W2R]

I choose slower shipping sometimes to get free shipping of a future Prime Pantry order. Since last summer I have been getting most of my non-perishables via Prime Pantry once or twice a month.

I can also get free shipping of an Prime Pantry box if I order five items from a specific list, and often the things I want are on that list. For example, last time I got my five items and free shipping without even looking at the list. So, I don't really choose slower shipping very often because there isn't much motivation to do so.

Usually when I take slower delivery it still arrives reasonably fast. We don't have Prime Now in my location.

 

[2017ish]

I've looked at Prime Now. Even loaded up a cart last month. But, the price so far has been too high, given that DW works across street from Kroger, and I drive right by walmart after I exit the highway....

(spend thousands a year at Amazon otherwise, and have been a customer since November 1996; just haven't been able to bite on "Now"....)

 

[W2R]

I've looked at Prime Now. Even loaded up a cart last month. But, the price so far has been too high, given that DW works across street from Kroger, and I drive right by walmart after I exit the highway....

(spend thousands a year at Amazon otherwise, and have been a customer since November 1996; just haven't been able to bite on "Now"....)

I do wish we had it but New Orleans is always the last, oh well. I think it would be fun to receive orders so quickly.

Prices of some specific Prime Pantry items are ridiculously expensive, although overall Prime Pantry is cheaper than our local grocery stores. I guess that isn't saying much for local grocery prices.

 

[exnavynuke]

I generally only see the "$1 credit for select digital options" for picking slower shipping.

 

[euro]

Sometimes I see an offer of $10 off of Amazon Services (in exchange for slow shipping) - has anyone used Amazon Services? What experience?

 

[joesxm3]

I used to get the $1 digital credit and I liked that. I even gamed the system by buying multiple items one at a time. I read kindle books so I could use the credits.

When I get prime pantry I don't like it since it seems confusing.

 

[Tailgate]

I'll interject a public service announcement:

Don't Drink And Prime!

 

[kaneohe]

.......................

I can also get free shipping of an Prime Pantry box if I order five items from a specific list, and often the things I want are on that list. For example, last time I got my five items and free shipping without even looking at the list. So, I don't really choose slower shipping very often because there isn't much motivation to do so.

...............................

so is there a shipping charge for Prime Pantry normally? Trying to figure out all the extra fees I'm not think of .

Our Prime Now includes , among other things, food, stuff like fresh fruit from
Sprouts , a market chain, takeout food from restaurants (is there a delivery charge?). I started comparing some prices from the Sprouts ad vs the Prime Now website.....they seemed reasonably the same/some higher/some lower but
seems like that's not the right model since I'm looking at "free money" from declining Prime 2 day shipping on some regular Amazon Prime stuff. The free
money would be wasted if I don't use it and any use would be a bonus even if
the Prime Now prices are outrageous.

There is the minimum order.....I think it's 5.99 and what else/charges.

 

[W2R]

so is there a shipping charge for Prime Pantry normally? Trying to figure out all the extra fees I'm not think of .

Yes, although I have never had to pay it so far. I think it's $5.99/box. There are lots of ways to skate out from under it, though.

Our Prime Now includes , among other things, food, stuff like fresh fruit from Sprouts , a market chain, takeout food from restaurants (is there a delivery charge?). I started comparing some prices from the Sprouts ad vs the Prime Now website.....they seemed reasonably the same/some higher/some lower

I would love to be able to get those Prime Now items but they are not offered here, yet. No Prime Now or Prime Fresh here, so far.

Sometimes when I order a Prime Pantry box it takes longer than 2 days. But after posting on this thread, I ordered another Prime Pantry box and it is supposed to be delivered by USPS on Saturday. That seems reasonable. No shipping charge due to buying items on their list.

 

[rodi]

I haven't used it. Our Sprouts is close by for fresh produce and milk... and I hit costco every 10 days or so.... (Teenagers must be fed!!!!!)

 

[W2R]

I haven't used it. Our Sprouts is close by for fresh produce and milk... and I hit costco every 10 days or so.... (Teenagers must be fed!!!!!)

Absolutely!

It's utterly mind boggling how much hard work is required when responsibly raising teenaged kids. Not just feeding them, but doing all that laundry, keeping the house picked up, taking them to sports and other extra-curricular activities and doctor appointments, dealing with their various emotional and/or academic crises, keeping them on the straight and narrow, and more. Somehow we jump into all this and get done what needs to get done.

After they are grown and gone, you may look back on this time and wonder how on earth you ever did it all.

At my age, with my only kid being 38 and long gone, I am completely out of that mode. I am more in the senior aches and pains stage of life. Now, it is so very nice to have the heaviest part of my groceries delivered to my doorstep every 3 weeks or so, give or take a week. I went to Costco once and what a zoo; I haven't been back yet.

 

[harley]

I do a lot of purchasing on Amazon for my small business, and get the offer for a $5.00 credit to Pantry for delayed shipping. I'd have well over $100 in the last few months if I had done it when feasible, but in reading the small print I see that you can only use one credit per order. If I could accumulate the credits and buy stuff for free I might do it, but with the limitation it's pretty worthless, so my customers get their stuff a couple days quicker.

 

[easysurfer]

I used to stock up on the $1 digital credits. Could watch some free rental movies that way. Haven't tried the $5 pantry offer.

 

[kaneohe]

.........................., but in reading the small print I see that you can only use one credit per order. If I could accumulate the credits and buy stuff for free I might do it, but with the limitation it's pretty worthless, so my customers get their stuff a couple days quicker.

harley, thanks, that's useful info. Didn't know that. If you have that link handy,I'd appreciate it.

 

[kaneohe]

Found out another little tidbit by calling them. There is a minimum order.....depends on
vendor........for Sprouts, it's $30; for Amazon it's $20. As mentioned by Harley, you can only use one $5 credit per order so things are looking less glamorous.

Kind of like some of those restaurant coupons I've read about.......$20 for $40 coupon but minimum purchase of $60 or $80. Devil in the details............

 

[RunningBum]

I used to get the $1 digital credit and I liked that. I even gamed the system by buying multiple items one at a time. I read kindle books so I could use the credits.

Yep, I do that sometimes. Not too deliberately, but I used to kind of hold onto orders a day or two and see if I was going to buy anything else and combine shipping. Now if I decide to buy something that's Prime, I put it in my cart and check out. If I decide to buy something else later in the day, nor problem. As long as I'm in no hurry, I'll take the $1 digital credit. I use it mostly for mp3 tracks I buy.

 

[Philliefan33]

I wish Amazon would start offering me the $1 digital credits again, but lately all I'm offered is the $5 Prime Pantry credit. I've shopped around in the Pantry, but never found enough things to fill a box. I still sometimes opt for the no rush shipping so that packages are delivered when I'm at the house. If I'm going to be at the other house I don't want packages sitting on the porch for a couple of days.

 

[dixonge]

We seem to be talking about two different things here. Prime Pantry is foodstuff, delivered via normal shipping channels. Prime Now is local items (which may or may not include foodstuff) delivered within TWO HOURS. The selection is limited.

 

[harley]

harley, thanks, that's useful info. Didn't know that. If you have that link handy,I'd appreciate it.

Here's the link - https://www.amazon.com/gp/shipoptio...antry&pop-up=1&ref=ox_shipoption_promodetails. All it says is

Choose FREE No-Rush Shipping, and we’ll automatically apply a $5 Prime Pantry credit to your account once this order ships. You can use this credit by logging on to Amazon.com or browsing your Kindle device. Fill up your Prime Pantry box with items you want to purchase, and we’ll automatically apply the credit at checkout. Limit one $5 credit per one Prime Pantry order. Offer redemption requires customers to be in the U.S.

We seem to be talking about two different things here. Prime Pantry is foodstuff, delivered via normal shipping channels. Prime Now is local items (which may or may not include foodstuff) delivered within TWO HOURS. The selection is limited.

Personally I'd never heard of Prime Now before this thread. After reading your description I suspect it's only available for big city dwellers. Out here in the boonies they don't even mention it. And truthfully, there's pretty much nothing in the world I need in two hours. That's pushing things a bit too far, customer service-wise, IMO.

 

[dixonge]

Yes, greedy big-city impulse buyers lol - I have used it a couple of times, just because it's the future

 

[2017ish]

...

Personally I'd never heard of Prime Now before this thread. After reading your description I suspect it's only available for big city dwellers. Out here in the boonies they don't even mention it. And truthfully, there's pretty much nothing in the world I need in two hours. That's pushing things a bit too far, customer service-wise, IMO.

Big and almost big cities (I work in Nashville and can get it at the office; but several fulfillment centers in this area, which made it easy to throw a NOW center in as well....)

 

[cathy63]

Prime Now cities are:
Atlanta Austin Baltimore Chicago Cincinnati Columbus Dallas and Fort Worth Houston Indianapolis Las Vegas
Los Angeles and Orange County Manhattan and Brooklyn Miami Minneapolis and St. Paul Nashville Orlando Phoenix Portland Raleigh Richmond
Sacramento San Antonio San Diego San Francisco Bay Area Seattle and Eastside Tampa Virginia Beach Washington, DC Metro