Used, then canceled our Free Prime Trial

[Amethyst]

Moving into a new home meant we left a lot of stuff behind, deeming it not worth paying to move it. Whether we were right in all cases is up for conjecture.

That said, we subscribed to our one-month free Prime trial and used it to order about $1200 worth of stuff, using the Amazon card that gets 5% cash back when Prime is used. We didn't use Prime video or other "benefits" that don't mean much to us. I tried to order just the stuff that we needed right away.

What was interesting, and discouraging, was how often we didn't get fast free shipping. It seems a significant portion of our items either didn't qualify for Prime, or simply didn't get here in 2 days or less. This could be due to many factors, including where we live (although it is quite populous). Some things did get here in one day, which was nice.

Anyway, it was with small regret that I pressed the "cancel" button, and wended my way through the pleas to "extend your membership one more week for $1.99," etc.

Just thought I'd make a report to the congregation.

Amethyst

 

[joeea]

That said, we subscribed to our one-month free Prime trial and used it to order about $1200 worth of stuff, using the Amazon card that gets 5% cash back when Prime is used. We didn't use Prime video or other "benefits" that don't mean much to us. I tried to order just the stuff that we needed right away.

What was interesting, and discouraging, was how often we didn't get fast free shipping. It seems a significant portion of our items either didn't qualify for Prime, or simply didn't get here in 2 days or less.

I always search for free shipping. And then I try for 2 days or less shipping.

Sometimes it takes a bit of refinement in the search, but I almost always get what I wanted. One time when I didn't, it was due to the non-Amazon vendor's mistake. In response, they gave me a nice coupon which I used at a later date.

Anyway, it was with small regret that I pressed the "cancel" button, and wended my way through the pleas to "extend your membership one more week for $1.99," etc.

It makes sense to cancel any service that isn't used.

Personally, I buy such a high percentage of our items on Amazon, and use so many of their other services as well, that Prime makes sense for me. I do keep checking it annually to make sure though.

 

[Another Reader]

Moving into a new home meant we left a lot of stuff behind, deeming it not worth paying to move it. Whether we were right in all cases is up for conjecture.

That said, we subscribed to our one-month free Prime trial and used it to order about $1200 worth of stuff, using the Amazon card that gets 5% cash back when Prime is used. We didn't use Prime video or other "benefits" that don't mean much to us. I tried to order just the stuff that we needed right away.

What was interesting, and discouraging, was how often we didn't get fast free shipping. It seems a significant portion of our items either didn't qualify for Prime, or simply didn't get here in 2 days or less. This could be due to many factors, including where we live (although it is quite populous). Some things did get here in one day, which was nice.

Anyway, it was with small regret that I pressed the "cancel" button, and wended my way through the pleas to "extend your membership one more week for $1.99," etc.

Just thought I'd make a report to the congregation.

Amethyst

You are preaching to the choir here. Amen, sister!

 

[Aerides]

If Prime were "just" the 2 day free shipping, then I would maybe not be a member. I probably watch as much of their programming as I do Netflix. Recent things include Victoria, Man in the High Castle, Fleabag, americans, good wife, etc. And I find their movie selection to be pretty good.

Also, I think because we're in FL, and therefore have less Fulfillment centers in our radius than some other areas, the 1 or 2 day offers are slightly reduced. Usually if something is not prime at all, that's a 3rd party seller, not amazon themselves.

It's pretty rare, however, for them to say 2 day and then it's late. And if it is, it's very easy to get their CS reps to give you a partial credit towards your Prime membership (if the 5 minute phone call is worth the bother).

 

[ERD50]

I also do not pay for Prime, but they seem to offer a free week/month a couple times a year. It is no hassle to cancel it before they auto-enroll you, and even when you cancel, they keep it active for the rest of the offer period (week or month).

Most of the stuff I order arrives in a few days anyhow. I just ordered guitar strings on Sunday evening, they were delivered Tuesday afternoon (this is w/o Prime).

Then I see stuff that isn't Prime eligible, and sometimes the Prime eligible item costs a bit more than other options(!). And I don't pay extra for shipping, I bundle orders to meet their $25 minimum for free shipping.

And many 3rd party items are "free shipping" (included in the price), whether you have Prime or not.

The other features of Prime really have no value for us, so I just don't see any reason to pay for Prime. If I ever do need something fast, it would be rare enough that the extra shipping cost would be less than the cost of Prime.

It may be worth it for some, especially if they use the other features. But I think some are over stating the benefit of "free shipping" (available for w/o Prime, just hit their $25 mark per order), and are not aware they are paying a bit more from time to time.

-ERD50

 

[skipro33]

My prime shipping is getting more and more to be one day/over night shipping than not these days. I live out in the woods, property backs up to national forest land, but it's maybe an hour at most from the nearest Amazon Warehouse located adjacent to the Sacramento International Airport. Another big warehouse in Tracy, CA area is not that much further away.

I can go days, probably even weeks without needing to leave our property because of them. Just considering the gas savings from not driving to stores, I make out ahead. The wear on my car, product selection, etc. it's a bargain for us.

 

[Amethyst]

It just seemed to work out that the items we wanted (either because they were really what we wanted, or appeared to be the best value) were from 3rd party sellers. So, in that sense, Prime membership just didn't do the job for us. In fairness, the expected delivery date range was always there in the checkout process, so the actual delivery date wasn't the surprising thing. It wasn't as if we were saying, "Gee, where the heck are our painting supplies; they should've been here a week ago."

Have to wait a couple of days to find out if we still get the 5% cash back benefit for the items we bought during the temporary membership. For big spenders, 5% versus 3% could be a good deal.

I Usually if something is not prime at all, that's a 3rd party seller, not amazon themselves.

I).

 

[target2019]

Prime is good value. In the recent past the 24 hour delivery has been very close to perfectly on time. We use prime video and audio in the living room. Also use it to purchase software, and found an older TurboTax in my software purchases that I needed to reinstall.

 

[davebarnes]

Prime is an excellent value for us.
Almost daily deliveries.
A huge fulfillment center is about 15 miles from our house.
A lot less driving. And, I hate shopping (except for wine and food).

 

[Chuckanut]

Prime is more than free shipping for many of us. Here are the benefits of Prime for me in order of value. YMMV:

1. It's part of my lower cost TV entertainment system that allows me to get all the TV entertainment I can possibly watch for about 1/4 the cost of cable. This is becoming far and away the #1 reason.

2. When I do use Amazon, I get 5% off on my Amazon card instead of 3%. The additional 2% adds up and helps to defer a small part of the cost of Prime.

3. Occasionally, I need quick and efficient ordering and shipping.

4. Very occasionally, I add some free music to my music collection. This happens when I earn a 'discount' on Amazon's music purchases by choosing a longer delivery time.

FWIW, I have ordered a number of products over the past few months from non-Amazon sources. I am finding that Amazon is no longer as price competitive as they used to be. It pays to shop around if you have the time.

 

[easysurfer]

I joined with Prime years ago for the fast and free shipping and still that is my main reason. I haven't taken advantage of the music or ebooks. Don't watch videos much but occasionally watch movies (about 99% of the time, Prime only).

With the 5% back on Amazon card, that pretty much pays for membership as I do a lot of shopping at Amazon.

 

[cathy63]

The extra 2% on the Amazon card almost pays for Prime for us.

If you spend at least $5950/year on purchases that give you 5% back instead of 3%, that covers Prime.
- Amazon
- Whole Foods
- Special offers - last year they gave 5% on dining for 3 months during a period when we happened to be traveling a lot. This year it was on insurance, utilities and phone services. Next month it's on Zappos, so I'm waiting a few days to purchase a pair of shoes I'd been planning to buy anyway.

We probably won't get back the full $129 this year, but even if we end up ~$30 in the hole, I get that much value from Prime Video, Prime Reading (which I mostly use for the Lonely Planet and Frommers travel guides) and a discount subscription to the Washington Post.

If it goes up again though, I'll have to reevaluate.

 

[Amethyst]

I checked, and the nearest fulfillment centers are 80-90 miles away. So I'm sure you're on the money there. Actually it's surprising Florida doesn't have more, being on the crowded side. Probably there are more, in "true" paved-over South Florida. We still have open land up here, with cows on it.

Also, I think because we're in FL, and therefore have less Fulfillment centers in our radius than some other areas, the 1 or 2 day offers are slightly reduced. .

 

[candrew]

If Prime were "just" the 2 day free shipping, then I would maybe not be a member. I probably watch as much of their programming as I do Netflix.

It's pretty rare, however, for them to say 2 day and then it's late.

Likewise. We are surprised at how often items are delivered to us the same day as ordered. It must be due to having a large, regional Amazon fulfillment facility 20 miles from our home.

We do like a lot of the Prime video offerings as well and view our annual Prime membership fee as a $11/month streaming service.

 

[Chuckanut]

- Special offers - last year they gave 5% on dining for 3 months during a period when we happened to be traveling a lot. This year it was on insurance, utilities and phone services. Next month it's on Zappos, so I'm waiting a few days to purchase a pair of shoes I'd been planning to buy anyway.

I forgot about the 5% on utilities. I used that and it was worth about $30 to me this year.

 

[REWahoo]

The extra 2% on the Amazon card almost pays for Prime for us.

If you spend at least $5950/year on purchases that give you 5% back instead of 3%, that covers Prime.
- Amazon
- Whole Foods
- Special offers - last year they gave 5% on dining for 3 months during a period when we happened to be traveling a lot. This year it was on insurance, utilities and phone services. Next month it's on Zappos, so I'm waiting a few days to purchase a pair of shoes I'd been planning to buy anyway.

We probably won't get back the full $129 this year, but even if we end up ~$30 in the hole, I get that much value from Prime Video, Prime Reading (which I mostly use for the Lonely Planet and Frommers travel guides) and a discount subscription to the Washington Post.

If it goes up again though, I'll have to reevaluate.

^What Cathy63 said.

We've had Prime for years for the shipping benefit plus the Amazon card extra 2%. Lousy internet service out here in the sticks prevented us from taking advantage of Prime Video, but that changed in April. Now we stream something from Prime almost every day, and feel we are getting real value from being Prime members - at this price point. Not sure I'd still feel that way if the cost goes up again.

 

[Red Badger]

Prime is an excellent value for us.
Almost daily deliveries.
A huge fulfillment center is about 15 miles from our house.
A lot less driving. And, I hate shopping (except for wine and food).

+1. We are sandwiched between two DC's about 30 minutes away. Double ditto on the wine and food.

Add in the streaming, and it's a tremendous value for us. We just fired Direct TV (or whoever they are today) last week.

We use the Amazon CC, and the savings rack up nicely (of course, never carry a balance).

 

[Chuckanut]

- Special offers - last year they gave 5% on dining for 3 months during a period when we happened to be traveling a lot. This year it was on insurance, utilities and phone services. Next month it's on Zappos, so I'm waiting a few days to purchase a pair of shoes I'd been planning to buy anyway.

Is there a place to look up what the special offers are? I remember getting an email about the utility offer. But, other than that I don't recall getting any other notifications.

 

[RunningBum]

A lot of people are saying 5% vs 3%, or the extra 2%. Where are you getting 3% cards? I only get 2%. So Prime gets me 3% back, which more than pays for itself. Free shipping is a bonus, as is the Prime video and other such benefits.

 

[Chuckanut]

A lot of people are saying 5% vs 3%, or the extra 2%. Where are you getting 3% cards? I only get 2%. So Prime gets me 3% back, which more than pays for itself. Free shipping is a bonus, as is the Prime video and other such benefits.

https://www.chase.com/personal/credit-cards/amazon/earn-rewards

The 3% is only on Amazon and WFoods purchases.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Most of us would not pay for things that we get no value from, so good for the OP in realizing that.

As someone who loves TV in the evening, I'd have Prime just for that value. I love that you can easily add and end trials of Acorn, HBO, etc. at will to it.

 

[CoolRich59]

I have the slightly “opposite” problem with Amzn Prime - they make it way too easy to spend (waste) money.

I live less than an hour from one of their fulfillment centers and I get one-day, sometimes same-day, delivery. It’s so easy to click that “buy” button and have stuff show up a couple of hours later that I’ve decided to cancel my Prime subscription in order to rid myself of the temptation to make impulse purchases of stuff I don’t really need.

 

[Amethyst]

That's funny! Get thee behind me, Bezos!

Actually it's hard to get away from Sata - I mean Bezos. I just spent $40 for a year's digital subscription to the WaPo, which of course he owns. If the price goes up next year, it's history.

I have the slightly “opposite” problem with Amzn Prime - they make it way too easy to spend (waste) money.

I live less than an hour from one of their fulfillment centers and I get one-day, sometimes same-day, delivery. It’s so easy to click that “buy” button and have stuff show up a couple of hours later that I’ve decided to cancel my Prime subscription in order to rid myself of the temptation to make impulse purchases of stuff I don’t really need.

 

[W2R]

Contrarian viewpoint: I LOVE AMAZON PRIME!!!

I have Amazon Prime strictly for the shipping. I get a huge charge out of the faster delivery it offers (even if it isn't always within 2 days). I also have Prime Pantry and get my non-perishable grocery items delivered to my front door that way, with zero cost for shipping.

Honestly I don't even know if it pays off for me or not. But Prime is something that (for whatever reason) makes me feel very happy! I love the near-instant gratification whether I need the item right away or not. I also love all the 5% rewards I get from my Amazon Visa card when purchasing on Amazon, which means a lot of my purchases end up being free.

So to me, it's a huge value and the very first thing I want to Blow That Dough on. Does it have to make sense? Not really since I still get a lot of glee from having something show up on my doorstep relatively quickly, sometimes even free.

Joy is where you find it. If y'all can get your joy standing in a horrible, endless TSA line for a long, miserable flight in a narrow seat in a "cattle car" with screaming babies, coughing/sneezing sick people, etc to get to a crowded and expensive destination abroad where sometimes there is little to nothing to do but take photos and then fly home, then I can get mine from Amazon Prime which hardly costs anything compared with travel.

As you all know, I don't really watch much TV any more so I almost never use Amazon Prime Video. I also never use Prime Music or any of the other features of Amazon Prime. I just get it for the shipping alone. Also I get Prime Pantry but now that costs an extra $5.45/month over and above the payments for Prime. Blow That Dough!

 

[ER Eddie]

I get about half the annual fee back through the cash-back visa, and I save a bundle with free shipping, since I am constantly ordering books and other stuff off amazon. The faster shipping speed is a nice bonus, although you're right that it isn't always 2 days. Although I blanched a little when they raised the price, I ran the numbers, and it's still worth it for me. If it goes up again, I might have to reconsider.