[Closed] Is Amazon Prime worth it?

You are a customer. They are a business. It's your choice to use them or not use them.

basically just corporate greed at the expense of their customers.

Large corporation extracts as much revenue as possible from customers shocker!

Same day delivery often costs extra even with Prime, I think that's what you've got selected there. Maybe it sets that by default if available.
See if you can get it next day delivery for £54.99 only?

Aren't they different phones, one with answer phone one without?

I think it's safe to assume anything Amazon does is to maximise their profit or increase their market dominance - it's not for the benefit of the consumer (although some things may also benefit the consumer). That's true of many companies though.

You're right that Prime is far from as good a deal as it might first seem and shady stuff like higher prices on items that offer Prime delivery does exist, along with a lot of other stuff that IMO should be illegal but it isn't so at the end of the day you have to decide whether the convenience of using Amazon outweighs the implicit approval of their business practices that comes along with it.

is that not just 2 different sellers with different prices?

cheaper one looks like 1-2 weeks delivery even with prime. dearer one looks like same day delivery?

If so, I don't really see the problem? You can still get the cheaper one on prime if you are willing to wait a bit?

There was a programme on telly, I think it was on last night channel 4? "The truth about amazon". I saw a preview where some people were shocked the reviews aren't real 😆

As said, you can choose to use them or not. You don't even have to get off your arse to "shop around" these days. And a lot of folk are still too lazy to do it. So Amazon are going to take advantage of that, naturally.

plus tbh first result after searching is next day for £54.99 for me.

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Same price (54.99) logged in and out for me for the first item (the second doesn't seem to have a prime option? )

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01EFVLFDA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_7FKVFbHJYW46V

A bit cheaper for a refurb of the second one if you want.

I pay more per month for Netflix and they don't even deliver anything.
I pay more per month for Sky movies too.
And Spotify.

Amazon Prime is worth it for me even if I never ordreed a single product.

That screen shot is for two different items. Possibly from different sellers.

If there were for the same item then I would expect the number of reviews and 'questions answered' to be the same.

They also have different RRP of £69.99 Vs £59.99.

If you are looking for the cheapest price, then there appears to be some manufacturer refurbished ones with 12 month warranty on eBay for £34.99 Inc delivery.

I pay more per month for Netflix and they don’t even deliver anything.

Nor do they charge extra to watch the good films 😉

that is very obviously 2 different products 🙄
don't think anything in the OP is actually correct

I save more than the cost of prime annually by not having to drive to a post office or depot to pick something up, add in the time saving by not having to be in for a parcel plus them usually being the cheapest (or very close) then it's value for money for me. Add I the stuff on prime video and it's a good deal for me personally. It's actually been a godsend over the last few months as I can buy and get delivered things direct to my parents pretty much straight away, perfect for when they have to isolate or have other issues meaning they can't get out themselves.

If you don't like it then just don't pay for it.

They rewarded their loyal customers by then sitting on the products for days before shipping them unless you gave them more of your money on a regular monthly basis with a thing called Prime …. basically just corporate greed at the expense of their customers.

Prime is a Video subscription service with some discounted delivery, isn't it?

you then log in and find it is available but at a higher price in essence to pay for the next day delivery which is meant to be included with prime at no extra cost.

Is that still the case? Sometimes it's just free, sometimes it's free next day.

To be honest, the idea that everything was honest and decent in the good old days and now it's rampant corporate greed is a bit mythical. Amazon have always been the same - a business trying (and succeeding) to make money. But as far as corporate greed goes - they want to make money just like you or I or indeed everyone else. As said above - you don't like the terms don't shop there.

'Corporate greed' as an issue relates to practises far more shady and less obvious than this. It's about how big companies treat their workers, the environment, and how they get authorities to benefit them. It's got nothing to do with 'loyal' customers. They don't care about how you feel - sorry to burst your bubble!

FWIW I don't see next day on that phone, only Friday delivery. I guess it's got something to do with logistics, some of you are probably closer to the depot than I am. Under the listed benefits of Prime it says this:

Not all delivery speeds are available for all items or all addresses.

More info here https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201910490

Was Prime music always a separate thing or is it more recent? I used to be able to select some music from my Echo but now tells me I need a different subscription, which I'm not going to buy.

unless I’ve somehow misunderstood this in which case I’d be eager to understand where I’ve gone wrong?

As noted above, the products are different prices, because they are different products.
The same product is available at the same price.

and the second option was for delivery the same day, if you don't think amazon offer good service, you could always look for other companies that offer a same day delivery option and use them ?

Do people still buy that old technology stuff ?

Was Prime music always a separate thing or is it more recent? I used to be able to select some music from my Echo but now tells me I need a different subscription, which I’m not going to buy.

You get Amazon Music with Prime, but you probably want Music Unlimited cos it's better. But the prime included one is another decent perk of Prime tbh.

I think the bigger question here, anyhow, is, why do you still have a house phone? 😆

I think the bigger question here, anyhow, is, why do you still have a house phone?

Not one, but two.

Need to make sure that you don't miss that all important "accident that wasn't your fault" call whilst on the loo.

If you are only a Prime member for the faster/cheaper delivery then you are probably not getting very good value for money.

But if you have it for things like Prime Video, unlimited photo storage and Prime Reading as well as the fast delivery and early access to deals then it becomes a much better deal.

Do people still buy that old technology stuff ?

Top reply so far (need a smiley)

Actually I stand corrected they are different products one does have the answer machine and the other doesn't!

Quite a few people saying the same day or next day delivery is the reason for different prices ... this just seems to be location dependent, if I put my daughters University address in she'll often get same day delivery I guess it's just closer to a depot .... I switch the delivery to the home address and the price doesn't change but the delivery becomes next instead of same day.

I don't mind these business practices too much. Nothing is free so getting fast delivery or whatever will cost the company and they pass the costs onto you. If you want that then pay for it, if you are happy without the extras then you don't have to pay for it. Same with Ryan Air and the like. If anything it's actually more open and ethical and the old ways where extra costs were hidden in the bottom line.

As for Prime specifically I only ever get it occasionally for a month when I need something delivered quickly and the sub is the same as postage. You then get free (admittedly pretty poor) TV for a while. Its very easy to cancel and they even give you money back if you cancel early sometimes. There's a lot not to like about Amazon but I don't think this is one of those things.

Is it just me, or is the prime video offer just really bad. There's very little decent content, mostly bad dated movies or really bad series of random channel 5 style stuff. It's like going into a video shop in the 90's! Plus it heavily prioritises things you have to then pay more for to rent, and add to that the UX is horrific using the TV app, I do remember the stick being slightly better to use.

I think we've watched 2 things on it in the last year, probably the same the year before.

Delivery is ok, but again not that much that you want is on the prime offer.

Delivery is ok, but again not that much that you want is on the prime offer.

We use Amazon a LOT (even more since lockdown(s) started) and almost never order/need anything that isn't available in Prime offer.
Can't remember the last time it happened tbh

I remember the old days when there was no Prime membership and Amazon used to ship everything the day it was ordered and it would normally arrive the following day at no extra cost

I don't remember that - when I started using Amazon (and they only sold books...) it was never that fast. The big selling point of Prime was precisely that - quick and "free" shipping. (Free as in pre-paid, clearly). I do agree it seems to have gone downhill, where it used to cover all products that's progressively been reduced, or the number of excluded products has increased more.

My only real issues with Amazon are the way it treats its workers, and possibly the amount of packaging used. And indirectly I have an issue with the EU allowing Ireland to get away with those ridiculously low corporate taxes, which screws it up for the rest of us.

Is it just me, or is the prime video offer just really bad.

Prime Video has a reasonable selection of stuff with a reasonable discount on delivery costs if you regularly buy stuff from the amazon warehouse. However, the UI is donkey balls in the sense that it seems to do "more of what you just watched". Sometimes I like to broaden the gene pool you know? It doesn't encourage that.

Netflix seems more betterer value if you want films and video.

Sky is lots more and still charges to watch the newer/better films.

They sell a kabillion items from thousands of different sellers, of course sometimes Prime isn't the best option.

But, it is reliably the best Amazon, new item option which is all you can really ask.

Prime Video is OK, with a few gems but also a lot of padding - mind you Netflix isn't much different (apart from there not being additional charges). Apple TV+ is worse though and Disney+ is basically The Mandolorian + the film back catalogue. My biggest issue with Prime Video is the UI and it often showing you the non-UHD option so you need to search for the title to get the UHD option.

As for the program about Amazon that was on last night, I didn't catch all of it but it wasn't as simple as "shock, horror some reviews are fake". It highlighted a fair few things (I was aware of the reviews no longer being for the product on same when the seller had changed the product but I wasn't aware some sellers basically just stole reviews from other sellers - at least not to the extent that one cable adaptor went from 5000+ reviews and average 4.6 rating to 0 reviews once reported to Amazon and they removed the stolen ones...). It's pretty pathetic some of the stuff Amazon just lets happen - a lot would be very easy to stop if Amazon developed simple systems to combat it but they obviously have little interest currently in doing that.

You are a customer. They are a business. It’s your choice to use them or not use them.

But that's not the OP's point (although they clearly got the products wrong, but I can understand what they are trying to say). The point is that Amazon Prime is possibly fraudulently claiming things like 'Free for Prime' or inflating the base cost for the same product if selected using the Prime feature.

For example, yesterday I wanted some straw for our rabbit (Pets at Home had sold out).

I can get this for £7.13 with free delivery (but it will take a few days to arrive) but if I get it using Prime then it is £10.60 and next day.

I think it's a bargain, the service is excellent and stuff arrives every time, on time. Rarely a day goes by when we don't order something on amazon.

One is sold and delivered by another company using amazon as a storefront (and might not make it to you until next month)

The other is sold and delivered by Amazon and will be delivered tomorrow.

if that is the best example of "possible fraudulent" claims, I'm not really seeing an issue.

One is sold and delivered by another company using amazon as a storefront (and might not make it to you until next month)

The other is sold and delivered by Amazon and will be delivered tomorrow.

if that is the best example of “possible fraudulent” claims, I’m not really seeing an issue.

But they are both being purchased via Amazon - what is the point of having Prime to get quicker delivery times when they are charging a premium for the product over buying from another source on the same platform at a cheaper price. If not fraudulent, it's still highly unfair.

Also, take a look at the Ratings and Questions - they are identical – so it is the same listing, just altered the source for the despatch. I bet that if I was to order the 'Prime' one it would be despatched from the same source as the other.

I've experienced the exact opposite. Sometimes when I log in, the price as a Prime member is lower. I also get to watch The Expanse while waiting for it to arrive.

But they are both being purchased via Amazon – what is the point of having Prime to get quicker delivery times when they are charging a premium for the product over buying from another source on the same platform at a cheaper price.

Prime is for products and services from Amazon, not for third party suppliers selling via Amazon. Only you can decide if it's good value or a rip off... don't have Prime if you don't think it's good value. There are often third party suppliers that are cheaper, even when taking into account postage charges. There are also other ways to buy that could be even cheaper still (at least for now).

The point is that Amazon Prime is possibly fraudulently claiming things like ‘Free for Prime’ or inflating the base cost for the same product if selected using the Prime feature.

On prime you get The Expanse for free. Thats worth it alone.

If not fraudulent, it’s still highly unfair.

Its neither.

You would have a point if the Amazon charged inflated prices for the Prime Members to recoup the free delivery cost.
But that isn't what is happening in any of the examples given.

I won't use Amazon and haven't for a year or so.

I don't want to use Amazon - but there isn't any competition if I want some new light bulbs tomorrow & I'm too drunk to drive to the supermarket they're great.

What's with all those pictures of sex toys with numerical buttons on the first page of this thread?

Also, lol at the idea of a "loyal" Amazon customer. Jeff Bezos is hardly your local baker or pub landlord.

There are often third party suppliers that are cheaper, even when taking into account postage charges

And the prime listing tells you it's available "cheaper from 3rd party sellers without prime delivery"

Is it just me, or is the prime video offer just really bad.

For us it's not as good as Netflix but we still watch it. Especially the homemade stuff (The Boys is very good indeed, when you view it as political metaphor rather than slick violence). It also has lots of tennis. Oh and the Man in the High Castle was one of the best series ever.

In your example, yes it’s the same product but from a different supplier.

As I subsequently pointed out, it is the identical listing (same feedback and reviews) and I can bet the product would be shipped from the same place. In fact, the only difference in the URL is the addition of this line of text at the end &refinements=p_76%3A419158031&rnid=419157031&rps=1&sr=8-1

I wonder what instruction that sends to the warehouse?

I was a prime member for a few months. The value for money is shocking. Either the product is available locally or online cheaper than the prime price at Amazon or - and this is crucial- I didn’t actually need it. Amazon seems to thrive on delivering a whim purchase very quickly before you’ve even had a chance to realise that you don’t actually need it.

Biggest way to save money is to think about buying something then wait a week, you’ll probably not need it then..... Apart from bike stuff obvs, you always need that. 😂

You would have a point if the Amazon charged inflated prices for the Prime Members to recoup the free delivery cost.

They do. But only compared to other retailers. You’re gonna ask me for examples but I can’t be bothered, sorry.

I think you're simplifying the Prime offering by assuming it is just about music video and delivery. Yes that's what we the consumer understand we are getting but I once heard from a senior amazon marketing exec that those things just wash their face and are there to attract people to Prime.

The biggest benefit for Amazon is that by us paying for Prime, we feel beholden to use it....to get our moneys worth. Total purchases on Amazon by Prime members are some massive % larger than non-prime members.

The value for money is shocking.

We paid £40 whatever to Sky for years and there was bugger all on. Now we pay less than half that to Amazon and Netflix combined and we have more great TV than we can watch, literally.

I remember the old days when there was no Prime membership and Amazon used to ship everything the day it was ordered and it would normally arrive the following day at no extra cost.

While I have no love for Jeff Bezos, you really need to blame the Tories mate.

They privatised the Royal Mail, leading to a lower standard of service and higher pricing in order to satisfy political ideology and fill their mates' pockets.

Amazon are leveraging that situation, yeah, but I wouldn't expect them to stump for next-day delivery as a matter of course.

I won’t use Amazon and haven’t for a year or so.

Same here, except for a few Kindle books, where unfortunately they have a monopoly.

@johndoh, sorry but that big button phone seems a really good match, you're really not getting this at all are you? If an item is sold by amazon it is marked as 'sold by Amazon'. If its from a 3rd party its marked as such. If its from a third party but kept in an amazon warehouse its marked as 'fulfilled by Amazon'. The cheap one is sold by Tool and Country Supplies whilst the more expensive prime one is sold by Amazon.

Yes its the same listing but you have the choice of who to buy THAT PRODUCT from. There are currently 9 sellers offering that product, is that another scam or just a good way of condensing multiple identical listings? (unlike effing ebay)

They do. But only compared to other retailers. You’re gonna ask me for examples but I can’t be bothered, sorry.

and I can bet the product would be shipped from the same place.

and this is crucial- I didn’t actually need it. Amazon seems to thrive on delivering a whim purchase very quickly before you’ve even had a chance to realise that you don’t actually need it

I was thinking yesterday that Amazon should offer a cheap garage/house clear-out service to take away your old tat so you can fill it up with new tat again :p

There was a programme on telly, I think it was on last night channel 4? “The truth about amazon”.

Presented by "The Explorer Helen Skelton", I understand. Well, it was about the Amazon...boomtish.

I think it’s great tbh. No hand wringing and I don’t know the owner and wouldn’t care if I did. They provide a service that I find useful for books, film, tv and delivery of stuff in a timely manner. Therefore I choose to use said service, others don’t, that’s pretty much it as far as I’m concerned.

That paragraph is the most thought or energy I’ve ever put in to caring about it.

So to be clear.

We have established not only are these different models they are different sellers aren’t there is scam on this occasion?

Anyone who doesn't think Prime is good value isn't doing it right.

Delivery, music, video, photo storage, eBooks, etc.

The old “tease and squeeze” business model - used all over the place and gets more sophisticated when they have your data eg on the prime music app if you listen to an album multiple times they remove it and put it on music unlimited and want extra bunce

It’s the reason we need to keep competition otherwise we’ll be fleeced

We have established not only are these different models they are different sellers aren’t there is scam on this occasion?

This is STW, we don't let facts get in the way of a good rant!

In that case I’m going to change the dramatic title.

This is STW, we don’t let facts get in the way of a good rant!

I refer you back to this post earlier that I haven’t seen a valid response to...

As I subsequently pointed out, it is the identical listing (same feedback and reviews) and I can bet the product would be shipped from the same place. In fact, the only difference in the URL is the addition of this line of text at the end &refinements=p_76%3A419158031&rnid=419157031&rps=1&sr=8-1

I wonder what instruction that sends to the warehouse?

eg on the prime music app if you listen to an album multiple times they remove it and put it on music unlimited and want extra bunce

I have seen similar but the other way around too - I have paid for films (for example the Indiana Jones films and the Back to the Future films) which have become free to watch on Prime after I’ve paid to watch them once.

on the prime music app if you listen to an album multiple times they remove it

"Alexa, add this album to my music library" seems to help prevent that happening.

As I subsequently pointed out, it is the identical listing (same feedback and reviews) and I can bet the product would be shipped from the same place. In fact, the only difference in the URL is the addition of this line of text at the end

Your straw example is from different suppliers.

I think it’s great tbh. No hand wringing and I don’t know the owner and wouldn’t care if I did. They provide a service that I find useful for books, film, tv and delivery of stuff in a timely manner. Therefore I choose to use said service, others don’t, that’s pretty much it as far as I’m concerned.

That paragraph is the most thought or energy I’ve ever put in to caring about it.

+1 (It's less thought and energy that way).

FWIW, one of the reasons I favour Amazon is that stuff arrives quickly and I don't get a delivery surcharge because I happen to live a few miles north of Perth.

Your straw example is from different suppliers

But the point I am making is that IS it from different suppliers? It’s the same listing with an almost identical URL (apart from the end bit) which suggests it is the same product simply with a different transaction code. Had it been another supplier it would be an entirely different listing URL.

Amazing how some people will cling to a proposition even after everyone has pointed out that it’s nonsense.

Right, I’m off to read the Brexit thread…

if I put my daughters University address in she’ll often get same day delivery I guess it’s just closer to a depot

im working in the northwest highlands at the moment and prime deliveries are typically taking 2 or 3 days. Tomorrow I’m going to drive to a colleagues house - it’s 3 hours from here, largely on single track roads and the last hour of that is the winding narrow 25 mile dead end road to his door. It’s thought to be the longest dead end road in the uk, The last mile of that your wheels are bumping off rocky outcrops that the road has to squeeze between.

if he make an Amazon order at teatime it turns up at breakfast the next day 🙂

Had it been another supplier it would be an entirely different listing URL.

ive bought bought an item in a multiple of three from a listing - and had them turn up as three packages in different wrapping / boxes from 3 different couriers

But the point I am making is that IS it from different suppliers? It’s the same listing with an almost identical URL (apart from the end bit) which suggests it is the same product simply with a different transaction code.

Yes it is. The App opens for me the cheap one is from independent supplier who also dispatch it, the other from Amazon.

But the point I am making is that IS it from different suppliers?

3.99 a month, I think it's decent value.

But the point I am making is that IS it from different suppliers?

Yes, and its really clear on the listing.

one is "dispatched from, and sold by Amazon"

the other is "dispatched from and sold by TOOL AND COUNTRY SUPPLIES"

It’s the same listing with an almost identical URL (apart from the end bit) which suggests it is the same product simply with a different transaction code.

So, "almost identical" apart from the part that tells Amazon systems who is selling and dispatching the item then ?

glad we have got that sorted 😂

Okay I give in. As always neither party will move position so we’ll just continue to argue and I have more interesting things to do than continue with this. Have a good evening on consider yourselves winners. Well done, sleep well.

I bought a can of coke at lunchtime saved 20p for the same product, the address was the same Main Street only the first bit was different one was 27 the other 29.

Had it been another supplier it would be an entirely different listing URL

Not necessarily, it looks to me like product ID is the first part of the URL and in this case those product IDs are the same (they are identical products after all), the reviews are obviously linked to a product ID to as they're the same ones.

I've never sold anything on Amazon by I assume you must get a choice to either select an existing product, or if it doesn't exist there will be a way to get a new product ID set up on their system.

The latter part of the URL doesn't seem to map directly back to a supplier ID so perhaps it relates to a second product number (which is unique to the supplier for that product) or a product ID variant number (linked to the main part number) which has the supplier ID info as part of the variant record.

@Drac - You do know you have just published your home address on the internetweb?