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macrumors G3
Feb 26, 2011
8,929
1,727
New England, USA
I'm curious. Without Amazon Prime, orders over $35 ship free using standard shipping. Do you need the Amazon Prime 2 day shipping or do you order many small orders ?

I order both large and small orders...many of them are orders under $35..

Do I NEED 2 day shipping?

Generally, no...

Am I willing to pay $99/year for free two day shipping?

Yes...
 

OneMike

macrumors 603
Oct 19, 2005
5,814
1,795
It's worth it to me.

I order tons of stuff each year.

Many times under $25.

The one thing I sort of dislike is laser ship. They are pushing their service more.
 

velocityg4

macrumors 604
Dec 19, 2004
7,329
4,717
Georgia
I'd just like them to offer a tiered system. Because I'm wondering how much of that $99 is going to pay for that Prime Instant Video service. Along with the rights they pay to stream all those TV shows and movies I have no interest in watching.

I'd rather pay a lower rate and have 2 day shipping only no other perks.
 

Strax

macrumors member
May 4, 2013
89
0
Prime is great unless you work in customer service for one of the companies that sells on the Amazon Marketplace. Then you get to deal with the people who didn't read the terms and think that if it's anywhere on Amazon, it comes with free 2 day shipping and want to know why their order for whatever (that actually said this ships in 1-2 weeks) isn't already in their precious little hands.

It can be really hard not to hate people when you work in customer service.
 

phrehdd

macrumors 601
Oct 25, 2008
4,310
1,308
Prime is great unless you work in customer service for one of the companies that sells on the Amazon Marketplace. Then you get to deal with the people who didn't read the terms and think that if it's anywhere on Amazon, it comes with free 2 day shipping and want to know why their order for whatever (that actually said this ships in 1-2 weeks) isn't already in their precious little hands.

It can be really hard not to hate people when you work in customer service.

A good reasonable point being made. I use Prime and I am keenly aware that if it doesn't say PRIME in my purchase, don't expect 2-3 day service. However, there are items that say Prime and fulfilled by other companies that don't bother with the notion of 2-3 day delivery when they should.

I buy enough through Amazon to enjoy being a Prime member for the delivery facet in itself. The other bells and whistles are just that and I don't often bother with them though others may find them quite a perk.
 

velocityg4

macrumors 604
Dec 19, 2004
7,329
4,717
Georgia
Prime is great unless you work in customer service for one of the companies that sells on the Amazon Marketplace. Then you get to deal with the people who didn't read the terms and think that if it's anywhere on Amazon, it comes with free 2 day shipping and want to know why their order for whatever (that actually said this ships in 1-2 weeks) isn't already in their precious little hands.

It can be really hard not to hate people when you work in customer service.

Something taking one to two weeks to ships does sound unreasonable. It doesn't take that like to shove something in a box and slap a shipping label on it. Unless it's a perishable item that can't be ready beforehand or is specifically listed as backordered.

Usually when a company does have a long wait time. They like to hide it somewhere in the listing. Rather than in bold text at the beginning.
 

alent1234

macrumors 603
Jun 19, 2009
5,688
170
Something taking one to two weeks to ships does sound unreasonable. It doesn't take that like to shove something in a box and slap a shipping label on it. Unless it's a perishable item that can't be ready beforehand or is specifically listed as backordered.

Usually when a company does have a long wait time. They like to hide it somewhere in the listing. Rather than in bold text at the beginning.


some things aren't always kept in stock and the page will usually say ships in a week or two
even amazon free shipping takes a week or more if you're not in a major city. usually it takes amazon 3 days or so just to pack it and ship it out
 

janitor1999

macrumors regular
Sep 9, 2008
103
0
Well not so good here in the UK, amazon have added a mediocre movie streaming service and hiked the price to £79 to the unlimited next day delivery prime service, so for if your lucky next day delivery and and a mediocre streaming service amazon want $131.
 

velocityg4

macrumors 604
Dec 19, 2004
7,329
4,717
Georgia
some things aren't always kept in stock and the page will usually say ships in a week or two
even amazon free shipping takes a week or more if you're not in a major city. usually it takes amazon 3 days or so just to pack it and ship it out

I use Prime. Usually I get the item in two days. Often in one. It is rare that I don't get a Prime item. The only time I do is when there is no other choice. Although I am content to wait. If I have to have it fast I look for a local supplier.
 

Strax

macrumors member
May 4, 2013
89
0
I use Prime. Usually I get the item in two days. Often in one. It is rare that I don't get a Prime item. The only time I do is when there is no other choice. Although I am content to wait. If I have to have it fast I look for a local supplier.

But how many times have you ordered very large and expensive pieces of furniture from Amazon? We can't just slap a label on such a thing and toss it to UPS. If we did, we would spend all of our time ordering replacements.
 

thatoneguy82

macrumors 68000
Jul 23, 2008
1,895
2
Beach Cities, CA
I love this service, I've had it since it came out. I don't mind the price increase since I use it, on average, once a week. And 75% of the time, the 2-day service is actually 1 day. Also, since I have a Kindle, I get 1 free book a month!
 

velocityg4

macrumors 604
Dec 19, 2004
7,329
4,717
Georgia
But how many times have you ordered very large and expensive pieces of furniture from Amazon? We can't just slap a label on such a thing and toss it to UPS. If we did, we would spend all of our time ordering replacements.

Never have and never will. I'm far too finicky about furniture to ever trust a picture and it could never tell me anything about firmness or texture. My most recent chair I went to six major stores and couldn't find the right one. So I made it myself, went through every fabric at a fabric warehouse till I found the the closest match (could not find Harris Tweed), then waited over a month for it since they did not have enough to upholster the chair.
 

Rodster

macrumors 68040
May 15, 2007
3,177
6
My Amazon purchases have slowed way down and I rarely watch movies or TV shows on Prime. So for me $79 is my threshold. I'll let my sub expire and won't renew but as others have noted if you buy A LOT from Amazon then $99 is still a good deal.
 

Plutonius

macrumors G3
Feb 22, 2003
9,032
8,403
New Hampshire, USA
if you buy A LOT from Amazon then $99 is still a good deal.

Only if you need two day shipping and your orders are under $35. If you don't mind your orders taking a week and you queue up your items and order in bulk (more than $35), the free standard shipping is a better deal.
 

jknight8907

macrumors 6502a
Jun 14, 2004
804
49
Hudson Valley NY
Only if you need two day shipping and your orders are under $35. If you don't mind your orders taking a week and you queue up your items and order in bulk (more than $35), the free standard shipping is a better deal.

You also must consider what you save versus purchasing an item you need promptly locally. I've saved a ton of money by being able to get everyday items in 1-2 days instead of buying from overpriced local stores.
 

Huntn

macrumors Core
May 5, 2008
23,456
26,580
The Misty Mountains
You also must consider what you save versus purchasing an item you need promptly locally. I've saved a ton of money by being able to get everyday items in 1-2 days instead of buying from overpriced local stores.

Amazon is causing huge ripples in brick and mortar merchandizing.
 

phrehdd

macrumors 601
Oct 25, 2008
4,310
1,308
Excusing for the moment the added items with Prime and focusing on the 2 day delivery and similar, Prime at any given cost is only as good as how much one purchases. I have no issue with Prime cost going up as I order enough items to make it worth the while and enjoy in particular the 2-3 day delivery. I admit I hate waiting 7-10 days with any on line purchase anywhere.

Amazon (for me) has been very good about fulfillment in general. I had one item purchased that was slightly damaged and they were fast to deal with it.

If you find you only order small amounts, you might opt to skip Prime at its present price as well. Again, it really depends on how much you order and if Prime can be an advantage.
 

jeremysteele

Cancelled
Jul 13, 2011
485
394
I'm surprised more people don't mention the cheap one-day shipping that comes along with prime. Comes in handy when an HD dies, that's for sure.

Still do wish they offered basic prime without all these kindle/video addons. Or at least if they offered a "business/enterprise" prime, without those addons.
 

Tinmania

macrumors 68040
Aug 8, 2011
3,528
1,016
Aridzona
I'd just like them to offer a tiered system. Because I'm wondering how much of that $99 is going to pay for that Prime Instant Video service. Along with the rights they pay to stream all those TV shows and movies I have no interest in watching.

I'd rather pay a lower rate and have 2 day shipping only no other perks.

I would like this option as well. I have never once used the streaming service, nor the Kindle book lending thing.



Michael
 

LIVEFRMNYC

macrumors G3
Oct 27, 2009
8,778
10,843
I'm surprised more people don't mention the cheap one-day shipping that comes along with prime. Comes in handy when an HD dies, that's for sure.

Still do wish they offered basic prime without all these kindle/video addons. Or at least if they offered a "business/enterprise" prime, without those addons.

Beat me to it. Usually one-day shipping is only about three dollars extra with Prime. Well worth it IMO. In my experience, Those products that don't offer Prime 2 day shipping are always shipped USPS, 2 day products are always UPS, and 1 day shipping is always Fed-ex.

I use Amazon video on my Xbox a lot, enjoy it more than Netflix. It sucks that Amazon might not ever included it on Chromecast. I think it's cause they have their own usb player coming soon.

For $8.25 a month at $99 a year. I would not mind that price hike at all. Plus the fact that it's a yearly payment is a plus. I hate monthly payments.
 
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