Email from Amazon about Prime Video

[savarese04]

I first signed up with Prime some years back when it was $79 a year. It was a better deal then.

If all you use it for is shipping, I totally agree. "Better deal" feels relative though because what started out as just shipping now includes video, kindle prime library, fresh, etc etc....

I've always personally conflated Prime with warehouse membership. Like my $100 Costco membership gives me access to literally nothing except the warehouse and excellent customer service (yes, there are savings attached to buying in bulk, but if you really pay attention it's not as great as it once was). If i'm willing to pay $100 for the right to drive someplace to shop, I have zero problem paying $150 to have stuff come to me (think of the gas savings!) and have a throw-in video service to boot.

 

[navychop]

What is this “gas” of which you speak?

 

[cyberham]

I've always personally conflated Prime with warehouse membership....

Excellent point made. I'm the type who refuses to pay Costco for the privilege of buying from them and settling for a very limited variety of goods by their own admission, concrete floors to walk around on and looong lines at the checkout counter. I guess that's why I don't see allowing Prime to ad commercials as reasonable.

 

[comfortably_numb]

my $100 Costco membership

Isn't Costco $60?

 

[Bobby]

Isn't Costco $60?

Regular is $60 Executive is $120…

 

[catamount]

Thanks cyberham, I just paused mine which was to renew Jan 14. It saves me 99 bucks for the year. Not worth it for 4 to 8 orders a year.

Catamount

 

[ncted]

FWIW: I buy about $600/month worth of things from Amazon on average. Most of these are simply things I cannot buy anywhere locally, or least not at anywhere near the price I can from Amazon. Despite living in a top 30 metro area, there are many, many things we buy that are simply not on store shelves around here anymore. I wish I didn't have to, but that is the reality of the situation for my family.

As far as warehouse clubs go, we used to be BJs members, and now we are Sam's Club. Savings on paper products alone pay for the membership. Anything else we get there for less is bonus.

 

[Jimbo]

If all you use it for is shipping, I totally agree. "Better deal" feels relative though because what started out as just shipping now includes video, kindle prime library, fresh, etc etc....

I've always personally conflated Prime with warehouse membership. Like my $100 Costco membership gives me access to literally nothing except the warehouse and excellent customer service (yes, there are savings attached to buying in bulk, but if you really pay attention it's not as great as it once was). If i'm willing to pay $100 for the right to drive someplace to shop, I have zero problem paying $150 to have stuff come to me (think of the gas savings!) and have a throw-in video service to boot.

You pay $100 for a $60 Costco Membership ???

 

[comfortably_numb]

You pay $100 for a $60 Costco Membership ???

Apparently he has the "Executive" membership level

 

[Bobby]

Apparently he has the "Executive" membership level

Which is now $120..

 

[Jimbo]

Which is now $120..

Actually, I think its been $120 for awhile now.

 

[Jimbo]

Apparently he has the "Executive" membership level

Isn't Executive, Business ?

 

[Bobby]

Isn't Executive, Business ?

No, Business is $60. The difference between Business and Gold Star is that Business doesn’t pay sales tax on tax items. Executive is a whole different level.

 

[klang]

Executive gets you 2% back on purchases. I use it enough it is worth it for me.

 

[arlo]

Well. I used to buy quite a lot from Amazon. Mostly electronics. Gadgets, parts, supplies.
After getting stung with a few orders that would have been nice to have for my repair bench.
I got a box of component to replenish my stock. Fakes. Etched with OEM logos and with positive reviews.
A few pairs of multimeter leads. Again with good reviews. Higher than normal resistance, fluctuating readings when flexed. Bummer.
A roll of solder that flowed and looked like wet cement. Super fine desoldering braid that looked like it was stripped off of TV coax with hardly any flux at all. Dangerous stuff for fine work.
I wanted a genuine Alfa wifi dongle. Looked at the blurry images and fake hologram labels. Asked the seller if they were 100% genuine. Padded reviews. No absolute answers of authenticity.
Want more?
I ended my Prime sub. Prime Video got stagnant anyway. No biggie.
To save a few bucks and upgrade to a new Fire TV Cube and trade in my old one, get it shipped free. I got Prime again for the 30 day trial. But I assure you in less than that I will not extend the membership.
They really should vet their vendors much better and have more personal customer support.

 

[ncted]

Well. I used to buy quite a lot from Amazon. Mostly electronics. Gadgets, parts, supplies.
After getting stung with a few orders that would have been nice to have for my repair bench.
I got a box of component to replenish my stock. Fakes. Etched with OEM logos and with positive reviews.
A few pairs of multimeter leads. Again with good reviews. Higher than normal resistance, fluctuating readings when flexed. Bummer.
A roll of solder that flowed and looked like wet cement. Super fine desoldering braid that looked like it was stripped off of TV coax with hardly any flux at all. Dangerous stuff for fine work.
I wanted a genuine Alfa wifi dongle. Looked at the blurry images and fake hologram labels. Asked the seller if they were 100% genuine. Padded reviews. No absolute answers of authenticity.
Want more?
I ended my Prime sub. Prime Video got stagnant anyway. No biggie.
To save a few bucks and upgrade to a new Fire TV Cube and trade in my old one, get it shipped free. I got Prime again for the 30 day trial. But I assure you in less than that I will not extend the membership.
They really should vet their vendors much better and have more personal customer support.

Have you ever bought electronics from mouser.com? That is where I've gotten things like you describe when I need them.

Your problems with vendors on Amazon is why I only buy items that are sold by Amazon most of the time, even if it costs a little more. Otherwise, I might as well be buying from Alibaba or Temu. I don't go there for the marketplace. I go there for the products I can't get locally. Even then, I have had to take advantage of the excellent return policy on occasion. When I can't find it on Amazon, I try to buy from the manufacturer's online store, if there is one.

 

[Bruce]

Your problems with vendors on Amazon is why I only buy items that are sold by Amazon most of the time, even if it costs a little more.

Same, only buy from Amazon, or shipped with Amazon, never have a issue.

Other vendors, might as well buy from ebay, which can be a disaster also.

 

[arlo]

Have you ever bought electronics from mouser.com? That is where I've gotten things like you describe when I need them.

Your problems with vendors on Amazon is why I only buy items that are sold by Amazon most of the time, even if it costs a little more. Otherwise, I might as well be buying from Alibaba or Temu. I don't go there for the marketplace. I go there for the products I can't get locally. Even then, I have had to take advantage of the excellent return policy on occasion. When I can't find it on Amazon, I try to buy from the manufacturer's online store, if there is one.

Oh absolutely of course. But the rampant forgery of electronics in general and Amazon's reluctance to immediately terminate a seller or at least force them to correct their practices when legit buyers expect a genuine product is not right. Newark, Digi Key, Mouser. Good guys there.

 

[savarese04]

You pay $100 for a $60 Costco Membership ???

yeah its $120 now for executive and well worth it. I spend enough that it makes sense with the 2% back. Also, if I ever somehow didn't spend $3000 at Costco to break even with the extra membership cost, they would refund me the membership difference.

 

[Jimbo]

yeah its $120 now for executive and well worth it. I spend enough that it makes sense with the 2% back. Also, if I ever somehow didn't spend $3000 at Costco to break even with the extra membership cost, they would refund me the membership difference.

Where do you come up with the $3000 needed to break even ???
Its $60 or $120 now .