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Amazon's minimum order size for free shipping is now $35

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Re: Amazon's minimum order size for free shipping is now $35

#21

Post by andrewvc »

xn wrote: post #18

The "no minimum order size" statement about Prime is a bit disingenuous. Many low-cost items are now Add-On Items ( http://amzn.to/1a4NFBI ), meaning that Amazon will only ship them in an order of at least $25. Prime has become a bit less useful over the past year due to the introduction of Add-On Items.

Well, I agree that it's somewhat less useful. There is an upside though, as shipping things has an environmental impact and people probably shouldn't be wasting a box + shipping on a missing cover for a food processor.

Re: Amazon's minimum order size for free shipping is now $35

#23

Post by caw »

javindo wrote: post #5

Amazon UK used to be no limit but it's now £10 limit. However, this can be bypassed slightly by adding any media item (for example CD/book/DVD). A lot of people had fun finding the cheapest piece of media, I think someone found a warehouse full of 10p cassette tapes at one point being sold by a company and handled by Amazon, thus giving people 10p shipping for orders under £10. Regardless, if you have 4 friends you c…

The only downside with splitting the membership is that only the primary Prime account gets the free streaming and books for Kindle. Still a good deal though.

Re: Amazon's minimum order size for free shipping is now $35

#24

Post by res0nat0r »

andrewvc wrote: post #21
xn wrote: post #18

The "no minimum order size" statement about Prime is a bit disingenuous. Many low-cost items are now Add-On Items ( http://amzn.to/1a4NFBI ), meaning that Amazon will only ship them in an order of at least $25. Prime has become a bit less useful over the past year due to the introduction of Add-On Items.

Well, I agree that it's somewhat less useful. There is an upside though, as shipping things has an environmental impact and people probably shouldn't be wasting a box + shipping on a missing cover for a food processor.

I don't think I've been bitten by an add-on item since they've introduced it. A food processor would definitely get you free shipping in two days via Prime, it is small items like a 6oz bottle of lotion that costs $1.99 that you can't get by itself.

Re: Amazon's minimum order size for free shipping is now $35

#25

Post by asdfologist »

gcb1 wrote: post #19
codegeek wrote: post #17

I am amazed at how amazon remains doing business with so low margins or no profits. We love amazon at my house and being Prime members, we are almost ordering everything under the sun from Amazon that we possibly can. Here is why we love it: - The reviews are actually useful. I just bought a 70 inch TV through amazon and the critical and helpful reviews really helped me get going with settings on the TV that would ha…

but their inventory sucks. way too limited. unless you count in the other sellers. i.e. stuff not marked as sold by amazon, then all that you said stop to be true. reviews means little because when bad reviews pile up, they create a new listing. shipping is weird. some stuff may be shipped from china. arduino clones. oh and that, you get arduinos clones being sold as originals. at least the returns are usually still…

Also, a large portion of the reviews are fake.

Re: Amazon's minimum order size for free shipping is now $35

#26

Post by eterm »

sudomal wrote: post #11

There has been similar changes in their European operations some months back. Many items are no longer covered by complementary postage. Deliveries also seem to take longer to 'ship' (that might be my imagination though). I think it's all related to Prime, them trying to make a subscription service look more valuable by disabling the alternatives.

Yup, a few months back amazon uk went from "free shipping for everything" to "Ah, only if you spend £20" (I think? perhaps £25) which is how it used to be way back in the day with their "super saver" delivery.

I'm amazed it actually took Amazon so long after the demise of Play.com to do this. (Play.com were a serious competitor for games/music but had a tax loophole closed on them.)

Re: Amazon's minimum order size for free shipping is now $35

#27

Post by clarkdave »

caw wrote: post #23
javindo wrote: post #5

Amazon UK used to be no limit but it's now £10 limit. However, this can be bypassed slightly by adding any media item (for example CD/book/DVD). A lot of people had fun finding the cheapest piece of media, I think someone found a warehouse full of 10p cassette tapes at one point being sold by a company and handled by Amazon, thus giving people 10p shipping for orders under £10. Regardless, if you have 4 friends you c…

The only downside with splitting the membership is that only the primary Prime account gets the free streaming and books for Kindle. Still a good deal though.

I can't speak for streaming or free books, but I'm a secondary on a Prime account and I can rent books through the Kindle Owner's Library (in the UK).

Re: Amazon's minimum order size for free shipping is now $35

#28

Post by therobot24 »

gcb1 wrote: post #19
codegeek wrote: post #17

I am amazed at how amazon remains doing business with so low margins or no profits. We love amazon at my house and being Prime members, we are almost ordering everything under the sun from Amazon that we possibly can. Here is why we love it: - The reviews are actually useful. I just bought a 70 inch TV through amazon and the critical and helpful reviews really helped me get going with settings on the TV that would ha…

but their inventory sucks. way too limited. unless you count in the other sellers. i.e. stuff not marked as sold by amazon, then all that you said stop to be true. reviews means little because when bad reviews pile up, they create a new listing. shipping is weird. some stuff may be shipped from china. arduino clones. oh and that, you get arduinos clones being sold as originals. at least the returns are usually still…

- inventory is limited? which amazon website are you visiting?

- anecdotal, but in the several years of using amazon, never had a problem with any of the 'non-amazon' sellers. There are ratings for a reason. That's like saying you didn't get what you wanted from one ebay listing so all of ebay is bad

- reviews don't mean nothing..what's your problem with the current reviews. Like anything you read, take it with a grain of salt. Amazon also includes verified reviews, as in, people who actually purchased the product. Search google if amazon isn't enough for you

- based on the rest of your post you ordered what you thought was an arduino from a non-amazon seller off of amazon, found out it was a clone, and was pissed cause you thought the reviews would have made that more clear

Re: Amazon's minimum order size for free shipping is now $35

#29

Post by [deleted] »

gcb1 wrote: post #19
codegeek wrote: post #17

I am amazed at how amazon remains doing business with so low margins or no profits. We love amazon at my house and being Prime members, we are almost ordering everything under the sun from Amazon that we possibly can. Here is why we love it: - The reviews are actually useful. I just bought a 70 inch TV through amazon and the critical and helpful reviews really helped me get going with settings on the TV that would ha…

but their inventory sucks. way too limited. unless you count in the other sellers. i.e. stuff not marked as sold by amazon, then all that you said stop to be true. reviews means little because when bad reviews pile up, they create a new listing. shipping is weird. some stuff may be shipped from china. arduino clones. oh and that, you get arduinos clones being sold as originals. at least the returns are usually still…

[deleted]

Re: Amazon's minimum order size for free shipping is now $35

#30

Post by enraged_camel »

asdfologist wrote: post #25
gcb1 wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

but their inventory sucks. way too limited. unless you count in the other sellers. i.e. stuff not marked as sold by amazon, then all that you said stop to be true. reviews means little because when bad reviews pile up, they create a new listing. shipping is weird. some stuff may be shipped from china. arduino clones. oh and that, you get arduinos clones being sold as originals. at least the returns are usually still…

Also, a large portion of the reviews are fake.

Not sure why you got downvoted, because you are absolutely right. Fake Amazon reviews is actually a huge PR business.
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