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Amazon blocks non-Prime members from buying certain video games

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Re: Amazon blocks non-Prime members from buying certain video games

#61

Post by DannyBee »

justinlardinois wrote: post #45
newjersey wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Every unit Amazon ships probably arrives in a "Prime" amount of time anyway, giving away expedited shipping for free Just to add a note that this isn't always true. Sometimes they withhold shipping even though they have the item in stock at the nearby distribution center.

This is definitely true. Back in the pre-Prime days (ie, 5+ years ago) Amazon would send your package as soon as they possibly could, and even with the super saver shipping you'd still often get your order less than the minimum 5 days. Now I'll order something on Amazon (not a Prime member) and they'll sit on the package for a week and then overnight it to me. I'm not a fan. Paying more for faster shipping didn't use…

This may be because it's cheaper/better for them to ship other orders instead of yours, since they can only handle a finite amount of orders per center at a time :)

Re: Amazon blocks non-Prime members from buying certain video games

#62

Post by jerf »

inoop wrote: post #48
jerf wrote: post #4

I don't get it. As an incentive to sign up for Prime it makes no sense; Prime needs to offer me things I can't get elsewhere (or at least not for the same price), not return to me things that I can easily get elsewhere. I just spot-checked Amazon US's price for GTA 5, 39.88 [1], and it's the exact same price at Wal-Mart [2], so it's not an exclusive deal or something. (Nor did I spend several minutes hunting for a co…

Calm down. Probably some engineer made a mistake that caused a bunch of items to be incorrectly labeled as prime-only. A bunch of vidya nerds couldn't buy they favorite shooter anymore, made a post about it, and Amazon rolled back. As others have pointed out in this thread, this makes no sense as a deliberate move.

"Calm down."

An attempt to claim the higher ground by casting someone as hysterical. Why do you feel the need reach for such a pointlessly large rhetorical stick for such a little discussion?

(Yes, I'm doing a bit of a higher ground play myself. I don't deny it. You earned it.)

Re: Amazon blocks non-Prime members from buying certain video games

#63

Post by zodPod »

gtk40 wrote: post #37
tehwebguy wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My guess: - They cost more than the free shipping threshold, giving shipping away free - New games are low profit to begin with - Amazon sells enough of these that they are already in every distribution center - Every unit Amazon ships probably arrives in a "Prime" amount of time anyway, giving away expedited shipping for free This is just bringing some video game sales into alignment with what Amazon wanted Prime to…

Granted I don't buy video games with Prime, but my orders with free shipping due to price threshold tend to be significantly slower than Prime, often taking weeks for items of all Prime eligible items. I live in one of the 10 largest metropolitan areas in the U.S.

Previous to buying Prime, I ordered things that would be in a "Preparing to Ship" status for a week before actually shipping out. Upon contacting Amazon they informed me that they literally will not ship for a period of time if you got the over $35 free shipping deal. I complained and told them that was bullcrap and I didn't know that and I needed the things the next day and they overnighted them to me but still I was surprised. They basically admitted they'll hold things to make sure that shipping takes longer!

Re: Amazon blocks non-Prime members from buying certain video games

#64

Post by mrgoldenbrown »

gdulli wrote: post #22
potatolicious wrote: post #8

This seems oddly customer-hostile, which is something I've grown to expect from tech companies but not Amazon in specific. One can't help but wonder if the damage this does to the brand outweighs the strategic gains through Prime subscriptions. After all, selection and availability is a huge part of Amazon's secret sauce to success, more so than customer service, shipping speed, or any other concern. If customers los…

I never got Prime before because the cost would amortize to an expensive shipping rate for me based on how many orders I make. And I didn't need the other Prime benefits. But their hard selling it to the point of hostility to non-Prime customers (higher prices) has added an element of stubbornness to my objection to it. Both Prime and ordering on Amazon in general.

giving discounts for Prime members is not the same as being hostile to non prime customers.

Re: Amazon blocks non-Prime members from buying certain video games

#65

Post by pessimizer »

This is another experiment to test their monopoly power (like the conflict with Hachette.) If it's successful, expect it to happen across more product ranges. Their monopoly power is built into their valuation; if they can't make it pay, they will eventually crash.

Re: Amazon blocks non-Prime members from buying certain video games

#66

Post by mikeash »

zodPod wrote: post #63
gtk40 wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Granted I don't buy video games with Prime, but my orders with free shipping due to price threshold tend to be significantly slower than Prime, often taking weeks for items of all Prime eligible items. I live in one of the 10 largest metropolitan areas in the U.S.

Previous to buying Prime, I ordered things that would be in a "Preparing to Ship" status for a week before actually shipping out. Upon contacting Amazon they informed me that they literally will not ship for a period of time if you got the over $35 free shipping deal. I complained and told them that was bullcrap and I didn't know that and I needed the things the next day and they overnighted them to me but still I wa…

I agree that it's crap, but why would you use the Super Saver Slow Shipping for something you needed the next day?

Re: Amazon blocks non-Prime members from buying certain video games

#67

Post by mikeash »

inoop wrote: post #48
jerf wrote: post #4

I don't get it. As an incentive to sign up for Prime it makes no sense; Prime needs to offer me things I can't get elsewhere (or at least not for the same price), not return to me things that I can easily get elsewhere. I just spot-checked Amazon US's price for GTA 5, 39.88 [1], and it's the exact same price at Wal-Mart [2], so it's not an exclusive deal or something. (Nor did I spend several minutes hunting for a co…

Calm down. Probably some engineer made a mistake that caused a bunch of items to be incorrectly labeled as prime-only. A bunch of vidya nerds couldn't buy they favorite shooter anymore, made a post about it, and Amazon rolled back. As others have pointed out in this thread, this makes no sense as a deliberate move.

I don't think many people here particularly give a crap about the video games. It's the entire notion of "prime-only" items that's problematic. So your assurance that marking these particular items as prime-only was a mistake doesn't really help.

Re: Amazon blocks non-Prime members from buying certain video games

#68

Post by pessimizer »

CM30 wrote: post #23

Wait, what? This is ridiculous. Amazon is a shop first and foremost, and this is exactly the sort of thing that I'll drive me to other alternatives. It's especially silly for games, where the console manufacturers offer their own stores (both for digital and physical copies of the games). Heck, if you're buying them digital, it's about as little friction as using Amazon, since they have your payment details from othe…

Here's some math for you; I don't know how much Prime is in the UK, but assuming the cost is close to the US:

Non-Prime postage = $11.00,

Prime for a month = $11.00.

$11 - $11 = they will lose zero sales from doing this.

Re: Amazon blocks non-Prime members from buying certain video games

#70

Post by comex »

mikeash wrote: post #66
zodPod wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Previous to buying Prime, I ordered things that would be in a "Preparing to Ship" status for a week before actually shipping out. Upon contacting Amazon they informed me that they literally will not ship for a period of time if you got the over $35 free shipping deal. I complained and told them that was bullcrap and I didn't know that and I needed the things the next day and they overnighted them to me but still I wa…

I agree that it's crap, but why would you use the Super Saver Slow Shipping for something you needed the next day?

It sounds like they needed it the next day after they called support, at which point they had already waited some time without it shipping.
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