Amazon Free Shipping minimum is now $49

Post by Pxtl » Mon, Feb 22, 2016, 7:46 AM UTC

Silhouette wrote: post #79

Pxtl wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think everybody's been burned by that once. We keep using Amazon, of course, so it's obviously sitll working out for them. Then again, my in-laws got burned by Amazon's various dark patterns enough times that they've given up on it. Can't say I blame them.

We keep using Amazon, of course, so it's obviously sitll working out for them. For now. The thing about reputations in business is that they can deteriorate slowly over time and up to a point it won't matter because customers will favour convenience and the brands they know. Sometimes that point can be much further from where you started than most people would expect. However, if you ever pass that point and lose a c…

Post by asheldon » Mon, Feb 22, 2016, 8:03 AM UTC

chubot wrote: post #48

kdamken wrote: post #7

They are really trying to force you into signing up for prime, aren't they? I cancelled my prime subscription at the start of the year. Some thoughts: - I buy less stuff on impulse. Since the price limit is (or was) $35 for free shipping, I usually have to wait until there are enough things I really want/need before ordering. - The pricing is often better other places. Normally Amazon's non prime price will be compar…

Yup, I also cancelled my prime subscription, for the exact same reasons as you. Their prices aren't as good as they used to be -- I shop around now. All this stupid "add-on" shipping stuff is silly and was making my life a bigger hassle. I like Amazon because it was quick and efficient to buy, but that seemed to cause unnecessary friction. And the real reason is that they made it very difficult to cancel Prime! 5 mon…

Post by tracker1 » Mon, Feb 22, 2016, 8:06 AM UTC

cookiecaper wrote: post #77

mdasen wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In a certain way, isn't that like saying BestBuy spend $X billion on storefront real-estate and made $0 in people paying in "walk-out-the-storefront-with-your-item" charges? Shipping revenues will never cover shipping costs as long as they provide even one free shipment a year (and don't overcharge people paying for shipping). Shipping is one of those costs that you have to pay like having storefronts. The goods have…

I think it would behoove Amazon to have a network of "customer pickup centers" where you can order something on Amazon, it gets shipped by Amazon itself to a customer pickup center via air, and the customer drives to close off the figurative "last mile". Alternate idea: Amazon builds a central warehouse in each major metro that contains the most-ordered items for that area, has trucks that run out to UPS Stores and d…

Post by abecedarius » Mon, Feb 22, 2016, 8:10 AM UTC

jlmorton wrote: post #80

username223 wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I for one have never bothered with "Prime." It's not that hard to combine Amazon orders until they cross the "free" shipping threshold.

Amazon Prime also comes with nearly Netflix-equivalent video on demand, nearly Spotify-equivalent streaming music, Prime Now 2-hour delivery, and currently free restaurant delivery a la GrubHub/Eat24 in a few cities, along with a bunch of other minor perks.

Post by CodingGuy » Mon, Feb 22, 2016, 8:24 AM UTC

SwellJoe wrote: post #35

I love Amazon and I love Prime (the included streaming services and ebooks are great, on top of free shipping). But, lately I've been noticing cracks in the armor of Amazon, where they're leaving openings for competitors. I have, just in the past year, ordered a huge variety of things from other vendors, because Amazon prices were far from competitive. And, with free two day shipping from merchants partnered with Sho…