When I first bought Amazon Prime the cost was 79.00 per year. In the last two years the company has increased this to 99.00 per year.That is a 25% increase or 12.5% per year. I don’t mind buying products from responsible businesses. Heck I don’t mind when prices increase in moderation however, what has given me concern is that Amazon seems to “play” with this money as if it will never end and when they raise prices beyond moderation to facilitate their “playing” with money then it gives cause for me to wonder.
While I like Amazon.com, I used the streaming service, the Kindle for PC service and used the 2-day free shipping service. However, across the web 2-day free shipping has become the norm to most web retailers. When I am prompted to pay for two-day shipping it behooves me to actually find out the cost of the service and see if the shipping really does cost what is being touted. In almost all cases the shipping has been marked up. If I am asked to pay for shipping, I ask myself do I really need it in 2 days?
I consciously stopped my Amazon Prime service. I found Safari Books Online to be the better deal for what I needed and found other streaming services like Hulu Plus and Netflix to be comparable. Sure there are only certain shows on Amazon Prime and its the same with Netflix and others. With HBO Go on the horizon and more channels to follow, I don’t need a company to nickel and dime me for each episode I would like to watch as Amazon is far more likely to do given the nature of the business model they have.
As far as books go, usually a publisher will sell you an ebook, or even the Kindle version if you have Kindle software, you can read no matter if you have Apple or Andriod and in which you can also read on your computer.
While I do not begrudge Amazon for its services, I do begrudge them for raising costs beyond what is considered moderate on the consumer for being fiscally irresponsible with the money they have earned. For those who say they earned the money they should do with it as they want, then my retort is of “Amazon should stop boasting and letting everything they do leak to the media.”
As is my consumer right in a free capitalistic society, I as a consumer choose not to execute that right to purchase their subscription or renew it until Amazon becomes more fiscally responsible with the capital they have earned as consumer sentiment and currency. Will I buy from Amazon in the future? Probably but that is after I have exhausted all other avenues in which to get the best deal I can find on the internet, sadly Amazon is not always the best deal, meaning return policy and warranty, in addition to purchase price, but they are usually the most convenient.
Ok, maybe I am missing something, but I just went to look at Safari Books, they are $40 a month? And you find that to be a better deal than less than $10 a month to get get a few free to cheap books, free second day shipping, free tv shows, free music, free storage, the list goes on?
And I am not sure what you think you are seeing, but 2 day free shipping is not the norm.
Hulu Plus = commercials, no other benefits, $10/month.
Netflix is the King of the Mountain = $8 a month, no other benefits.
Amazon’s new book service is $10 a month. Something I don’t use, but still, that is cheaper than $40 a month.
Actually, looking more and more at Safari Books, I can get everything they are offering for free from youtube and other sources.
Dang.