Amazon Prime Is Worth the Price

When I was doing my Christmas shopping, I signed up for the free 30-day Prime trial because I wanted the fast, free shipping and I didn’t always want to spend enough for Amazon’s Super Saver shipping.

Amazon says that you get two-day shipping with Prime, but I often got my items sooner than expected, especially if I ordered late at night and expected that to mean there would be an extra day tacked on (that’s what the estimated delivery date had me believe each time).

I wouldn’t say that’s always the case, but it was an extra perk and a nice surprise.

I checked out a Kindle e-book for free while I had the free trial. You’re allowed to check one out per month and you don’t have to worry about a due date.  In addition, there are movies and television shows you can watch for free when you have a Prime membership, normally $3.99 each for movies/shows (the book prices vary).

Admittedly, the selection isn’t the best when it comes to newer movies, but it seems to be improving and I was able to find tons of documentaries I want to watch. I’ve watched a couple already that I probably wouldn’t have without the membership.

I love that I can order some of the more obscure things I’ve wanted to try (teas, cacao nibs, etc) that I can’t find locally without having to pay for shipping or extra items that earn me free shipping.

Amazon Mom is a free addition to the account if you’re interested in signing up. You get 20 percent off diapers and wipes and extra deals throughout the year.

I’m past the diapers and wipes stage, but I would have loved having those things delivered to my door when my daughter was a baby. There were so many days when I was scrambling to make it to the store before we ran out.

The only negative I can find with the membership is that some items are not eligible for the free shipping (look for Prime by the product listing). Not all of the movies on the site are free to watch with a Prime membership and you can’t take your pick of any Kindle book on the whole site to check out for free.

Even with the minor limitations, I still think the membership is completely worth it. I probably paid for my whole membership with shipping costs and a few movie and book rentals, and I expect to purchase enough throughout the year to justify the $79 cost.

You can also share the free shipping perks with family members when you click on Manage My Prime Account.

Photo credit: Ed Yourdon

Tagged as: amazon prime, shopping online