# I figured out just why Amazon Prime will fail
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-figured-out-just-why-amazon-prime-will-fail/290551
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [February 17, 2005, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-figured-out-just-why-amazon-prime-will-fail/290551 "2005-02-17T15:31:41Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)
#### Post date: [February 17, 2005, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-figured-out-just-why-amazon-prime-will-fail/290551/1 "2005-02-17T15:31:41Z")
It’s that now that I have it, I have absolutely no fear of placing ten orders in a day if I want to.
Previous to Amazon Prime, if I wanted something, I’d try to think of anything else I wanted. I’d ask Mr. Athena if he wanted anything, and we’d group orders together to avoid paying extra shipping, or to reach the magic number for free shipping.
Nowadays, I think of a book, BAM, it’s ordered. If I think of something else I want 30 minutes later, I order that, too. Separate orders! Ooooh, I do live on the edge! I have the power! I pity you poor mortals who have live with the mundanity of paying for shipping or grouping orders for free shipping!
---
### Author:  [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)
#### Post date: [February 17, 2005, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-figured-out-just-why-amazon-prime-will-fail/290551/2 "2005-02-17T16:47:15Z")
> [@Athena](#):
>
> Previous to Amazon Prime, if I wanted something, I’d try to think of anything else I wanted. I’d ask Mr. Athena if he wanted anything, and we’d group orders together to avoid paying extra shipping, or to reach the magic number for free shipping.
If you’re anything like me, oftentimes at some point in the process you decided that meh, you didn’t really need it . . . or you wandered through your Friendly Local Book Store and saw the book you wanted there.
---
### Author:  [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)
#### Post date: [February 17, 2005, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-figured-out-just-why-amazon-prime-will-fail/290551/3 "2005-02-17T17:13:51Z")
_whoosh_
What is Amazon Prime? 😕
---
### Author:  [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)
#### Post date: [February 17, 2005, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-figured-out-just-why-amazon-prime-will-fail/290551/4 "2005-02-17T17:22:57Z")
Amazon Prime is a new service where you play a flat annual fee for free shipping on any order. I buy books at a local independent. Anything big I order from Amazon usually qualifies for free super saver so I’m not interested.
---
### Author:  [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)
#### Post date: [February 17, 2005, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-figured-out-just-why-amazon-prime-will-fail/290551/5 "2005-02-17T17:33:28Z")
_Optimus_ Prime, on the other hand, will fail miserably!
Bwaah-ha!
Bwaaahhaaahaahaa!!!
BWAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!
Sincerely,
-Megatron
---
### Author:  [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)
#### Post date: [February 17, 2005, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-figured-out-just-why-amazon-prime-will-fail/290551/6 "2005-02-17T20:03:12Z")
> [@Athena](#):
>
> It’s that now that I have it, I have absolutely no fear of placing ten orders in a day if I want to.
I’m not sure you ever stated exactly why it’ll fail. Is your theory that you’ll be buying ten books a day and shipping them separately, causing Amazon to lose a fortune in shipping charges? I wonder if they’ve got software that will let them consolidate orders when this happens.
---
### Author:  [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)
#### Post date: [February 17, 2005, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-figured-out-just-why-amazon-prime-will-fail/290551/7 "2005-02-17T23:21:08Z")
I think **Athena** means that if she decides to buy something at Amazon, she ends up buying four things to qualify for the free shipping. Now she doesn’t have to do that, so Amazon isn’t going to get the sales on those other three things.
–Cliffy
---
### Author:  [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)
#### Post date: [February 17, 2005, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-figured-out-just-why-amazon-prime-will-fail/290551/8 "2005-02-17T23:26:29Z")
I think **Athena** means that if she decides to buy something at Amazon, she ends up buying four things to qualify for the free shipping. Now she doesn’t have to do that, so Amazon isn’t going to get the sales on those other three things.
–Cliffy
---
### Author:  [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2005, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-figured-out-just-why-amazon-prime-will-fail/290551/9 "2005-02-23T04:21:44Z")
What is your annual fee? And how often did you place an order before you had a Prime membership?
Because I’m thinking that Amazon may still come out ahead. If you’re still paying more for the annual fee than they’re paying in shipping costs, it’s not a loss for them.
I noticed this when I worked for Big National Bookstore. If you spend ten dollars on a membership, you have to spend $100 (before the discount) before you actually start **saving** money. You also have to spend a certain amount in order to qualify for coupons and giftcerts. So it often comes out even, or in favor of the store.
Anyway, I order more from Amazon Marketplace than from their warehouse, so a Prime membership would be of little benefit to me.
---
### Author:  [@Lockz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lockz)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2005, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-figured-out-just-why-amazon-prime-will-fail/290551/10 "2005-02-23T04:41:24Z")
I think **Athena** means that now that she’s found something she likes, it’s going to fail so she can’t use it anymore. But that’s my WAG.