# Is Amazon Prime worth it? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 22, 2013, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-amazon-prime-worth-it/671963 "2013-10-22T19:48:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-amazon-prime-worth-it/671963/21 "2013-10-23T00:00:31Z")
> [@Deeg](#): > > Amazon has upped the price for free shipping to $35 They have? [Oh, crap, you’re right.](http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/?docId=1001427161) ---
**Author:** ![Kansas\_Beekeeper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@Kansas\_Beekeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kansas_Beekeeper)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-amazon-prime-worth-it/671963/22 "2013-10-23T00:04:25Z")
> [@Yookeroo](#): > > Got a free trial several years ago. Liked it enough to start paying for it. Same here. I’ve never gotten anything from Amazon that was not packaged very well; never anything broken. ---
**Author:** ![HipGnosis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/76d3ee/32.png) [@HipGnosis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HipGnosis)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-amazon-prime-worth-it/671963/23 "2013-10-23T00:55:25Z")
I agree with a lot of what’s said. I’ll just add that I shop on Amazon a lot because I despise shopping in malls & dept. stores and that I like knowing that Amazon will help me out if anything I get isn’t want I expect. They’re sending a replacement of my last purchase as we speak. My only real beef with Amazon is that they’re carrying so many products that it’s getting hard to find exactly what I want - esp. when they list all the different sizes and colors of something as separate items. I wrote to customer service about it and got a canned reply asking what I wanted to return. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-amazon-prime-worth-it/671963/24 "2013-10-23T02:37:35Z")
I’ve had it for a few years and I love it. I don’t use the free streaming, but I use the free 2-day shipping and Kindle features (e.g. free books, lending library) a lot. I also like that my kids can use my account and get stuff shipped to their colleges as well. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-amazon-prime-worth-it/671963/25 "2013-10-23T02:58:23Z")
I’d say it’s definitely worth it, with the caveat that you’ll probably end up buying more stuff from Amazon than you ever planned on. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-amazon-prime-worth-it/671963/26 "2013-10-23T09:31:42Z")
Thing is, I live in a town that has a major Amazon warehouse in it. Deliveries tend towards “rapid” anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-amazon-prime-worth-it/671963/27 "2013-10-23T14:02:46Z")
“Worth It” is a relative term. I’m an AP person, because it’s convenient plus i get the benefit of streaming movies. However on a price comparison; I usually find items cheaper that are not AP eligible; but by the time you add in their shipping costs, it comes out about the same. Furthermore, I frequently order things on AP and it doesn’t arrive in 2 days. But I’ve order items that were not AP eligible and it took several days (over a week) to receive. So, AP, and receiving it within 3 days is still a more convenient option. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-amazon-prime-worth-it/671963/28 "2013-10-23T14:11:29Z")
The shipping alone makes it worth while for me although they just opened a warehouse in NJ so I wonder if the two day really will matter going forward. I rarely use the video service because I find it hard to use on my Blu Ray player (unlike Netflix) and unclear what costs money and what is free. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-amazon-prime-worth-it/671963/29 "2013-10-23T14:41:26Z")
It’s been worth it to me. In addition to my purchases, people I work with often will have me place orders for them. It isn’t unusual for something to arrive from Amazon every work day of the week. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-amazon-prime-worth-it/671963/30 "2013-10-23T14:46:46Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > “Worth It” is a relative term. I’m an AP person, because it’s convenient plus i get the benefit of streaming movies. However on a price comparison; I usually find items cheaper that are not AP eligible; but by the time you add in their shipping costs, it comes out about the same. Furthermore, I frequently order things on AP and it doesn’t arrive in 2 days. But I’ve order items that were not AP eligible and it took several days (over a week) to receive. So, AP, and receiving it within 3 days is still a more convenient option. Two-day shipping doesn’t mean the item arrives in two days. It means it ships (leaves the warehouse) in two days. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-amazon-prime-worth-it/671963/31 "2013-10-23T14:47:17Z")
Totally worth it and totally convenient. Almost _too_ convenient at times, especially with the whole “one-click purchase” thing. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-amazon-prime-worth-it/671963/32 "2013-10-23T15:03:57Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > Two-day shipping doesn’t mean the item arrives in two days. It means it ships (leaves the warehouse) in two days. Everything I’ve ordered has arrived within two days unless back-ordered. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-amazon-prime-worth-it/671963/33 "2013-10-23T15:11:05Z")
I’ve been a Prime member for many years, and I find it to be worth it. I’m pretty thrifty but I’m also a sucker for free shipping. Rather than go to the store I will one-click order stuff like popcorn, deodorant, and gum from Prime and know it will be on my doorstep in 1 or 2 days, saves me a trip to the store. And at Christmas time it’s nice to get big orders shipped for free. I like the Prime video fairly well, it’s not as good as Netflix but it’s a nice bonus that didn’t even exist when I signed up. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-amazon-prime-worth-it/671963/34 "2013-10-23T15:12:18Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Everything I’ve ordered has arrived within two days unless back-ordered. Same here, it’s extremely rare for something to not arrive in 2 days, like 2% of the time. Often stuff arrives the next day. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-amazon-prime-worth-it/671963/35 "2013-10-23T15:13:55Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > Two-day shipping doesn’t mean the item arrives in two days. It means it ships (leaves the warehouse) in two days. Incorrect. It means it is shipped via 2-day UPS shipping. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-amazon-prime-worth-it/671963/36 "2013-10-23T15:17:23Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > Incorrect. It means it is shipped via 2-day UPS shipping. I’m curious if that’s 100% correct. I just ordered a game for my mom and had it shipped to her house. I placed it on Monday during the day (before the cut-off) and it didn’t ship until Tuesday afternoon according to the email and the tracking. She’s scheduled to receive it today though, so Amazon is keeping its end of the bargain. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-amazon-prime-worth-it/671963/37 "2013-10-23T15:23:33Z")
Orders placed are usually shipped day-of or next day, depending on when you placed the order. It could take longer if it is backordered. However, it will typically ship 2-day air once it leaves. I can see them upgrading to next-day air if they experince a delay in getting it out of the warehouse. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-amazon-prime-worth-it/671963/38 "2013-10-23T15:31:59Z")
It must vary by region. I am in Virginia and several times I have ordered an item at 7:00 PM with free Prime shipping and it arrived the next day! ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-amazon-prime-worth-it/671963/39 "2013-10-23T15:34:03Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Everything I’ve ordered has arrived within two days unless back-ordered. That’s not how it’s worked for me. Does it depend on where you live, or the day of the week you order? I’m gonna go look at my account to doublecheck, because I’m not getting stuff delivered in two days. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-amazon-prime-worth-it/671963/40 "2013-10-23T15:47:42Z")
Before I had Prime, there were tons of times that I ordered something with SuperSaver delivery (5-7 days?), and it was delivered in 2 days. I think the shipping depends on how busy they are. Given the cost of gas, a Logistics Manager might be on hand to determine the most cost effective way to ship all the orders. For instance, if they have a Prime order going to a certain neighborhood, and a SuperSaver order going to the same neighborhood, they might opt to deliver the SS order 3 days early, rather than make a separate trip. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-amazon-prime-worth-it/671963.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-amazon-prime-worth-it/671963.md?page=3)