Heads up, Amazon fans—if you don’t use Prime and have relied on the Super Saver Shipping threshold to obtain free shipping at Amazon on your purchases, be aware that as of today, the minimum to reach SSS is now $35 rather than $25.
Needless to say, that’s kind of a bummer.
If you plan to do some holiday shopping online and you have never before done a free Prime trial, you can sign up for a free 3-month trial of Amazon Mom Prime right now and that will carry you through pre-season shopping as well as post-season sales.
After years of scoring free Prime trials for the holidays, I confess that I now pay for Prime. I think the additional savings on items I buy via Subscribe & Save more than pays for my membership, but then, I buy a lot of stuff online. Even if you don’t keep Prime, having it for holiday shopping is pretty nice (especially in light of this change to SSS).
I remember when Prime first came out, I thought, “No one will pay that! Amazon is going to GO OUT OF BUSINESS.” Ahem. Remind me not to hire out as a consultant.
I find Prime most worth it for shipping gifts to people: with family across the country, the shipping savings alone can pay for the Prime membership. (On the other hand, it means I’m a little compulsive about buying everyone’s gifts from Amazon!)
We’ve watched a lot of Roku using our Prime, as well. Also, you can legitimately share out your account with household members (or whomever, as long as your household is 20 miles wide, y’know) and those people get some benefits, including 2-day shipping, too.
Those are the reasons I find my prime membership more than pays for itself. I have watched entire tv series from my laptop. My kids and I watch movies together with it. My dad uses it because I put him on my list and he buys a lot from Amazon too. My kids wonder what life was like before two day shipping. LOL I rarely pay for premium services like this, but this one is truly worth the money if you shop at Amazon regularly.
I share it with my son and daughter, who live 10 and 50 miles away, respectively.
Thanks for the heads up. I like to think I would have noticed that, but then . . . I have a few things in my cart right now waiting for the right moment. Now it will just take longer I suppose. Would you mind telling me/us again what your favorite brand of coconut oil is? I’m a grandma just sticking my toes into that pool. What is a good price to look for? Thanks kiddo!
When buying coconut oil from Amazon I’ve gone two routes: the Nutiva Organic is frequently offered on special (the regular price there is $15 pre-discount for 30 ounces [though I always buy via Subscribe & Save for extra discounts], which isn’t bad, though it’s obviously better with a coupon, and I’ve seen it down to $12ish, pre-coupon, pre-discount), and is a highly-rated brand. I like this one, but it does taste like coconut, so it’s not a good choice if you’re not fond of the flavor. I also like the Jarrow Organic, which runs a bit cheaper normally ($14 for 32 ounces, pre-coupon, pre-discount), but doesn’t go on special as often, but has the advantage of being relatively tasteless. My family prefers when I use this one.
I hope that helps!
Yes, thank you! Mumbling. . . writing it down, putting it with the shopping list…Who am I kidding? It’s 50 miles one way to the closest place that would carry coconut oil of any brand. going to amazon, placing it on the wish list. . .
Think a price hike for Prime is in our near future? I’ve had it for years, and currently enjoy the additional Amazon Mom discounts. I’d stick with it, I think, unless it is a huge hike.
I get that Amazon needs to worry about its bottom line. I grumble, still, about the changes to S&S and having to wait until the next month to get items. I know that shipping is high.
BUT….patience is hard.
I used to love amazon yet these changes honestly make me shop there less and less and I hear walmart beefing up its online services to compete with amazon now
Ack. Plus this tax thing is going to be a PIA as well.
In my state (Wisconsin) sales tax starts on November 1st.
The glory days of Amazon are coming to an end.
I just read about this earlier today, so I decided this is the week for bad retail news. Target got rid of their daily deals, too, so that made me a little sad. We’ve gotten some things for a really great price and free shipping via Target’s dailies. 🙁
I was thinking the same thing when I read the Amazon news this morning — I just got the email about Target last night, and I’m bummed about both things! 🙁
Yeah, GA residents started being charged tax on Amazon in Sept, too. 🙁 But I’m a Prime member, and I definitely get my money’s worth out of it just from free shipping and the streaming services. Instead of the $79/yr deal, I’m on that weird little $7.99/mo deal that they tested out for like 2 days and then dropped (yes, I know 7.99 x 12 months is more than $79/yr, but I’m actually willing to pay the price for not dropping $79 at once for it).
I swore I would never pay it, but I do now, too.
I coughed up the $79 on, I kid you not, December 21 the year I was really miserably pregnant and just so very far behind on everything in the whole wide world. I spent an unholy amount of money in about 24 hours and everybody got their gifts in time for Christmas. There wer a few *very* tense hours at my house when 5, then 6, then 7, then EIGHT p.m. on Christmas Eve came and went and the giant pile of what everyone was getting hadn’t showed up yet, but other than the years that took off my life, it was the best $79 I ever spent.
I, too, do a lot of Roku streaming now, too, and I order my dog food delivered and my procrastination is enabled. So I paid it again last year, and will probably continue to do so.
I’ve been enjoying my son’s Student Prime Acct ($39/yr). Signed him up the minute he got his .edu address. He’s a senior now so I may have to sign up my younger one soon. Yup, I have two in college and Amazon is always my go-to place!!
Sigh. Such a bummer. I don’t know if I really want to take a chance on Prime – but with birthdays in November, December, and January, this might be the right time.