Amazon Prime increasing rates (2 Viewers)

[CapitalCitySaint]

This is true. Although I would add that the knock off items are a bit of a crap shoot. Sometimes they work well, sometimes they don't. I bought some knockoff stove knobs a few months back because the old ones were stripped and would fall off. It's been 4 months and knock on wood, they're still as good as new. It would have cost me $120 for new factory originals, but I got the knockoffs for $30. In this case, the price difference was just too much, but the cheaper ones worked well enough.

That said, this wouldn't be the same for a lot of products where you wouldn't want a knockoff.

Yeah that was my point. If you know it’s a knock-off and that’s what you want, fine. But I don’t want to be mislead to buying, for example, a specific brand of shampoo and then get it & it smells and looks different but is in the same bottle as my shampoo.

There’s a lot of bait & switch going on in the Amazon marketplace.

 

[DaveXA]

Yeah that was my point. If you know it’s a knock-off and that’s what you want, fine. But I don’t want to be mislead to buying, for example, a specific brand of shampoo and then get it & it smells and looks different but is in the same bottle as my shampoo.

There’s a lot of bait & switch going on in the Amazon marketplace.

Yep, to some degree it's buyer beware. If it's a knock-off, I normally will read the reviews, but even those are hit and miss. Usually I won't buy those if there are fewer than 100 written reviews.

 

[Sailorsaint]

Yeah that was my point. If you know it’s a knock-off and that’s what you want, fine. But I don’t want to be mislead to buying, for example, a specific brand of shampoo and then get it & it smells and looks different but is in the same bottle as my shampoo.

There’s a lot of bait & switch going on in the Amazon marketplace.

Are you saying you order Prell but get something that is called Pell? Because that’s illegal. Or are you saying you order something called Pell that’s supposed to be “just like Prell” and isn’t? Because that would be a buyer beware situation.

 

[itztime]

Yeah that was my point. If you know it’s a knock-off and that’s what you want, fine. But I don’t want to be mislead to buying, for example, a specific brand of shampoo and then get it & it smells and looks different but is in the same bottle as my shampoo.

There’s a lot of bait & switch going on in the Amazon marketplace.

Yep, had this happen with AirPod Pro's, they connected to my phone funky and had some weird name. After examining next to my wife's and son's airpods I had been duped. Though the box and wrapping was superb, could not tell the difference. After researching how can this happen, the consensus is that 3rd party vendors drop ship their items from Amazon, with Amazon mixing the vendors supply with the Amazon supply bins as I chose Amazon as my seller and NOT the 3rd party.

 

[GrandAdmiral]

There’s a lot of bait & switch going on in the Amazon marketplace.

I do my best to stay away from things in the marketplace.

 

[DaveXA]

Yep, had this happen with AirPod Pro's, they connected to my phone funky and had some weird name. After examining next to my wife's and son's airpods I had been duped. Though the box and wrapping was superb, could not tell the difference. After researching how can this happen, the consensus is that 3rd party vendors drop ship their items from Amazon, with Amazon mixing the vendors supply with the Amazon supply bins as I chose Amazon as my seller and NOT the 3rd party.

While inconvenient, I would just return them and try to get legit ones. One good thing about Amazon is returns are pretty easy, and I've never had issues returning something. What I typically do is return and let them add the refund to my Amazon account and I will use that to make other purchases if I don't like the original product.

 

[itztime]

While inconvenient, I would just return them and try to get legit ones. One good thing about Amazon is returns are pretty easy, and I've never had issues returning something. What I typically do is return and let them add the refund to my Amazon account and I will use that to make other purchases if I don't like the original product.

Yep, it was a painless process, I called and it was squared away in 2 minutes.

 

[DaveXA]

Yep, it was a painless process, I called and it was squared away in 2 minutes.

Yeah, I do mine online. Print the label and drop it off at UPS. Sometimes you don't even have to box/label it. You can go to Khol's and drop it off there and they take it from there.

 

[Waymer]

Keep in mind that you can buy a "Gift of Prime" which is their version of "Forever" stamps. Regardless of the price years down the road, you get it at the price you paid. I know a few people who still have $79 memberships I believe. Yes, you pay up front, so there's some opportunity cost, but some people are saving $60+ now. If nothing else, it's simple to do for one year with no real loss.

(If you decide not to use it towards prime, it always can convert automatically to an Amazon gift card, so there is no risk.)

More info here: https://www.doctorofcredit.com/amazon-prime-membership-price-will-soon-increase-to-139-up-from-119/

 

[FL_Saint]

Yeah that was my point. If you know it’s a knock-off and that’s what you want, fine. But I don’t want to be mislead to buying, for example, a specific brand of shampoo and then get it & it smells and looks different but is in the same bottle as my shampoo.

There’s a lot of bait & switch going on in the Amazon marketplace.

I bought a Zero Tolerance pocket knife off Amazon a few years ago. Figured it out past the return window. I escalated the issue and amazon refunded my money and "let" me return it. I believe that they try to deal with the knockoff fraud, but the shear volume of products and sellers would make it all but futile.

I am very particular about making sure I use shipped and sold by amazon unless I know specifically what I am looking for and who is selling it.

And I definitely price shop. Amazon isn't always the lowest. Before I changed brands, I was going back and forth on dog food between Amazon, Chewy and PetSmart. Now I am strictly Tractor Supply.

 

[jrdbrn]

I used to be a huge advocator for Amazon. They had what I needed with great prices and super fast shipping.

Now they are increasing the price of Prime again, their prices are meh on a lot of items, and shipping is a crap shoot. I often get items faster without Prime.

I cancelled my February renewal.

 

[Zztop]

They are also adding commercials to it next year, unless you pay $3/mo extra

Amazon Prime Is Adding Commercials To Its Prime Video Service, Commercial Free Will Now Cost Extra | Cord Cutters News

Earlier today, Amazon announced that it will be adding commercials to its Prime Video service. Now, its base Prime Video service that is included with Amazon Prime will add commercials starting in early 2024. If you want a commercial-free experience, it will cost you an extra $2.99 a month. The...

cordcuttersnews.com

Currently, Amazon Prime costs $14.99 a month or $139 per year. You can get just Prime Video for $8.99. Starting next year in the U.S. if you want comercial free, you will now need to pay an extra $2.99 a month.

If you qualify, you can get Amazon Prime at a discounted rate of $69 per year for students and $6.99 per month if you qualify with programs like EBT, Medicaid, NAP, and other government assistance programs.

Amazon joins a growing number of programs that have launched our will launch ad-supported plans. This includes Disney+, AMC+, Netflix, Max, and more.

 

[Rickboy]

They are also adding commercials to it next year, unless you pay $3/mo extra

Amazon Prime Is Adding Commercials To Its Prime Video Service, Commercial Free Will Now Cost Extra | Cord Cutters News

Earlier today, Amazon announced that it will be adding commercials to its Prime Video service. Now, its base Prime Video service that is included with Amazon Prime will add commercials starting in early 2024. If you want a commercial-free experience, it will cost you an extra $2.99 a month. The...

cordcuttersnews.com

Currently, Amazon Prime costs $14.99 a month or $139 per year. You can get just Prime Video for $8.99. Starting next year in the U.S. if you want comercial free, you will now need to pay an extra $2.99 a month.

If you qualify, you can get Amazon Prime at a discounted rate of $69 per year for students and $6.99 per month if you qualify with programs like EBT, Medicaid, NAP, and other government assistance programs.

Amazon joins a growing number of programs that have launched our will launch ad-supported plans. This includes Disney+, AMC+, Netflix, Max, and more.

For me, it depends on how long the ads are and how often.
I'm cool with a quick 10 second ad and perhaps 2-3 times per hour. The placement of the ads also matters. I don't want to be in the middle of the Star Wars trench run and have an ad pop up.

 

[Optimus Prime]

For me, it depends on how long the ads are and how often.
I'm cool with a quick 10 second ad and perhaps 2-3 times per hour. The placement of the ads also matters. I don't want to be in the middle of the Star Wars trench run and have an ad pop up.

And pleeease don’t show me the same 3 commercials every ad break

And if that’s the only block you have after I’ve seen it 2 or 3 times let me skip it