What is Amazon Prime? Membership benefits, prices and more

With Prime Day 2021 slated for June 21 and 22, buyers are gearing as much as reap the benefits of offers on merchandise like tech, clothes, kitchenware and extra. However solely Amazon Prime members have entry to the unique sale, which incentivizes new membership sign-ups, defined Amanda Bourlier, who oversees world retailing analysis at market analysis firm Euromonitor International. As we beforehand reported, Bourlier famous the mega retailer makes use of Prime Day — which Amazon created in 2015 — as a strategy to appeal to new subscribers, pitching to them Amazon’s “ecosystem of consumption,” that means the entire companies Amazon offers buyers.

“A Prime member most likely doesn’t simply store from Amazon,” Bourlier mentioned. “Along with procuring on Amazon, they will purchase groceries from Whole Foods, hearken to audiobooks with Audible, subscribe to Kindle Unlimited, watch Amazon Video and use Amazon Echo audio system.”

SKIP AHEAD Amazon Prime benefits

Amazon Prime: A short history

Amazon Prime launched in 2005, and it initially provided members advantages like two-day free delivery — the retailer charged an annual $79 for a membership initially. On the time, Bourlier mentioned, this appeared like a pipe dream, and it has remained a considerable consider motivating individuals to develop into Prime members. However through the years, Amazon has drastically expanded what members get after they be part of, like leisure, vogue, financial savings and different perks.

In a letter to Amazon shareholders in April 2021, CEO Jeff Bezos (who’s stepping down later this year) mentioned there are greater than 200 million Prime members worldwide. In January 2020, somewhat over a yr in the past, Amazon had greater than 150 million Prime members globally, in line with advertising and marketing analysis firm Digital Commerce 360. James Thomson, a associate at advertising and marketing company Buy Box Experts, partially attributes the approximate 33-percent improve in members to the pandemic. Not solely have been individuals compelled to remain dwelling and more and more rely upon supply companies — like Prime Delivery — to buy every thing from workplace provides to meals, however they might additionally make the most of Prime Video, Music, Reading and extra to remain entertained. “Fairly frankly, if Covid didn’t encourage individuals to get a Prime membership, I don’t know what’s going to,” Thomson mentioned.

As the results of the pandemic enter a turning level in lots of elements of the U.S. and with the upcoming Prime Day gross sales occasion, it’s possible you’ll take into account a Prime membership for your self, your loved ones, your kids or in any other case. That can assist you determine whether or not to spend money on an Amazon Prime subscription, we broke down the membership and what it affords. It’s value noting that Amazon affords loyalty packages within the type of a store credit card and an Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card, too — right here’s what to know earlier than signing up for Amazon’s credit card.

Types of Amazon Prime memberships — and what they cost

An Amazon Prime membership prices $13 a month, or you possibly can pay $119 yearly. The retailer additionally affords a Prime Student membership for $7 a month, which comes with unique affords like Amazon Music Unlimited for $0.99 a month and reductions on textbooks. To buy a pupil membership, you’ll want a legitimate .edu e mail tackle.

The yearly Prime membership features a 30-day free trial, which you’ll be able to join proper earlier than Prime Day if you happen to haven’t beforehand used yours but to get free entry to the gross sales occasion and all of the related perks of Amazon Prime on no matter you purchase all through. College students can get a six-month free trial earlier than they’ve to start out paying for his or her Prime membership.

A number of members of a household may share Prime advantages like Prime delivery, video, images and extra via Amazon Household, which permits for as much as 10 memberships:

2 adults (18 or older), every with their very own Amazon account
4 teenagers (ages 13 to 17), every with their very own Amazon login, which is completely different from an grownup account in that adults can share digital content material with teenagers and set viewing restrictions.
4 kids (whereas kids can’t store on Amazon, adults can share content material like eBooks, apps, and video games with kids).

For a restricted time, those that join Prime utilizing an Echo device will obtain a $5 Amazon credit score. All it’s a must to do is say, “Alexa, signal me up for Prime.” Via June 20, Prime members may get a $10 credit score after spending $40 or extra on choose Prime-branded Amazon reward playing cards, which giftees can in flip spend on a Prime membership or different Amazon gadgets.

Benefits of Amazon Prime memberships

In keeping with Thomson, “An important factor Amazon can do is drive loyalty to the Amazon market.” He mentioned the retailer does so via its Prime membership and the number of advantages it affords, lots of that are designed to supply buyers comfort. “The corporate desires to get shoppers to say, ‘I’m not going to stroll right into a bodily retailer as a result of it’s a lot simpler to purchase on Amazon,’” he mentioned.

Fast delivery and shipping

Free 1-day delivery: A wide range of gadgets are eligible for next-day supply with no minimal buy (minimize off time for eligible orders varies by zip code). If you’re procuring, filter gadgets by “Get it tomorrow” to see which you’ll be able to obtain by 9 p.m. the subsequent day.
Free 2-day delivery: That is obtainable to Prime members who stay within the contiguous U.S.
Free same-day delivery: In choose cities and cities — from New York Metropolis to San Francisco — Prime members can store for gadgets eligible for supply on the identical day they have been ordered. Similar-day supply is offered with out a Prime membership at $13 per merchandise. Prime members get same-day supply free of charge on qualifying orders over $35.
Free release-date delivery: Prime members can have eligible pre-order gadgets delivered on their launch date.
Free no-rush delivery: Members who choose no-rush delivery — which delays supply on orders — can earn rewards to make use of on future purchases.

Different free supply perks embody Amazon Day, which lets you order gadgets all through the week and choose as much as two days to get every thing delivered in fewer packing containers. Moreover, Prime members who stay in sure zip codes can get eligible gadgets delivered inside their home with Amazon’s Key Smart Lock Kit (at present paused as a result of Covid-19), or inside their garage with Amazon’s Key Smart Garage Kit. You’ll be able to monitor the supply via the Key by Amazon app, and get notifications about packages whereas the supply is in course of.

Deals and discounts

Along with Prime Day itself, Prime members are eligible for Prime Early Entry, which supplies them 30-minute early entry to Lightning Offers on Amazon, which generally final 4 to six hours. Past Prime Day offers, members get entry to offers and reductions via Amazon Family, like 20 p.c off diapers, child meals and extra via Subscribe & Save, and 15 p.c off eligible merchandise from child registries.

Groceries

In 2017, Amazon bought the grocery retailer chain Whole Foods Market, resulting in unique financial savings in shops and on-line for Prime members. Eligible Prime members with the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Card get 5 p.c again on purchases at Complete Meals — different credit cards incentivize via deals with Amazon and its associates, too.

Prime members may get free 2-hour grocery supply via Complete Meals Market and Amazon Fresh. In choose cities, you possibly can order meals and home goods and obtain gadgets inside two hours, or on one other date and time you choose.

Streaming and entertainment

Prime Video: Prime Video affords limitless streaming of films and TV episodes for Prime members. It’s obtainable for non-Prime members as a standalone streaming service for $9 a month.
Amazon Channels: Prime members can watch exhibits and films from channels like HBO, Showtime and STARZ via their Prime membership for $5 to $15 a month every with out a cable subscription or extra apps.
Prime Music: Prime Music affords members entry to over two million limitless, ad-free songs, in addition to playlists and stations.
Amazon Music Unlimited: Prime members can get discounted Amazon Music Limitless month-to-month plans, they usually have entry to unique annual plans. (Now via June 22, Prime members can get 4 months of Amazon Music Unlimited free of charge, whereas non-Prime members can obtain three months free.) A part of Amazon’s Prime Day marketing campaign in 2021 consists of performances from Billie Eilish, H.E.R. and Child Cudi.
Prime Gaming: Prime members have entry to free video games, in-game content material and a free channel subscription on Twitch.television each month.
Prime Reading: Prime members have entry to over a thousand books, magazines and extra, which they will obtain onto their Kindle or Fire tablet, in addition to learn via the Kindle app. Prime Studying consists of books with Audible narration, too — Kindle’s proprietary Whispersync helps you decide up the place you left off whereas studying throughout units, and Whispersync for Voice lets you swap between listening to an audiobook and studying in your Kindle. Different studying perks embody Amazon First Reads, which supplies members early entry to a brand new e book free of charge each month.

Other Prime membership benefits

Amazon Photos: A Prime membership provides you limitless photograph storage on Amazon Drive for you and the members of your Household Vault — that is particularly notable as Google Photos ended its free storage plan on June 1 this yr.
Prime Wardrobe: Get seven days to attempt on the clothes at dwelling and solely get charged for the gadgets you retain — this consists of footwear. Moreover, Prime members in choose areas will pay a further month-to-month membership charge to obtain a month-to-month styling service, Personal Shopper by Prime Wardrobe.
Amazon Elements: With a Prime membership, you’ve entry to the retailer’s unique line of on a regular basis necessities, starting from nutritional vitamins to child wipes.
Amazon Pharmacy: Get free two-day supply and might reap the benefits of financial savings affords whenever you fulfill subscriptions with Amazon Pharmacy.

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Zoe Malin is a digital editorial intern for NBC Information Purchasing.

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