8mm Forum: Amazon Free Postage

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Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on August 24, 2015, 02:50 AM:

My comments refer only to articles sold on Amazon UK by themselves, not other sellers who use Amazon as a sales contact.

I, like most people who use Amazon, have been aware that free postage is offered on items over £10 which are sold by them. Last Saturday I found a book on Amazon that I wanted which was priced at £12.59, I assumed it would have free postage as it was over £10. I clicked to buy and was offered a few options for delivery. I went for Free Delivery.

No sooner had the order gone through then I discovered I had been given a one month free offer of Amazon Prime. After the first month my credit card would be debited with their "membership" fee. However, I was able to go to my profile and remove my membership of Amazon Prime. I received notification that my membership will end on 21 September and my card will not be charged.

This morning on BBC News I learnt that many companies have revised their free postage deals, such as Supermarkets who have increased the minimum spend to achieve free delivery. Amazon was also mentioned. It appears that their £10 buy to include free delivery has been increased to £20.

Looking back at the same book offers I see that the word "Prime" is mentioned on this book listing. However, I must admit that I obviously overlooked this as I was buying an item over the £10 limit which had previously been in force.

Yes. I was my own mistake. But buyers should have more warning that they are about to become members of "Amazon Prime". What, exactly, is "Amazon Prime", and what do members get for their subscription?

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on August 24, 2015, 03:00 AM:

It's the price we all have to pay sadly Maurice since once again, another great British institution has been sold off.

The cost of posting anything here in the UK has rocketed since our short sighted government sold our Royal Mail service.
All these price increases seem to have a knock on effect with everyone else's courier services as a result.

All we can expect is the minimum spend to continually increase if free postage is what you're seeking.

Posted by Mike Newell (Member # 23) on August 24, 2015, 05:44 AM:

I must admit I have used Amazon extensively since play.com decided to give up ever functioning. I would tend to pile things up on a wish list until I am passed £20 mark. This has lead to some funny combinations of orders like DVDs ,cat food and shoes which are all posted separately anyway to me despite combining the order. The shame is the high street shops milked us for years and gave virtually no customer service so you can't be surprised when no body wants the hazzle of travelling and shopping. Shops like our old Super 8 Dealers have to give the customer something extra to retain custom. By the way were is Ian O ' Reilly I heard there was a gold train found in Poland so I thought they may have found his takings from his last sales list. Dark nights are coming so he must be due to publish another list. [Big Grin]

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on August 24, 2015, 11:50 AM:

Let's hope so, about bloody time Ian! [Big Grin]

Posted by Brian Fretwell (Member # 4302) on August 24, 2015, 02:41 PM:

I signed up for Prime when I thought I was just closing the pop up. Time to cancelling "subscription" about 2 minutes due to having to read the small print to find out how to!!!

Posted by Tom Photiou (Member # 130) on August 28, 2015, 10:41 AM:

Funny isnt it, once a huge US corporate company establishes itself a huge customer base they then proceed to make charges and soon after double the allowance from £10 to £20 yet there profits are through the roof so why the need to introduce it? They Havant up to now?
Soon Microsoft will be bringing you windows where you will have to pay a monthly subscription! Another huge worldwide corporation who makes ridiculously huge profits but want to keep making more and more. I understand business and profits but what we are seeing are world controlling business's, how many years have many of these corporates avoided paying there taxes here?
Use other companies, Amazon are good, they are cheap but there are others, lots more, how many people go onto there PC's to buy something and like robots automatically go straight to Amazon?

Posted by Steven J Kirk (Member # 1135) on August 28, 2015, 12:51 PM:

Yep, Amazon are trying to make Prime the default, and have everyone signed up to it. Puts me off when at every stage of buying something one is offered 'Prime'. Total pain. Wish they wouldn't do it. The main part of Prime is to do downloading and I am not interested. I'd rather just buy Blu-Rays instead.

Posted by Tom Photiou (Member # 130) on August 28, 2015, 02:55 PM:

I to had this problem a few months ago, I didn't realise that I had joined it during an order, I must have clicked a wrong button, however, after the month was up over £70 was taken from my bank.
I promptly got onto Amazon and to be fair they did refund in full and cancel the membership, but I do have to say its put me off the mega sized company.

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