It seems like everything these days comes with a subscription service price. From media streaming to dinner boxes and everything in between, we have lots of choices, but they all come with a monthly bill. If you’re trying to choose which services to cut or trying to determine if Amazon Prime is worth signing up for to start with, I want to share my own personal experience with you.
With a husband, two kids, and several pets, I manage a very full and busy household. One of the secrets to my success, having a clean and fully stocked home, plenty of things to keep the kids entertained, and finding the time to get everything done, is Amazon Prime. Sure, it costs $119 a year, which isn’t exactly cheap. However, it more than pays for itself when you really take a look at all the benefits you are getting.
What Do You Get With An Amazon Prime Membership?
Amazon has become an undeniable global power player when it comes to online retail shopping. Being a warehouse for many different suppliers gives them an almost overwhelming selection of goods. Combine that with their super-fast, cheap, and in some cases, free shipping options, and they became beloved by internet shoppers overnight. Their genius lies in their ability to provide you with almost anything you want at any time.
Amazon Prime is a genuinely clever idea that ties customers to the shopping platform and keeps them coming back for more while also giving them a great deal at the same time. While the price tag seems steep when you look at the cost for one year, which at this time is $119. However, the benefits are plentiful.
Benefits of the Amazon Prime Membership:
- Free Shipping – Free shipping is the number one reason most people sign up for Amazon Prime, and the benefit that increases in value the more you use it. Just saving money on shipping alone can save you hundreds of dollars a year, and the more purchases you make via Amazon, the more you save. With your membership, you can get free 2-day shipping. Depending on where you live, you can even get same-day delivery on some items.
- Amazon Prime Instant Video – Amazon’s streaming service for movies and TV shows has become a pleasant addition to Amazon Prime. They not only have a ton of selection but have started to make very high-quality original content as well.
- Free Kindle Books – There are a few perks for readers with an Amazon Prime membership. The first is Prime Reading, which allows you to “check out” up to 10 Kindle titles at a time for free. Simply go to Prime Reading to see what books, comics, and magazines are available in the program. You’ll also have access to First Reads, which gives you free early access to one Kindle book per month.
- Prime Music – Amazon Music is a music streaming service included with Prime with over 2 million songs. You can use it through an app or an Echo Dot device. There is an ungraded Amazon Music Unlimited service you can opt into if you need even more control over your music.
- Amazon Prime Photos – You’ll also get unlimited photo storage and 5 GB of video storage with your Prime membership. If you didn’t know about this feature, this is an excellent time to backup all your favorite family photos without having to pay extra for more iCloud storage.
- Amazon Prime Early Access – Early access to deals, sales, and special members-only “Prime Day” deals will save you lots of money on gifts and anything on your own wishlist.
- Amazon Prime Wardrobe – This nearer feature of Prime lets you buy clothes and try them on before deciding to buy them or not. Simply return the clothes that didn’t work out. This takes the fear out of shopping for clothes online.
- Free Shipping And Returns On Other Sites – You can get free shipping and free returns at Shopbop, East Dane, and Woot!
- Twitch Prime – Another newer feature, great for teens, a subscription to this video game watching social media platform.
Pros And Cons Of Amazon Prime
My family has benefited substantially from our Amazon Prime membership, so I’ll start with the pros.
Pros of Amazon Prime Membership:
- The number one thing, in my opinion that makes Prime 100% worth the cost is the time I’ve saved. Online shopping has given me countless hours of my time back. I can order pantry staples, gifts, clothes, and so many other items from my couch without having to drag kids through a store or spend hours browsing in person. Just the time I’ve saved by not having to stand in checkout lines alone has been worth every penny to me.
- The second biggest pro to the Amazon Prime membership is the free shipping. You don’t have to save up your orders to qualify for free shipping and can order products as you think of them. I literally have Amazon packages arriving weekly to our home and have never paid for shipping.
- JP Morgan analysts have estimated that the Prime membership which costs just $119, is actually worth at least $785 annually. When you consider that you could be paying an extra $7 to $12 in shipping each time you order from Amazon, you can easily see how this savings adds up fast.
- Finally, the return process for Amazon couldn’t be easier. Not only can you apply for your returns online, but now you can take returns into a local Kohl’s store and let them ship it back for you. Amazon’s return policy is very lenient as long as you return things quickly, usually within 30 days.
Cons of Amazon Prime Membership:
The more you use the benefits, like free shipping and streaming movies, etc., the more cost-effective the membership gets. This leads to our “con” list or reasons you might not benefit from a Prime membership.
- If you don’t do a lot of online shopping, you might not save enough shipping costs to make the membership worth it. It blows my mind, personally, but some people just don’t enjoy online ordering.
- The only other con really is that customer service can be a little lacking. They are a huge corporation, and it can be difficult to get anything more than call-center level help if you run into a problem. Luckily, the Amazon return process is so easy that there are rarely problems that require customer service.
Questions About Amazon Prime I Get Asked All The Time
Is There A Free Trial For Amazon Prime?
You can sign up for a 30 day free trial of Prime to test it out. You do have to give your credit card to sign up, and if you do not cancel, you will be charged. You’ll have access to entertainment streaming, music, books, and free delivery. If you love the service, simply do nothing, and you will be enrolled and charged automatically.
Are There Any Discounts Available For Amazon Prime?
Students can get 50% off an Amazon Prime membership and a 6-month free trial that has free-shipping but is limited on the other benefits.
Is There A Family Plan For Amazon Prime?
You can have everyone in your household, including up to 4 teens and 4 kids, all on one plan for the same $119 fee. There are even parental controls for teen ordering.
How Easy Is It To Cancel Amazon Prime?
Canceling your Amazon Prime subscription is really easy. Open Amazon in your web browser or use the app. Find and hover over the ‘Your Account’ button in the top right corner of your browser, and select ‘Your Prime Membership’ from the drop down menu. Click on “end membership,” and you’re done!
Can I get Amazon Prime Video By Itself?
Yes! If you don’t need a full Amazon Prime membership but want the streaming service for TV and Movies, you’re in luck. You can get Amazon Prime Video for just $8.99 a month. There is tons of programming for all ages, including fun documentaries and learning shows. You can rent movies and new releases through Prime as well.
Is Amazon Prime Worth The $119 A Year Membership Fee?
The free shipping alone is worth the entire price of the annual membership, and you get so many more benefits on top of that. To me, that makes my Amazon Prime membership a necessity.
In addition to the shopping perks, I love the Amazon prime video and original programming. We have an Amazon loving household and have an Echo Dot in every room; asking Alexa to add items to my shopping list or play some hit tunes while I clean makes my life easier and happier.
