Canceling Amazon Prime

I've been a member of Amazon Prime since 2010. My subscription was set to renew today at $99.

I do enjoy the benefits, but I've found it's not always as great as it seems. For instance, some used books are Prime eligible so it's free shipping, but the prices tend to be higher. You can pay $.99 + $3.99 for shipping, or $4.99 with Prime and free shipping. I've seen this enough times to feel my Prime membership was useless when it came to books.

Instant Video is cool, but I can't stream over data on my iPhone. And I couldn't use it at all when I had an Android phone. This makes the service useless to me most of the time.

Amazon's music service was getting cozy until I started uploading music not purchased through them. 250 song limit? I have over 400 songs by Bob Dylan alone. Google's free limit is 20,000... think I'll start using that.

All things considered, it's no longer worth it. I understand that it's hard to keep adding features and services at no additional cost, but as the consumer, I have to worry about my bank account.

No hard feelings, Amazon. I'll still use you here and there, as you often have the best deals. However, it's time for me to be free, and no longer feel obligated to use you for everything. Hell, I may even check out a real store.

Shouldn't this be on an amazon forum?

I only ever used Prime when I got it for free through my university. Never much saw the point in paying for it, since most of the features are available through other platforms for cheaper or for free.

I only ever used it for the free month and then cancelled it. I have never had a use for it. The only time I would need it is when I happen to want to get something off amazon and even then only when it's an amazon purchase or someone shipping through amazon so most of my purchases can't even use it (I'd say 70% of what I get would be able to use it at this point).

The superfluous stuff they give you is useless to me too (I have a collection of over 1000 DVDs, 100 or something Blu Rays, almost 800 games, god knows how many CDs of music, not to mention TV shows on DVD and most all of this is I already digitized and put on hard drives on my home network so... ya I don't really need another streaming service beyond Netflix) so they don't offer anything I personally need.

I know I'm probably an outlier in whoever they're marketing this service to, but to me it's pointless and doesn't give enough to justify the $100 even if it's only once a year.

@laszlokovacs: Yeah. You can pay $25/yr for a membership to Barnes and Noble or Books-A-Million, and get the same benefits as Amazon as far as books. But the convenience of everything being in one place, is what makes Prime attractive.

Amazon Prime just doesn't fit your needs so it only makes sense to cancel your subscription. For me I like the free 2 day shipping on all my purchases. I have also been using the Amazon Instant Video way more than my Netflix. Haven't really dabbled in any of their other services but just these two are worth the $99 premium.

We are poor students currently and elected to not resub with Prime back in November. But the moment I graduate and get a job we will get another sub with them.

I've found it pretty easy to recoup the costs of Prime. You can save yourself many a trip to the store for household items, and you can knock out a ton of Christmas gifts easily online. It's easily worth a hundred bucks in spared headaches, wasted time, gas, etc. for me.

Also, I have no issues watching Instant Video stuff on my Samsung Galaxy SIII. I had to install their video player app, but it works perfectly.

I was literally going to tell you about this. I was thinking about canceling mine when it expires soon too. Honestly, I'd rather go into Gamestop or Walmart for games after work on release day rather than miss the Fedex guy and get delayed a day. I don't ever use their video stuff (Netflix has most of the same stuff I'd watch) or their music stuff. So, it holds no point for me. Plus, I don't do the subscription to groceries that they offer, so I don't benefit there, either. I'd rather save the $100 and get off my butt and go to Walmart or something.

Amazon does not have nearly as good prices here as they do in the States so I very rarely use them. It's mostly just a repository of third party sellers.

@notnert427: The app only works over wifi, is what I meant.

@mbradley1992: Yeah. I found that I hardly ever used it for games. I would rather pick it up on the way home from work, or first thing in the morning so I don't have to wait, and feel anxious about it arriving in time.

If you have a college email, I believe you can get it for $49 a year (or you used to be able to). Check out Amazon Student.

@octaslash said:

Yeah we took advantage of that for years and now they want proof. And I believe they took away some things so I would rather have the full Prime experience. We paid $30 for like 4 years.

I buy everything from Amazon. If I can't wait for something I go to Target, and obviously perishable foods like vegetables and meat come from local stores, but the vast majority of my household purchases are through Amazon. It winds up being cheaper than the store and I don't have to deal with fitting it into my insane schedule. I like Prime a lot, but it's probably not for everyone.

Hard to hold that against Amazon. Most mobile networks don't stream lengthy videos very well, if at all. Unless you have unlimited data, it would destroy you there anyway.

I go to University and Amazon Student is really great. I wouldn't pay for it otherwise though.

@notnert427: Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube do it just fine over my T-Mobile data. I gotta' do what's best for me.

Had a free trial of Amazon Prime UK back in December. The video streaming was nice, but their couriers are garbage people. Used them twice: First order was left on the doorstep, second went missing for a week and arrived after the replacement. Of course, the replacement wasn't sent using Amazon's couriers (I forget their name. Amazon Logistics, maybe?) but DPD.

Fuck Amazon Prime.

Prime is definitely something you have to evaluate whether or not it's worth it for you. I can't imagine living without it, and literally all I use it for is the free shipping. My primary entertainment are books, which I typically like to buy new since I keep them and take care of them, plus it's easier to just click "buy now" and not have to think about shit rather than sifting through the used ones. Books are cheap enough new anyway. Plus I want them (and everything) fast, and that two-day free delivery is a godsend. I also use amazon for a lot of shit I purchase on a regular basis, such as styling wax, vitamins, incense, flea medication, etc. Shit always comes up like HDMI cables, keyboards, what have you. I bought a meat thermometer off amazon just yesterday. I live in Chicago, with literally tons of stores everywhere, and I still feel like brick and mortar stores are almost always lacking in selection and competitive pricing, especially when I have to go through the inconvenience of getting to them. For instance, I have NO idea where I would go to get an HDMI cable other than radioshack where they are severely overpriced. I just don't see the advantage, unless it's something amazon doesn't offer or has a poor selection of, such as clothes, or bongs.

Should you get amazon prime is answered by two questions -

Would I save more in shipping than a year costs looking at the crap I bought there last year? Do I like their original shows or am I interested in them? If the answer to either of those is yes, get amazon prime. If it is no... well don't. It is that simple, the rest of the benefits are crap and can be easily gotten elsewhere.

I'll probably let my amazon prime subscription run out as well. I mean if you look at it compared to some of the subscription based streaming service like netflix or HBO GO (eventually when they go stand alone) I'm sure Amazon Prime is by far the better value because of all the other stuff it provides. I just can't justify paying $100 yearly fee for something I rarely use now a days and when I was a student it was like $60 cheaper. I can see the benefits of Amazon Prime to people who like shopping for stuff alot on the site and like their selection of movies and playing music, as for me I've become frugal as I've gotten older and Netflix + Hulu Plus has been more than adequate with my tv watching needs. Now I must finish Big Love before my Prime subscription finishes up in May.

Prime rules. Use it like a crack whore.

Way things are going id better build my skill set for a hopeful job with amazon before my current employer is shuttered...

2 day shipping is great, I can't give it up, especially when it comes to large awkward things I have no want or desire to go pick up myself, I easily save myself money just from that alone.

I love Prime. Then again, I pay for Student Prime which is only half the cost, making it very easily worth that price. Even if I had to pay full price I'd still say it was worth it given how many things I buy from there over the course of a year. The two-day shipping is fantastic.

If I could afford it, I would totally be a Prime member. Amazon has become my go to retailer for pretty much everything that's not food so the two day shipping is really nice.

I wish you could tick off certain things you don't want so you could pay a cheaper price though. I don't care for Amazon Instant Video at all.

$99.00, is that what it is, now? F##K!

I better get on with my plans of dropping cable and start using Amazon. I watch very little TV. But I won't do it. I watch a few hours of TV and am amazed all the shows and such. Then I go back to the internet, but still won't drop the cable...

I like Amazon Prime, but I've been a member since it launched back in 2005 when it was only about shipping. I get my money's worth with that alone. Everything else is an extra perk.

I do hate when they use OnTrac. Fuck those guys.

Saves me a lot on shipping, can't complain. The HBO content is a nice addition too.

I have Amazon Prime, it's ok. I buy enough stuff through them that it's worth it to have the free two-day shipping. However, looking at the difference between the Canadian Prime and American Prime, it is fuckin' crazy. Canadian Prime gets you free two day shipping and like 5gb of cloud storage. That is fuckin' it. No video streaming, no music, can't share it with your family members accounts, nothin'. I'm still gonna keep using it, but jesus, man.

I have Student Prime, but I'd still probably pay the full price. I only use the shipping. I don't mess with the other stuff. No time.

I love it. Mostly just for the shipping, I've browsed the streaming stuff but not used it much. Also....

....I'm sharing the account with a friend who buys a lot of horror DVDs and benefits from the free shipping. Also he bought his dad a Fire TV so Prime is good for that too. So combined with the fact that I'm getting the student price and I could split the membership fee with my friend...I'm totally happy with it.

I Amazon Prime. Hard. I've already ordered enough things this month to make this years Prime membership worth it.