It’s also allowing Amazon to anticipate demand in particular areas and push supply logistics out to areas where they can anticipate more usage. This coupled with the fact that they are creating their own shipping service (I’ve already seen them here in SF as an alternate carrier for business deliveries)… it’s an interesting mix. And yeah, the mere fact that you have the perception you can get free shipping on most of anything simply allows you to buy more. I remember before Prime I was always trying to combine orders and shipments and might have held off buying a few things because of extra shipping. Now I don’t give a crap (though paying taxes still sucks).
I’ve been a Prime member for years, and definitely buy more at Amazon than before Prime, though not things like laundry detergent and TP.
As far as taxes go, I’m so glad I live in Oregon. :-)
2011: I spent about $60 on Amazon
2012: I spent about $60 on Amazon
2013: I spent about $560 on Amazon
January of 2014: I’ve already spent about $280 on Amazon
Yeah, I’ve yet to see my own numbers, but Prime has certainly got me buying a HECK of a lot more via web. I mean, I’d occasionally grab something from Newegg or pay shipping for something from Amazon when it’s hard to find, but now? I don’t blink twice. I’ll even spend an extra few bucks here or there just so I don’t have to step foot outside of my home to get something.
Lately the only sites I spend money at are Amazon, Steam and GOG. To the point that, I recently purchased the new Wax Fang album and felt uncomfortable typing in my info.
Haha, wow, didn’t realize that Amazon’s got a reporting option for purchases.
Good God I spent a lot there in '12 and the first half of '13. Probably won’t renew Prime this year if the missus doesn’t get a real job, soon, though; her continued unemployment’s really cut into the value of Prime (insofar as we rarely order anything anymore; Walmart’s marginally to noticeably cheaper for essentials and we’re cutting non-essentials where possible).
Still, the jump in orders from Pre-Prime to Post-Prime is enormous. Never even realized. . .
This. If I can have toilet paper and kitty litter show up on my doorstep, rather than having to drag an exhausted and ravenous preschooler through the store after work, everybody wins.
Hover over name in top right, choose My Account. There should be an option for “download order reports” which leads you to the surprisingly configurable little tool.
The thing that makes Prime particularly crazy is that you can share it among multiple people - I think four per account. My mom is the one actually paying for Prime, but I’m almost certainly the one using it the most. But yeah, it’s definitely a business driver. I barely shopped on Amazon at all pre-Prime because shipping invariably drove online prices higher than local and Super Saver shipping just didn’t match my buying habits. But free two day shipping on items that are usually below local retail prices, especially when I don’t drive and thus shopping is a huge hassle? Well, yes, I think I -will- buy that on Amazon. And that. And that. And that. And in addition to being nearly impossible for local stores to compete with, it’s also very difficult for other online businesses to compete with. I used to buy all my computer parts on Newegg because they were pretty reasonable about shipping and had better prices than anybody in town, but it turns out that Amazon’s prices are similar these days and, yup, free two day shipping. Or, on a big ticket item, fuck it, $4 one day. Even if the other site has free shipping, it’s probably slowest-possible ground service.
Honestly, it worries me. Amazon’s been really really good for a long time and their customer service is the best I’ve ever encountered, but god, if they decide to turn to the dark side? We’re all fucked.
