Amazon Prime is one of the most iconic subscriptions on the planet and, in 2021, it includes a lot more than just free two-day shipping. While Prime is often thought of as nothing more than a way to get items delivered free and quickly on Amazon, the service has expanded over time to offer many other perks for subscribers.
Prime initially launched in February 2005 and, at the time, free two-day shipping was the only benefit offered. For $79/year, Prime subscribers could get unlimited two-day shipping on "over a million in-stock items." Fast forward to 2021, and Prime has gone through some substantial changes. It now costs either $12.99/month or $119/year. While that is considerably more than Prime's original price from 2005, the service now gives subscribers a boatload of additional features that do a lot to justify its steep price.
That said, all these years later, free shipping remains one of the biggest reasons to sign up for Amazon Prime. Amazon now offers free two-day delivery on 'millions' of items, in addition to one-day delivery on over 10 million items. Amazon even allows Prime subscribers to get free same-day delivery on over 3 million items in certain markets. There are also some nice perks for more specific shopping needs. Amazon's Ultrafast Grocery Delivery allows subscribers to two-hour delivery on a wide array of grocery items — so long as they live in a supported market. Shoppers who rely on prescriptions can get free two-day delivery from Amazon Pharmacy, as well as steep price discounts. Prime subscribers further benefit from No-Rush Shipping (longer delivery times for free Amazon credits), the ability to schedule delivery days for Amazon orders, and access to Amazon Key — a service that allows Amazon drivers to drop off packages inside someone's garage, home, or car.
Moving away from delivery features, Amazon Prime now offers a host of other shopping goodies too. Once a year, Prime members get exclusive access to Amazon Prime Day. It's a 48-hour shopping event where shoppers get "incredible savings and deep discounts on over one million deals across every category." During Prime Day and any other day of the week, Prime members also get 30-minute early access to Lightning Deals that frequently appear on Amazon. For folks that want to get the best possible savings at Amazon, Prime members can sign up for the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card and get 5 percent cash back on all Amazon and Whole Foods purchases. Other shopping benefits include Prime Wardrobe (try on select clothes before buying), Amazon Family (discounts on certain items for families), and Prime Exclusive Deals (discounts on Amazon only available to Prime subscribers).
Shopping may be the main focus for Amazon, but in 2021, the company offers a lot more than that. For people that do a lot of streaming, Amazon Prime has a surprising amount to offer. Right off the bat, all Prime members get free access to Prime Video — Amazon's video streaming service that costs $8.99/month on its own. Going from video to music, Prime members also get Amazon Music Prime. While it's not a full-on replacement to something like Spotify or Apple Music, it does give people over 2 million songs they can listen to for free. For Prime users who want to take things up a notch, Amazon offers them a 20 percent discount on Amazon Music Unlimited plans. What about all the gamers out there? For them, Amazon Prime includes Prime Gaming. This gives subscribers free games and in-game content every month, in addition to a free monthly Twitch channel subscription. Members also benefit from Amazon Photos and Amazon Kids+. The former offers free and unlimited cloud photo storage. The latter includes thousands of "kid-friendly books, movies, educational apps and games on compatible devices." While Kids+ is available to everyone, Prime members can get it at a 40 percent discount.
Last but not least, let's talk about reading benefits. The printed word is where Amazon has its roots, and all these years later, it's still a big focus for the company. For anyone subscribed to Amazon Prime, they can use Prime Reading. This offers unlimited access to over a thousand ebooks, magazines, and comics on any connected device. Subscribers are also treated to Amazon First Reads, allowing them to "read next month's new releases today." For magazine fans, a Prime membership also allows folks to sign up for "select 4-month magazine subscriptions" for just $0.99 each. When all of that's added together, it's safe to say that Amazon Prime members get their money's worth.
Source: Amazon
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