Amazon Prime Day, a shopping extravaganza (Amazon’s words) for Prime members takes place tomorrow (Wednesday, July 15), and it’s an event that is promising to rival Black Friday.
With all the hype surrounding it, many consumers are wondering if a Prime membership is worth it to cash in on all the great deals.
Well, we’re here to help you answer that question- and surprisingly, the answer is yes..well, for most of you.
First of all, let me explain that Prime Day is a 1-day only shopping sale open to Prime members only; it starts Wednesday, July 15 at 12 A.M. (PST)/ 3 A.M. (EST).
It is being done to celebrate Amazon’s 20 years of business and will feature deep discounts on almost everything; there will also be hourly specials on select items.
Anyone who signs up for an Amazon Prime membership gets a 30-day free trial, so you can sign up, take advantage of tomorrow’s deals and then cancel if you don’t like it.
A credit card is required at sign-up, but it will not be charged until the 30-days expire.
But for those who are seriously considering Prime membership, let me breakdown if it is a good deal- and for who.
Prime membership costs $99 a year and while that’s not cheap, it does come with some great perks- especially for those who shop regularly online.
With your membership you get express 2-day shipping on almost anything you order (seriously, almost everything qualifies), in addition to access to Amazon’s vast libraries.
Amazon has thousands of TV shows, movies, e-books, video games and more that members can get for free, or at reduced prices.
That is a real bargain for movie buffs, parents with young kids, or book lovers who already pay for these services.
Plus, members get exclusive deals and offer, like Amazon Prime Day, as a show of appreciation.
Now, while that really is a good deal overall, it may not be worth it for everyone, and there are some drawbacks.
To start with, if you don’t shop regularly, the 2-day shipping isn’t really necessary- not for $99 a year.
Some consumers feel Amazon is a bit expensive in their pricing, so if you don’t shop with them you may be put off shelling out $99 for the extras.
Same goes if you aren’t big on e-books or watching streaming TV shows-paying $99 for services you don’t need or use is silly.
I should also point out that many of the free TV shows and books offered are older, so that may not be a selling point if you’re looking for the latest titles for free.
To be fair though, many new titles are reduced in price, so it’s still a bargain.
So what’s the verdict? Well, overall Prime membership has a lot to offer- it’s really a question of whether or not it fits your lifestyle.
Those who are interested (or want to shop on Prime Day) may want to consider testing it out with the 30-day free trial- just remember to cancel before the 30-days are up or you will be charged.
Are you a member of Amazon Prime? Are you thinking of signing up in time for Prime Day?
Let us know your opinion and follow all my latest consumer news reports on Twitter!
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