Amazon prime

kimwp

Doc_N said:

I see there are suggestions of differential pricing between Prime and non-Prime. In a sense, that’s true, because there are often special deals available only to Prime members. There are however no circumstances in which better prices are available only to non-Prime customers. All the prices, from all sellers, are available with one click of a mouse. We have both types of account in this household - there simply are no pricing differences between them, except for the lower special Prime deals.

I don't think they were suggesting differential pricing, more that the prime members would be preferentially shown products where prime membership would make the individual item plus postage cheaper, but taking advantage of the free posting on bundling products into orders over £35 could result in a non-prime-eligible product being cheaper than the cheapest prime-eligible product. 

RipleyG

@kimwp t's not been as complicated as bundling and playing around with postage. Quite simply, she (sometimes) sees a higher price for the same item when she opens a link I send. The item she sees is always distributed from amazon, whereas the link I see (when opened with my non-prime account) is from a different seller. 

An example (not specifically prime delivery, but Amazon delivery rather than direct from seller) is a Cotman watercolour set. Here's a link which shows, and opens again for me, with a price of £13.95 and free delivery direct from seller. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00004THXI/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ARIV8FGXYT0YD&psc=1

When she opens the link, the price defaulted to is the cheapest price for a seller using amazon distribution - that's £14.06. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Winsor-Newton-Cotman-Sketchers-Pocket/dp/B00004THXI/ref=mp_s_a_1_3_maf_3?crid=PRRHAXL7ZJIS&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.gXWSbO1ODDDXZKS-FtlcMHdluyqZkRQgVUjEBq9esbIJqEhDTtD4vcwlj18pOaHZyExsdDEUNAkaSCC-e0V3u2tZ0SvtCSP6DHUG7VL-nTjEsoEOOaMzBALUP_SE7_qvCO1LjH-Py2GJOLqvqRGapPMOvwXu_bh7lu_-qBV6kIb4sAHVodAzMXlMtF6tl13Qo9sE4qb8nYkP4eXq-Q6dyQ.8JxkeKiWc30VPe-INEKYmu9kXpOxwvkD1KE5WZlft1I&dib_tag=se&keywords=watercolour+paint+set+cotman&qid=1743238979&sprefix=watercolour+paint+set+cotman%2Caps%2C270&sr=8-3


Small beans in this case, but we've found bigger differences.

@Doc_N is absolutely right - we can both click through to the other prices easily, but we assumed that if she just clicked and bought from a link I sent, she would be buying at the price I'd expected. The only reason we discovered it is because we have strict birthday present price limits - I sent her a link to something I'd like, she came back with a reply to say "er, that's over our limit". 

kimwp

RipleyG said:

@kimwp t's not been as complicated as bundling and playing around with postage. Quite simply, she (sometimes) sees a higher price for the same item when she opens a link I send. The item she sees is always distributed from amazon, whereas the link I see (when opened with my non-prime account) is from a different seller. 

An example (not specifically prime delivery, but Amazon delivery rather than direct from seller) is a Cotman watercolour set. Here's a link which shows, and opens again for me, with a price of £13.95 and free delivery direct from seller. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00004THXI/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ARIV8FGXYT0YD&psc=1

When she opens the link, the price defaulted to is the cheapest price for a seller using amazon distribution - that's £14.06. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Winsor-Newton-Cotman-Sketchers-Pocket/dp/B00004THXI/ref=mp_s_a_1_3_maf_3?crid=PRRHAXL7ZJIS&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.gXWSbO1ODDDXZKS-FtlcMHdluyqZkRQgVUjEBq9esbIJqEhDTtD4vcwlj18pOaHZyExsdDEUNAkaSCC-e0V3u2tZ0SvtCSP6DHUG7VL-nTjEsoEOOaMzBALUP_SE7_qvCO1LjH-Py2GJOLqvqRGapPMOvwXu_bh7lu_-qBV6kIb4sAHVodAzMXlMtF6tl13Qo9sE4qb8nYkP4eXq-Q6dyQ.8JxkeKiWc30VPe-INEKYmu9kXpOxwvkD1KE5WZlft1I&dib_tag=se&keywords=watercolour+paint+set+cotman&qid=1743238979&sprefix=watercolour+paint+set+cotman%2Caps%2C270&sr=8-3


Small beans in this case, but we've found bigger differences.

@Doc_N is absolutely right - we can both click through to the other prices easily, but we assumed that if she just clicked and bought from a link I sent, she would be buying at the price I'd expected. The only reason we discovered it is because we have strict birthday present price limits - I sent her a link to something I'd like, she came back with a reply to say "er, that's over our limit". 

Ooh, we need an investigative journalist on this!

kimwp

RipleyG said:

@kimwp t's not been as complicated as bundling and playing around with postage. Quite simply, she (sometimes) sees a higher price for the same item when she opens a link I send. The item she sees is always distributed from amazon, whereas the link I see (when opened with my non-prime account) is from a different seller. 

An example (not specifically prime delivery, but Amazon delivery rather than direct from seller) is a Cotman watercolour set. Here's a link which shows, and opens again for me, with a price of £13.95 and free delivery direct from seller. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00004THXI/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ARIV8FGXYT0YD&psc=1

When she opens the link, the price defaulted to is the cheapest price for a seller using amazon distribution - that's £14.06. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Winsor-Newton-Cotman-Sketchers-Pocket/dp/B00004THXI/ref=mp_s_a_1_3_maf_3?crid=PRRHAXL7ZJIS&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.gXWSbO1ODDDXZKS-FtlcMHdluyqZkRQgVUjEBq9esbIJqEhDTtD4vcwlj18pOaHZyExsdDEUNAkaSCC-e0V3u2tZ0SvtCSP6DHUG7VL-nTjEsoEOOaMzBALUP_SE7_qvCO1LjH-Py2GJOLqvqRGapPMOvwXu_bh7lu_-qBV6kIb4sAHVodAzMXlMtF6tl13Qo9sE4qb8nYkP4eXq-Q6dyQ.8JxkeKiWc30VPe-INEKYmu9kXpOxwvkD1KE5WZlft1I&dib_tag=se&keywords=watercolour+paint+set+cotman&qid=1743238979&sprefix=watercolour+paint+set+cotman%2Caps%2C270&sr=8-3


Small beans in this case, but we've found bigger differences.

@Doc_N is absolutely right - we can both click through to the other prices easily, but we assumed that if she just clicked and bought from a link I sent, she would be buying at the price I'd expected. The only reason we discovered it is because we have strict birthday present price limits - I sent her a link to something I'd like, she came back with a reply to say "er, that's over our limit". 

£14.06 for me (non-prime member)

RipleyG

kimwp said: £14.06 for me (non-prime member)

From the first link? Still shows £13.95 for me. 

I rarely use amazon these days - probably only twice a year - so I can't be confident it's consistent, but we have spotted it more than once. 

Bertiebestdog

As others have said it's dependent on lots of factors. For me it's good value, nearest big town 30 miles away, nearest lockers 8 miles away, nearest small town just cafes, gift shops and charity shops. £95 is a bargain compared to the cost of petrol and time to physically go out to shops. 

Doc_N

Here’s another one that’s much cheaper with Prime:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08L5DX25C

Around £20 cheaper with Prime.

booneruk

Doc_N said:

Here’s another one that’s much cheaper with Prime:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08L5DX25C

Around £20 cheaper with Prime.

I think this one's an example where a retailer ramps a price up to make it look like a real wonder-deal during a promotion period.

If you bought it without prime now you'd really suffer, but it was £21 with or without prime a week and a bit ago (according to my price tracker browser extension) before the 'Prime spring deal' period started. Once that hit, the non prime price jumped up and the prime price plummeted.

Mnoee

Doc_N said:

Here’s another one that’s much cheaper with Prime:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08L5DX25C

Around £20 cheaper with Prime.

Who's paying RRP for an advent calendar at the start of spring?!

I know, there'll be bargain hunters buying long life calendars cheap out of season. But the 'normal price' of Christmas stuff right now is not RRP. The non-prime price may as well be thousands, the market for full price tiny jams in specifically festive packaging is not large. 

Doc_N

Mnoee said:

Doc_N said:

Here’s another one that’s much cheaper with Prime:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08L5DX25C

Around £20 cheaper with Prime.

Who's paying RRP for an advent calendar at the start of spring?!

I know, there'll be bargain hunters buying long life calendars cheap out of season. But the 'normal price' of Christmas stuff right now is not RRP. The non-prime price may as well be thousands, the market for full price tiny jams in specifically festive packaging is not large. 

Of course. It was merely one example of a low price available only to Prime customers. There are plenty more, and it's just a factor to bear in mind when deciding. For this family Prime is an absolute bargain, but for many others it won't be. 

As for the advent calendar, Amazon is likely to be the only place you can find one and get it delivered to the door at no extra cost. A bargain for some, complete waste of money for others.