"Exclusively for Prime Members" items on Amazon (US)

Discussion in 'Coupons, Discounts & Sales' started by grouploner, May 27, 2015.

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  1. grouploner

    grouploner Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    I did a search and didn't find anything about this, so if there's a thread on this already I apologize. I'm curious to see what you folks think...

    Recently, while browsing through the vinyl on Amazon US, I've noticed certain items listed for sale "Exclusively for Prime Members", usually (but not always) at a mildly discounted price.

    Here are some examples -

    The Beatles 2LP "1962 - 1966" 2014 180g LP reissue (red album) for $24.99:
    http://amzn.com/B00OGPK5FA

    Father John Misty "I Love You, Honeybear" standard 2LP for $12.99:
    http://amzn.com/B00P7PKDZA

    Has anyone else noticed this? Is this something new, or has it been going on for a while?

    I've obviously noticed it with vinyl, but I think other items might be involved in these sales as well. These discs don't even seem to be available for purchase unless you have Prime, which just kinda seems wrong to me (and I'm a Prime member).

    And lastly, is there any way to search for JUST these items? I've tried but haven't been able to come up with anything yet, but I'd be curious to see what's available...
     
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  2. keef00

    keef00 Senior Member

    I haven't noticed these items, but there is a topic on it in the Amazon Customer Discussion forum. There isn't much useful information there, as the topic consists mainly of comically oh-my-God-it's-the-end-of-the-world type posts.
     
  3. Reader

    Reader Senior Member

    Location:
    e.s.t. tenn.
    I've seen a couple DVDs listed that way. They had about 60-70% discounts and were only available about 1 day then reverted to the standard price and available to anyone. If I see anymore I post the info ASAP.
     
  4. BIGGER Dave

    BIGGER Dave Forum Resident

    Yes! I noticed the new (2014) Beatles Blue and Beatles Red on vinyl are just $24.99 each with FREE 2-Day shipping. Ordered both for just $49.98! Should be here in 48 hours!
     
  5. Clark V Kauffman

    Clark V Kauffman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Des Moines, Iowa
    Ha! I did the exact same thing after seeing this thread. (Thanks to the original poster for the heads-up!)

    I have been waiting for months for some sort of sale on these two double-LP sets, and I checked Amazon as recently as Sunday night, but at that time they were the still the 'regular' price of roughly $34 each. I have to say, $24.99 is easily the best price I have seen on these albums since they were released, and the free shipping really sweetens the deal.

    I see that the new vinyl version of "1" is also available for $24.99, as is the stereo vinyl versions of "The Beatles" (the White Album), and "Past Masters."

    The "Love" double-vinyl set is still $34.99, for some reason.

    No discounts yet on the "Live At The BBC" volumes, or on "Mono Masters."
     
  6. lightbulb

    lightbulb Not the Brightest of the Bunch

    Location:
    Smogville CA USA
    On Amazon Customer Discussion there's numerous complaints about Amazon Prime Membership being required to order some items, and many have decided to stop buying Amazon. After maybe a few million more complaints, then maybe the retail behemoth will reconsider.

    Seriously, this could evolve into something ugly for us physical media buyers that don't need the product within 48 hours...

    And once that becomes their standard business model, $99.99 could jump to $199.99 in a heartbeat.
     
  7. Clark V Kauffman

    Clark V Kauffman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Des Moines, Iowa
    Those are all good points. I happen to love Prime because I do buy a lot from Amazon and it has saved me a fortune in shipping fees. I also watch a lot of free-with-Prime streaming video via the Roku. So that's a big benefit, too.
    Are they really refusing to sell certain items to non-Prime-buyers, or is it just that those folks don't get the discounts?
     
  8. PHILLYQ

    PHILLYQ Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn NY
    You pay more, you get more-what a concept!:)
    If you order 20 items a year it's worth it, and you get streaming music, movies, etc.
    What particular items are on sale only for Prime members? I haven't seen anything where Amazon refuses to sell something to non-Prime members.
    So on Amazon Customer Discussion are large groups of people who won't buy from Amazon anymore, posting this to Amazon's website? Got a link?
     
  9. grouploner

    grouploner Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    No, if you don't have Prime, there's not even an option to purchase...even at a higher price. The "Add To Cart" button is not there. And you get a message saying that only Prime members can purchase.

    I normally don't like when people just respond, "read the thread", but c'mon guy, there's only 7 posts above yours. I posted 2 links to specific items in post #1 (and there are many more in various categories if you look around), and Keef00 posted the link to the Amazon website discussion in post #2 (click on the highlighted words 'Amazon Customer Discussion' in his post).

    Apparently these items are only exclusive for a limited time, and then they revert back to normal...and then apparently other items are exclusive.

    I don't think the question is whether Prime is "worth it", I actually agree that it is...TO ME, anyway. But some people might not purchase enough, or want to stream, or whatever. In that case, is it a good business model to tell them that they need to pay $100 a year to buy certain things at certain times, like Sam's Club or Costco?
     
    Last edited: May 28, 2015
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  10. danner

    danner Forum Resident

    Location:
    Birmingham, AL
    I actually just saw the exclusive notice on the Coen Brothers Blu-ray set yesterday. First time I've ever seen it.

    I guess it's not the first time a retailer has required a membership for purchasing items. Is Amazon slowly moving toward being the Costco of the internet?
     
  11. PHILLYQ

    PHILLYQ Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn NY
    Seems like a targeted sale to Prime members, just like presales of concert tickets.
    Keefo also commented that "There isn't much useful information there, as the topic consists mainly of comically oh-my-God-it's-the-end-of-the-world type posts."
     
  12. Davidmk5

    Davidmk5 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Marlboro , ma. usa
    I don't have a problem with Prime only sales or early purchase on items everyone from ticketmaster to Barnes & noble has had stuff like this .
    It would not change my shopping habits , i'd still shop wherever the great price is .....
     
  13. Clark V Kauffman

    Clark V Kauffman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Des Moines, Iowa
    Hasn't Amazon long had a practice -- albeit a not-too-highly-publicized practice -- of offering certain items for sale, at different prices, to past customers who may or may not be Prime members? Not sure what the big deal is...

    It stands to reason that a company will offer certain customers better pricing on certain products, right? Sometimes, as with the airlines, a better price is a reward for customer loyalty. Other times, as with newspapers and magazines, it's an incentive to potential new customers.

    Below is a link to a 2005 news article that references this industry practice of so-called "dynamic pricing" by web retailers. With regard to Amazon, specifically, the article notes the following: "In September 2000, Amazon.com outraged some customers when its own price discrimination was revealed. One buyer reportedly deleted the cookies on his computer that identified him as a regular Amazon customer. The result? He watched the price of a DVD offered to him for sale drop from $26.24 to $22.74. The company said the difference was the result of a random price test and offered to refund customers who paid the higher prices. And apparently, Amazon had experimented with such random price tests more than once. Consumers also discovered in 2000 that Amazon was using dynamic pricing when customers comparing prices on a 'bargain-hunter' Web site discovered that Amazon was randomly offering the Diamond Rio MP3 player for up to $51 less than its usual $233.95 price."

    http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/06/24/ramasastry.website.prices/


     
  14. Dave Garrett

    Dave Garrett Senior Member

    Location:
    Houston, TX
    I think the appearance of "Prime members only" items was mentioned recently in a thread in the Visual Arts forum. It was the first I'd heard of this practice, and I'm a Prime member.
     
  15. grouploner

    grouploner Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Yes, Amazon's well-known for odd pricing structures. This is a bit different though, don't you think? It's not that they're offering a discount to Prime members, it's that you can't purchase it AT ALL unless you have Prime.

    You did mention, Clark, in post #5 that you purchased both Beatles 'Red' and 'Blue' LP's for $24.99 each. If you read the thread and didn't have Prime membership, you would have only been able to purchase the Blue set. The red one would have been unavailable to you, unless you paid the extra $99 for the Prime membership (with, of course, all the other benefits that the Prime membership entails).

    I have Prime as well, so it's not really that big of a deal to me personally, but I'm not sure what the benefit is with this particular practice. If, as you said, there were 2 different pricing structures, it would be understandable, being considered as a benefit to loyal customers. But that's not the way it seems to work.
     
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  16. grouploner

    grouploner Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    By the way, the Father John Misty LP (linked to in Post #1) is still only available if you have Prime, but is now increased from $12.99 to $21.56.
     
  17. kwadguy

    kwadguy Senior Member

    Location:
    Cambridge, MA
    I am not sure if I'd get my knickers in a twist over this. Anyone is allowed to purchase Prime. If you don't purchase Prime, then there a few esoteric items you may not be able to buy directly from Amazon. I have Prime, but I don't care about those items. And if I didn't have Prime, I wouldn't care about those items, either.

    Prime is $100/year. If this is the kind of thing that keeps you up at night, spend the $8.50 a month for peace of mind.
     
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  18. KeithH

    KeithH Success With Honor...then and now

    Location:
    Beaver Stadium
    Membership has its privileges.
     
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  19. AZRunner

    AZRunner Forum Resident

    Location:
    SW FL
    Looks like you can still buy the items from 3rd party sellers if you really want them. The Beatles red album is actually a few cents cheaper, but you have to pay the 3.99 shipping.
     
  20. BIGGER Dave

    BIGGER Dave Forum Resident

    Both Beatles Red and Blue in vinyl arrived today. Although they were ordered together, Red came USPS and Blue came UPS. I suppose they weren't available from the same distribution center...
     
  21. Clark V Kauffman

    Clark V Kauffman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Des Moines, Iowa
    Thanks again to grouploner for the original post. My LPs arrived today in beautiful shape. These have to be the best-ever pressings of this classic set. Gorgeous printing, too, with laminated covers, sturdy inner sleeves and the "new" liner notes to accompany the lyrics. Spectacular!

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  22. jsb!

    jsb! Forum Resident

    Worth noting, of course, that those of us who live outside the USA are flat outta luck here. One of the mono Beatles records was literally in my basket to buy, but now I can't.

    Oh well.
     
  23. greenman

    greenman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sweden
    Yes, all of us foreign buyers who can't do Prime gets the shaft. I added three blu-rays to my cart only to get the message about Prime exclusivity. They were removed, but remained in my cart, and a week later that Prime only thing had gone, I could add and buy those movies again. Luckily, in this case, the low price remained.

    So for some things a little time and patience might work out. It is mighty irratating when it happens though.
     
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  24. Daniel Plainview

    Daniel Plainview God's Lonely Man

    I noticed this too. Had a "King of the Hill" season in my cart and suddenly it said, "nyah nyah...you can't have it!" so I was like, "screw you, I'll buy it someplace else" and went on with my life. Hoping the future isn't a "Sam's Club" type of thing where Amazon only offers sale prices to their precious Prime members. I don't want to be tied down.
     
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  25. I would expect Amazon to move more and more of their items to Prime exclusivity.
     
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