For a while now shopping at Amazon has been a bit of a game, as you desperately try not to get 'accidentally' signed up for Amazon Prime. So far I've been successful.

Today I've tried to buy something that, as far as I can tell, you can only buy if you sign up for Amazon Prime at the same time.

So, well done Amazon. You've lost this sale, and I will try and avoid you in future.

Actually, that's not right.

It appears that I have played the game and lost, and have been signed up for my free trial of Amazon Prime, which is why that's the only delivery option showing up.



Normally I like to think of myself as a good loser, but I am now effing steaming, both at Amazon and my own stupidity/not paying attention.

Normally there's a small button to proceed without agreeing to Amazon Prime delivery etc, but it's not always obvious.

Quote from: Steve J on 16 May 2021, 08:12:49 PM

Normally there's a small button to proceed without agreeing to Amazon Prime delivery etc, but it's not always obvious.

Yes, that's what I do.

I find you have to navigate carefully to get the option you really want ...... and that is not good customer service.

Personally we find Prime great.

But if you don't want it, just cancel it. You can even cancel after the free trial period if you haven't used it (or you certainly used to be able to). But the interface is annoying if you are happy to just pay delivery for what you order.

Tell them now to cancel it when the month is up and spend a month getting free deliveries and access to  free tv/ movies for a month.

Personally, I signed up deliberately and find the one day delivery and access to entertainment worth the minimal cost.

I've been on Prime for over 12 years and always found out worthwhile, but if you do have issues their customer service is generally pretty good.

So now, when you get those phone calls from 'Amazon Prime'... you will know that they are looking after your account!  
I got suckered into Prime  by my own error once... but was easy to cancel. PITA though!  

I don't 'stream' movies, etc. so not for me.

I always click the ignore button. Most of my stuff comes from small retailers via Royal Mail.

Quote from: Steve J on 16 May 2021, 08:12:49 PM
Normally there's a small button to proceed without agreeing to Amazon Prime delivery etc, but it's not always obvious.

No...It's not !

But I've always found it, in the end.

I DID take the offer of a free thirty day trial once.....(when the goods I wanted were only available if you used Prime)......But cancelled it after 30 days..
Those particular 'Prime' goods ARE now available to non-Prime users.

The slightly odd thing, is that now they're offering me free 30 day trials again

Cheers - Phil.

I tried the 30 day trial once, but found that most goods I wanted I could find cheaper via retailers other than Amazon, so cancelled it. Our daughter has Prime free for 3 or 6 months being a student and we've found the streaming service to be very good, with a much greater range of films series etc than Netflix. Most importantly SWMBO enjoys it!

Quote from: Techno II on 17 May 2021, 06:07:35 AM
No...It's not !

But I've always found it, in the end.

I DID take the offer of a free thirty day trial once.....(when the goods I wanted were only available if you used Prime)......But cancelled it after 30 days..
Those particular 'Prime' goods ARE now available to non-Prime users.

The slightly odd thing, is that now they're offering me free 30 day trials again

Cheers - Phil.

If you wait long enough they GOOD NEWS! offer you it again FREEE AMAZON PRIME TRIAL! My partner gets the student discount (perks of working at a Uni), but I've signed up a couple of times for Xmas or similar for pressies etc then cancelled afterwards

Amazon took my Prime sub just before I left for the Netherlands. I asked them to transfer my account to Amazon NL. this appeared to be beyond their ken, despite me spending nearly an hour on the phone with an Amazon "hero" who clearly had no idea what he was doing or how to find out what he should do to transfer my account. In the end he just gave up. Since arriving in the Netherlands I started to use a similar Dutch company, who don't faff around with  their own TV station and what have you. The website is available in Dutch and English (unlike Amazon NL - only Dutch), and I can obtain English language books, plus all the usual kinds of products that Amazon offer. Ordered Bevor's Arnhem yesterday, to be delivered today. Incidentally, about three weeks ago I started getting 2 or 3 emails a day from Amazon about an order they were unable to fulfill as my details could no longer get them any money, and would I therefore update my details. Just deleted them until they eventually gave up after about 10 days. Won't be getting anything from them ever again.

Interesting thread given Amazon must be doing a lot right to grow as it has.  I've found Prime essential during the pandemic whilst shielding, their vans have been here once or twice a week with something or other including food and household essentials like paints, brushes, basing materials,..  And time spent searching out other suppliers on websites is time that could be spent on THE hobby!  And the time needed to trawl physical shops/traffic/find parking etc have all but killed off that way of buying anything for me even before masks and sanitiser regimes. 

I can understand the anger if you have been signed up against your will.  Suggest you just maximise your use during the free trial and then cancel.  24/7 streaming on Amazon prime, some free Kindle downloads, have Morrisons food delivered, order lots and lots of stuff and then return it under distance regs  etc etc

The REALLY scary thing is how Amazon use your past order data to make ever more accurate recommendations on what else they think you want/need.   It works far too well on me for military history books, dvds, household stuff.  Only really goes wrong with big purchases that any human would know you wont be buying again soon.  Just imagine guys, the day when Leon sends you an unexpected package of his latest and greatest with a note saying "As you normally order every 4 months, I just knew you would love the enclosed brand new army pack"  Your card has been debited.