I don't even use Amazon, but I definitely sympathize with prime subscribers. It's nearly a requirement for average people in their 30s. Have kids or limited time? Spouse likes a show on prime? Live in a rural area and the walmart 30 minutes away doesn't carry what you need? Shop at wholefoods regularly? Use a kindle?
As a single eccentric mid 30s guy in a small city, I get by without it. Its still annoying for me. This is the Microsoft-esque bundling strategy where several things you need are bundled in with a bunch you don't. It covers enough of the average demand to be nearly essential and products subsidize each other keeping the cost low.
I doubt it would pass the test of consumer-harm. However, it clearly stifles innovation as it is impossible to compete in any bundled category when your competitor is a megalith offering service nearly free or at cost.
This is why the poster above feels bullied. They know you need to subscribe. I personally quit prime years ago but I don't expect enough people to be able to do this to matter. For many people, even with the price bullying, bad ux and anti-consumer shit, the value is still there even if the original ROI has shrunk.
I'm a ruralite, the population of my town is 15k. There is no costco or sams club here. Whole Food's is a name I know only from seeing it online. We could not even keep little ceasar's open. Want clothes? hope you like Target or Kohl's, that's what we have.
I got rid of Prime last November and the thing that I noticed with my shopping is that the blue checkmark made a lot of garbage palatable that I can now simply skip over. I always could skip over it, but now I have no incentive to give it a chance at all. I don't even need to give Amazon the chance, actually. Specifically with clothes, I was fooling myself into thinking I would find good items with a blue checkmark. All the quality brands have taken their ball and gone home to their own website, now only chaff remains.
The extra week on every purchase is a little grating, but honestly, maybe spending money online SHOULD have some friction. the blue checkmark is brainrot. It's tricking you into importing garbage instead of being more selective. It's inviting you to impulse purchase instead of pausing and considering if this is worth it. free thyself.
> I don't even use Amazon, but I definitely sympathize with prime subscribers. It's nearly a requirement for average people in their 30s.
This seems like an exaggeration. You don't need to pay for Prime in order to shop on Amazon. You can even get free shipping without it. I can't think of any reason I'd want it. The only time I've ever had Prime was when Amazon somehow dark-patterned me into accidentally clicking it. I don't think not having Prime makes you eccentric, nor is eccentricity a prerequisite for living your life without a totally optional shopping service.
