Question Amazon Prime - some questions

[Buddy Bradley]

I was always under the impression that Amazon Prime was just their 1-day shipping service, so ignored it since I only order from them once a month or so. But now I'm checking it out, and it also includes streaming films, TV shows, free books, and streaming music.

So, I had a few questions, since for £8/month it might be an attractive offer.

1. I assume the 1-day shipping only applies to stuff they sell themselves, so any 'Amazon Seller' type e-shops won't be included?
2. What's the streaming service like? How reliable/fast is it? We don't live in a major city, is it likely to be a bit patchy?
3. What sort of quality films and TV shows do you get for free? Recent releases, or is it mostly older stuff?
4. Aside from the subscription fee, do they charge you extra for any specific pieces of it?

TIA.

 

[editor]

Amazon Prime is chuffing brilliant. The selection of TV/film content is immense and high quality, you don't pay postage on Prime goods and you get unlimited, full size photo back up.

 

[dylanredefined]

I was always under the impression that Amazon Prime was just their 1-day shipping service, so ignored it since I only order from them once a month or so. But now I'm checking it out, and it also includes streaming films, TV shows, free books, and streaming music.

So, I had a few questions, since for £8/month it might be an attractive offer.

1. I assume the 1-day shipping only applies to stuff they sell themselves, so any 'Amazon Seller' type e-shops won't be included?
2. What's the streaming service like? How reliable/fast is it? We don't live in a major city, is it likely to be a bit patchy?
3. What sort of quality films and TV shows do you get for free? Recent releases, or is it mostly older stuff?
4. Aside from the subscription fee, do they charge you extra for any specific pieces of it?

TIA.

1 depends on the stuff normally tell you if it applies or not.
2 depends on your internet tbh
3 Fair selection
4 you can buy other stuff like music and kindle unlimited

 

[killer b]

The film selection on Prime is ok. The very latest films you have to pay for, but the included selection usually has a few things you wouldn't mind watching on.

 

[joustmaster]

Do the free trial and see how you find it

 

[cybershot]

1. I assume the 1-day shipping only applies to stuff they sell themselves, so any 'Amazon Seller' type e-shops won't be included?

If it's 'fulfilled by Amazon' in other words, the supplier is using amazon warehouses to store their stock, then yes, many of these products are also available for 1 day delivery. Although the 1 day delivery can be hit and miss even for me in a big city like Birmingham. Depending on where I choose to get it delivered, it could be anything from next day to 2-3 days, I've even had 10 days for a DVD! Also take into account Amazon couriers deliver upto 9pm at night, so if you you think if i order this now I can get something working tomorrow, then, don't necessarily count your chickens, it could arrive quite late into the evening.

2. What's the streaming service like? How reliable/fast is it? We don't live in a major city, is it likely to be a bit patchy?

Depends on your download speed, I believe 2MBPS is the minimum recommened. I have posted in the Amazon Prime TV thread just yesterday that they seem to be doing something different and the quality of the streams seems to have gotten poorer over the past week. Probably not noticeable to anyone with a TV smaller than 42"

3. What sort of quality films and TV shows do you get for free? Recent releases, or is it mostly older stuff?

What's on my home screen atm

4. Aside from the subscription fee, do they charge you extra for any specific pieces of it?

Yes, the free books isn't as good, theres another sub service for unlimited kindle books.

There's also Amazon Prime Music which you've not noticed and is also included with Prime which gives you a Spotify type Music service, the UI is nowhere near as good, and many of the latest releases are not available for a good few months, however if you subscribe to Amazon Prime Music Unlimited for an extra £6 a month, then you get all the latest releases too.

For the most part everything is clearly labelled if you need to pay extra.

Other things included with Prime are free unlimited photo storage and 5GB of online storage for files.

 

[Saul Goodman]

Do the free trial and see how you find it

I did the free trial last year, and cancelled it after 2 days, as I only wanted it to buy something that was only available on Prime.
Fast forward to yesterday... I was checking my bank statements, and discovered what appeared to be a recurring, monthly payment. The amount varied slightly each month, which is why I hadn't noticed it previously. Anyway, I called Amazon, and it turns out I've been paying for Prime for almost a year, but not on the .co.uk site, on the .com site, which I had never used. Amazon.com said I must have signed up with them but I know 100% that I didn't. They did eventually cave in and refunded all of the payments, but I know for a fact it was an error on their part, and they just wouldn't admit it.
No idea why I posted this. I must be bored

 

[alcopop]

Amazon Prime is chuffing brilliant. The selection of TV/film content is immense and high quality, you don't pay postage on Prime goods and you get unlimited, full size photo back up.

Staff At Flagship Amazon Site Take Home Less Than Minimum Wage After Paying Bus ‘Benefit’

Chuffing brilliant!

 

[editor]

Staff At Flagship Amazon Site Take Home Less Than Minimum Wage After Paying Bus ‘Benefit’

Chuffing brilliant!

So you never use Amazon then, or any other goods or services with less than ideal working conditions for their employees?

The OP was asking about the service, not their working conditions.

If you can't offer anything useful, then kindly fuck off this thread with your dull, disruptive, beef-laden, personal point-scoring hypocrisy. Thanks.

 

[joustmaster]

So you never use Amazon then, or any other goods or services with less than ideal working conditions for their employees?

The OP was asking about the service, not their working conditions.

If you can't offer anything useful, then kindly fuck off this thread with your dull, disruptive, beef-laden, personal point-scoring hypocrisy. Thanks.

The very idea of avoiding Amazon seems impossible.
They run so much. Netflix, Channel 4, Adobe, Air BnB, Samsung, Nokia, Vodafone, Spotify

 

[Saul Goodman]

Staff At Flagship Amazon Site Take Home Less Than Minimum Wage After Paying Bus ‘Benefit’

Chuffing brilliant!

How is that even a story? Workers without cars have to pay to use a coach to get to work?
Doesn't everyone have to pay to use cars/buses/trains to get to work?
What next... Amazon only pays 1/4 of minimum wage, after rent and food is taken out?

 

[Spymaster]

Amazon Prime is at the top of my list of best value for money deals. I reckon I get back the cost in just p&p savings over the year and the rest (photo storage, music, films, kindle, etc) are excellent bonuses.

 

[skyscraper101]

For a small extra delivery fee you can also use Amazon Pantry for non-perishable food items delivery. I've gotten heavy stuff like Washing Power and Beer and that delivered from them.

 

[joustmaster]

Same day delivery is amazing. It makes me feel like I live in the future.

And Prime Now delivering things within two hours of ordering it is some kind of witchcraft

 

[Fez909]

And Prime Now delivering things within two hours of ordering it is some kind of witchcraft

This saved me at work recently.

Bought a brand new fancy computer to build over a weekend to do some heavy duty processing shiz, and was planning on just connecting to it over SSH. To save the company money, I didn't order a GPU as it wouldn't be needed anyway.

Turns out installing an OS without a screen is a ballache (obviously, in hindsight ) so I thought I was fucked.

Mate suggested Amazon Prime Now for a cheapo GPU. Didn't think they even sold stuff like that, but they do. Had a £35 nVidia card at my house within 2 hours...on a Sunday. Very impressive.

Have used it a few times when I've forgotten to monitor disk space as well. Disk full mid-morning, a new 5TB HDD delivered by lunch time and back to being able to do shit by afternoon.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

This saved me at work recently.

Bought a brand new fancy computer to build over a weekend to do some heavy duty processing shiz, and was planning on just connecting to it over SSH. To save the company money, I didn't order a GPU as it wouldn't be needed anyway.

Turns out installing an OS without a screen is a ballache (obviously, in hindsight ) so I thought I was fucked.

Mate suggested Amazon Prime Now for a cheapo GPU. Didn't think they even sold stuff like that, but they do. Had a £35 nVidia card at my house within 2 hours...on a Sunday. Very impressive.

Have used it a few times when I've forgotten to monitor disk space as well. Disk full mid-morning, a new 5TB HDD delivered by lunch time and back to being able to do shit by afternoon.

They sell everything. I get some pretty diverse stuff from them that's for sure.

Not available where I live, but been a few times I've stayed at my Dad's and had things same day!

 

[Buddy Bradley]

Bumping this to ask a supplemental question about Prime Video. Do they also have older content - so if I fancy watching Goonies or Vertigo or something, am I likely to find it on there?

Also, is it possible to watch stuff on Prime from anywhere in the world, if I have an account? Or do I have to tie it to my actual TV? (I travel for work, so being able to stream TV shows from my hotel room would be cool.)

 

[joustmaster]

Bumping this to ask a supplemental question about Prime Video. Do they also have older content - so if I fancy watching Goonies or Vertigo or something, am I likely to find it on there?

Also, is it possible to watch stuff on Prime from anywhere in the world, if I have an account? Or do I have to tie it to my actual TV? (I travel for work, so being able to stream TV shows from my hotel room would be cool.)

yes you can watch whilst abroad. It lets you download them as well. Incase bandwidth is an issue.

Goonies - No
Gremlins - Yes
Vertigo - No
North by Northwest - Yes

 

[Spymaster]

Bumping this to ask a supplemental question about Prime Video. Do they also have older content - so if I fancy watching Goonies or Vertigo or something, am I likely to find it on there?

Also, is it possible to watch stuff on Prime from anywhere in the world, if I have an account? Or do I have to tie it to my actual TV? (I travel for work, so being able to stream TV shows from my hotel room would be cool.)

Loads of that stuff although some you may have to pay for.

I just checked Vertigo and got this:



That's just what was on my screen without scrolling. The ones with the Prime banner at top left are included in the subscription. Those without you can buy or rent for about £3.50. The choice is enormous.

 

[Chilli.s]

Pretty much pays for itself in delivery savings at ours. The overnight/same day is great. This month you can watch the great Get Carter, a top classic film on the free list. I have stopped buying dvds as digital versions in HD stream so well and there's no cases to dust/loose, the copy stays on my amazon account forever to watch whenever.

 

[The39thStep]

yes you can watch whilst abroad. It lets you download them as well. Incase bandwidth is an issue.

Goonies - No
Gremlins - Yes
Vertigo - No
North by Northwest - Yes

I only get a section that says to watch abroad on mine. The majority is geo locked unless you use a VPN.

 

[joustmaster]

I only get a section that says to watch abroad on mine. The majority is geo locked unless you use a VPN.

looks like we're both right.
Amazon.co.uk Help: Watching Videos While Traveling Abroad

EU countries only

 

[ricbake]

What happens when there isn't anyone else to buy from?

Amazon Doesn’t Just Want to Dominate the Market—It Wants to Become the Market

 

[joustmaster]

It'll be right

 

[Dr. Furface]

I haven't bothered with it up to now as I don't buy enough from Amazon to make it worthwhile, but it looks like I'll have to join in September as they've now got exclusive rights to show the US Open tennis. The bastards.

 

[Buddy Bradley]

yes you can watch whilst abroad. It lets you download them as well. Incase bandwidth is an issue.

One final question, then - how does it deal with multiple devices using the same account? Before I got Spotify Family, it would occasionally kick me off at work because my wife had logged on at home. Does Prime video work the same way - if I try to watch something in a hotel while the kids are watching TV at home is it going to kick one of us off the account?

 

[scifisam]

One final question, then - how does it deal with multiple devices using the same account? Before I got Spotify Family, it would occasionally kick me off at work because my wife had logged on at home. Does Prime video work the same way - if I try to watch something in a hotel while the kids are watching TV at home is it going to kick one of us off the account?

You can share the prime benefits with a certain number of family members, so that would solve that problem.

I use prime now all the time. Get half my groceries there (Just not most fresh fruit and veg). Because it's with Morrison's it actually works out pretty much as cheap as any other supermarket shop. Also when I needed a wheelchair immediately I got one within an hour.

It is a great service but it's almost become too good - they have no real competition.

 

[Buddy Bradley]

Ok, I subbed. Kids are now squeeing over all the free movies they can watch.

 

[joustmaster]

Ok, I subbed. Kids are now squeeing over all the free movies they can watch.

have a look at the "prime now" food and drink service. Delivery in a couple of hours, usually from a Morrisons, and there is a voucher for £10 off your first £40 purchase.

 

[Buddy Bradley]

have a look at the "prime now" food and drink service. Delivery in a couple of hours, usually from a Morrisons, and there is a voucher for £10 off your first £40 purchase.

Not when you live in the middle of nowhere, unfortunately. We don't even get any fast food places delivering out here.