16 Perks of Amazon Prime No One Tells You About
Since we know the date for Amazon Prime Day (basically Amazon’s annual version of Black Friday) is just two weeks away on July 15, we want to make sure you're aware of all the benefits that come with being an Amazon Prime member (it goes away beyond just free, 2-day shipping). That's why we rounded up a list of the very best perks you get when you sign up to become a Prime member.
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If you’re still on the fence about paying the membership fee of $119 a year (or $12.99 a month), we totally get it. But remember, only Prime members can shop the deals, discounts, and score freebies on Amazon Prime Day. Non-members are not be eligible to participate. But, to be honest, after you read about all benefits of signing up, we think you'll be ready to officially join the club.
1. Get exclusive Whole Foods discounts in stores.
Along with at-home deliveries, fresh food retailer Whole Foods is rolling out savings exclusively to Prime members. You’ll also get an additional 10% off of sale items just by being a subscriber. To access the discounts, download the Whole Foods Market app to your phone and sign in with your Amazon information. Then, keep an eye out for blue and yellow signs indicating discounts while you shop. Once you get to the checkout, have the cashier scan your app and the savings will automatically be applied. It’s as simple as that!
2. Get cash back when you reload your account balance.
The Amazon Reload program is a convenient payment plan for people who shop on the site regularly (so, everyone?). It's simple: You load up your account with a desired amount and then shop away. But here's the real reward: When Prime Members reload their balance with a bank account or debit card, Amazon adds an extra 2% to the total balance. Cheers to more spending money!
3. Try a sample before purchasing a full-size product.
A program called Prime Samples is about to change the way you shop for skincare (and food, vitamins, you name it). Now, you can purchase a sample for around $2 to $4, then if you like the item, the money you spent on the sample goes towards the full-size item. And if you don't like it, you won't end up wasting money on a full bottle that just ends up in your trash.
4. Trade-in items for a gift card or discounts.
In exchange for thousands of eligible items (think video games, Kindle E-readers, books, cell phones, and more) Amazon will send you a gift card. Just go online to see if your item is eligible and what you'll get in return. If you choose to proceed, you'll get a free pre-paid shipping label to send in your item. If it's not accepted and returned to you, there's no cost for the return shipping.
5. Watch exclusive binge-worthy shows.
You might have heard of a little show called Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. It's one of Amazon's original programs from their Prime Video service, which is available to all subscribers. But outside of exclusive television, you can also watch movies and shows from other networks including Comedy Central's Inside Amy Schumer and even HBO's entire back catalog.
6. Get reimbursed when your deliveries are late.
We all know the two-day shipping is one of the biggest draws of an Amazon Prime membership, so it can be frustrating when your package doesn't come on time. Amazon gets it, which is why they created their late-delivery refund policy. If your Prime package doesn't get delivered within the hours Amazon specified, you'll receive a shipping refund and may even qualify for one free month of Amazon Prime. All you have to do is contact Amazon via email, phone, or live chat, and they'll handle the rest.
7. Get rewards for choosing no-rush shipping.
If you don't need your package right away, there are some seriously perks for selecting free no-rush shipping at checkout. Amazon will still deliver your package within six business days, and to say thanks for giving them some extra prep time, they'll give you a reward credit that you can use on things like eBooks, Amazon Instant Video movies, groceries on Prime Pantry, and more.
8. Get Whole Foods delivered to your door.
If you can't stand the after work crowd, you're in luck. Prime customers can shop for certain Whole Food groceries on Amazon with same-day or one-day shipping. On top of that, select Whole Foods 365 products are now on Prime Now, a 2-hour delivery service available in select locations.
9. Read to your heart's desire for free.
Your Prime membership is basically like the library card of the future, because with it you can read unlimited books, magazines, and comics using the Kindle app. You used to be limited to one free Kindle book per month from the "Editor's Picks" list, but now they're unlimited, so go wild.
10. Store unlimited photos.
Face it, your phone doesn't have enough space for all of the snaps you want to keep. Good thing Prime members can archive all their photos on Amazon's cloud storage servers for (wait for it) free - and there's no limit. To do this, upload your pics through your web browser or your phone using their app.
11. Listen to music - sans ads.
Before you sign up for another streaming service, you should know that through Amazon Prime you already have access to one. Prime Music offers a collection of two million songs and thousands of playlists to fill your ears with joy - minus those annoying commercials. That being said, if you want an even bigger music library, you can subscribe to Amazon Music Unlimited, to stream over ten million songs on all your devices for just $7.99 (it's $9.99 for non-Prime users).
12. Entertain yourself from the sky.
Attention nervous flyers: If you find yourself freaking out even when there's little to no turbulence, you should probably bring distractions with you while you're in the air - and Prime members who fly JetBlue can watch their Amazon content during flights for free.
13. Grocery shop from your couch.
If your fridge is always empty, because you just can't find the time to shop, pay attention: Amazon Pantry lets you order your food from your computer and get it delivered to your door. Granted, this service does cost $5.99 per 45-pound box, but as a Prime member you have access to bonus items the rest of the public doesn't.
14. Shop members-only discounts.
For starters, there's MyHabit (a website that offers discounts on designer clothing and home goods) and then there's Amazon Elements (a line of items that the company considers staples thanks to customer reviews). But Prime members also get 30 minutes early access to Lightning Deals.
15. Get deals on new video games.
You heard that right, gamers. You can get 20% off of new games if you order them when they're still at the pre-order stage or within the first two weeks after they're released. Even if you don't like to pull out the controller to unwind, this is a handy tip to keep in mind for gift giving.
16. Take advantage of two-hour delivery.
It's called Prime Now and, depending on the lines at your local grocery store, might be the fastest way to grab last-minute goods. The only bummer is it's only available for customers in select locations. Need it in one hour? That's also an option for a $7.99 fee - making whatever you need at your fingertips.
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