mattysemo247

It looks like Amazon is rolling out another benefit for Prime members. Early access to lightning deals. It doesn't look like it's every deal, but out of the 50 going on today it looks like it's offered on over half. Basically if you are a Prime member, you get access to the lightning deal 30 mins before everyone else. Should make some of the Black Friday deals easier to grab.

BobO'Link

^ Or "sell" a lot of Prime trials during the Holidays...

fumanstan

Sounds good to me

My Other Self

Awesome.

Strapped4Cash

How does it make them "easier to grab" for non-Prime customers?

I'd already seen this news, and it is, of course, very disappointing. There are people who are good customers who have no need of Prime. Whether you place one order a year, one hundred, or more, then if Prime doesn't hold any appeal then it would be nice if they would respect that, rather than actively discriminating against those of their loyal customers who haven't had need of this product/service.

DVD Josh

You are not special. You're not a beautiful and unique snowflake. You're the same decaying organic matter as everything else. We're all part of the same compost heap.

davidh777

It's not intended to make deals "easier to grab" for people who place one order per year.

Strapped4Cash

You are assuming (and in more than one way it would seem). And as so often happens amongst those who so readily assume, you are wrong. If you would like me to clarify and/or explain what I wrote so that you may understand it, then just ask.

Strapped4Cash

That seems to directly contradict the op's statement.

Besides, I was also speaking of those who place two orders per year, and three, and ten and fifty and a hundred and two hundred, etc. Why do you only address the "one order per year" customers and not all the rest?

davidh777

I can see this conversation is going to go nowhere, but here goes....

Amazon is providing an extra benefit to people who pay extra for the Prime service. If you don't need the Prime service, you can still shop at Amazon, get the Lightning Deals (just a little later), etc. If you're going to get a persecution complex when they roll out Prime benefits that you choose not to take advantage of, you should choose to shop someplace other than Amazon.

DVD Josh

We all understand what you are saying. I was just pointing out how utterly stupid it was.

PhantomStranger

It does indicate that the Black Friday deals might be worth fighting over this year on Amazon. I was worried with their continued emphasis on higher pricing that Amazon's Black Friday's deals wouldn't be anything special this year. It's not as much of a benefit once you consider that Amazon has something like 5 million customers signed up to Prime.

Strapped4Cash

Gotta love the optimism there. But I guess it was necessary to distract from the fact that you continue to provide a moving target, i.e. aren't able to directly reply to me as I directly answer you. You were the one who originally answered me with the "one order per year" remark, and seem not to have any response to what I subsequently said but to change the conversation. If you are unable/unwilling to in any way back up and defend your claims then I agree, the conversation will ultimately go nowhere. But let's not give up quite yet.

My reading comprehension is more than fine, but thanks for reiterating. I'm well aware that that is one of my options. But perhaps you don't completely understand my concern? Just in case that is so, let me try to present my position in a different way:

Amazon has provided certain extra benefits to Prime members for some time now. The key difference here is that previously the benefits accorded to Prime members did not in any way, shape or form disadvantage the non-Prime members. I don't care if 10%, 50% or 99% of other Amazon buyers get their purchases delivered faster or have access to videos as that really doesn't affect me. Unlike some other members here (see DVD Josh) I don't claim to speak for everyone else in the world, but I would hypothesize that at least some portion of non-Primers feel similarly. But this new policy IS directly placing me, and the others, at a disadvantage, because past history shows us that there is a set cap on at least some of these deals and so those of us shut out of the early 30 minute period will have a smaller number of each item left to compete for. And it's possible that a deal might even sell out completely.

I don't like being disadvantaged at all, it is very much at odds with my personal beliefs that we should strive for fairness whenever possible and I would take the same position even if I were a prime member. But this is a change, and one which could presage all sorts of other changes along the same lines in the future ($1000 gold plated ultimate prime members get special subscriber only products not available to anyone else, maybe?), and I don't see why I shouldn't be able to voice my concern, especially as the two responses that I did see were so cavalier.

Not a persecution complex at all, but thanks for the arm-chair psychology and telling me what I should do. Is there any way to read those sentiments without believing them to be intrinsically condescending? Just wondering.

Strapped4Cash

"We", huh? Do you believe that you are speaking for everyone else in the world, or are there other people in your head with you?

Meanwhile, glad to see that you are assuming again, your positions may make you hypocritical, but at least you're consistent.

"And in knowing that you know nothing, makes you the smartest of all".

You seem to be about as far away from smart as it's possible to be.

I never made any personal claims, whether as "special" or "beautiful" or anything else. I have no idea why you're trying to make it personal, assign me a stance that I never claimed, or even referred to, and then tear me down for that, but the fact that you have personal issues doesn't impress me, nor does it concern me, sorry. You don't know me, at all, and though you might know stupid first-hand, it doesn't by any means make you an expert in identifying that trait in others. Again, the invitation is open if you want me to explain to you what you clearly don't understand.

davidh777

Oh, for goodness' sake. It was obvious the OP was referring to Prime members when he said the deals would be easier to grab. You were the one who said "I'm not Prime but I'm still a loyal customer. Why aren't the deals easier to grab for me as well?" Yes, it's possible that some non-Prime customers--whether they place one order per year or one thousand--will be shut out of lightning deals because of this new policy. That seems to be the intent, and you have the right to be disappointed by it. You place no value on faster shipping or free videos, which is fine. There may be other non-Prime customers who don't care about lightning deals but feel disadvantaged that other people's packages get shipped first, or that they don't get to watch videos. Regardless, this is Amazon's value prop to increase benefit for Prime customers (who are paying more than they used to). Yes, you as a non-Prime customer can be concerned. But Amazon is a business and has decided that their lightning deals will be unfair. You can call customer service and try to get them to change their policy. If that fails, hit them where it hurts and don't give them your money. And no, I'm not saying that to decrease the competition for lightning deals.

Pizza

Condescending? I read several thoughtful replies but you won't accept them. Yes, Black Friday may suck if you're not a prime member but there's always Walmart. They have nice BF deals. Or join prime if you're so inclined. Amazon has their business plan in place with or without you.

jjcool

Good news OP! It's going to be nice to get some of these black friday deals easier than the cheap fucks that wont spring for prime.

zyzzle

This is another step in making Prime an 'exclusive club' where those not in the fold will get screwed over. Soon, we'll probably see lower pricing all across the board for Prime members. Amazon is trying to make Prime a $100 / year tax. Everyone will almost be forced into it if they want Amazon's best deals... This is Amazon's end goal, as Prime is almost pure profit for them. Shopping Amazon without it will soon be frowned upon...

Strapped4Cash

A sincere thanks for a much more intelligent response, it makes for a nice change of pace in this thread.

Yes, it was. Which might be a hint that the goal of the question wasn't at all what a shallow reading and quick interpretation might make some believe it to be. I was interested in the op's intent, as there are at least several very different possibilities and rather than immediately assuming the worst, and coming out swinging, I was trying for clarification (were they just assuming that everyone had prime and meant no offense, hating against those who didn't, or something in between?). Silly me, apparently.

I first asked a question, which I wasn't really asking, but instead using as a rhetorical technique. So no, that's not what I said, though in retrospect it's disappointingly apparent that some interpreted it that way.

You generally do a nice job of summarizing the situation, so I thank you for the effort, though again I feel that there is a key difference in that here there are (likely) only so many of these deals to go around and favoring one group of customers will directly impact another group. Unlike deliveries, or the videos where it doesn't matter if 1,000 people are already watching a particular episode, it's just as easy for the 1,001th to watch also. That's a huge distinction for me, but I do respect that you and some others might feel differently.

Strapped4Cash

We must have very different definitions of the term "thoughtful". I see one, and that was made after my last response that you replied to. I find the idea of applying that label to the others laughable. We'll likely have to agree to disagree, and by that I mean that I couldn't believe you more mistaken if you were arguing that the Earth is flat (my apologies if you do believe that to be the case, or weren't even aware of the theory that the planet is round).

As for the rest, I'm well aware of all of those possible actions, and am unsure why you feel the need to state the obvious?

Strapped4Cash

Even better for Amazon, to have arrogant fucks who'll get down on their knees and swallow anything Amazon cares to give them.

Spending money for what you were previously getting for free and thanking Amazon for the privilige?

Trevor

That would be awesome.

I already get well over $100 worth of value out of just the free shipping; at least that again out of the streaming. Add lower pricing and it'd be the bees knees.

Ropes Pierre

sort of like a Costco thing, where you pay to have access to lower prices. Amazon won't cut them under cost so they still make a profit, even on lower prices to Prime members. plus they count on some people:

A) buying prime but not spending enough and saving to offset the membership price, so they profit on that $100 taken in initially
B) people buying more items (blu etc) than they would have because it is a lower price point and amazon profits.

I cannot think of a way amazon would lose by doing this. sure some people would be pissed off, but ultimately it feels win win for them to go "pay to save".

i haven't thought about what happens if they do tiers of prime membership.

(I am in, if the Mayday girl blows you at the platinum level.)

stvn1974

Sounds good to me. Now with Prime you get your damaged goods earlier than everyone else.

That'sAllFolks

I always have prime around the holidays. I have several accounts (which I've had for years) and one of them always has a Prime trial attached to it.

But yeah Amazon is shoving their weight around again. 30 minutes will most likely allow any but the crappiest deals to sell out. I'm really glad their stock is falling. Maybe they might stop being sucha bully.