amazon launches membership scheme

annual fee for cheap shipping

[topr8]

amazon seem to have launched a membership scheme on the .com site called

amazon prime

$79 a year leads to cheap overnight shipping and other benefits.

is this the beginning of something different?

will people pay for these kind of benefits?

is it a good idea?

[diamondgrl]

Locks in those customers who choose this option. Customers will rarely go anywhere else even if prices are slightly higher on Amazon because of the shipping deal. I would certainly consider it strongly.

[georgeek]

Amazon shares "tumbled nearly 15 percent Thursday" after its "fourth-quarter profit came up short of analysts targets" and its "2005 outlook failed to inspire optimism".

If you can't increase prices and you already run a very tight ship you have to invent new ways of generating revenue to keep the shareholders happy and Membership is one of them I guess.

[EileenC]

Considering I get two or three Amazon deliveries a month, sounds like I'm a prime candidate for this new service. I'm off to check it out ...