During the past year, the Amazon Prime “two-day” delivery option vanished from order screens (at least for some of us).
Amazon Prime orders now take 5-7 days, with 10+ days not that unusual, for packages to arrive. This has occurred to people across the U.S. who do not live in selected major metro areas. Amazon did not even announce the end of Prime delivery options – the options simply disappeared.
We will not renew our Amazon Prime membership, which is up for renewal in October – after having been an Amazon customer for more than quarter century. Why should we pay for Prime, built on two day delivery, when Amazon has discontinued that service? Why should we pay for a service that others get but Amazon stopped provided to us?
8 days ago, I ordered an item from Amazon that was to be delivered yesterday; As of yesterday, Amazon had not shipped the item yet. This has become the “norm” for Amazon.
Another item ordered at the same time, did not ship until 4 days later, after the order was placed. It is common for orders placed on Amazon Prime to not ship for days.
Officially, Amazon has ended “two-day shipping” except in favored markets: Amazon Prime No Longer Offers 2-Day Shipping: What You Need to Know | ShipScience Blog
But Amazon lies and claims they are shipping better than ever:
In March, nearly 60% of Prime member orders arrived the same or next day across the top 60 largest U.S. metro areas
Amazon’s Prime delivery speeds are faster than ever so far in 2024 (aboutamazon.com)
But note they have whittled down the places they still do fast shipping. If you want something in less than two weeks, DO NOT order from Amazon. If you do order something, always use the Amazon Day 6% discount – which typically adds 7-10 days on to the delivery date. There is no point in expecting quick shipments from Amazon anymore – unless you live in the right community. But note, you used to get a 5% discount just for using your Amazon-branded Visa card (it’s actually Chase Bank); now you get the discount, at 6% but only if you choose the Amazon Day option.
We have been Amazon customers for more than a quarter century and Prime members since the beginning. However, Amazon has lost our trust as delivery dates have become random and delayed. At times, we may not even be home when packages arrive at random, a week after Amazon said it would come. Also, Amazon charges everyone the same fee – even though those outside special market metro areas receive inferior services. If you live in the metro area, you have options for same day, 1-day and 2-day delivery – outside those areas you pay the same fee the metro customers pay but get 5-10 day delivery only. (Amazon said the last item shipped on day 8 after the order but as of day 10 – the new delivery day – UPS says they have not received the package.)
Everything takes forever to reach us now – I will be opening a Walmart+ account as they ship many items to us in 1-3 days time.
It takes decades to build a brand but just minutes to ruin it – and that is what Amazon has done to those of us not in privileged communities. A look at online forums finds Amazon customers across the country – in reasonably sized cities and those in smaller communities – now get all deliveries in 5-7 days or longer.
Amazon literally built the Prime brand around two-day shipping, and then quietly, with no announcement to members, terminated that feature. There is little reason for those of us not in the favored geographic communities to remain as Prime members or even Amazon customers.
We will not renew our Amazon Prime membership when it is up for renewal in October. We have spent very large sums of money at Amazon over the past quarter century – but in just a few months, Amazon has torched its brand reputation. From the forums, a lot of customers have canceled their Prime memberships.
