Amazon to Increase Prime Membership Fee By Up to 43% for Customers in Europe

[MacRumors]

Amazon is increasing its Prime membership subscription prices across Europe in September by up to 43% a year, the company has announced just days before its Q2 earnings results.

In an email to customers, Amazon said the annual Prime subscription price will increase by 20% in the United Kingdom from £79 to £95 from September 15.

Customers in France will face a 43% increase from 49 euros to 69.90 euros, while subscribers in Germany will see a 30% increase, from 69 euros to 89.90 euros a year.

In Italy the price will rise from 36 euros to 49.90 euros, and in Spain it will go up from 36 euros to 49.90 euros, a 39% increase in both countries.

It's the first Prime price rise in the UK, Amazon's third-biggest market behind the United States. Amazon is also increasing the monthly cost of Prime in European markets, by £1 or 1 euro per month.

An Amazon Prime subscription includes "free" one-day shipping on purchases made on Amazon, access to Prime Video, Prime Music, and other Amazon digital platforms and services.

The move follows a similar price hike in the US in February, when the price of Prime increased to $139, up from the previous $119 annual rate.

The changes take effect starting September 15 when members join or next renew. Amazon told Reuters the price increases are a result of increased inflation and operating costs as well as faster delivery and more content to stream in the impacted countries.

In April, Amazon posted its first quarterly loss in seven years. The company cited headwinds including higher wages, rising gas costs, and a loss from its stake in Rivian Automotive.

Article Link: Amazon to Increase Prime Membership Fee By Up to 43% for Customers in Europe

 

[KrisLord]

How is prime so cheap in mainland Europe vs the UK?

 

[1Peace]

Higher level of inflation.

 

[mpkayeuk]

Higher level of inflation.

UK inflation is 9.4%. The average across the EU is 9.6%.

The reason the prices are different is that the fundamental offerings are different and the market economics are different (e.g. strong English language bias in video content). So, what people in Spain are prepared to pay for Prime, vs. people in the UK, is not the same.

Source: https://tradingeconomics.com/country-list/inflation-rate?continent=europe

 

[Kebabselector]

How is prime so cheap in mainland Europe vs the UK?

Maybe different levels of sport packages on Prime TV

 

[Danfango]

I do 200-250 orders a year. Costs me £1 a month more. Saved myself that several times over by carefully buying and lurking on camelcamelcamel. Still good value for money 👍

 

[kerr]

A 20% increase is ok because we all get 20% pay rises each year don’t we? How bad is the world right now? Interest rates, cost of living, multi-billion dollar companies crying poor.

 

[EyeTack]

Sending dong rockets to space ain’t cheap.

 

[DFZD]

And kids this is why Monopolies are evil.

 

[Martin81]

The full text for Germany says:

Ab dem 15. September 2022 erhöht sich die Gebühr der Prime-Mitgliedschaft von 7,99€ auf 8,99€ (inkl. MwSt.) bei monatlicher Zahlung und von 69,00€ auf 89,90€ (inkl. MwSt.) bei jährlicher Zahlung.

So up 1€ monthly or 21€ yearly.

I was angered when I got the e-mail this morning.

Probably haven't used Amazon Music for 1.5 years.

 

[mimeArtist]

I'm assuming they're passing this to the drivers who work all hours?

 

[arkitect]

I'm assuming they're passing this to the drivers who work all hours?

Ha! If only.

Hell would freeze over first.

 

[BrownyQ]

I didn't realize the price in the US would be up $20 this year; missed that news.

While I don't like price hikes (who does), Amazon's service is still extremely convenient for me, so they'll continue to get my annual membership. And if it starts to get too high, then I'll just split the cost with family who also makes use of the service here and there.

 

[krspkbl]

screw them. i've been with amazon for years but don't find myself buying them as much these days. sometimes when i get a free prime trial i'll make the most of it but i just don't buy from amazon a lot now. this is only pushing me away faster. well done amazon but i understand how much you really need the money! /s

 

[JW5566]

As a long term and loyal Amazon Prime member in the UK, I have mixed feelings about this. Working in retail myself I have seen astronomical rises in costs to ship orders out to people by courier, fuel is silly prices and even things like packaging (card, paper etc) have all increased in costs. So I do see some price rises as inevitable, and I will still save £££ a year on shipping. If I ordered a year's worth of stuff direct from non-Amazon sellers it would cost me a fortune.

On the other hand... I feel somewhat irritated Bezos is spending money on vanity projects like rockets (rides sold for leisure, not to advance the human race) and in the UK they are spending eye-watering money just to show something like 20 Premiership football matches. And as for Prime delivery, it's still a complete joke. How useful actually is "between 8am and 10pm" delivery? It was better back in the early days using DPD when they would text you an hour's delivery slot.

Also, having kept an eye on local jobs, Amazon are always recruiting here, and it's always £10 an hour. That hasn't gone up, so I wonder how much of this gets passed on to the lowly workers?

I can sum up Amazon as a service I can't do without (no local shops where I live) but a company I love to hate.

 

[Pilot Jones]

Jeff needs another super yacht 💸 💸 💸

 

[Jmausmuc]

Is it just me or has Amazon become kind of unusable?

I find myself using them less and less.

If for example I want to buy an iPhone charger, I get hit with 100s of cheap Chinese knock offs that are hard to distinguish from good quality ones.

Same for boxers, I have ordered Calvin Kleins multiple times and I get the feeling some might be fake. A lot of people in the ratings are saying the same.

It’s really hard to find the right thing in their store these days.

I also find that shipping takes longer than it used to.

 

[Martin81]

And as for Prime delivery, it's still a complete joke. How useful actually is "between 8am and 10pm" delivery? It was better back in the early days using DPD when they would text you an hour's delivery slot.

In Germany many people prefer DHL because of Packstation.

 

[sorgo †]

Friends don’t let friends support Amaz*n

 

[RightMACatU]

This is no different from others like Netflix. They get big, popular, think that we are hooked, and feel that they own us before raising prices beyond reasonability. Like Netflix, I voted using the two feet rule. I turned-around, used my two feet, and walked away.

 

[Plaster Chief]

Amazon is increasing its Prime membership subscription prices across Europe in September by up to 43% a year, the company has announced just days before its Q2 earnings results.

In an email to customers, Amazon said the annual Prime subscription price will increase by 20% in the United Kingdom from £79 to £95 from September 15.

Customers in France will face a 43% increase from 49 euros to 69.90 euros, while subscribers in Germany will see a 30% increase, from 69 euros to 89.90 euros a year.

In Italy the price will rise from 36 euros to 49.90 euros, and in Spain it will go up from 36 euros to 49.90 euros, a 39% increase in both countries.

It's the first Prime price rise in the UK, Amazon's third-biggest market behind the United States. Amazon is also increasing the monthly cost of Prime in European markets, by £1 or 1 euro per month.

An Amazon Prime subscription includes "free" one-day shipping on purchases made on Amazon, access to Prime Video, Prime Music, and other Amazon digital platforms and services.

The move follows a similar price hike in the US in February, when the price of Prime increased to $139, up from the previous $119 annual rate.

The changes take effect starting September 15 when members join or next renew. Amazon told Reuters the price increases are a result of increased inflation and operating costs as well as faster delivery and more content to stream in the impacted countries.

In April, Amazon posted its first quarterly loss in seven years. The company cited headwinds including higher wages, rising gas costs, and a loss from its stake in Rivian Automotive.

Article Link: Amazon to Increase Prime Membership Fee By Up to 43% for Customers in Europe

Wouldn't be surprised if this is to recoup all the money spent on filming and promoting their Lord of the Rings series.

 

[timber]

How is prime so cheap in mainland Europe vs the UK?

Of course I can't talk about all Europe but what I get in my country as "Prime" is quite limited, essentially free delivery and Prime Video with a substandard catalog and poor subtitling (we don't dub). No Music, no Reading... you get the idea.
I will have to think this through, it's not really the money but almost a 50% increase that feels like a big FU.

 

[IIGS User]

Sending dong rockets to space ain’t cheap.

A 20% increase is ok because we all get 20% pay rises each year don’t we? How bad is the world right now? Interest rates, cost of living, multi-billion dollar companies crying poor.

I'm a union government employee and I only got 2% via contract this year because it's the last year of a 4 years contract and despite runaway (which I thought was supposed to be transitory) inflation the state refuses to re negotiate with us.

I knew when I chose public service as my life's work I wouldn't get rich, but for the love of crumbcake.....

 

[Pezimak]

How is prime so cheap in mainland Europe vs the UK?

Licensing fees and tax probably, I expect the 20% VAT is added on the price? And the usual extra they charge for in the U.K. and Bazos never has enough yachts.

Posted about this earlier, bit annoying but still comparable to other services and they don't include free shipping on hundreds of goods or other services like music.

 

[arkitect]

Same for boxers, I have ordered Calvin Kleins multiple times and I get the feeling some might be fake. A lot of people in the ratings are saying the same.

I don't think it is that actually, I suspect quality has dropped in many things.
Underwear one of them — not just CKs! M&S used to be really good quality, but… 😒

All companies are cutting corners and it shows.