Free month of Amazon Prime

Unless there's something special I need to do, I went through the normal route of adding item (signing out of my account, clicking the Two-Day Shipping icon, etc) and it said that it couldn't give me the trial since I already had one. Looks like it may just be standard free trial stuff (i.e. new members only/can't be used by those who have already done a trial).
 
I used this last night to order a DDR bundle. I wonder how many people sign up for free trials like this and forget to cancel before it charges them.
 
[quote name='SelmaBlair']I wonder how many people sign up for free trials like this and forget to cancel before it charges them.[/QUOTE]Amazon tried to get me like this when I did my 3 free months of prime. Afterwards I noticed I had $80 charged on my card by them. If you call them however and dispute the matter, they're more than happy to refund you back your money.

You're right though, I wonder how much people Amazon happen to bamboozle using that tactic.
 
It's a pretty smart tactic, and it's not really bamboozling. Not to mention, if they didn't give out so many free trials (last 6 months out 9 for me have been prime), I'd willing pay for it.
 
[quote name='ryushe']Amazon tried to get me like this when I did my 3 free months of prime. Afterwards I noticed I had $80 charged on my card by them. If you call them however and dispute the matter, they're more than happy to refund you back your money.

You're right though, I wonder how much people Amazon happen to bamboozle using that tactic.[/QUOTE]

You didn't really had to call them. Amazon will refund your money back to you even after the auto renewal date. You can do that on-line. Long as you didn't order anything after that date. If you haven't noticed your orders were being sent by Prime, that's your fault:D
 
[quote name='Izod517']It's a pretty smart tactic, and it's not really bamboozling. Not to mention, if they didn't give out so many free trials (last 6 months out 9 for me have been prime), I'd willing pay for it.[/QUOTE]I didn't really mean bamboozle in a "They ripped me off" kinda way. The reason I'd use the term "bamboozle" instead of "smart tactic" is because Amazon finds any reason under the sun to email you about pretty much anything, but (unless I missed it) I don't recall getting an email about my free month(s) of Prime running out.

I'm not mad in the least since it was resolved with no problems and it was my fault for not taking notice, but it was a pretty grey tactic, I'd say. :)

Edit:
[quote name='laaj']You didn't really had to call them. Amazon will refund your money back to you even after the auto renewal date. You can do that on-line. Long as you didn't order anything after that date. If you haven't noticed your orders were being sent by Prime, that's your fault:D[/QUOTE]Funny thing is, I ordered a bunch of stuff after the expiration date (like about a month after) and the CR was very nice and still managed to cancel it whilst refunding my money.
 
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[quote name='lllGurulll']You had the opportunity to set your membership to NOT auto renew. Amazon did not do anything wrong.[/QUOTE]As I would hope you read before, I'm not blaming Amazon. At all. For anything. I'm just stating that their auto-renewal option and the way they handle their Prime subscriptions isn't as in-your-face as everything else they do.

Edit: Yep, just checked my old emails and I have nothing about my Prime subscription ending or that they would opt to auto renewal. Which is weird becasue I get numerous emails from Amazon daily for just about anything.

Again, not blasting them, but it is a pretty interesting tactic.
 
As with the last prime post, nothing for me. Thinking about just signing up for a year. 3 months I don't mind fudging around to get it to work but for 1 month at a time it seems annoying. Plus I have to have prime or any game I get added onto my order enacts an 8$ shipping charge, ouch.
 
if i remember correctly when I signed up for the trial, it told me that the trial would last 3 months and to continue the Prime service i would be billed when the trial was over. So if I didn't want to be billed, I would have to go to the manage prime membership thing (in which I would turn off auto renew).
 
[quote name='Vortextk']Thinking about just signing up for a year. 3 months I don't mind fudging around to get it to work but for 1 month at a time it seems annoying. Plus I have to have prime or any game I get added onto my order enacts an 8$ shipping charge, ouch.[/QUOTE]I love Prime and if it was $10-$15 cheaper, I'd wouldn't even hesitate to subscribe for the year. The thing is, I don't shop at Amazon that much in a years time to warrent the $79 price tag. At best I'd maybe break about even with all the things I order, and I doubt even that...

That and Shipping + Tax usually isn't that crazy for me.
 
[quote name='ryushe']I love Prime and if it was $10-$15 cheaper, I'd wouldn't even hesitate to subscribe for the year. The thing is, I don't shop at Amazon that much in a years time to warrent the $79 price tag. At best I'd maybe break about even with all the things I order, and I doubt even that...

That and Shipping + Tax usually isn't that crazy for me.[/QUOTE]


It's not a necessity, but helpful. I do tend to do some cheap orders every now and then for a wire or other small thing, helps that I don't have to make it 25+. Also like I said, if I get any games added to my existing order it automatically puts them at 2 days with the regular shipping rates applied. I just got a gift card from my amazon visa last week, I guess that'll make this hurt just a bit less :D
 
[quote name='ryushe']As I would hope you read before, I'm not blaming Amazon. At all. For anything. I'm just stating that their auto-renewal option and the way they handle their Prime subscriptions isn't as in-your-face as everything else they do.

Edit: Yep, just checked my old emails and I have nothing about my Prime subscription ending or that they would opt to auto renewal. Which is weird becasue I get numerous emails from Amazon daily for just about anything.

Again, not blasting them, but it is a pretty interesting tactic.[/QUOTE]

How is it weird? I can tell you that Amazon is the most consumer friendly when it comes to cancellation and pretty much anything. I've yet to see any other company letting you keep your trial to the last date of expiration and auto-cancel it for you this easily.

Oh and btw I'm not "blasting" you... Just saying you shouldn't expect any other company to serve you as well as Amazon has done. If you do, you'll be greatly disappointed.
 
[quote name='barom']How is it weird? I can tell you that Amazon is the most consumer friendly when it comes to cancellation and pretty much anything. I've yet to see any other company letting you keep your trial to the last date of expiration and auto-cancel it for you this easily.

Oh and btw I'm not "blasting" you... Just saying you shouldn't expect any other company to serve you as well as Amazon has done. If you do, you'll be greatly disappointed.[/QUOTE] :wall:

*sigh*

I've said it before and I'll say again -- I'm not saying Amazon doesn't have great customer relations or am I trying to make them out to be the bad guys, I'm just saying that I get numerous emails every single day from Amazon about things ranging from Video Games all the way to Kitchen Appliances and to not get one about my Prime trial expiring or them opting to auto-boot another round of the service on my behalf is a bit weird.

Not once did I say "Screw Amazon", "They're a bunch of thieves and con-artist" or that they hoodwinked me. I've already admitted that it was my fault for not keeping up with when my subscription would end and I've already stated that they were 'extremely' (emphasis on extremely) nice about canceling it well after the fact it expired, so how some people can't see that key facet is well beyond me.

And what is this about "any other company"?

I never did (and never would) compare Amazon to any other online retail site. In all honesty, I personally think Amazon is by far the greatest Online shopping site on the web. Bar none. You make is seem as if I should cut them some slack (Not that I was giving them any in the first place) just because no other online retailer is in their league. Nope. They do some thing weird, I'm going to call them out on it. Simple.

Seriously, it's like once you guys hear one tiny, less than possitive thing about Amazon, you're all ready to get all up in arms? :lol:
 
Some people have special relationships with amazon, you jealous?

I fell in love when I found out that a family member forgot to cancel their prime trial and introduced me to Prime. Our eyes met in a steady gaze under a blue spring sky in 2009. It was about over but I decided we could give ourselves an extra 3 month trial, and that 3 months is about up. What shall I do?
 
No offense, but it is pretty hard to forget to cancel, you can literally cancel auto renew ten seconds after signing up and still keep the full trial. You don't have to remember anything, just do it right away.
 
[quote name='Vortextk']As with the last prime post, nothing for me. Thinking about just signing up for a year. 3 months I don't mind fudging around to get it to work but for 1 month at a time it seems annoying. Plus I have to have prime or any game I get added onto my order enacts an 8$ shipping charge, ouch.[/QUOTE]

I've been so very tempted to do the same, and it's pretty much for the same reasons. I just wish Prime was a little cheaper (or that I had family members willing to split the cost with me). I hope Amazon does some kind of deal on it like they did 2 years ago (think it was $10 or $20 off)
 
best thing i have paid for from amazon yet. The cost comes out considering im doing ALL my game and movie buying thru them, with no minimum to order and 2nd day delivery and next day is $4.

I would continue to renew this as its simply put the best service i have used.
 
My 6th free month of amazon prime just ended, and I couldn't get this next free month to work :p

Anyone who hasn't done a prime trial, DO IT! You don't even have to worry about what happens at the end of the month if you take 5 seconds to cancel auto renew
 
:( looks like they patched the prime thing.... no more free 2 day I guess :/ I really like the release day shipping from amazon.
 
Does the free two day shipping work for pre orders that are released after your trial period is up? Say i pre order Red Dead Redemption today and pick free two day shipping, but the free trial would run out before the game ships.
 
[quote name='Minions']:( looks like they patched the prime thing.... no more free 2 day I guess :/ I really like the release day shipping from amazon.[/QUOTE]

me too :( ... but I'm really glad that before my prime ran out, I put in like 10 different preorders for games I think I'll want to get in the near future
 
[quote name='ryushe']Again, not blasting them, but it is a pretty interesting tactic.[/QUOTE]
if by interesting, you mean common, than yes it is very interesting considering that pretty much almost every company that offers some type of subscription based service has a default setting of auto-renew. like someone else said though, the auto-renew setting can easily be changed online in about a minute. also, like others said they're usually VERY accommodating to cancel the service and give you a full refund, which is more than i can say for other companies out there...
 
They got me with the auto-renewal =(

Last time I signed up for the trial I forgot to turn the auto-renewal off and even ordered some things via prime on the now paid membership. Thankfully (and praise Amazon!) when I went to cancel my membership online the system said that even though I had ordered some things I could get a partial refund (and this isn't Customer Service, this is built into their system!) Never before have I experienced a company saying that they'll refund you if you didn't use their service and then having it built into their system that you can get a partial refund. Amazon pretty much forever has my service (even before this they did though)
 
I have had 1 month and a 3 month Prime trial in the past. It said I could not have another month trial. Probably a good thing. Since I order more stuff in those last 3 months then I had ordered through Amazon in the 3 years before combined.
 
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