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SEATTLE — Amazon is enticing its Prime members to opt for slower shipping by offering credit for its instant video store.
One of the main perks of joining Amazon Prime, which costs $99 per year, is getting free two-day shipping. However, Prime members now have the option to forgo the faster shipping for items in lieu of a $1 Amazon Instant Video credit.
The appearance of the “No-Rush Shipping” option comes after the online retail giant reported a second quarter net loss of $126 million, according to Forbes. Rising shipping costs were cited as a reason why the company raised the price of Amazon Prime in March for the first time since the program was created nine years ago.
The No-Rush Shipping Program lets Prime members who aren’t in a hurry to receive their items build up credit to use for purchasing or renting digital videos from Amazon. Some Amazon Instant Videos, like HBO titles, will not be eligible for application of the credit, according to the terms and conditions.
Those who choose the No-Rush option will still receive their order within 5-7 business days for free.
Amazon Prime includes a number of benefits other than fast shipping that were not available when the program was first created. These benefits include free streaming of some videos and a Kindle lending library. A free music streaming service with over a million songs was introduced in March.
