By all accounts it seems that Amazon is really doing well in 2016 and 2017. One of the crucial aspects of the Amazon offering, a real centre for loyalty and growth, is Amazon Prime. That’s the annual (or monthly) subscription service that buyers pay for preferential postage and despatch.
And, according to reports and calculations, around 65 million shoppers worldwide who are now signed up to the Prime service. Don’t forget that Prime buyers spend more, more often and are very loyal to Amazon. They shop Amazon first and the free (or cheaper) postage options mean they buy easily and freely on Amazon. Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon has said that he wants to make being a Prime member a no brainer. Not being a subscriber, he reckons, should be “irresponsible.”
Why is it important that Amazon Prime is flourishing? In the first instance, it’s always good news that more people buy online for marketplace sellers. And if you’re selling on Amazon, greater loyalty and spending can only be a good thing.
Prime Buyers are also very keen, and directed to FBA items. So if you’re using FBA, it means that you’ll have better access to these higher spending buyers. Doubtless, too, you’ll find it easier to win the Buy Box.
It is perhaps hardly surprising that so many Amazon buyers now use Prime. The question, however, must be whether you’ll be taking advantage of their enthusiasm.
3 Responses
Pretty sure that a couple of years ago the number was more than that, and that it was US only. I would say that it is higher than that although heavily concentrated in the US
I have a prime account but I am using Amazon less and less each month. I find it impossible to find anything for sale that isn’t from a Chinese seller. Sorry but I’d rather give my money to a UK business so it can be of some use to the UK.
Great delivery but as a company they stand for everything that is bad in the world – just pure greed, typically American.
When my 12 months is up I won’t be renewing and I bet if more people knew who/where they were buying the goods from, there would be a considerable drop off for Amazon as a whole.
In the CNBC report linked to, it states that:
“In its filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission last week, Amazon added a new line item to its annual report: retail subscription services.
“The company said it generated $6.4 billion in revenue related to that item last year.
“Guggenheim Securities analyst Robert Drbul estimates that shakes out to about 65 million Prime members. Cowen & Co. analyst John Blackledge calculated an even higher number of subscribers. His estimate pegs the Prime subscriber base at closer to 80 million globally.”
However, Amazon’s own filing says that the $6.4 billion figure includes services other than Prime, such as Audible and Kindle Unlimited:
“Includes annual and montly fees associated with Amazon Prime membership, as well as audiobook, e-book, digital video, digital music, and other subscription services.”