Amazon Prime Perks You Could Be Wasting

Don't Miss Out

Introduced in the U.S. in 2005, Amazon's Prime service has grown by leaps and bounds, with more than 200 million members worldwide as of April. The program, which offers free two-day shipping on an unlimited number of orders for a flat annual fee, has steadily added perks over the years — to the point where some members may be unaware of all the benefits the $119 annual Prime membership fee has bought them. Here's a rundown of 11 lesser-known advantages of being a Prime customer (although one could be disappearing soon).

Free Whole Foods Delivery

Historically, Prime membership has granted customers free two-hour delivery and one-hour pickup on Whole Foods Market items. If you haven't yet taken advantage, do it soon: The grocer recently announced a pilot program that will charge a $9.95 delivery fee in six markets: greater Detroit, Chicago, and Boston, as well as Providence, Rhode Island; Portland, Maine; and Manchester, New Hampshire. A company spokesperson told Supermarket News that the new fee — which could eventually roll out to more areas — will "help cover equipment, technology and other costs from online grocery delivery service."

couple at home on laptop and phone — Prostock-Studio/istockphoto

Membership Sharing

Even seasoned Prime members may be unaware that another adult living in the same household can be added to the membership and access many of the benefits from their own account. One catch: Payment must be made from the authorizing member's credit card. That may be no big deal if the benefits are shared with spouse or partner, but it could get a bit dicey with, say, a roommate.

Unlimited Photo Storage

That's right, unlimited. And there are free apps available to help upload photos to the cloud. Members also get 5 GB of storage space for videos and other files. Prime members who have run out of room on other cloud storage services — or don't have a backup at all — can breath a sigh of relief.

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Amazon Prime Day Deals — txking/istockphoto

Free Same-Day Delivery

Free two-day shipping is the most talked about benefit of Amazon Prime, but members also have the option of free same-day delivery in select locations (a growing list) and on specific, qualifying items with a $35 minimum order.

Prime Now

Amazon promises free two-hour delivery from local stores and restaurants through Prime Now, within eligible ZIP codes. The offerings include household items and groceries.

Early Access

Amazon gives Prime members an early crack at its limited-time "Lightning Deals" — though inconsistent application have some users expressing skepticism. Officially, lightning Deals are good only while supplies last and could mean the difference between scoring a deal and missing out.

Discounted Diapers

Prime members with babies or toddlers can save up to 20 percent on diapers through Amazon Family. They'll save 15% when they set up a subscription option (which can be canceled or changed) and buy five or more baby products in a month going to a single address A 10% discount is applied at checkout and 5% is credited as Amazon Pay balance cash back within 60 days of order delivery.

kids looking at tablet — manonallard/istockphoto

Amazon Kids+

Prime members get a discount on Amazon Kids+, formerly Amazon FreeTime Unlimited, a service that offers books, movies, shows, apps, and games designed for kids 3 to 12, with no ads or in-app purchases. After a one month free trial, Prime members pay $3 a month for single memberships or $7 for family memberships, a 40 percent discount from the standard $5 fee or $10 fee.

Kindle Lending Library — SGM/shutterstock

Prime Reading

Prime members (and anyone who shares the membership) can borrow 10 books at a time for free. Booksn can be read on on any device with the Kindle app installed. Prime members are also automatically registered for Amazon First Reads, allowing them to download and read select titles a month before the release date for free or at a reduced rate.

Prime Day

Prime Day, an annual event when Amazon offers exclusive deals for Prime members, took place on June 21 and 22 this year. Last year, the shopping event was delayed until October thanks to the pandemic, and there's a chance a second Prime Day could be in the cards around the same time this year.

Prescription Medicine — DNY59/istockphoto

Amazon Pharmacy Six-Month Prescriptions

In its latest advance against rival Walmart in the battle for online prescription drug sales, Amazon announced a new offer. Prime members will be able to get a six-month supply of medications for common health issues for only $6 when they pay without insurance. This perk expands on Amazon Pharmacy's shopping tool, which allows Prime members to compare prices through its network of 60,000 pharmacies.