Amazon Prime members: As long as you’re in no rush to get your new yoga mat, Amazon will give Prime members a $1 Amazon Instant Video credit if you let them take their time in shipping it.
They’re calling it “No-Rush” shipping, and it’s the latest move from a company who is really struggling with rising shipping costs.
This is apparently a limited time offer. The credits appear to last for three months, as credits applied today expire on October 31st. Though it doesn’t sound like much, all you have to do is be extra patient a few times and you’ll have enough credits to rent a movie (that’s not available for free via Prime Instant Video, of course).
The free “No-Rush” shipping option now appears next to the free standard shipping, free two-day shipping, and $X one-day shipping options at checkout.
Most Amazon Prime members are Amazon Prime members because of the free two-day shipping. Above all else, that’s major draw of the subscription. But Amazon hopes that every now and then, you won’t really need whatever you’re ordering that quickly.
It’s obvious that Amazon is doing everything they can to reduce shipping costs. Remember when they hiked the price of a Prime subscription $20 earlier this year? Amazon cited rising costs for fuel and transportation when explaining the new price.
Couple that with the recent release of a disappointing earnings report and you can see why Amazon would do anything, however small, to increase their margins.