Why I'm Ditching Amazon Prime

A prime service?

Recently I cancelled my Amazon subscriptions. 

Amazon Prime went first, which was costing me £79.99 a year ($110).

It's a premium service, offering next-day delivery and some streamed services.

I also cancelled Amazon Music, their Spotify equivalent. This was £9.99 a month ($13).

I guess I had an epiphany. I was struggling to find value, and without value, what is the point? Cancelling them saves me £200 a year ($270).

It's your call, but consider your relationship with Amazon. What value are you getting? Is it laziness? Are you consuming too much? Would you miss it, if it went?

Read on and I'll provide a bit more insight.

Amazon Prime = Too Much Consumption

Consumption is fine, in areas of necessity. But too often, we overconsume. Amazon make it too convenient and easy.

Goods are cheap, particularly on sale days and "Black Friday" events. But Amazon aren't always cheapest. I prefer to support local business, in these post-pandemic times.

Consumption is fine, in areas of necessity. But too often, we overconsume. 

What's more, I felt Amazon's "next day" offering, tempted me to over-consume. Life is about experiences, not physical possessions. I want to be minimalist, and not an accumulator.

In fairness, I'm no stranger to e-books or streamed movies. I'm veering towards digital content, precisely to avoid "stuff". I'll buy digital content, but I won't subscribe to anything.

In the UK, Amazon charges £3.99 per parcel order, for non-members (on transactions under £20). If you pay £79.99 a year, you need to make 20 Prime orders, to reach "break-even". Do the maths, do these numbers stack up? 

I guess the bigger question is "value". Does the cost provide you value? Are you buying what you truly need? For me, increasingly, I was not.

A Question Of Ethics

The ethics of Amazon, is frequently questioned. Do they abuse their power? Do they muscle out smaller business? Do they pay enough tax? Do they exploit workers? 

I guess in the past, it didn't bother me. I was quite happy to consume and not ask the difficult questions. But these questions need answering. I'm not against big business, when they play fair. Unfortunately, too many don't.

The last eighteen-months were tough. Amazon are making big profit, but do they contribute enough? I have my doubts.

When I did my business degree, I wrote a piece on corporate social responsibility. Big businesses, have a duty to behave ethically and give back. I don't want my children, seeing a world, where big business shirk their responsibilities.

Jeff Bezos, Genius Or Spaceman?

You can't deny the brilliance of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. It takes genius to turn an online bookstore, into a multinational tech conglomerate. Amazon changed the world, and not by accident.

Bezos may be brilliant, but he isn't perfect. When he divorced in 2019, he paid his wife a settlement of $38bn (ouch!). His ex-wife, embraced philanthropy and donated billions. From Mr Bezos, I saw vanity and self-indulgence.

In July 2021, he ventured to space, aboard the 'New Shephard' rocket ship. The project cost Bezos $5.5bn, for just 4 minutes in space. That's a lot of Prime subscriptions!

I admire brilliant people, but increasingly, it seems I was supporting the mid-life crisis, of a flawed genius. So for now, I'm taking a step-back from Amazon and the personal endeavours of Mr Bezos.

Final Thoughts

Don't fall into the trap of overconsumption. Buy what you need and what gives you value.

Ask the big questions of big business. Vote with you conscience and your wallet.

Those with more, should willingly give more.