Everyone is looking for a subscription. The days of buying something once and using it ‘until death do you part’ are likely long gone. Companies have moved from selling products to selling services. Some of the biggest companies are Costco Wholesale, Sam’s Club, Amazon, Microsoft, and many others. Amazon introduced a service called Amazon Prime. If you become a member of Amazon prime, the major benefit was you would get
- Unlimited fast and ‘free’ shipping
In return, Amazon will get a committent from the customer that they will get an annual fee and thereby a fixed income from each customer that becomes a member. However, is Amazon prime really worth the cost? The answer to that question may be, it depends.
Amazon Prime in Japan offers a range of benefits tailored to the local market, making it an appealing subscription for many. Key perks include fast and often free shipping, with same-day delivery available in major cities, which is ideal for Japan’s fast-paced lifestyle. Prime members also gain access to Prime Video, featuring a robust library of Japanese and international movies, TV shows, and anime, making it a strong competitor in the streaming market. Additionally, Prime Music offers a library of songs for casual listeners, and members can enjoy exclusive discounts during sales events like Prime Day.
However, drawbacks exist. Some items on Amazon Japan are not eligible for Prime shipping, and the selection may feel limited for specific niche products compared to global markets. While Prime Video has diverse content, some users might find the variety or volume lacking compared to dedicated streaming services like Netflix or Disney+. Moreover, the Prime Reading catalog in Japan is often criticized for being smaller and less updated compared to other regions, reducing its appeal for avid readers.
Ultimately, whether Amazon Prime Japan is worth it depends on your lifestyle and consumption habits. If you frequently shop online, value quick delivery, and consume media regularly, the subscription provides excellent value at its relatively low cost (¥500/month or ¥4,900/year). On the other hand, if your shopping needs are occasional and you rely heavily on other platforms for media, the benefits may not outweigh the subscription cost.
In the beginning, Amazon Prime was probably not worth the cost. However, as Amazon has continued to add to the offering and grown, the benefits have increased. You can find nearly anything you want on Amazon. The closest competitior, Rakuten, provides a similar service but their website is difficult to navigate and their suppliers do not always have stock. At this point, Amazon Prime is probably worth it for business professional making regular purchases each month.
At AINEO, we’re a business built on communications. We want to make sure we have the best telcommunications platform available providing phone, chat, video meetings, email, and even fax services. Although, we are on our way to becoming a larger communications service provider, we continue to work hard so our partner clients feel they are treated like our only customer.