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When modern consumers look at their subscription account statements, occasionally they ask themselves “At what price would I stop using that service?”
It is possible Amazon Prime has reached that point for some of those consumers.
On Feb. 3, Amazon raised the annual cost for Prime membership in the United States from $119 to $139. For those users who pay monthly, the cost goes from $12.99 to $14.99. These prices go into effect for new customers Feb. 18, and for existing customers the price hike goes into effect March 25. If you pay for a year subscription prior to Feb. 18, the lower rate will be locked in.
Low-income subscribers and students will also see hikes in their subscription. Students will pay $7.50 a month. That’s $69 a year and a $10 increase from the current rate. People who receive qualified forms of government assistance, such as Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT), will pay $7 a month, up $1.
For some of the estimated 150 million U.S. subscribers, these increases may be too much to ask for the services Amazon Prime offers. If you are one of those consumers, here is how you go about canceling your subscription.
Prepare to be persistent.
Contents
Step-by-Step Guide to Canceling Amazon Prime
- On the front page of your Amazon account, click on the “Accounts and Lists” menu. The drop-down offers a link to “Prime Membership.”
- Click that, then click on “Manage Membership.”
- Yet another drop-down will offer a click for “Update, cancel, and more” and then you click “End Membership.”
- Another page will appear, and you should click on “Cancel My Benefits.”
You are not done. Amazon apparently finds it hard to believe anyone would cancel its subscription, no matter the cost.
- After you click on “Cancel My Benefits,” you are likely to be asked, and asked again, if you really want to cancel your subscription.
- Keep clicking the “Continue to Cancel” choice to get to the end result.
- Eventually, you will reach “Cancel Your Prime Membership.” Click on that and the deed is done.
One Complication with Canceling Amazon Prime
If your Amazon Prime membership is a result of another association, such as with a Sprint phone account, you must contact that provider to end your Amazon Prime membership.
What If You Have Already Paid Months Ahead?
If you have an annual subscription that would cause you to pay the increased rate for several months past March 25, you can receive a refund for the months beyond your cancellation date. That will require contacting Amazon Prime customer service.
The customer service number is 1-888-361-9602. Have your account number ready because you will be asked for that first by an automated screener and need it to proceed.
It is easier to get the refunded amount after you have completed the cancellation process. You will again likely face pleas to reconsider cancellation when you speak to customer service, however.
Alternatives to Amazon Prime
If you’ve had Amazon Prime for any length of time, you may find it hard to quit the deals and free two-day delivery guarantee for many items.
However, there are other services with shopping and shipping privileges similar to Amazon Prime offerings. They may not be as comprehensive in offerings but depending on what you use Amazon Prime for, they may be enough.
Target RedCard
Limited to products offered by Target, Target RedCard has same day delivery depending on your location. A Target RedCard is free; delivery is $9.99 for each eligible offer, but that cost is eliminated if the delivery is for an order of $35 or more. Delivered items do not qualify for the RedCard 5% discount.
ShopRunner
ShopRunner offers delivery from many of the popular stores and designers that you may already buy from. It’s worth it to take a look at the dozens of outlets that they partner with to determine if ShopRunner offers enough for you. The annual fee is $79. You can shop directly from ShopRunner, or you may see a ShopRunner logo when you shop on product websites.
Hive
Hive offers natural, environmentally friendly products, and it also offers free delivery for those items if you purchase $50 or more. Any delivery request below $50 comes at a cost of $5.95 per delivery. Delivery to Alaska, Hawaii or Puerto Rico has a $30 rate.
Walmart
Walmart offers express delivery of two hours or less depending on location. There is a cost of $7.95 or $9.95 per delivery, but consumers can purchase an annual delivery membership for $98, or a monthly subscription for $12.95. Next day delivery is always free.
How to Cancel Amazon Prime Video Subscription
Amazon Prime Video is the streaming service of Amazon Prime. It is included in the monthly Amazon Prime membership. However, it can also be subscribed to separately. In other words, you can subscribe to watch original content such as “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” without having to subscribe to Amazon Prime delivery. The monthly cost of Prime Video is $8.99.
To cancel your Amazon Prime Video log in to your account and go to “Manage Your Prime Video Channels” and select “Prime Video Channels.” Find the subscription you want to cancel, click “Cancel Channel” and that subscription will be canceled.
You may be offered a self-service refund, and choosing that will end your subscription immediately.
Otherwise, your subscription end date will display on the confirmation screen. You can reverse your subscription cancellation decision until that date. After the subscription date, you will no longer be charged, and will no longer have access to the content.
Kent McDill is a veteran journalist who has specialized in personal finance topics since 2013. He is a contributor to The Penny Hoarder.
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