Membership has its privileges, but they don’t come cheap. And membership with one retail juggernaut in particular is going to be a little more costly very soon.
Amazon announced the cost of an annual Amazon Prime subscription will be climbing by $20 per year, or $2 a month.
The company stated the increase is due to “the continued expansion of Prime member benefits as well as the rise in wages and transportation costs,” but it also comes after a reported $1 billion per year deal for its streaming television service to become the exclusive home to the NFL’s Thursday night football games starting this fall and running through the next 11 seasons.
The new annual fee will be $139 for a year’s membership, up from $119, and will go into effect for new subscribers on February 18 and for existing renewals after March 25.
For those who pay monthly, the price will rise from $12.99 per month to $14.99.
While worldwide subscribers number more than 200 million, the majority of customers reside in the United States, according to a report issued by Amazon in April 2021.
The price increase will be the first since 2018 when the company first raised its $99 yearly subscription by, coincidentally, $20 a year or $2 per month, attributing that raise to a rise in shipping costs. The company also raised costs in 2014, making the price hike appear to be a clockwork-like change every four years.
Perks of an Amazon Prime subscription include two-day shipping for no additional charges at the time of purchase, no matter the cost of the overall order. (Non-subscribers must order at least $25 worth of goods to trigger free two-day shipping.) Prime subscribers also gain access to video and music streaming, cloud storage and special discounts at Whole Foods.
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