The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Free Amazon shipping for all in run-up to holiday
Amazon is extending free shipping with no minimum purchase this holiday season to non-Prime members in the United States, and free same-day shipping on many toys, electronics and other items to Amazon Prime subscribers, including Sundays.
Amazon Prime members pay $120 a year for free, two-day shipping, as well as access to streaming videos, discounts at Whole Foods Market and other membership perks. Amazon disclosed this year more than 100 million people subscribe to Amazon Prime, with the company not breaking down U.S. totals.
In separate Amazon news, the Wall Street Journal reported that after considering locations for a second headquarters operation in addition to its Seattle base, Amazon is now considering the possibility of splitting those jobs between two metropolitan regions.
The newspaper reported on Sunday that New York City was on the short list as one secondary location that could employ as many as 25,000 people, with Northern Virginia and Dallas also in negotiations with Amazon. The company is expected to make a decision as soon as this week, the Journal reported.
Amazon raised the price of Amazon Prime in May, with the company’s chief financial officer telling investment analysts in late October that new member signups and renewals remain “very strong” at the higher monthly rate.
The company offers a two-week free trial of Amazon Prime, and promotes the service heavily in the run-up to the holiday shopping season and its annual Prime Day sales event in mid-July. Last year, Amazon waived shipping charges during the holidays for orders of at least $25.
“We do continue to make the Prime offer better,” said Amazon CFO Brian Olsavsky in a conference call. “I mentioned ... the linkage with Prime member savings at Whole Foods market; ... the expansion of grocery delivery to more than 60 cities in the U.S. using Prime Now and Whole Foods stores; the ability to pick up groceries from Whole Foods.”
The company described this year’s offer of universal free shipping as having a cut-off date for orders with shipping arrival dates prior to Christmas.
In the third quarter, Amazon reported a 29 percent increase in sales to $56.6 billion, and net income of $2.9 billion that was up from $256 million a year ago.