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(51 Posts)
Luckygirl Sat 24-Feb-18 09:08:22

Found out yesterday that we are members of amazon prime - I certainly did not join this; and can only think that OH did so inadvertently - there is an order from him for some light bulbs on the same date as the membership started. They have had £79 from us!! - I am jolly cross, and have of course cancelled it, but we will remain members till November.

I looked into it and note that all their orders result in an email; but the prime membership does not - there is a confirmation hidden away in your account details which I had to search for.

I know that we are not alone in this happening inadvertently - there is a veritable plague of fellow victims on the net - but there seems to be no redress for this, and they are allowed to continue this underhand practice.

Looking at the site I can see how you might click the wrong thing, especially if, like my OH, you seldom use the net.

Maggiemaybe Sat 24-Feb-18 09:17:07

Have you contacted them directly about it, Luckygirl? I had the free trial of Prime and of course forgot to cancel before the end, so was charged. When I emailed them they cancelled and refunded me without a quibble.

Anniebach Sat 24-Feb-18 09:24:26

I depend on Amazon Prime for all my shopping ,

Jane10 Sat 24-Feb-18 09:41:32

Does it have to be Prime though Anniebach? I use Amazon a lot but never tick the Prime box.

Bathsheba Sat 24-Feb-18 09:42:12

I buy a lot from Amazon and love Amazon Prime, not least for the access to masses of music and videos. Those features alone make it worthwhile to me. Oh and the ‘Kindle First’ feature which gives you one free book a month - you get to choose from 6 books pre publication. All in all I find it very worthwhile.

jusnoneed Sat 24-Feb-18 09:46:33

My OH managed to join the Prime club a couple years ago, simply by clicking for free next day delivery - not bothering to read that it joined him into Prime and they took the money without him realising until his statement came. We contacted them and explained what he'd done and that we didn't want Prime, they cancelled it and refunded the money. I think a lot of people have been caught out and had the money back.

Rosieroe Sat 24-Feb-18 09:55:56

I’m also a fan of Amazon Prime. Free postage and prompt delivery on orders. Great choice of music, books and tv. I believe we have saved money through having it.

BlueBelle Sat 24-Feb-18 10:02:16

I hate the opt in and do it so surrupticipusly that you don’t notice regime and for that reason I hate prime although it probably is a good service for some but I hate slyness which I feel it is If it was above board they would advertise it and wait for people to join this way they try to catch people out and force them to join bad practice in my head
I too got caught out a few years ago probably ticked it inadvertently or may have done the three months and forgotten but anyway I complained to them and got all my money returned but it’s an unkind way of doing things in my opinion

kittylester Sat 24-Feb-18 10:03:24

I've been caught out, inadvertently clicking the wrong box. We didn't realise for a couple of months by which time it was too late to cancel.

We use Spotify and sky so don't need the extra services and, although we use Amazon a fair bit for shopping, find paying for next day delivery only when we need it, far better!

Anniebach Sat 24-Feb-18 10:05:40

Yes it does for me Jane10, the next day delivery is such a help. I did try a shopper locally but they wanted £10 for every visit to town or Homebase. A lot of money for a new sweeping brush ?

MamaCaz Sat 24-Feb-18 10:06:33

I accidently triggered Amazon Prime in January - I reached a page in my purchase where I could only see two ways to progress to the next, both involving Prime, and must have made the wrong choice. I only realized my mistake when no postage was added to my payment!
In my case, that meant that I got the benefit of free postage, but was able to cancel Prime straight after, but if i hadn't been alert i would have been none the wiser until it was too late, just like you and your OH!

Charleygirl Sat 24-Feb-18 10:09:29

I do like "click and collect" and that way I am not staing indoors for hours. I would have thought in this day and age we could have the choice of am or pm delivery without paying a fortune for it.

I have had my money's worth from Prime so I have no complaints there but if one wants to get in touch with Amazon, they are making it increasingly difficult.

JackyB Sat 24-Feb-18 10:31:38

I can see the point of Prime, and a colleague swears by it, but my husband complains about the use of broadband even with the few Youtube clips I watch. If I started using the Prime services, we wouldn't have any internet by the 10th of the month!

So I was very worried the other day when a parcel arrived with "amazon prime" logo on the sticky tape. I will have a very close look at my account now.

Willow500 Sat 24-Feb-18 10:31:51

I did this a few years ago and they refunded the charge as soon as I realised however I joined it properly last year and now wouldn't be without it. Not only does most shopping come next day the tv programs are brilliant. We've now dropped Sky down to the basic package for the 3 programs my husband watches as we use Prime much more.

Luckygirl Sat 24-Feb-18 10:35:35

I will get in touch with them and try and get a refund. I find this sly underhand selling objectionable, even if it is something you might want.

Anniebach Sat 24-Feb-18 10:38:42

I do treat myself to a rented film once a month, much cheaper than buying a DVD. Buy puppy food which saves paying someone £10 to collect it from the Vet.

hildajenniJ Sat 24-Feb-18 10:45:58

Having received an Amazon Echo Show for Christmas, and putting it in the kitchen, I discussed with DH about taking Prime so that I can access all the music and videos. It's great, as DH likes to watch the films on Amazon rather than Netflix. I am having a fab time accessing music from all over the world. I don't buy much online, but next day delivery is a boon.

Luckygirl Sat 24-Feb-18 11:05:15

We don't stream music or videos - we have a vast collection of wonderful music to last us a lifetime - and we mainly listen to classical.

We have watched a film once from Netflix.

So it really is not appropriate for us to have prime.

Nonnie Sat 24-Feb-18 11:39:35

Charleygirl I too like click and collect and use it with various companies but do object to John Lewis charging for it. If you go into one of their stores and whatever you want is out of stock you can't just order it without paying for the privilege unless it is more than £50. I can't think of another store which does that.

Ambergirl Sat 24-Feb-18 11:44:10

Well Bathsheba.....I never knew that!! I love Prime for so many reasons. Quick delivery for that gift you forgot! But didn't realise you could get free books...just looked and free magazines too! We have Netflix, so haven't used the videos, but need to look at that too...Thanks!!

Bathsheba Sat 24-Feb-18 12:40:14

They are Kindle books Ambergirl - look out for their monthly emails. Perhaps you've opted out of receiving emails from them? I did that by mistake once and it wasn't till I realised I'd stopped getting the Kindle Daily Deal emails that I investigated!

GillT57 Sat 24-Feb-18 12:54:40

I think that Amazon Prime is great value for money. Apart from the streaming service, we get quite a lot of stuff delivered and it is really handy for sending birthday gifts to friends and family without paying postage. I have even started buying clothes from them; order a few, try them on in comfort of home rather than changing room, then return unwanted.....or keep them all! £79 per year is great value, just for convenience and postage alone.

OldMeg Sat 24-Feb-18 13:36:27

I find Amazon Prime great value for money. I don’t think you can blame them if your husband signed up for it.

In addition to stuff on their website I have access to lots of films which the GC love. Whenever I’ve ordeted something that didn’t come up to expectations I simply email and within a minute a return label is sent to me. Then I simply drop it off at the nearest PO or return point.

I have Amazon to store my photos on their cloud and access to almost unlimited music downloads. My only complaint is that Alexa can be dumbly insolent on occasion.

M0nica Sat 24-Feb-18 13:45:03

I stopped using Amazon, except for my Kindle as soon as I understood they were tax avoiders.

I look books up on their site and then order them from Waterstones. There is nothing on Amazon Marketplace that cannot be bought just as easily on ebay or directly from the supplier.

I only buy classic novels online, all out of copyright for my Kindle so rarely pay more than £2 for them.

notoveryet Sat 24-Feb-18 13:46:32

I live at the far end of nowhere and find prime most useful as I order so much online. I really get a lot is pleasure from the music, although I have a vast collection of CDs I really enjoy listening to the "suggestions" I've broadened my horizons on classical and jazz. To me it is well worth the money and although it appears it is rather too easy to get it by mistake, it just reinforces how vigilant we all need to be.