Some Blu-rays and DVDs on Amazon are now only available to Prime members (1 Viewer)

Until recently, I worked for Amazon, though only as low-level leadership in their Customer Service division. (I only mention this as a matter of disclosure. I obviously in no way speak for the company.) A few months before I left, I saw that Amazon was making certain products available only for Amazon Prime members. I didn't think anything of it at the time, because the first products that I saw fall under this umbrella were household products.


Today, I noticed that the "Prime Exclusive" items now include some Blu-ray and DVD titles. I'm a bit floored by this. I'm a Prime member, so it isn't really going to affect me however it will definitely affect members of this forum who aren't Prime members or who don't live in the US. These aren't just obscure titles, either. I have the Blu-ray of Who Framed Roger Rabbit? in my shopping cart and noticed, just today, that it is now a Prime exclusive. Has anyone else noticed any Blu-rays or DVDs that are now Prime-exclusive? How do you feel about this? I think it's a crappy move by Amazon.


Here are the two I found today:


Ninja Scroll (Blu-ray)


Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

There is already a thread about this issue. I'll do a search for it.


http://www.hometheaterforum.com/topic/339915-amazon-restricting-sales-for-prime-members-only/

Sorry. Missed it. Feel free to close the topic.

I just went to order Roger Rabbit and have it sent to the UK and went right through the checkout process without any problems. No signs of that title being restricted. I am Prime in the UK but that doesn't appear to make any difference

I just checked the page for it and it looks like they've removed the restriction. Amazon changes things all the time, so I suspect we'll see titles go on and off the list of "Prime Exclusives". Hell, I worked there for three years and never understood many of their choices.

They currently have the new release blu "What We Do In the Shadows" for members only purchase. Best Buy seems to have it for the same price. I'll probably buy it there.


I can understand a "members only" discount price if they want to do that, but I don't understand why they won't sell the product to non-members at any price.

Malcolm R said:

They currently have the new release blu "What We Do In the Shadows" for members only purchase. Best Buy seems to have it for the same price. I'll probably buy it there.


I can understand a "members only" discount price if they want to do that, but I don't understand why they won't sell the product to non-members at any price.

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Yes I tried that one and it says members only and invites me to join but I'm guessing if I try to do a free trial they won't let me. They do redirect non Prime buyers to third party sellers

Amazon is making a big push to increase Prime membership. The recent Prime Day being the most known example. Apparently it is working as I believe there have been reports stating that Amazon has never had so many Prime members. Amazon actual made a profit in the second quarter of 2015. Though people complained that Prime day was a bust, offering few good deals, it again apparently was successful for Amazon. While I am sure many people who signed up for a 30 day free prime trial will cancel, many others will not.

Amazon is always trying to increase Prime membership. You wouldn't believe how many people sign up for Prime without realizing it and then freak out when they get charged $100 a month later. Without going into specifics, let's just say that it's a lot.

As an european customer, this is a bad policy which means a mistreatment for me. Now I can't buy the recent "The Cell" blu-ray or Ryan Gosling's directorial debut. My money is suddenly not wanted and since there is no real Prime alternative for me (I'd pay those 100 in a heartbeat, but... In fact I couldn't benefit of almost anything), I feel like if they sacked me off their shop not differently as they'd do with any thief or cheater.
They have made me feel as an unwanted guest. Awesome.

There's always Amazon.ca

^ I was going to say that. Some titles that I couldn't buy at .com are readily available for non-Prime members from .ca, and possibly for somewhat cheaper too (for Americans) when you consider the US$ is worth about $1.30 Canadian. Also, check third-party vendors at .ca and .uk, they are typically from the U.S. (for U.S. product) and are also sometimes cheaper.


The titles I wanted were more obscure ones, haven't run into this issue with common stuff (like WFRR?) myself so far.

Worth said:

There's always Amazon.ca

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Unfortunately Amazon Canada priced themselves out of the market for UK customers when they increased postage between double and quadruple what it used to be.

Needless to say I've not ordered anything from Canada at all this year.


Not much use with the Prime lockout but .com also allow you to prepay import duties and avoid the handling fee you get if you buy from Canada

As has been mentioned above with Roger Rabbit, the prime exclusives appear only to be temporary at this point. An experiment perhaps by Amazon. They have not promoted it yet and the prices don't appear to change when something is exclusive.

Well, let's hope the 'exclusive offers' disappear for good.

youworkmen said:

Unfortunately Amazon Canada priced themselves out of the market for UK customers when they increased postage between double and quadruple what it used to be.

Needless to say I've not ordered anything from Canada at all this year.


Not much use with the Prime lockout but .com also allow you to prepay import duties and avoid the handling fee you get if you buy from Canada

Click to expand...

amazon.com did this years ago for Canadian customers. Jacked up shipping to ridiculous levels, then made up some "import fees" (when they don't always actually exist) to boot. So I get what you're talking about! I placed one order at .com in 2013 and that's it for there for the last 3 years.


I guess this is amazon's way of "encouraging" people to buy at their own country's amazon if there is one. I say that with only a bit of knowledge, but IIRC everybody who I've read (elsewhere) complain about greatly increased shipping rates lives in a country with their "own" amazon. I speculate amazon may be reacting to something else though, in that from what I've read in financial newspapers, that there have been lots of political etc. pressures on amazon in certain countries.


OTOH, amazon has said for years that "shipping fees" are the largest profit-growth area of their business. I guess they're ensuring that, partly by encouraging Prime.

These exclusives are stupid unless they are only available at Amazon. I went to order THE LAST FIVE YEARS the week it came out on Amazon, and found it was a "Prime Exclusive," so I just went and ordered it at Barnes and Noble.

When I decided to check out X-Men Origins: Wolverine today after seeing the price had dropped to $7.99 via the "Today's Price Drops" thread, I noticed two versions of the title, but they were both the same release. One was $7.99, and the 2nd was $4.99 as an exclusive for Amazon Prime members. This is the first time I have seen this on my Amazon account.


I wasn't sure I was going to order the title at $8, but for $5 I thought "what the heck" and placed the order.