Amazon sparks fury by removing a popular Prime perk: ‘Cancelling’

Amazon will end one of its most popular Prime benefits early next year.

The service, Amazon Today, offers same-day delivery for items from select local stores near customers.

It’s different from Prime’s core delivery service, which is for items sold by Amazon from its extensive network of warehouses across the US.

Depending on the item and area, Prime delivery options can include two-day, same-day, or even one-hour delivery.

Shops (independents in one city or chains with multiple locations) could register for Today. Popular partners include Office Depot, Staples, Petco, PacSun, GNC, Diesel and SuperDry.

In addition to home delivery, Amazon Today allows customers to order items that they can pick up directly in stores.

Prime members enjoyed the service for free on orders over $25, but smaller purchases were charged a $2.99 ​​fee.

Launching in 2024, Today will close on December 2 for most retail partners and last through January 24 for a select few.

An Amazon spokesperson said the service is facing the problems because of “overlap” with its other delivery services.

“This will streamline our offering to customers, and the majority of the selection our customers purchase from Amazon Today will remain available for same-day or same-day delivery,” the spokesperson told The Street.

However, cutting back on services will also have a huge impact on employees who will lose their jobs or be transferred internally to other positions within the company.

Customers were particularly annoyed that Today is being cut, with some saying they would cancel Prime, which costs $14.99 per month or $139 per year.

“They don’t even seem to be trying anymore,” said another about Prime on Reddit.

“It seems like the Prime I’m paying for isn’t giving me any value,” a third agreed.

But one person joked that it was a good move on their part, writing: “Annoying, but I’ll probably make fewer spontaneous purchases, so probably a good thing in the long run.”

It comes just weeks after the company bragged about its record delivery speeds.

“So far this year, our delivery speed for Prime customers is faster than ever before, with more than 5 billion units arriving same-day or next-day,” CEO Andy Jassy said during a recent earnings call.

The new Amazon logo has replaced the blue tape with light and dark green stripes

“With more optimal inbound inventory placement, we expect to enable faster speeds, consolidate more orders into one box, and reduce inventory transfers once items reach a fulfillment center,” Jassy told investors.

The removal of the perk also comes after Amazon confused its loyal customers with an unannounced change to the shopping app’s logo.

The familiar cardboard colored box logo with a black arrow has undergone a subtle change in the latest update to the app.

The small square, which symbolizes the tape that seals Amazon packages, has changed from the familiar light blue to dark and light green stripes.

While drugstores in the US are struggling, Amazon has plans for 20 new pharmacies next year.

It’s a stark contrast to Walgreens, which said earlier this month it would close 1,200 stores over the next three years.