Gotta Go Prime

Bra shopping.  It's not something I particularly enjoy doing.  Besides, once I find a style or brand I like, I often have trouble finding the size and color I need in stock.

Why is it that merchants don't order more of the more popular sizes and colors? It's always MY size that is the most difficult to find, especially in the classic, simple, and smooth T-shirt-fit styles.  (Incidentally, speaking from experience Victoria's Secret is SO overrated.  For what you pay vs. what you get, it's a big, fat, marketing bonanza ripoff.)

So I gave up looking in brick -n- mortar and found what I needed on Amazon.  A few clicks, done.  Ordered it last Wednesday and it arrived on Friday.  Unfortunately, it arrived somewhat damaged...?  One side.  Smooshed.  Very odd.  Who wants a lumpy-fitting bra?

But no worries.  As an Amazon Prime member, I simply logged on to my account, printed off the return label, and dropped the package off at the UPS store on my way to work this morning.  No return shipping.  An instant credit has been made to my credit card, no questions asked.   Could it get any simpler?

I've been an Amazon Prime member for several years now.  The way it happened, I was actually at an AT&T store dealing with a cell phone snafu, and the charming little geek waiting on me convinced me that my world would be a far happier place if I signed up for Prime with Amazon.  (He won my instant respect by suggesting I could buy "X" from Amazon cheaper than from AT&T -- now that's putting the customer first!)  He shared how buying gifts for special occasions and holidays had always been a huge pain in the butt for him since most of his family lived miles away.  And he wasn't particularly fond of shopping anyway.  But surfing the web?  That he could do.  And efficiently.  So when he discovered that he could buy just about anything on the planet from Amazon, and most purchases with free shipping if he signed on for Amazon Prime membership, he decided to rethink his dilemma and did the math.  The cost of Prime membership compared to the $ saved from using less gas, no more parking fees, no more waiting in long lines at checkout, and he could ship his purchases to his family FREE?  And free returns too?  Sold.  He realized he'd be done with his shopping long before most people had scored a parking spot at the mall.

And he sold me too.

I've never looked back.  I've saved tons of time and money being a Prime member.  When I'm needing something, I usually look on Amazon first before getting in my car and wasting my time, effort and gas.  Nine times out of ten, it's cheaper from Amazon.  Just the other day I needed a watch battery.  I happened to be at the drug store when I remembered, and I saw the one I needed.  One battery in a package for a few bucks.  Okay, I thought.  But let me check Amazon first.  Sure enough, I was able to buy 5 watch batteries in a pack for the same amount of money, shipped to my doorstep free just two days later.  That's only one of countless examples.

In the last six months alone I've bought shoes, vitamins, cologne, an Igloo cooler, a fan, crafts, shoe insoles, a foam roller, a decorative flag, printer toner, Mp3 headphones, and AP History flash cards -- for starters.  AND they were all cheaper than I could buy locally.  AND they all shipped free.

Not to mention that as a Prime member, I get to watch instant videos free, download music free, and get a free Kindle book once a month.  Just the other night I downloaded over 30 new songs to my workout playlist -- free -- using my Amazon App on my cell phone.

Is that not enough incentive to be an Amazon Prime member?  Is this a no-brainer?  Am I missing something here?

A couple of weeks ago I had shared with my friend about the benefits of black cohosh for her recent onset of hot flashes.  She texted me over the weekend with a pic of her bottle of black cohosh that she'd just picked up at a local health food store while she was out.  I read the label.  It was one-fifth the strength, and as it turns out, three x the cost of the black cohosh I'd bought from Amazon -- shipped free, of course, because of my Prime membership.

It's almost become a default response when someone asks me:  Hey, where can I get X?

Amazon.  And don't forget:

GO PRIME