Amazon No Longer Offers 2-Day Prime Shipping (Here’s What To Do About It)
Have you noticed that Amazon doesn’t deliver on their 2-day Prime Shipping anymore? It’s actually not even close for my address and I’ve had to return stuff to Amazon as I don’t need it by the time the package shows up. Anything that I want to buy today (a Monday) won’t be delivered until Sunday at the earliest. I tested this on a bunch of different shopping categories and made sure it was all products sold and shipped directly by Amazon, and none could be delivered before Sunday, 6 days from NOW. But alas, not all hope is lost, here’s what you should do to hold Amazon’s feet to the fire. It’ll only take a few minutes and put an extra $10 or $20 in your pocket.
Call Them Up and Ask For a 1-Month Refund
When I have a problem with Amazon I usually start a live chat session as it’s easier to say exactly what I want to say.
BUT…for the first time ever, I recommend actually calling them at 1-(888) 280-4331 and say, “Why don’t I get 2-day Prime shipping anymore?”
I tried doing this via Live Chat and it just went in circles due to what I’m guessing was a language barrier.
At this point, give them your zip code and ask them to run it through their system to find out for sure whether your address qualifies for 2-day shipping.
Most addresses do indeed qualify for 2-day Prime shipping.
See Also: 5 Reasons Why Amazon Prime Is a Terrible Buy
If your address does qualify, then you probably already know the EXACT reason why you’re not getting your packages within 2 days.
It’s because Amazon can’t hold up their end of the bargain and they should pay for it.
This is when you politely ask for a 1-month refund on your Prime membership (approximately $10) because Amazon can’t hold up their end of the bargain.
I did this recently via a phone call to their customer service department and it took me all of about 5 minutes to score the $10 refund.
There was ZERO hesitation from the rep I talked with and I think they are trained to hand out this refund for those who politely ask for it.
Note: My family orders from Amazon at least 1-2 times per week and I’m not sure if that played a role in getting the 1-month refund, but in either case, it’s definitely worth a shot.
PRO TIP: AIM HIGH & ASK FOR EVEN MORE
From the comments section, several Amazon Prime members were actually given a $20 “inconvenience credit”.
Since we we know that a $20 credit is on the table, you might as well ask for it. You stand a decent chance of them giving it to you, and if they don’t just try again later with a different CSR.
Hold Amazon’s Feet to the Fire
I realize Amazon’s been hit by unprecedented demand in recent months, but let’s not forget they are one of the richest companies in the world.
Now that the economy and stores have opened back up in most of the country, the demand for online shopping has been greatly reduced.
Yet Amazon still can’t figure it out and solve their order backlog issues.
Originally, Amazon wanted to blame it on the pandemic and now they claim it’s 2-days from when the order leaves the warehouse giving them the green light to blame delivery services and bad weather.
I’d have no problem buying that argument back in 2021…BUT NOT NOW.
It’s my opinion that Amazon was losing money on the 2-day shipping guarantee and is using the current situation as a handy way to get rid of the fast shipping guarantee altogether.
PRO TIP: TIME TO LOOK AT OTHER OPTIONS
Fortunately Amazon is the not the only company offering free shipping with guaranteed 2-day delivery.
Notably, take a close look at a Walmart+ membership. For $98 a year (30-day free trial), you get free shipping with no minimum and most items are either next day delivery or 2-day. You also get free delivery from your local Walmart with a $35 minimum along with 10¢ cents/gallon savings at gas stations including Exxon and Mobil.
And it’s no surprise that the prices at Walmart are typically better than Amazon.
Sidenote: My wife is a Kindergarten teacher and she came home the other day telling me that many of her colleagues have stitched from Prime to Walmart+ and they couldn’t be happier. Very anecdotal I realize, but I think the momentum is building.
See Also: Not Getting Amazon Delivery on Sunday? Here’s Why
I’d be SHOCKED if 2-Day Prime shipping ever came back at this point.
So the bottom line is get your $10 refund NOW before they aren’t so generous.
The customer service rep also told me that MANY people are calling to cancel Prime, she said she had already cancelled over 50 memberships in the past couple days.
Here’s what a chat rep told me when I asked him if Prime members were complaining about the issue:
PRO TIP: TRY AN AMAZON BUSINESS ACCOUNT
Thanks to reader Joseph, who commented recently letting us know that his Amazon Business account has been delivering in 2-days since last September. The interesting part is that his “regular Prime account” is stuck at 4-7 days for delivery.
Since an Amazon business account is FREE to join, and also gives you quantity discounts, setting up an account could be worth a shot. Also, in case you were wondering, he said his business is not COVID related in the slightest.
Prime 2-Day Shipping Has Turned Into 5-Day Delivery
The reason that 2-day Prime shipping has turned into 5, 6, or even 7-day shipping has nothing to do with UPS or the USPS.
It falls 100% on Amazon as they now say that the “2-day shipping guarantee” is from when they actually process your order and get it in the mail.
So if it takes them a couple days to box it up and ship it out, then you’ll get it delivered to your home in about 5 days on average.
See Also: Amazon Package Arriving Late? Here’s How to Score a Refund
If you’re like me, the main reason you joined Prime and paid $139/year was for the 2-day shipping, so this is KIND OF A BIG DEAL.
Ask the Reader: Are you a Prime member? If so, when was the last time Amazon delivered something to you in 2 days?
By Kyle James
I started Rather-Be-Shopping.com in 2000 and have become a consumer expert and advocate writing about out-of-the-box ways to save at stores like Amazon, Walmart, Target and Costco to name a few. I’ve been featured on FOX News, Good Morning America, and the NY Times talking about my savings tips. (Learn more)
I have two orders I’m waiting on now. As soon as I get them, or should I say IF I get them, I will be cancelling my Prime. It is a mess. I am chatting with an Amazon rep it seems almost once per week to find out where my package is. Yes, they credit me $10 but it can ONLY be used on products supplied and shipped by Amazon. The final straw was last night when the rep said he would credit me $10 and refund my purchase. I told him I did NOT want to cancel my order. I just wanted to know why it had been “Out for Delivery” for several days. The rep said no problem and what did I find this morning? The rep had cancelled it! I pay for a service and I am not getting that service. Not even close. Can’t wait to cancel actually. At this point, they aren’t any better at delivery that USPS and maybe even worse.
I just called them because everything I just ordered was going to take 4 days. I’ve been a Prime member pretty much since they started. I could see this last Spring but now it seems to be the norm even though my orders show 2 days in December. When I tried to complain the rep said it takes 2 days from when it’s shipped and has always been that way. Basically calling me a liar when I’m looking at order history and can clearly see the 2 days in December. I asked to speak to a supervisor and all he did was repeat the delivery times of today’s order at which point I stopped him and told him I wasn’t calling so he could tell me something I already knew. I want an answer on why this has changed. So now I’m waiting on a call back. I think they’ll be losing more business than they already have when their hosting service booted Parler off their servers with less than 2 days notice. I’m guessing they lost a lot of business and are trying to make up for it. I saw the complaints on their Facebook page and one woman said she was canceling her business account where she spent $98,000 a yr. Sad that this company used to be so good.
Defending parlor, americas #1 used site for insurrectionists who deemed themselves worthy of overthrowing a secure election. wow now that takes some serious dignity and honor, bless you.
Idiot ^
I found this post when searching for “when did prime 2-day become prime 5-day”.
I live in Manhattan and used to get most things the same day or next day. 2 day was “slow”. I gave Amazon some slack a year ago when the sh*t hit the fan and I sort of let the 2-day stuff slide and didn’t think much about it.
And during the recent foul weather I understood things would slow down (they’re running a banner at the top of the site about weather slow downs). But this week I finally noticed that everything I order is taking 5 days (just like you said).
Amazon offers free shipping on all orders over $25 (which most of mine are) and I’m rarely in a true hurry to get anything so why should I keep paying $119/year?
It took about 10 minutes of pushing past their ridiculous dark patterns but I cancelled Prime this morning. The emails about losing my benefits on March 27 have already started arriving…
I ordered several items Saturday. They were supposed to be here Tuesday but it’s Wednesday night now and tracking is saying they haven’t even shipped! These are common items that were in stock (coffee and stuff like that). They have new warehouses in my state so I don’t understand why shipping is delayed. I’m one hour outside of a major city so we almost never got 1 day shipping but 2 days was the norm. Now we’re lucky if we get it in a week-10 days.
Thanks for the tip!
I called amazon to complain about this today and ended up getting a $5 credit. Will be canceling my prime membership soon
I see nothing on their site about 2 day Prime shipping anymore, although it’s still in the fine print…One day shipping is available only if the product says it and none of mine have been One day. They are in essence forcing us into using Amazon Day so no matter what you order, they are going to take 5 to 7 days.
Exactly. They seem to change policies with the wind.
I ordered a Prime item, sold by Amazon and shipped by Amazon. I expected it to be 2 days, but then it was telling me it would be about 10 days. I went back to the item’s page several days later and it said if I ordered it now, I’d get it in two days, which would be sooner than I was to get the original order.
I live in Honolulu, Hawaii and have been a Prime member since 2003. My deliveries are now ten days from ordering, and in some cases two weeks. My order page does not even offer the three to seven day free delivery option. I am offered $24.00 for two day delivery, and other paid options for up to a week delivery times. I am told the same nonsense as everyone else by the management. The Prime benefit delivery benefit is dishonest, misleading and should be removed from the Amazon site. It appears if I pay for delivery, I can receive my order within my promised Prime membership time to Honolulu. Why is that?
It’s okay, Linda. I spoke to a representative and they assured me that it will take only two days from the day they ship your items, after they sit in their warehouse for a week.
Feel better now?
I ordered a couple things to be delivered BEFORE Xmas. I even bought items that were the same but more expensive than other items being sold on Amazon because I needed them sooner. I got my confirmation that they would be here on said dates. Then I get notifications the next day regarding the deliveries supposed to be here the next day and day after, that now one would be here a week later and another in three more days! I was a little upset to say the least bc one of these items was a gift to my son who would be home from the army and the other throbbed for him to sleep in..now nothing shows up for three to five days delivery!! Not worth it anymore!
I’ve contacted them every time when they don’t give 2-day shipping. I always get a run-around. Prime was sold on the promise that items labeled “Prime” are eligible for 2-day free shipping.
When my items failed to arrive in 2-days, I am told that just because it says Prime on the ad page, doesn’t mean it qualifies for Prime benefits. What kind of crap is this? I am told that even though it says Prime, I must notice who is selling the item from the very fine print cleverly hidden in the page. If it does not say “Sold by Amazon” and “Shipped by Amazon”, then Prime does not apply. However, nowhere on the Prime Benefits information page does it ever state this.
Then I buy an item marked Prime that is “Sold by Amazon” and “Shipped by Amazon” and it will take 5 business days. When I contact Amazon, I am told that “2-day Delivery” means 2 days AFTER we ship the item. This is bullshit. “Delivery” means that I have received the item. This would be like an automotive shop advertising “15 Minute Oil Changes” and then telling you it will be 2 days before your car is ready but it will take them only 15 minutes to change the oil “once they get to it”. Would you go for this?
How about a pizza delivery? They tell you it will be delivered in 30 minutes. Do you think this means it will take them 30 minutes to drive to your house “2 hours” after taking your order? No, you take it to mean you will have pizza at your door in 30 minutes.
I have been an Amazon customer for 20 years or more but I’m getting really tired of their behavior.
I online chatted with them to complain about the shipping speed for Prime and said that I should get some kind of refund because they’re failing to live up to their end of the contract. The online representative straight up cancelled my membership on the spot and issued a refund (full refund even though I was near the end of a year), which is totally not what I wanted.
Called to complain about that, and they issued me a second credit to re-subscribe. So, now I’m sitting on a double refund, and wondering why I should resubscribe when the free shipping options over $25 seem to meet the same timeline.
I’ve been an Amazon Prime member for quite a while and USUALLY, my packages come on time or even early… Unless my item costs over a couple hundred bucks, then it’s delayed or even lost. Ive ordered a couch, a lawn mower, a laptop, and other things that were high ticket orders and there were logistic issues with each one. Amazon blames it on the shipper but why would you continue to use a shipping company when they seem to routinely be delayed or lose packages? Unless they are being mishandled by Amazon and they just don’t want to take the blame.
So disappointed. Used to not go to stores because Amazon would get purchases to me the next day. Prime not Prime anymore! Choosing “Prime Days” created a longer wait for deliveries…want next day delivery reinstated or, at least, two days.
I order from Amazon with Prime at least 2 times a week. Use to get my items within 2 days sometimes 1 day. But anymore if I order kn Thursday I might get it by Monday. I dont use the other Prime benefits so Prime is about done at my house. You know all the reasons they give for not doing the 2 day delivery is oure B.S. Walmart still delivers to me in 2 days after I’ve placed the order. So Amazon is 100% to blame and screwing the consumer but still want that $119 a year. Total B.S
I selected three items to buy from Amzn yesterday, (Tuesday March 9, 2021). Two would arrive on Sunday March 14th and one on Monday March 15, 2021. I joined Prime when they didn’t charge sales tax and promised two day shipping. The sales tax advantage is gone and it appears the two day guarantee is now gone. The only thing remaining is not having to jump in my car and drive to the store. That’s not worth $119/year. So bye-bye Amazon, hello Walmart.
I just called Amazon on this. They are not offering any credits unless your order has been delayed. They also informed me that the new rule is that it is 2 Day shipping from the time the order has been packaged/shipped. So obviously that is incredibly dishonest because they are changing the terms for Prime from what we originally signed up for and paid for, to a situation where they can take longer in their warehouse or simply blame a late delivery on that since none of us will ever know when they truly package up your stuff. Amazon got their massive revenue and customer base on this 2 Day shipping service. Now it is a minimum of 5 days and typically longer. What’s the point anymore? You might as well go to the store yourself and you’ll have your product(s) way sooner. You can even go back to the old days of simply ordering directly from the vendors off their website and they’ll get it to you within the same timeframe at a minimum (maybe even sooner). Time to forget paying for Prime and using Amazon. There’s no incentive anymore to using Amazon.
It’s not even 2 days from when they “ship” because they bounce it from Amazon facility to Amazon facility before it ever actually ships but the order status says shipped. Ordered Thursday 3/25. Status said shipped Sunday 3/28. It is now 3/30 and Usps stated awaiting package. It said it would be delivered today when I ordered. I’m in Kansas and it’s still at an Amazon facility in Oklahoma. So 6 days and still hasn’t made it to a post office?
i tried to ask this and dude wanted an order number. I cited the order I just placed (monday) says its a prime item, but i wont get it next until Tues! he kept saying ok, well i need an order number i gave him that one, but expressed it was a chronic issue, he wouldnt answer why, he just kept saying he needed order numbers! I had given him the most recent one! then he was trying to act like he just couldnt help me because i weasnt giving him the order numbers from every order I’ve made since last November. I finally got frustrated and told him i think we were having communications issues and I had to go. Hope it works for other people, but didnt for me.
what is the point of paying for prime, if they have normal, or longer than normal shipping times?
I just got off the phone with Amazon. After 30 minutes and 3 different people, I got absolutely nowhere! They are obviously told what to say because they all 3 said basically the same thing. One even said “I can not confirm nor deny…”! All I kept asking was when and why did it change. No one would say a thing about it. They kept saying “What I can tell you is…” Maybe if enough people complain about it or cancel their memberships they will reinstate the 2-day delivery. I highly doubt it though. I just can’t believe a company as big as Amazon would do this shady stuff and then try to hide it.
Thanks for this great informative article. I just got $12.95 back into my account. Same excuses given, but advising them that AMAZON had violated the terms of agreement I signed up with, made them change their “song and dance” routine, and they quickly refunded one month. Next month, another call. Took about 5 minutes! That equals $155.40/hour pay. Well now…
Just got off the phone with Amazon. I’ve been having issues for a year with late shipments, but this week was the last straw. Two of my shipments were delayed, taking almost a week to get here. Why, you ask?? Amazon is no longer shipping out each shipment as you order, if they don’t have to.
If you order one day, then place another order one or two days later and it’s all coming from the same facility, they will hold the first order to ship them together. So, even if you don’t choose to have an “Amazon day” Amazon’s gonna give you one anyway.
I was passed to two different reps to be given a whopping $25 credit. Better than nothing, I guess.
This is the only article I’ve seen that is the truth. Amazon likes to blame Covid, but it’s been like this for a 1 1/2 before Covid. I called and I’ve probably gotten 6 months prime free over the last 3 years. Now I’m sick of it! I called and canceled 2 days ago. I also bought 3 Prime memberships for Christmas for my kids. NO MORE!