Gift Giving Guy

Sometimes you can’t be there to give a gift, so delivery is the next best thing. That’s where Amazon Prime comes in handy. For a flat fee of $79, an Amazon Prime membership allows you free two-day shipping to addresses in the continental U.S. For about $4 more per item, you can have it shipped the next day. There is no minimum to buy, so you are no longer hording items in your Amazon.com shopping cart until you reach the “Super Saver Shipping” level.

I have used the service for nearly one year now, and I’m very satisfied with the deliveries. If you use Amazon.com at least four times a year, the $79 pays off rather quickly. And you can share the membership with up to four family members living in the same household. I’m sure that I’ve saved at least $75 in shipping costs. The service will automatically renew for me in August 2007, and I intend to keep it.

If I can give a gift in person, I have it shipped to me via Amazon Prime, so I can wrap it and include a note card or greeting card. It’s also great for everyday gifts, such as a new music CD for my wife.

The shipping deal only works on items sold directly by Amazon.com (not the third party sellers), but that still means you have more than one million items to choose from. These products are clearly marked with an Amazon Prime notice, but the search engine link below is useful for finding Amazon Prime eligible items.

• Search for Amazon Prime Items