In a world where time is money and convenience is king, there's a hidden cost quietly piling up in our online carts. It's called delivery charges. If you've ever ordered groceries online without an Amazon Prime membership, you're probably familiar with the nagging ₹40, ₹59, ₹79, or ₹99 fees that show up at checkout. They may seem small initially, but over a month, especially across a year, they begin to snowball.
But what if there was a way to wave goodbye to delivery charges entirely, unlock early access to shopping festivals, get additional discounts, and even earn cashback, all by spending just ₹399 annually?
Let's break it down and see how Amazon Prime isn't just a subscription, it's potentially your smartest money-saving solution for monthly grocery shopping.
Let's first get a clear picture of what non-Prime customers typically pay for delivery on Amazon:
Shipping Speed | Charge Per Item | |
---|---|---|
For Prime, Prime Lite, and Prime Shopping Edition Members |
For Non-Prime Customers |
|
Same-Day Delivery | Free | ₹99 |
One-Day Delivery | Free | ₹79 |
Two-Day Delivery | Free | ₹59 |
Standard Delivery** | Free | ₹40 |
**Standard Delivery charges are free for non-Prime members for orders ₹499 or more only.
Assuming you place grocery orders 15 times a month, a perfectly reasonable number if you're splitting your purchases into smaller, frequent orders, you could be incurring a substantial delivery cost each time.
Let's say:
Total monthly delivery spend = ₹396 + ₹316 + ₹177 + ₹200 = ₹1,126
And this is on the conservative side. Realistically, if you're shopping for a family or using Amazon as your go-to grocery store, the frequency could be even higher. Add in a few extra impulse buys or split orders, and the delivery fees could easily creep past ₹1500-₹2000 per month.
For just ₹399 a year, which is around ₹33.25 per month, you unlock a treasure trove of benefits that make that cost almost negligible. Here's what you get as a Prime member:
Even if you were to use Prime only for saving on grocery delivery, the savings are phenomenal.
Let's return to our monthly calculation. If you save ₹1,126 in delivery fees every month, over 12 months, you're looking at:
₹1,126 × 12 = ₹13,512 in annual savings.
Subtract your annual Prime fee of ₹399, and you're still saving ₹13,113 per year. That's nearly one month of household groceries for many families.
Now, if you place more orders, include non-grocery essentials, and leverage Prime discounts and cashback offers, the value just keeps climbing.
Beyond the obvious delivery savings, Prime offers consistent, tangible ways to cut grocery bills even further.
1. 10% Extra Off On Prime Deals
Many pantry staples and FMCG products feature Prime-only discounts. For instance, a monthly grocery bill of ₹8000 could easily yield ₹800 worth of discounts just from Prime-tagged offers.
2. Early Access = Better Deals
Prime members often get first dibs during major sales. That means better prices before stock runs out. So, if there's a flash deal on, say, ₹200 off a pack of diapers or BOGO on gourmet coffee, you're first in line.
3. Cashback on Amazon Pay ICICI Credit Card
If you use the Amazon Pay Credit Card, you get 5% unlimited cashback on purchases made on Amazon. For someone who shops groceries worth ₹8000 per month, that's ₹400 cashback monthly, or ₹4800 annually.
Even if you cut the monthly frequency to just 6 grocery orders, here's what the non-Prime delivery charges could look like:
Multiply that by 12 months and you're at ₹4,752 just on delivery charges, still way more than the ₹399 Prime fee.
So yes, even a casual user can save big with Prime. And for frequent shoppers? The math speaks for itself.
The biggest mistake online shoppers make is thinking subscriptions like Amazon Prime are an expense. In truth, it's more like an investment, one that pays you back several times over.
Think of it this way. You spend ₹399 a year, and in return you can:
Amazon Prime costs ₹399 annually in India for the Shopping-only benefits membership, offering free delivery, early access to sales, exclusive deals, and more.
Yes, if you order groceries online even 6-10 times a month, you can save over ₹1,000 monthly in delivery fees alone, making Prime highly cost-effective.
Non-Prime users pay ₹99 for same-day, ₹79 for one-day, ₹59 for two-day, and ₹40 for standard delivery (free only on orders above ₹499).
Yes, Prime members often receive an extra 10% off on select grocery items and can avail of exclusive Prime-only deals throughout the year.
Absolutely. If you use the Amazon Pay ICICI Credit Card, you get unlimited 5% cashback on Amazon purchases, including groceries.
If you're someone who shops for groceries online and let's face it, that's most of us today, Amazon Prime isn't a luxury. It's a logical step to saving money, time and effort. Whether you're a budget-conscious student, a busy parent managing household groceries, or simply someone who values convenience, the ₹399 fee is more than justified.
So, the next time you're tempted to skip that Prime membership because it feels like an extra charge, remember, it's not a cost. It's a smart, calculated saving.
Because let's be honest, who wouldn't want to save ₹2,000 every month on groceries by spending just ₹399 a year? Get Amazon Prime now.