Your Money: Live Well For Less
SHOULD YOU PAY TO SAVE?
What you get from big retailers’ pricey membership programs
Retailer membership programs promise instant gratification—fast, free shipping of millions of products—plus other freebies and special deals. And despite annual fees that can hit more than $100, many of us pay up.
Perks are piling up at three of the biggest programs. Are they worth it? Here’s my take, plus a rundown of recent updates. If you join these or other programs, stay on top of terms, since retailers can revise them quickly.
AMAZON PRIME
Price: $139 a year or $14.99 a month (discount possible for government-assistance recipients).
My take: It costs a lot, but you get a lot, starting with fast, free shipping, including one-day and same-day delivery. You also get Prime Day deals; Whole Foods Market discounts; free music, videos, books and games; and a half-price annual membership in the Amazon-owned One Medical service (appointments are extra).
What’s new:
▶︎ Grocery delivery subscription. Pay $9.99 a month for unlimited deliveries of orders over $35 from Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods, and from certain grocery stores and specialty retailers.
▶︎ Free restaurant delivery. A Grubhub+ membership, previously lasting only one year, eliminates delivery fees on orders over $12 and gives you a 5 percent credit on pickup orders.
▶︎ Drug discounts. Prime members on Medicare have unlimited access to 60 eligible prescription medications for a total of $5 a month through Prime’s RxPass program.
TARGET CIRCLE 360
Price: $99 a year ($49 for holders of a Target Circle credit or debit card).
My take: If you get weekly deliveries of groceries and other products, this program could pay off within a few months, since same-day delivery normally costs $9.99 per order.
What’s new:
The whole program! (It launched in April.)
▶︎ Fast, free shipping. Unlimited free same-day delivery via Shipt, Target’s delivery service, within a selected one-hour window on eligible orders over $35. Free two-day shipping on qualifying orders that are not available for same-day delivery.
▶︎ Extra time for returns. Thirty days after a product’s standard return deadline.
▶︎ Shipt Marketplace membership. You get free same-day delivery for orders over $35 from Shipt Marketplace retailers.
WALMART+
Price: $98 a year or $8.17 a month (discount possible for government-assistance recipients).
My take: This Walmart* offering can be good if you regularly order groceries online. You get free deliveries with a $35 minimum order, which pays for itself in just a few orders, since the normal cost is $7.95 to $9.95. You also get free next-day, two-day and standard shipping on items shipped by Walmart. Among other perks: free home pickup of eligible returns; a Paramount+ Essential plan, which includes ads and excludes most live TV streaming; and 10 cents off per gallon at select gas stations.
What’s new:
▶︎ Telehealth for pets. Free virtual access to veterinarians 24/7 via Pawp.
▶︎ Tire care. Flats repaired free. Walmart-sold tires damaged by road hazards can be brought back for repair or replacement.
▶︎Travel deals. WalmartPlusTravel.com bookings earn 2 or 5 percent in Walmart Cash. Deals I saw in May, however, weren’t standouts.
*Walmart pays AARP a royalty for use of its intellectual property and provides a benefit to AARP members.
Lisa Lee Freeman, a journalist specializing in shopping and saving strategies, was editor in chief of ShopSmart magazine from Consumer Reports.