Amazon customers in Canada can now take advantage of the same Prime shipping benefits that US shoppers have enjoyed since 2005. Starting today, the service is being offered to Canadian customers at the same $79 yearly rate but there is one big catch that you should be aware of before signing up.
Much like in the states, Canadian residents in most parts of the country can now enjoy unlimited, free two-day shipping on millions of items sold through Amazon. Those needing goods the next day can pay an additional $3.99 per item for overnight delivery service.
Those familiar with Prime in the US already know that it includes free Kindle e-book rentals and Instant Video streaming service but unfortunately, those perks won't be carrying over to Canadian subscribers. It's unclear exactly why these two services were cut from the program but according to country manager for Amazon.ca Steve Oliver, the company has no plans to offer such options in Canada.
In related retailer news, Target has announced they will match the prices of rival websites / retailers year-round. Typically, big box retailers do this around the holidays as a method to better compete with cheaper online pricing. The retailer specifically plans to target Amazon, Best Buy, Toys R Us and Wal-Mart with the new promotion, according to Daily Tech. It will be interesting to see if other big box retailers embrace a similar year-round model in the coming weeks / months.