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Is Amazon Prime Worth it in Ireland?

Updated: 4 days ago

Is Amazon Prime Worth it in Ireland - and the UK?

Short answer: Definitely worth it.

From fast shipping to exclusive deals, the perks of an Amazon Prime membership make it a smart choice—especially in Ireland and the UK. If you’re on the fence, keep reading. Still unsure after that? Use one of my links below to sign up for a 30-day free trial—I honestly doubt you’ll want to cancel once you get started.


If you live in the UK, I also have information for you so you can skip lower down using the Table of Contents below. Some of the paragraphs may be relevant to you anyway so it might be a good idea to read the whole post.


If you’re completely new to Amazon Prime, don’t worry—I’ll walk you through the process and explain everything in a way that’s easy to understand.


As someone with years of experience as an Amazon customer and a long-time Prime member, I’m here to help. I now have links for both Amazon UK and Amazon Ireland, so you can pick the one that suits you best.


A few things to note: services like Audible aren’t yet available on Amazon Ireland, but I’ll update this post as new options become available.


I’ve also added new sections to help with common questions—especially around moving your Amazon UK account to the Irish site and if you are also an Affiliate, if that affects you in any way.


So, let’s dive in!


I'm an Affiliate, want to help me out?

Author Note before you read on: If after reading, you found this Blog Post to be beneficial and are going to buy from Amazon anyway, you might consider using one of my Amazon UK Affiliate links below (in Blue with free trial mentioned). As an Amazon Associate I may earn from qualifying purchases and I may receive some sort of credit for the time spent researching and writing this Post should you decide to purchase. I am now an Affiliate on Amazon Ireland and have also added links below.


Watch Out for Big Savings Events During the Year!

But you only qualify if you are a member! I will add the dates for 2025 when they are announced and the next paragraph will announce them and their benefits.


Spring Deal Days

Spring Deal Days is the next big Prime event in 2025, from the 25th to the 31st March. The next Prime Day is scheduled for the 15th & 16th July this year. I will confirm this again closer to the day! Sign up here for a 30 Day Free Amazon UK Prime Trial. Sign up here for a 30 Day Free Amazon Ireland Prime Trial.


Amazon Ireland

Amazon finally launched Amazon Ireland on March 18th, and while it's exciting news, I’ve been holding off on switching over—mainly because I wanted to learn more about how the transition works. I’m more involved in my Amazon UK account than most people, so moving over is a bigger deal for me. I’ll be sharing updates as I go, so keep an eye on the next few paragraphs.


What I do know so far: Prime is cheaper on the Irish site at just €6.99/month, which is great. However, I suspect the stock range may be more limited compared to the UK site, at least for now. How Amazon plans to expand its inventory in Ireland remains to be seen, and I fully expect some teething issues in the early weeks. That said, Amazon is usually quick to adapt and resolve problems.


It’s also worth noting that many UK-based sellers may not list their products on the Irish site yet due to customs and other complications, so product availability could vary. Personally, I tend to stick with what I know, so I’m curious to see how the new platform evolves.


If you’re based in Ireland and don’t currently have an Amazon account, I recommend giving it a go—start your free trial and see what all the fuss is about!



What Happens When I Switch Over to Amazon Ireland?

If you are Considering Moving your Prime membership from Amazon UK to Amazon Ireland, you probably need to read this section. When you switch to the Irish site, your Amazon UK account remains exactly as is so you can still use it as before. Same login email & password. I would log in through a different browser to avoid confusion though. You should note that your UK Prime will no longer be available on your UK Account and you will be liable for future shipping charges if you choose to use the site for shopping.


Amazon does offer free shipping when you spend over certain amounts on the UK site without Prime which should ease any pain if you are ordering from the UK. If you feel like you would still be doing a lot of shipping via the UK site then you could sign up for a new UK Prime account to avail of the free shipping on nearly everything. Remember, this will mean two Prime accounts, two seperate payments.


I Moved over to Amazon Ireland

Ok, after a bit of hesitation I'm after taking the plunge and moving my Prime account to the Irish site. I was a bit worried that my Affiliate details and my UK account would be deleted or my Affiliate details would be gone but they weren't and the transaction was smooth and easy. I cheated a little by first moving a family members account to see if it was complicated. It wasn't! In fact, it amounted to a couple of clicks and it was done.


After the move, I logged into my UK account on a different browser to make sure that my UK Account was still there and unaffected; minus the Prime membership of course. If you are in the same boat, hopefully this section will put you at ease so you don't have to worry about it. I also checked that Prime Video worked on my devices without having to manually log in to each one again, they were all working as before and did not require logins. Well done Amazon!


I checked and compared one or two previously purchased products and they are a little higher on the Irish site but if you notice that the UK checkout normally jumps a little bit too between listing and checkout because it adds the tariff or Customs import duties to your order and an exchange rate. Rest assured, it isn't a Paddy Tax as many are calling it but regular tariffs and Duties that have existed since Brexit. There is no exchange rate on the Irish site you will be glad to hear.


Any Differences Between Amazon UK and Amazon Ireland?

I've noticed that product availability on the Irish site isn't quite as broad as the UK site—at least for now. That’s to be expected with a launch of this scale, especially on a smaller market like Ireland. I’d consider this a natural teething phase as Amazon begins to understand local demand and adjusts accordingly. While past data from Irish customers using the UK site will help guide them, optimising stock and logistics for a new regional site is no small task. It may take a little time, but I expect things will steadily improve as the platform evolves.


I assume that many independent sellers are also not yet adding many products as it takes a while to change or add new listings. They could also make changes to their UK listings but again, if they have lots of products that could take a while. Some sellers use Amazon to fulfill their products so that also may take a little time to move products over. I assume that there isn't a huge amount of space in the Amazon centre for major fulfillment like this.


Kindle titles are not available on the Irish site and I don't know if that is going to change. I don't believe it will make a difference as you can still buy through the UK site using your old account and there is no shipping charge. As mentioned above, Audible and the rest of the extras don't seem to be available as of yet but again, if there's no shipping involved you can still use your UK account without any issues.


Differences in Prices between Amazon Ireland & Amazon UK

I am a big fan of Movies and I recently added some new titles to a saved list on Amazon Ireland. I noticed that the prices fluctuated from just under €7 to just over €10 on a couple of titles in the space of a week. I waited a few more days and the price came down a bit and I purchased.


Many businesses fluctuate their prices and it is up to you, the customer, to catch the better deal when you can. If you have your eye on something, add it to a list and then checkout when the price is right. I'm not saying that prices will fluctuate like this for every product but it doesn't hurt when you get a good deal. I also checked these titles off the UK site and found them to be a bit cheaper but you'd have to factor in added duties at checkout and shipping.


How does Switching to Amazon Ireland Affect Amazon Affiliates?

It doesn't affect your UK Affiliate account as mentioned above, everything stays the same but you now have a separate Irish account. You will have to apply to become an Affiliate on the Irish site if you wish to do so. It's very easy and quick, I've already joined up.


Free Shipping with Prime

While I discuss this further below, it’s important to highlight that shipping costs are not decreasing - in fact, some are rising again. Amazon Prime offers great value with free shipping on many items, making the subscription well worth it. When I can’t source certain products in Ireland, it’s reassuring to know that I can bring them in without excessive costs, helping to avoid hefty fees and unexpected charges.



Looking for something specific? Jump to a section below, or keep reading to discover the best tips and insights!

Table of Contents


Subscriptions

Join Amazon Prime in Ireland
Know a Good Deal When you see one!

Subscriptions are the new 'In Thing' these days. Everywhere you look there are new Subscription Services popping up and some that were free are now charging for them. Media companies are jumping in with both feet to bring new subscription platforms and in the future it looks like this will be the same across the board. In Ireland, we seem to be added last to the list of these companies so when they come on board it can be hard to decide which ones to go with. With all these companies offering the same or very similar sounding packages, are any of them offering more value for your hard earned money?

Yes, there is. Have you heard of Amazon Prime?



Amazon Prime - my Experiences

I have had an account on Amazon UK since 2006. For as long as I can remember, every time I logged in I saw the Prime Logo which became more prominent as time went by. I ignored it for so long, not even interested in reading what it offered. When I finally came around to reading up on it, I have to say that I really hesitated and I still resisted when it came to actually signing up. Why spend money on a subscription every month? Did I really need it?


When first reading about the subscription charges I thought they were a bit excessive, why would I pay nearly €10.50 odd per month? How could I justify paying that money every single month?


I eventually joined Amazon Prime by taking up the 30 day free trial and my original thoughts were that I would cancel at the end of the trial and not be out of pocket. Smart, right? From the start though, I noticed that I was personally benefiting from being a Prime Customer because of their Free Shipping option and the amount of packages I was ordering every month. More below.


Benefits of an Amazon Prime Account

Amazon Prime offers free shipping on lots of products. Not all, you must remember that Amazon has thousands of independent sellers that sell products with added shipping costs. Many of these sellers seem to charge a low amount for shipping so if Amazon doesn't sell the product you won't break the bank by buying from one of these sellers.


In Ireland, if you are a basic Amazon UK account holder and currently order at least 2 packages a month from Amazon you would justify the Prime Membership monthly cost at your ease. If you order more than 2 packages a month then you are really saving. As an Amazon customer I would regularly order more than these quantities per month so am making a substantial saving per annum. Generally, these are products that I can't source in Ireland through any Irish retailer. I always check first.


I have added the Amazon Prime listed benefits in bullet points.


Amazon Prime members can:

  • Access unlimited, FREE Delivery on millions of items

  • Enjoy unlimited instant streaming of thousands of movies and TV shows, through Prime Video

  • Read as much as they want from a rotating selection of more than a thousand books, recent magazine issues, comics, Kindle singles and more, on any device at any time

  • Securely store an unlimited amount of photos with anywhere access through Prime Photos

  • Listen to over two million songs on Prime Music

  • Get exclusive, early access to daily Lightning Deals


 I currently pay GBP £8.99 per month but there is a saving by paying the annual rate of £95.00. I must switch over as I had forgotten about the different rates and was only reminded when I started writing this post. Table of Contents


Sign up here for a 30 Day Free Amazon UK Prime Trial. Sign up here for a 30 Day Free Amazon Ireland Prime Trial.



Prime Day Deals to be had!

Prime Day is run on the 8th to 9th October and you can pick up some great deals if you have signed up for a Prime Membership. Simply sign up using any of the links on this Blog Post to avail of great special offers and free shipping where applicable. Don't just take my word for it, try it out yourself!




Added Benefit of Having a Prime Account

As a Prime Customer, you also have access to the Amazon Prime Video app which allows you access to tons of TV Shows and Movies for free. They may not have the same quantity of content as other platforms but you will be pleasantly surprised how much is there. Watch one or two movies or TV Shows a month and add the money saved on shipping and the price is most certainly worth it. If you compare that to buying a few DVDs or attending the Cinema once or twice a month then it is most certainly a great saving. I have a few other media apps which I am considering cancelling but I will keep my Prime Membership as is due to the value for money it offers.




Is it Safe to Follow the Amazon Links here?

Absolutely! These are links provided to me from within the Amazon website. If you are in doubt, simply move your mouse over to one of the links and hover over it without clicking. In the bottom left corner of your browser you should see a preview of the link. It should read something like https ://amazon. co. uk /some kind of text I have broken the link up so it doesn't become a hyperlink here and lead you away. If you have your Amazon UK account open in the background you can still click one of my Affiliate links and work away with that to sign up or make your purchase. It's 100% safe. If you are signing up for an Amazon UK account for the first time, it is equally safe for you to do so.


Other Amazon Products

Amazon has other subscription products that you can sign up for too. Music, Audible, Kids, Kindle. These offer a great variation from one source instead of multiple companies and at cheaper rates too. With your Prime account in the background you will be making even more savings!


Amazon Music

If you like your music on the go you can have access to up to 70 million songs with no adverts

  • Unlimited access to 70 million songs – including all the latest and greatest artists and albums, as well as thousands of playlists and stations

  • Ad-free listening – uninterrupted, high quality audio

  • Offline listening – download to listen to your favourite music, wherever you are

  • Hands-free listening with Alexa – exclusive voice feature



Amazon Audible

Audible is the publisher and distributor of the world’s largest selection of digital audiobooks and spoken-word content. Audible customers can listen anytime and anywhere to professionally narrated audiobooks across a wide range of genres, including bestsellers, new releases, sci-fi, romances, classics, and more.


An Audible Trial offers a great way for a customer to try audiobooks. With their Trial, you will receive:

  • One free audiobook of your choice

  • The ability to choose from 200,000-plus titles, including bestsellers, new releases, sci-fi, romances, mysteries, classics, and more

  • The option to cancel easily, anytime; audiobooks already purchased are yours to keep, even if you cancel



Amazon Kids

How does it work?

Amazon Kids+ is an all-in-one subscription that gives kids access to thousands of kid-friendly books, movies, TV shows, educational apps, Audible books, and games on compatible Fire, Android, iOS, and Kindle devices.

Parents also receive access to easy-to-use parental controls that allow them to find the right balance between education and entertainment. Parents can personalise screen time limits, set educational goals, filter age-appropriate content, and also manage web browsing and content usage based on their preferences.

Amazon Kids+ has so much to offer, including:

  • A world of content for kids to explore within a completely kid-friendly environment

  • Promotion of reading and math with educational apps and thousands of books

  • Flexible parental controls where you can choose what content each child sees, set educational goals and time limits. You can manage these settings from their device, or remotely from our Amazon Parent Dashboard

  • Ability to personalize each kid’s experience with profiles, and let them watch where they want to – on Fire Tablets, or Kindle eReaders



Amazon Kindle Unlimited

What is the Kindle Unlimited 30-Day Free Trial offer?

The Kindle Unlimited Free Trial is a great way for customers to explore over 1 million books, thousands of audiobooks, and popular magazines on any device.

Great benefits of Kindle Unlimited include:

  • Unlimited Access to over 1 Million eBooks

  • Rotating selection of popular magazines

  • Thousands of books with audible narration

  • Read anytime, on any device with the free Kindle app

After the 30-day free trial, the subscription will review on a monthly basis. Members have the option to cancel their subscription any time.




Conclusion

If you are in the market for some new entertainment then Amazon will certainly have something for you. Enjoy the benefits of Prime membership, if used wisely will actually save you money. Like I mentioned at the top of the Post, I would appreciate you signing up for your Free Trials using one of my links above. If my recommendations match up with your experiences maybe you will keep your membership and explore some of the other options listed here. It took a bit of time to write this Post and add my own experiences so using my Affiliate links means I may earn from qualifying signups/ purchases.

Thank you for Reading my Post, David


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  • New Crafter's Haven - Browse a large selection of craft supplies I also sell including gift bags and ribbon that would accentuate my wood products when giving as a gift.

  • ​Christmas Ribbons - Show off your gift with some colourful festive Christmas Ribbon!

2 Comments

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Guest
Aug 31, 2024
Rated 4 out of 5 stars.

Good summary, don't forget the Amazon Gaming benefits though, you can get a lot of free games with that too (if you're into that sort of thing) :-)

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David Condon
David Condon
Aug 31, 2024
Replying to

Thanks, not into games but if I'm missing something I will add it here when I get a chance. 😉

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