Amazon India To Launch Two Cheaper Variants Of Prime Membership

In the run up to its annual Prime Day sale, ecommerce major Amazon India plans to launch two new cheaper annual membership plans.

Abhinav Agarwal, director and head of Amazon India Prime, told Inc42 that the company will be launching the new subscription plans – Prime Lite and Prime Shopping Edition –  across all pin codes in India during the upcoming Prime Day on July 20.

Prime Day is the ecommerce giant’s annual event for its Prime members under which it provides various deals and discounts. The event will be held on July 20-21 this year.

Priced at INR 799 per annum, Prime Lite will allow subscribers to have access to the shipping and shopping experience of the INR 1,499 per annum Amazon Prime subscription, but with some limitations pertaining to content access on its OTT platform Amazon Prime Video. The new subscription will allow users ad-free access to Prime Video on one device, compared to access on five devices offered on regular subscription.

Meanwhile, Prime Shopping Edition is priced at INR 399 per year. Under this subscription, customers will get only the shipping and shopping benefits that come with regular Prime membership. 

Agarwal said that the ecommerce major had been testing the two plans over the last 6-12 months at a beta level for select prime customers, seeking both qualitative and quantitative feedback. 

“In India, consumer needs vary widely. Some may not prioritise or have the means to pay for video or audio services. For those primarily interested in shopping, the shopping focused subscription acts as a gateway to enter the Prime ecosystem. We have seen some members transition from this subscription to our flagship Prime model, a decision influenced by the introduction of new content,” he added. 

Besides the introduction of the new plans, Prime Day will see Amazon launch new deals and discounts. The company claims to be launching “thousands” of new products from over 450 brands, including Intel, Samsung, OnePlus, Honor, iQOO, and Bajaj. 

Besides, Prime Video will announce a line-up of 14 original series and movies across five Indian languages. Prime members can also avail up to 50% discount when purchasing select add-on subscriptions from popular video streaming services available on Prime Video Channels.

The development comes at a time when the competition in the Indian ecommerce space is heating up. While Amazon competes with the likes of Flipkart and Meesho in the ecommerce segment, the entry of quick commerce players like Zepto, Zomato-owned Blinkit, and Swiggy Instamart in various new categories has pitched them in direct competition with ecommerce giants.

Consequently, Amazon India’s US parent, Amazon, is pumping in more funds in the company. Amazon India raised a total of INR 2,490 Cr (about $298 Mn) in the first five months of 2024 from its parent. 

In May, Amazon’s US-based arm Amazon Seller Services invested INR 1,660 Cr in its Indian subsidiary Amazon India Seller Marketplace. Earlier in February, the company raised INR 830 Cr from its parent company.

At the heart of this is the burgeoning Indian ecommerce market, which is expected to become a $400 Bn market opportunity by 2030.