>>Amazon recently hiked its Prime membership to $119 a year from $99 a year.
And that PURELY has to do with shipping and not the requirement of Amazon Prime annual membership to get preferred customer pricing discounts at Whole Foods? Poppycock.
Amazon is the 800 pound gorilla and it will raise rates to what market will bear.
I think the market will bear a lot more than $119. We live in a rural area and Amazon Prime gives us access to all sorts of things that used to be found only in the "big city". Others just like the convenience. For families with young children any outing is a mighty journey with car seats, strollers and diaper bags at every stop in a store. Amazon Prime makes life easier.
But, Walmart is coming up fast in online shopping. Don't count them out prematurely. eBay provides plenty of price competition also.