Amazon offers store club month to month

U.S. retail giant Amazon.com said it would open up its in-store service club called Amazon Prime on a month-to-month basis. The service has been set up as a $79-per-year club that provides members with advantages, such as free two-day shipping and instant streaming of video content, the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday. But now that service will also be available on a monthly basis for $7.99 per month. Amazon's rivalry with brick and mortar stores has intensified recently with an increasing number of customers walking into stores like Best Buy to look over and test out merchandise. Instead of buying from the store that is paying clerks, rent and heating bills, the customers then pick up their smart phones and order the merchandise online for a cheaper price. Recently, an increasing number of brick-and-mortar stores have been offering free layaway and discounting shipping or providing shipping for free to stay competitive with Internet firms. Amazon is also collaborating with office equipment retailer Staples to provide a service called Amazon Lockers. Staples said the lockers would be installed in their stores. Customers who fear having a package from Amazon sitting unattended can have the merchandise sent to their "Amazon Lockers" at a Staples store, where the merchandise can be held safely until the customer picks it up.