Amazon Prime members currently get the benefit of free Amazon Key In-Garage Delivery, where packages are left inside garages with compatible openers to fend off potential porch pirates. But that's about to change depending on when your packages show up.
On Oct. 4, Amazon is adding a $1.99 fee if you opt for In-Garage Delivery on a non-Amazon Day delivery slot. As reported by The Verge, screenshots posted on Twitter and Reddit show that subscribers are not happy about the upcoming change.
With Amazon Key In-Garage Delivery, Prime members can give delivery personnel access to their garages for Amazon, Amazon Fresh, and Whole Foods Market deliveries. With an Amazon Day, you pick the day of the week that's best for you to receive all your Amazon packages for the week at once, which cuts down on trips that delivery people make to your home. With the upcoming change, you can continue getting free garage deliveries on your Amazon Day or pay $1.99 to get those packages or groceries at another time.
Amazon tells The Verge that the move will give people "more flexibility and control over their Amazon deliveries...including the ability to choose their delivery day and combine in-garage deliveries so they’ll arrive on the same day."
But it comes as Amazon has been adding fees or pricing thresholds to Prime perks that were previously free. In January, for example, it raised the bar for free Amazon Fresh deliveries to $150, up from $35 or $50, depending on where you lived. Similarly, Amazon Music Unlimited subscriptions recently increased from $8.99 to $9.99 per month for Prime members.