Amazon Prime customers hit with £2 charge from today - how to avoid it

Amazon Prime customers ordering items from its online marketplace will be hit by a new charge from today. The online retailer is introducing a new £1.99 fee for same-day delivery orders under £20.

Previously, all items eligible under Amazon Prime were delivered at no extra cost. But from today, low-cost orders will be subject to the new charge, The Mirror reports.

Prime customers will usually need to place their orders before midday to get packages delivered by 10pm on the same day. The same-day delivery fee for customers who are not Prime members is £5.99.

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In an email sent to Prime members detailing the change, Amazon wrote: "As we invest to improve our same-day delivery service we are writing to let you know about an update to the same-day delivery options available for Prime members in eligible postcodes.

"Your Prime Same-Day or Overnight (Tomorrow by 1 PM) orders over £20 will automatically be delivered to you using the fastest available option, at no extra cost. This means that where available, you will get eligible orders delivered for free on the same day or by 1PM the following day, depending on when you place your order.

"Eligible Prime orders under £20 will continue to be shipped with free One-Day delivery. Where available, Same-Day delivery can be selected at checkout, but there will be a fee of £1.99 per delivery for orders under £20. The fee for customers who are not Prime members will remain £5.99."

Prime customers who are unhappy about the change can cancel their membership penalty-free. To do this, click on “Accounts & Lists”