亚马逊

如今，在电商平台获取新增流量已经越来越难的情况下，各家电商平台都在押注会员制业务，希望能通过付费会员制绑定老客户。作为线上会员制的鼻祖，Amazon Prime 可能是“最奇怪也是最成功的商业模式”。

Amazon Prime 是亚马逊在2005年推出的一项年度会员计划，最初这项服务的核心主要是提供快递免运费两日达，后来逐渐拓展到电影、音乐、电子书等流媒体服务。之所以说它成功，是因为它确实为亚马逊“粘”住了大量用户，并让这些用户付出了远高于普通用户的客单价。

亚马逊在今年4月份公布的数据显示，目前它的 Prime 会员数在全球已超过1亿，按照99美元/年的会员费计算，这意味着 Prime 会员每年将会给亚马逊带来99亿美元的收入。今年亚马逊在 Prime 会员上的投入会继续大幅增加，其中包括物流、会员专享价、货品数量等方面。

本篇课程选自 The Economist Espresso APP

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Prime mover: Amazon

① Online shoppers take note.

② Today the price of an annual subscription to Amazon Prime in America goes up from $99 to $119.

③ Since it was launched in 2005, the service, which offers free shipping, has been quite the success.

④ In 2017 it delivered 5bn packages to 100m members; subscription services alone (which include Prime fees) earned the company $9.7bn.

⑤ Amazon says the price rise is warranted because membership now offers so much more.

⑥ One big perk is access to the firm's video and music content.

⑦ Amazon is thought to have spent $4.5bn on non-sports programming last year, and it recently renewed a deal to stream American football games.

⑧ Executives have warned that Prime will need even more investment to keep subscribers hooked.

⑨ With members estimated to spend at least three times as much as non-members, it is definitely worth priming the pump.

▍生词好句

prime /praɪm/: adj. 最好的；首要的（primary）

prime mover: 原动力；动力机

take note: 注意；给予重视；记笔记

subscription /səbˈskrɪpʃən/: n. 订阅；订购

launch /lɔːntʃ/: vt. 发布；推出

shipping /ˈʃɪpɪŋ/: n. 邮递

quite /kwaɪt/: adv. 相当地；非常地

deliver /dɪˈlɪvə/: vt. 递送；派送；投递

alone /əˈləʊn/: adv. 仅仅；仅就；单单

warranted /ˈwɒrəntɪd/: adj.（在价值上）有保证的/有担保的（justifiable）

perk /pəːk/: n. 好处（benefit）

access /ˈækses/: n. 通往/进入……的路径/权限/机会 vt. 进入；得到；获取

be thought to: 据说/被认为……（be said/considered to）

renew a deal: 续约

stream /striːm/: vt. 播放；播出

subscriber /səbˈskraɪbə/: n. 订阅者

hooked /ˈhʊkt/: adj. 上钩的；被吸引的

estimate /ˈestɪmeɪt/: vt. 估计；预估；评估

prime the pump /pʌmp/: 采取措施（通常是经济措施）促使某事发展

▍补充

1. prime

prime years (of one's life) 黄金岁月

prime-time show 黄金时段的节目

prime reason 首要原因

prime concern 首要顾虑

2. subscribe

subscribe to the news 订阅新闻

email subscription 邮件订阅

unsubscribe: vt. 取消订阅

· To unsubscribe, you can click the link below.

3. launch

launch a plan/new product/new service

4. quite

His death is quite a shock to us.

It's quite a challenge to pass the examination.

5. delivery

delivery service 送货服务

free delivery 免费送货

fast/express delivery 快递

6. warranted

justifiable: adj. 正当的；合情合理的；说得过去的

warrant: n. 证明；担保有效/有权的文件

search warrant 搜查证

7. access

One big perk of living in Beijing is easier access to the country's best cultural and educational resources.

Children in different areas should be given equal access to primary education.

access the information 获取信息

accessible: adj. 可以接近的；可以获得的

8. stream

streaming media 流媒体

data stream 数据流

video streaming site 视频播放网站

live streaming / stream something live 直播

9. hook

hook: n. 钩子 vt. 钩住；引上钩；吸引到；牢牢抓住

fish hook 鱼钩

news hook 新闻亮点

hook up with 勾搭上；钓到

10. be estimated to

· 估计是怎样 The fossil unearthed is estimated to be 300 years old.

· 预估会怎样（be expected to） Housing price is estimated to rebound towards the end of this year.

11. pump priming（最早是政治术语）政府进行投资促进经济发展

government investment expenditures designed to induce a self-sustaining expansion of economic activity (Merriam-Webster)

▍责任编辑

李焕、李秋健、陈鑫悦、章晓丹