Amazon hikes monthly Prime membership prices by 18% to $12.99

Amazon.com Inc. is looking to squeeze more money out of monthly subscribers to its free two-day shipping service, which could persuade many of them to sign up for annual subscriptions.
Monthly subscribers to Amazon Prime now have to pay $12.99 each month, an 18 percent jump, according to Amazon’s website. At that rate, monthly customers would pay $156 a year.
Being a Prime member gives consumers free two-day shipping as well as same-day delivery and access to Amazon’s media services,