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Amazon Wants To Sell You Everything, Including Student Loans (qz.com)

Amazon sells all kinds of stuff -- some legit, some not as much. So it didn't really come as a big surprise when the company announced that it will now be selling student loans too. Quartz has more details: The e-commerce giant inked a deal with Wells Fargo to offer interest rate discounts on loans to students who are Amazon Prime members. The bank, which is the second largest student lender in the US, will shave off half a percentage point for Amazon "Prime Student" customers who take out student loans to attend college or are looking to refinance their existing student loans.

49 comments

  1. Late payment penalties by fahrbot-bot · · Score: 2, Interesting

    If you fall behind on your loan re-payments, you still get Free Shipping, but must use the "No Rush Shipping" option and forgo the promotional credit.

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    It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
    1. Re:Late payment penalties by by+(1706743) · · Score: 5, Interesting

      ...and if you fall really far behind, they only let you stream educational kids shows.

    2. Re:Late payment penalties by Aighearach · · Score: 2

      But eventually if you fall far enough behind, they have an army of drones.

  2. I wanna buy a rocket by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Where can I buy it? Don't tell me the rocket company owned by the amazon founder doesn't sell its rockets on amazon!

  3. On the plus side... by by+(1706743) · · Score: 2

    Amazon even has this for free!

  4. Student loans are a government subsidized scam by mspohr · · Score: 3, Informative

    Not surprising to see Amazon to look for this easy money. Banks have been ripping off students and the government for years with this scam.
    Interest rates are high... much higher than most loans.
    Loans are guaranteed by the government so no risk to the lender.
    Students can't declare bankruptcy and discharge the loans so they are on the hook for life.
    Side note: when my daughters started college a few years ago, I was deluged with calls from student loan salespeople. Reminded me of home refinance deluge just before the crash. Fortunately, I had saved enough for their education so I was able to tell them to get lost.

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    1. Re:Student loans are a government subsidized scam by byornski · · Score: 1

      Perhaps that's why they all called you. They saw you had a great credit rating. I'd take it as a compliment. :)

  5. In other news, Amazon announces they're ditching by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Ontrac.

    Is what I wish this headline said.

  6. Not *really* selling student loans by C3ntaur · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Sounds to me like they want to *write* student loans. Which is quite different from selling them. I would be interested in buying the notes, if that's what they were selling. Usurious interest rates, no chance of discharge in bankruptcy, no expiration. This is the kind of investment vehicle I would want to own.

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    1. Re:Not *really* selling student loans by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 1

      and then in 2017 trump or Hillary changes the rules and you take a beating.

    2. Re:Not *really* selling student loans by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Ha, yeah right - that would imply either care about anyone but themselves.

    3. Re:Not *really* selling student loans by swb · · Score: 1

      I figure there has to be some risk with even the apparent advantages.

      For one, you still have to collect on deadbeats. That's not easy.

      There could be some kind of shift in the so-called gig economy where like minded student loan evaders eke out some kind of cash-only existence, making them even harder to trace and collect on.

      Then there's potential for political action. It's not hard to imagine some kind of "student loan debt relief" where Congress basically forces the holders of these loans to take a haircut after 10 years or rewrites the rules to allow them to be discharged in some manner.

    4. Re:Not *really* selling student loans by mspohr · · Score: 1

      No risk to the lender. The government covers losses.
      They hire sleazy debt collectors to harass students who can't pay.
      The only kind of debt relief that might happen is for the taxpayer to bail out the banks. That's the way our bank owned government works. Heads they win, tails we lose.

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    5. Re:Not *really* selling student loans by byornski · · Score: 1

      Some states forgive the debt if you die as well. So some of these may be worthless - CT

    6. Re:Not *really* selling student loans by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Define usurious.

  7. banks / schools need to take risk Students loans by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 1

    banks / schools need to take risk for Students loans and not the unlimited anyone with anyone with a pulse can get system we have now.

    medieval studies degree for 80K sing right hear. We don't care that you have no hope of a job to pay that back we don't care you can't use chapter 11 or 7 to get out of it.

  8. Re:Natural evolution of a Jewish owned business by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So Hebrew nation will become a Bank?
    How Long does it take?

    Can Racist Goy Trolls use these banks?

  9. Seriously Slashdot? by MightyMartian · · Score: 1

    I get that you need ads to pay the bills, but to go to the main page and see one of Outbrain's evil sub-sites with that tiresome "Melissa McCarthy's Gone" advertisement? What the fuck makes you think that anyone here gives a flying fuck about celebrities, or that such an obviously non-topical ad on the main page wouldn't be fucking annoying?

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    1. Re:Seriously Slashdot? by thinkwaitfast · · Score: 1

      bad mod

  10. Big'n Large by Moof123 · · Score: 1

    Anyone else starting to think that soon Amazon will turn into the distopian Wall-E mega-store? Bezos already has his space hobby going as a side gig.

    1. Re:Big'n Large by Aighearach · · Score: 1

      I thought that happened 10+ years ago, where were you?

      I still shop at the local independent bookstore...

  11. Fuck Amazon by rsilvergun · · Score: 1

    and Fuck Student loans. College shot up in price because we cut all the federal funding we used to give public Universities. That wasn't by accident. It was lobbied for by banks. It's a win-win. They can pocket the money once as tax cuts and again on massive interest from the loans. What I haven't figured out is how they convinced so many otherwise very intelligent people that a small uptick in Administrative costs is to blame vs the billions in Federal funding & grants that went missing.

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    1. Re:Fuck Amazon by mspohr · · Score: 1

      They only needed to convince a few people in government to overlook the scam. In most countries this is called bribery. In the US, it's called campaign donations.

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    2. Re:Fuck Amazon by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      tuition is what the market will bear.. federal guaranteed loans = higher prices..

  12. Re:Natural evolution of a Jewish owned business by rmdingler · · Score: 1

    So Hebrew nation will become a Bank? How Long does it take?

    Can Racist Goy Trolls use these banks?

    Certainly. You don't suppose the Jews or Asians fall for these predatory loan scams, do you?

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    Ernest Hemingway

  13. You'll Get Amazon Prime Loans!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Just like Amazon Prime shipping, they will tell you the item will be deposited in your bank account in two days but after you actually order it will be 4 to 6 days because of "processing".

  14. Its the new business model by inode_buddha · · Score: 1

    "How to succeed in business when your customers aren't making a living wage"
    .

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  15. Re:Natural evolution of a Jewish owned business by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 1

    I assume you can only collect ursury interest rates in a bear market?

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    Ezekiel 23:20
  16. Cheap Chinese knockoffs? by RogueWarrior65 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Are these going to be counterfeit too?

  17. 0.5% on a high interest loan by guruevi · · Score: 1

    An average $1000-2000 over 10 years, the origination, application and prepayment fees alone are double that.

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  18. Not what I hoped for. by meerling · · Score: 1

    I was rather hoping I could buy a block of those student loans gone to collection for mere cents on the c-notes.
    Specifically one with anything from my family.
    Then I could 'forgive' all of it, including those of my family, ask for donations from the forgiven and anyone else afterwards, and if there's enough, do it for another block. (There's a reason why some from my family may be in there, we're too damn poor to pay it, much less play Santa Clause without resources.)
    Rinse, Repeat, Rack up Karma. :)

    Maybe it's not a perfect solution, but I'm pretty sure it would make a LOT of people happy. (Especially me.)

    Oh well. At this point is seems about as likely as winning the lottery. (Odds would be *slightly* better if I bought a ticket.)

  19. Stop it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Parents of students across the nation need to all band together and refuse to pay the next bill. Our politicians are inept. We need to take action ourselves to bring these criminals to heel.

  20. Re:banks / schools need to take risk Students loan by Aighearach · · Score: 1

    Sounds like a great degree for a person who wants to write history books. Give them a couple decades to start being realistic about what they can actually use it for, if they never manage to develop any other skills.

    If the student wants job training, they should be at a technical school; and deciding that is the student's part, not the school's.

  21. Re:banks / schools need to take risk Students loan by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 1

    Well you can go to Mitt Romney backed full sail university for 80K-100K there are an technical school.

  22. Bezos greed. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Going to Hell with the mosh cash is nothing though.

  23. Thanks, But I'll Put Mine On Cragistlist by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    50% OFF!

    One used student loan. Used for a BA and MS in Computer Science.
    Government guaranteed not to disappear.
    Automatic payments available.
    Additional discounts available.
    Amazon Prime not required.
    Brokered by Nelnet.

    Yours now for only $35,000. Get 70K of student loan dept for only 35 thousand!
    This is a limited time offer. Offer ends in 24 hours.
    Act now before it's too late. You'll never see an awesome deal like this again!

    Call now for help: O118-999-88199-9119-725-3

  24. Uhh... by easyTree · · Score: 1

    I'd like to buy the ability to watch a video on youtube without being forced to listen to their "it's your friend's birthday blah blah blah blah" ad.

    1. Re:Uhh... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Have you tried this really new browser plugin called an ad blocker?

    2. Re:Uhh... by easyTree · · Score: 1

      YouTube for Android.... (the app)

  25. Nothing to repossess by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Loans tend to have lower interest rates, because there is something to seize if the borrower can no longer pay. Cars and houses are examples of this. For student loans there is nothing to seize.

    1. Re:Nothing to repossess by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Loans tend to have lower interest rates, because there is something to seize if the borrower can no longer pay. Cars and houses are examples of this. For student loans there is nothing to seize.

      Yes, what people forget is that student loans are unsecured. It's like if you take out a loan to replace the roof on your house, if you fall behind they don't come back and tear the roof off. On the other hand the car can be repo'd and the house eventually foreclosed upon so the interest rates can easily be half that of a typical student loan.

      However I wouldn't expect the people who rack up $50k or more on a liberal arts degree to understand how financing really works.

    2. Re:Nothing to repossess by Kreplock · · Score: 1

      Student loans cannot be expunged via bankruptcy though, so borrowers are vulnerable to garnishment even after filing bankruptcy.

  26. Re:Natural evolution of a Jewish owned business by Salgak1 · · Score: 1

    Funny, I thought Hebrew National was a brand of hot dogs, not a bank. Who knew ?? (grin)

  27. Welcome to Amazon. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I love you.

  28. What is a "student loan" ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'm not sure I understand the concept ?

    Why would a student take out a loan? What is its purpose ?

    Why would you worry about a 0.5% rate drop anyway? Surely that's mean you'd only pay back $98 instead of 100$ Any student can afford that ?

    Oh, this isn't one of those dreadful "developing country" things, is it ?

  29. Re:In other news, Amazon announces they're ditchin by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I haven't had an Amazon package delivered by Ontrac in a while. Most things are coming through Amazon's own delivery network now.

  30. why not? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    After all, I buy my home furnishings from Newegg, my computer supplies from Home Depot, and my healthcare supplies from Harbor Freight.....

  31. Re:Natural evolution of a Jewish owned business by Scarletdown · · Score: 1

    Funny, I thought Hebrew National was a brand of hot dogs, not a bank. Who knew ?? (grin)

    That was my first thought too on the headline. And they are quite delicious. Oyvey! :D

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