Email from Amazon about Prime Video

[comfortably_numb]

Dear Prime member, We are writing to you today about an upcoming change to your Prime Video experience. Starting January 29, Prime Video movies and TV shows will include limited advertisements. This will allow us to continue investing in compelling content and keep increasing that investment over a long period of time. We aim to have meaningfully fewer ads than linear TV and other streaming TV providers. No action is required from you, and there is no change to the current price of your Prime membership. We will also offer a new ad-free option for an additional $2.99 per month* that you can sign up for here. Prime is a very compelling value. Prime members enjoy a wide range of shopping, savings, and entertainment benefits, including: More than 300 million items are available with free Prime shipping and tens of millions of the most popular items are available with free Same-Day or One-Day Delivery. Access to exclusive and broad streaming video content (including Prime Video exclusives like The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, The Boys, Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan, Citadel, The Wheel of Time, Reacher, and The Summer I Turned Pretty, as well as blockbuster movies such as Air, Creed III, Dungeons & Dragons, Candy Cane Lane with Eddie Murphy, and exclusive live sports including NFL Thursday Night Football). Access to Prime Video Channels, which provides an unmatched selection of subscription channels like Max, Paramount+ with SHOWTIME, BET+, MGM+, ViX+, Crunchyroll, PBS KIDS, NBA League Pass, MLB.TV, and STARZ—with no extra apps to download, and no cable required. Customers only pay for the ones they want, and can cancel anytime. The ability to use your Prime shopping benefits—like fast, free delivery, a seamless checkout experience, 24/7 live chat support, and hassle-free returns—on online stores beyond Amazon.com with Buy with Prime. Exclusive deals and shopping events like Prime Day. Ad-free listening of 100 million songs and millions of podcast episodes with Amazon Music. Prescription medications as low as $1 per month and fast, free shipping from Amazon Pharmacy. Access to unlimited eligible generic prescription medications for only $5 per month (including free shipping) with RxPass from Amazon Pharmacy. High-quality health care from One Medical for only $9 per month (or $99 annually), with the option to add up to five additional memberships for the family for only $6 per month (or $66 annually) each. Free two-hour Fresh grocery delivery on orders over $100 (and delivery charges between $6.95 to $9.95 for orders less than $100), and in-store savings on select groceries at Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market stores across the U.S. Unlimited photo storage with Amazon Photos. Gaming benefits with Prime Gaming. More than 3,000 books and magazines with Prime Reading. A free, one-year Grubhub+ membership trial valued at $120 per year, offering unlimited $0 delivery fees on orders over $12. And, you can expect additional features and programs added in the future for our Prime members. As mentioned above, no action is required from you. If you wish to sign up for the ad-free option, you can click here. And, as always, if you have questions about your Prime membership, you can manage your account here. Thank you for being a valued member of Amazon Prime. Sincerely, The Amazon Prime team *Live event content such as sports, and content offered through Amazon Freevee will continue to include advertising

 

[Bruce]

I look at it this way, I would have Prime no matter what , it is worth it alone for the convenience and shipping, specially since pricing is the same or better then the stores.

For example, I needed laundry detergent, went on the site, had a 81 pack of Tide Pods on special ( coupon) for $15.99, was here next day.

The video was a extra, so I consider the video service $2.99 a month then, if I choose that option.

 

[comfortably_numb]

I hardly ever use Prime Video, so it makes no sense for me to pay for an ad-free tier.

 

[klang]

There is already a thread in the Pub.

 

[Bruce]

I hardly ever use Prime Video, so it makes no sense for me to pay for an ad-free tier.

I watch Thursday Night Football ( will have ads no matter what) and The Boys, that is it for now.

Tried watching the Lord of the Rings TV Show, so awful, felt like I was watching a fan fiction production.

 

[comfortably_numb]

Moderators- didn't realize this was a duplicate thread. Please delete as you see fit.

 

[Bobby]

I see no issue with this thread. Not everyone is a pub member and could use the input.

 

[navychop]

Moderators- didn't realize this was a duplicate thread. Please delete as you see fit.

Be careful what you ask for.

 

[mwdxer1]

I hardly ever use Prime Video, so it makes no sense for me to pay for an ad-free tier.

I use Prime, but I can just put orders together to make the $35 for free shipping. It isn't worth the $139 and now another $36 a year to not get ads? Forget it. When I got Prime a few years ago it is well under $100.

 

[Ronnie-]

I look at it this way, I would have Prime no matter what , it is worth it alone for the convenience and shipping, specially since pricing is the same or better then the stores.

For example, I needed laundry detergent, went on the site, had a 81 pack of Tide Pods on special ( coupon) for $15.99, was here next day.

The video was a extra, so I consider the video service $2.99 a month then, if I choose that option.

That is how I look at it. I use it for shipping so much that the other perks are secondary.

 

[Bruce]

I use Prime, but I can just put orders together to make the $35 for free shipping. It isn't worth the $139 and now another $36 a year to not get ads? Forget it. When I got Prime a few years ago it is well under $100.

You do not have to do $35 orders for free shipping, that is for only for items that are same day.

I referenced my order for Tide Pods above, that was for $15.99, received it next day, no charge for shipping since I have prime.

I just ordered some brackets for my bookcases, $13.99, be here tomorrow, no shipping charge.

 

[telstar_1]

I have it but haven't explored it in depth. Or maybe I have. Isn't it supposed to have all sorts of content? Can I watch older movies or documentaries on it?

Anyway, maybe Jeff couldn't resist picking up some of Elon's lost patronage.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Prime was good as you got free two day shipping.

Now you just get free shipping but it can take longer then 2 days for them to get it to you.

There isn't much I watch on Prime Video so I am not paying $2.99 a month more.

And actually with how bad Amazons shipping has been lately, I am thinking about just canceling prime altogether.

 

[Bruce]

Prime was good as you got free two day shipping.

Now you just get free shipping but it can take longer then 2 days for them to get it to you.

There isn't much I watch on Prime Video so I am not paying $2.99 a month more.

And actually with how bad Amazons shipping has been lately, I am thinking about just canceling prime altogether.

I have no idea how close to a hub you are, but here, nothing takes longer then 2 days, as I explained, my last 2 orders were one day, both under $20.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

We have 3 hubs around me.

Last year I would order something and it would be here in hours. Now its taking 2 - 4 days.

All my orders are over $50.

 

[FTA4PA]

It isn't worth the $139 and now another $36 a year to not get ads? Forget it. When I got Prime a few years ago it is well under $100.

How about it! When we started Prime (just for the shipping) it was only $79 a year. In just a short time it has gone up by another $60. I know they offer a myriad of things other than just shipping for that extra cost but the only extra we use is watching an occasional video.

We don't particpate (and don't want to) in Prime music, Prime reading, Prime photos, Prime gaming, Prime pharmacy, etc. It would be nice if they tiered the extra services and billed you just for the ones you actually use.

 

[Bruce]

How about it! When we started Prime (just for the shipping) it was only $79 a year. In just a short time it has gone up by another $60. I know they offer a myriad of things other than just shipping for that extra cost but the only extra we use is watching an occasional video.

Prime Shipping started in 2005 for $79, so to get to $139 in 2023, 18 years, that is only a average of $3.33 a year increase.

Since then, they have added many more things, now compare that to Paid Live TV increases every year, where content has been getting less and less.

Amazon Prime cost since launch

• February 2005 - March 2014: $79 per year.
• March 2014 - May 2018: $99 per year.
• May 2018 - April 2022: $119 per year.
• April 2022 - to date: $139 per year.

We don't particpate (and don't want to) in Prime music, Prime reading, Prime photos, Prime gaming, Prime pharmacy, etc. It would be nice if they tiered the extra services and billed you just for the ones you actually use.

Those are the freebie extras, shipping today is expensive, I find it well worth it, saves me tons of time getting all my non-perishable items from Amazon, usually at a much better price.

 

[FTA4PA]

So you really believe all those extras they added over the years are freebies! Wow - just wow! It costs them so it costs you in some way somewhere. Maybe that raise in the price over the years? Plus it still doesn't change the fact that we don't use the extras.

 

[comfortably_numb]

I'm letting my Prime subscription lapse for 2024. I don't think I use it enough to warrant the cost. I'll just make larger orders for free shipping instead of smaller individual orders.

 

[FTA4PA]

Giving it serious consideration as we renew in January.