Recent Email from Amazon Prime Video Introduces Ads
In a recent email update, Amazon specified that the ads will commence on January 29.
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The announcement of ads triggered negative reactions from dissatisfied customers, leading to backlash on various social media platforms.
Amazon Prime Video Will Charge $2.99 to be Ad-Free
Amazon assured customers that there would be no extra charge for the service; nevertheless, they have the option to pay an additional $2.99 per month for an ad-free experience if they so choose.
Source: Wikipedia
Prime Video Ads Will Still Be Less Than Cable TV Commercials
“This will allow us to continue investing in compelling content and keep increasing that investment over a long period of time,” Amazon said to its millions of subscribers in the recent email.
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“We aim to have meaningfully fewer ads than linear TV and other streaming TV providers.”
Unhappy Amazon Prime User Shares Opinion on Ads Being Implemented to The Platform
This came as a bit of a shock to people due to the fact that in May of 2023, Amazon Prime Video raised the price of subscription from $6.99 to $9.99.
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Leaving many of the Amazon Prime users questioning whether or not they wanted to keep their subscriptions.
On Top of Already Raising Prices Earlier This Year, Amazon Prime Introduces Ad-Free for $2.99 Extra
The raise in prices earlier this year led many customers to be quite unhappy with them now adding an additional charge of $2.99 to be ad-free.
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To many users, it seems like a constant cash grab with the constant raising of prices and now this additional charge to experience the platform how they had previously been able to for free.
If Users Choose Not to Pay the Additional $2.99 to be Ad-Free, They Will Now Have Ads in Their Shows and Movies.
This implies that users who opt not to pay the additional fee for an ad-free experience will begin encountering commercials on Prime Video content as of the same day.
Source: Amazon Prime
If users choose not to pay the additional fee, starting on January 29 ads will be added to their experience.
Amazon Prime Video Increased Subscription Price Earlier This Year.
Amazon Prime is presently priced at $14.99 per month or $139 annually. (Alternatively, Prime Video can be subscribed to individually for $8.99 per month.)
Source: Amazon
With the introduction of the new fee for ad-free streaming, the cost of Prime would approach just under $18, while the standalone Prime Video subscription would be priced at just under $12.
Customers are Unhappy with the $2.99 fee to be Ad-Free When They Already Have to Pay to Watch Certain Shows and Movies.
This didn’t keep customers from sharing their opinions across social media platforms, including X, with most people saying they would rather cancel their subscription than pay the extra $2.99 or have ads.
Source: @IAmBrigitta/X
Not only did the platform up their pricing, but it also charges viewers for specific shows and movies to rent or buy that are not included in their monthly fee.
Certain Shows and Movies Already Cost Extra on the Platform.
Especially after they already raised the price of subscription as well as offering movies and shows that you have to pay extra for on the platform on top of your monthly subscription.
Source: Amazon Prime Video App
Many guests are leaning towards canceling their subscriptions with all these additional charges being added.
Benefit of Streaming Services Have Been That There Are No Ads.
One of the benefits of streaming platforms has always been that there were no commercials as opposed to regular cable TV.
Source: Amazon
However most platforms have been incorporating ads in recent years to make more profit.
Most Streaming Services are Now Implementing Ads for Additional Revenue.
This decision comes in response to the trend among rival streaming services, which are consistently increasing subscription fees across all tiers and incorporating ads into their least expensive monthly plans.
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Notably, Disney Plus, Hulu, Max, Netflix, and Paramount Plus all feature advertisements in their more budget-friendly subscription tiers.