Who's Going to Pay More for Prime Video?

[What Would Jesus Do?]

Amazon says we must endure limited commercials or pay an extra $3 per month.

Some people say they'll cancel Prime. Others will pay. I'll probably see how bad the ad-load is, but I expect I'll end up paying.

Part of my logic (if I pay) will be that if I cancel Prime, the cost of Amazon Music goes up by a couple of bucks. So ditching ads is actually just a dollar more a month, net. Unless, of course, they also decide to raise the music price.

If not for the music thing, I'd seriously consider ditching Prime because, frankly, there are currently fewer things that I watch on Prime than on other streaming services. OTOH, the price bump to keep Prime ad-free is not out of line with other streaming services like Netflix and Max.

 

[Moral]

I just use the work Amazon account but I'm sure the boss will pay the extra three dollars.

 

[bhawk24bob]

I ditched prime this year after Amazon became ebay on steroids

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

I just use the work Amazon account but I'm sure the boss will pay the extra three dollars.

You can do that at home? Assuming you aren't living with the boss, does that mean Amazon doesn't block "outside" IPs?

How many different sites can use the same Prime Video account?

 

[pink shizzle]

You can do that at home? Assuming you aren't living with the boss

He's sleeping with the boss

 

[ATLNole1]

I don’t really watch Prime that much so will not pay more to skip.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

What's a "light ad load"?

I figure a 30 second ad every 15 minutes or so is pretty tolerable. The occasional extra-length ad - maybe once per hour - is OK, too. Time for a bathroom break or to grab a snack.

I like it when the streamers show the remaining ad time, which most seem to do these days.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

He's sleeping with the boss

Or maybe he is the boss. Or has multiple personalities and one of them is the boss.

 

[JRHawk2003]

I just dropped Prime after many years. Its 2X what Peacock costs and I watch a lot more there with the EPL alone.

Thursday night NFL games are not worth it, and I probably watched 4-5 series total on it over the years.

The Expanse was about it.

 

[Moral]

You can do that at home? Assuming you aren't living with the boss, does that mean Amazon doesn't block "outside" IPs?

How many different sites can use the same Prime Video account?

We probably have 5 different IPs in 3 different states using it.

 

[Moral]

Or maybe he is the boss. Or has multiple personalities and one of them is the boss.

I guess I'm technically a partial owner so I'm a boss too. And sleeping with myself for sure.

 

[Hawk_4shur]

Remember all that money we all saved by cutting the cord?

 

[TarponSpringsNole]

I’ll just drop Hulu. Really don’t utilize much anyway.
80% of what iview is on Amazon via the the Britbox and PBS Masterpiece add ons.

 

[NDallasRuss]

Remember all that money we all saved by cutting the cord?

I tried to warn people that going a la carte wouldn't end up saving money, but would result in fewer choices, as smaller networks were unable to continue without being part of a larger carriage package. The cost savings was in all the networks being able to sell advertisers on the number of homes passed on their carriage tier. Without that, all they have is actual subscriber numbers/revenues, which is lower, meaning they can't charge as much for ad space, which means they have to increase the subscription price, and so on.

I worked for Comcast for 5 years (doing internal audit). I also tried to warn them that offering better deals/promos to new customers than they offered for existing customer would increase churn and cord-cutting, and the cost of acquiring new customers was more than just offering better deals to existing customers, but no one listened to me, or at least no one would get me in front of the right people so I could explain that. Now cable video service is going the way of the landline telephone.

 

[JRHawk2003]

I tried to warn people that going a la carte wouldn't end up saving money, but would result in fewer choices, as smaller networks were unable to continue without being part of a larger carriage package. The cost savings was in all the networks being able to sell advertisers on the number of homes passed on their carriage tier. Without that, all they have is actual subscriber numbers/revenues, which is lower, meaning they can't charge as much for ad space, which means they have to increase the subscription price, and so on.

I worked for Comcast for 5 years (doing internal audit). I also tried to warn them that offering better deals/promos to new customers than they offered for existing customer would increase churn and cord-cutting, and the cost of acquiring new customers was more than just offering better deals to existing customers, but no one listened to me, or at least no one would get me in front of the right people so I could explain that. Now cable video service is going the way of the landline telephone.

There are only a few shows, plus live sports that have value.

Most of what is on cable is on free tiers like Pluto. If I could just get the sports, but now Max makes you take the Discovery stuff.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

I just dropped Prime after many years. Its 2X what Peacock costs and I watch a lot more there with the EPL alone.

Thursday night NFL games are not worth it, and I probably watched 4-5 series total on it over the years.

The Expanse was about it.

The Expanse was great.

Plenty of other good stuff on Prime. Unfortunately, I've already watched most of what I've spotted. (Would love suggestions)

Here are just some I particularly liked, in cases other are thinking of quitting and want to watch before the ads hit.

The Peripheral (if you liked the Expanse you'll almost certainly like this)
Night Sky
Man in the High Castle
Bosche
Daisy Jones & the Six (fabulous)
The Musketeers (surprisingly good)
Hanna
A Discovery of Witches
Wheel of Time
Rings of Power
Jack Ryan (the first season was very good; not so much after that)
Carnival Row
Goliath (another where the 1st season shines)
Jim Gaffigan - Dark Pale
Fleabag
Manchester by the Sea

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

I tried to warn people that going a la carte wouldn't end up saving money

It definitely did for a while. And still does for me, but might not for everyone.

Even at similar pricing, though, I get more that I like from various streamers than I would from cable.

YMMV

 

[JRHawk2003]

ESPN+ has value for me because I watch a lot of soccer.

People will have to discern what they really watch and invest there.

I am sick of Youtube TV and if I wasnt doing it for my college aged kids I would probably punt it.

 

[HawkMachine]

Fleabag

Highly recommend.

One of my favorites.

Wish there were more seasons.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

We've had an explosion of streaming services. Each with its own catalog that they share with others less often or not at all. Remember when 3 different streamers had all the Star Treks?

I imagine things will get better for viewers in a while, because some of the new entrants will fail, and their catalogs will be available to those left standing.

Meanwhile they are all raising prices or adding ads or both - even while catalogs shrink.

 

[IAFB2021Champs]

I tried to warn people that going a la carte wouldn't end up saving money, but would result in fewer choices, as smaller networks were unable to continue without being part of a larger carriage package. The cost savings was in all the networks being able to sell advertisers on the number of homes passed on their carriage tier. Without that, all they have is actual subscriber numbers/revenues, which is lower, meaning they can't charge as much for ad space, which means they have to increase the subscription price, and so on.

I worked for Comcast for 5 years (doing internal audit). I also tried to warn them that offering better deals/promos to new customers than they offered for existing customer would increase churn and cord-cutting, and the cost of acquiring new customers was more than just offering better deals to existing customers, but no one listened to me, or at least no one would get me in front of the right people so I could explain that. Now cable video service is going the way of the landline telephone.

I never understood this. I used to jump back and forth between two companies to keep a lower rate. It was so annoying but it saved me money. I’d even ask them the same exact question. Wouldn’t you rather keep my business at a cheaper rate instead of hoping some new customer signs up?
They would say no and I’d tell them I’ll be back in a couple of years.

Now days I just use my sisters cable log in to stream sports and share our Netflix with her. Hope they don’t get ride of cable anytime soon.

 

[auntie_fah]

It definitely did for a while. And still does for me, but might not for everyone.

Even at similar pricing, though, I get more that I like from various streamers than I would from cable.

YMMV

Same with me, and i pay for ad free versions.
i dont have live tv services like hulu live tv or YTTV and dont have a cable subscription.

Antenna for the local channels
Apple TV
Peacock
Disney+ bundle
and the no pic girlfriend gets Max

 

[InsaneHawkJJP]

The Expanse was great.

Plenty of other good stuff on Prime. Unfortunately, I've already watched most of what I've spotted. (Would love suggestions)

Here are just some I particularly liked, in cases other are thinking of quitting and want to watch before the ads hit.

The Peripheral (if you liked the Expanse you'll almost certainly like this) loved it! Sadly no new seasons in the works
Night Sky
Man in the High Castle
Bosche
Daisy Jones & the Six (fabulous)
The Musketeers (surprisingly good)
Hanna
A Discovery of Witches
Wheel of Time good series
Rings of Power can’t wait for the new season
Jack Ryan (the first season was very good; not so much after that)
Carnival Row really good series some good TnA
Goliath (another where the 1st season shines)
Jim Gaffigan - Dark Pale
Fleabag
Manchester by the Sea

The Boys and their spinoff Gen V are also really good series. I’ll pay the extra for no commercials, I hate commercials!

 

[pink shizzle]

Or maybe he is the boss. Or has multiple personalities and one of them is the boss.

 

[B1GDeal]

Until recently we had YTTV, Hulu/Disney, Netflix, Max, Prime, Apple, Paramount and Peacock.

We dropped HBO cuz there hasn’t been crap to watch since HoD and Last of Us ended.

Dropped Hulu/Disney that was a promo cuz most of what we watched on Hulu is on YTTV already and haven’t watched Disney since Andor ended.

Netflix and YTTV get most views… then Apple which is still cheap. Honestly we might drop Paramount cuz we’ve seen everything and that content there is limited unless you like old CBS shows.

Prime is hit or miss… but we get it with membership and as often as those packages are on our front step the cost of shipping alone would far exceed cost of a membership and then some so Prime is here to stay.

 

[pink shizzle]

Or maybe he is the boss. Or has multiple personalities and one of them is the boss.

Good points. He may be a strong, independent man and thus his own boss.. and thus just simply jerkin it. Either way, still gettin some from the "boss."

 

[IowaPackFan]

Didn’t read fine print. Will everything on prime have commercials? What if I buy a show off it?

 

[3boysmom]

People buy Prime for the tv aspect of it? I'm not paying more for it but I also don't watch much tv. Prime is for shopping.

 

[HawkMachine]

Saw that email yesterday.

Yes $3/month isn't much, but for me it pisses me off.

Just trying to squeeze more money out of everyone.

So no, not paying the additional amount.

They can suck it.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

People buy Prime for the tv aspect of it? I'm not paying more for it but I also don't watch much tv. Prime is for shopping.

I'm the other way around. I never saw the point of Prime until they had good video. Which isn't to say I don't like the quick shipping, but I wouldn't get Prime just for that (except maybe around Christmas time).

 

[HawkMachine]

Until recently we had YTTV, Hulu/Disney, Netflix, Max, Prime, Apple, Paramount and Peacock.

Curious what that came to every month.

I'm a frugal man.

Been married for 23 years. I've always wondered how much we have saved by not having cable/sat.

Let's just say $80/month.

$80 x 12 months x 23 years = $22,080 we have saved.

That's not even including any returns from investing this money.

 

[millah_22]

What's a "light ad load"?

I figure a 30 second ad every 15 minutes or so is pretty tolerable. The occasional extra-length ad - maybe once per hour - is OK, too. Time for a bathroom break or to grab a snack.

I like it when the streamers show the remaining ad time, which most seem to do these days.

hopefully 1 minute of ads before each episode and then nothing the rest of the episode.

 

[Tenacious E]

Amazon says we must endure limited commercials or pay an extra $3 per month.

Some people say they'll cancel Prime. Others will pay. I'll probably see how bad the ad-load is, but I expect I'll end up paying.

Part of my logic (if I pay) will be that if I cancel Prime, the cost of Amazon Music goes up by a couple of bucks. So ditching ads is actually just a dollar more a month, net. Unless, of course, they also decide to raise the music price.

If not for the music thing, I'd seriously consider ditching Prime because, frankly, there are currently fewer things that I watch on Prime than on other streaming services. OTOH, the price bump to keep Prime ad-free is not out of line with other streaming services like Netflix and Max.

this is HORT. Are we really wringing our hands over $3?

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

this is HORT. Are we really wringing our hands over $3?

The proverbial straw that broke the camel's back? It may not so much be the cost as being nickeled and dimed to death as everyone piles on.

 

[B1GDeal]

Curious what that came to every month.

I'm a frugal man.

Been married for 23 years. I've always wondered how much we have saved by not having cable/sat.

Let's just say $80/month.

$80 x 12 months x 23 years = $22,080 we have saved.

That's not even including any returns from investing this money.

Just a guess but probably $70 YTTV, $15 for Max, Netflix $15, Hulu/Disney ($0 part of Verizon deal), $10???, paramount $5, peacock $0 (comes with Instacart).

 

[IAFB2021Champs]

Until recently we had YTTV, Hulu/Disney, Netflix, Max, Prime, Apple, Paramount and Peacock.

We dropped HBO cuz there hasn’t been crap to watch since HoD and Last of Us ended.

Dropped Hulu/Disney that was a promo cuz most of what we watched on Hulu is on YTTV already and haven’t watched Disney since Andor ended.

Netflix and YTTV get most views… then Apple which is still cheap. Honestly we might drop Paramount cuz we’ve seen everything and that content there is limited unless you like old CBS shows.

Prime is hit or miss… but we get it with membership and as often as those packages are on our front step the cost of shipping alone would far exceed cost of a membership and then some so Prime is here to stay.

Sounds like you watch a ton of tv

 

[B1GDeal]

Sounds like you watch a ton of tv

Ha. I do watch more than I should. I guess my point is we had all of these things and have scaled back. All of them were cheap to start with too. YTTV was like $35 when we got it 6-7 years ago and is doubled… think Netflix is double as well. Apple was free for a year. We’ve had Disney free once or twice with some promos. HBO has gone up some, but their programming has been pretty weak in the past couple of years.

 

[globalhawk]

People buy Prime for the tv aspect of it? I'm not paying more for it but I also don't watch much tv. Prime is for shopping.

There is a lot of good content.