FREE/BARGAIN — Audiobooks

[ngrant]

+1
Audible's tactics and pricing over the years have really ticked me off. I "escaped" to Scribd a while back and enjoy unlimited ebooks and audiobooks for $10/month. The only "downside" (for some people but not for me) is that the app is required for downloading/listening/reading so not DRM free. But I treat it as a library - enjoy the book then move on. I don't need to own it. I have multiple phones/tablets/computers to consume the content and can always find lots of stuff from my favorite authors. I don't even bother to browse Audible any more.

Other Scribd benefits (they call them "perks") are free Pandora Plus, Tune in radio, MUBI and Curiosity Stream.

Originally Posted by Catlady

I'm with issybird. The problem isn't that the member deals are exclusive--that is indeed an enticement--but that nonmembers can't even SEE what deals they might be missing.

Back in the day, Audible did show sale prices to nonmembers; I recollect that I joined Audible in the first place because of a sale.

And I do feel like I'm an Audible captive. My next attempt at freeing myself from Audible's clutches will come in a couple of weeks; who knows if I will succeed?

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Catlady

I'm with issybird. The problem isn't that the member deals are exclusive--that is indeed an enticement--but that nonmembers can't even SEE what deals they might be missing.

Back in the day, Audible did show sale prices to nonmembers; I recollect that I joined Audible in the first place because of a sale.

And I do feel like I'm an Audible captive. My next attempt at freeing myself from Audible's clutches will come in a couple of weeks; who knows if I will succeed?

OK, I get the promotion thing.
But why 'captive?'

[Tarana]

Without getting into the above argument, for this current $5 sale, some of the audiobooks can be bought for $5 by someone who has an inactive membership. I cancelled my membership until Fall but was able to get Into the Storm by Taylor Anderson for $5. A bit unusual but worthy to check.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Tarana

Without getting into the above argument...

BORING! And I doubt it would register as an 'argument' on most argumometers, anyway.

I'll drag you in, nonetheless:
Did you only see that price because you went and looked for the book, or did Audible make it known to you by promoting it in some way?

ApK

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by ApK

OK, I get the promotion thing.
But why 'captive?'

Because Audible makes it hard to cancel. When I last tried to cancel my Silver membership, Audible offered me three months of Premium Plus for about half price. Now they've already offered me a couple of deals on a yearly membership. It's hard to resist a bargain. (Yeah, I know, Audible isn't responsible for my lack of sales resistance.)

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Catlady

Because Audible makes it hard to cancel. When I last tried to cancel my Silver membership, Audible offered me three months of Premium Plus for about half price. Now they've already offered me a couple of deals on a yearly membership. It's hard to resist a bargain. (Yeah, I know, Audible isn't responsible for my lack of sales resistance.)

Ah. Yeah, I cry for you.

[tubemonkey]

Audible UK -- Daily Deal -- exp 25 May @ 11:59 pm BST

• TBA -- Defend or Die (book 2) -- Tom Marcus -- thriller

[tubemonkey]

Oh my, I opened a can of worms. That said, I side with full transparency for everyone, members and non-members alike. I fail to see any benefit in hiding sales from non-members.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by ApK

Ah. Yeah, I cry for you.

Your sincere empathy warms my heart.

[tubemonkey]

Daily Deals -- exp 25 May @ 11:59 pm PT

• Audible US ---> TBA ---- Stamped from the Beginning -- Ibram X Kendi -- NF history
  
• Audible CA ---> $2.50 -- My Mother Was Nuts -- Penny Marshall -- NF memoir
  
• Downpour ----> $3.95 -- And Then She Vanished (book 1) -- Nick Jones -- sci-fi

* Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America

[tubemonkey]

Daily Deals -- exp 26 May @ 11:59 pm PT

• Audible US ---> TBA ---- A Thousand Ships -- Natalie Haynes -- historical
  
• Audible CA ---> $7.50 -- The Unlikely Spy -- Daniel Silva -- espionage
  
• Downpour ----> $3.95 -- Winning in the Olympics -- Scientific American -- NF sports

[tubemonkey]

Downpour -- Rental of the Week -- exp 31 May @ 11:59 pm PT

• $1.99 -- Sirocco -- Dana Haynes/ Victor Bevine -- 10.3 hrs -- thriller

Rental Only

St Nicholas Salvage & Wrecking Series (book 2)

A serial bomber is wreaking havoc throughout Europe. Former New York City cop Michael Finnigan and former Spanish assassin Katalin Fiero—the brains behind St. Nicholas Salvage & Wrecking, a covert bounty-hunting operation based in Cyprus—may be the only ones who can stop the carnage. The partners have a reputation for tracking down the worst of the worst in international crime, all while staying firmly under the radar. But as they draw ever closer to the bombers, and as the terrorism sweeps up Katalin’s own family, Finnigan and Fiero have to decide if they can continue to operate in the shadows.

As the partners learn who they can—and can’t—trust, they come face-to-face with shocking secrets at the highest echelons of the world’s intelligence communities. Nonstop action and whip-smart dialogue power this compelling thriller to its final, heart-stopping conclusion.

Rental FAQ

• Spoiler:

  When does my rental period begin?
  
  Your rental timer will begin counting down when you first initiate the download on your device or 10 days after purchase, whichever comes first.

  How long can I listen to a title?
  
  All digital rentals provide a minimum of 30 days to listen to a book from the time you initiate your first download. With some of our longer books, such as Atlas Shrugged (63hrs), we extend the listening period to 60 days. You do have the option of purchasing a 5, 10, or 20 day extension after you have made your rental purchase.

  How many times can I listen to my rental?
  
  You may listen to a rental as many times as you would like until it expires.

  Can I extend my rental time period?
  
  Once you are logged into your Downpour.com account, you can purchase a time extension for any of your previous rentals via THIS link. After clicking “Extend Rental,” you have the option of purchasing a 5-day ($1.95), 10-day ($2.95) or 20-day ($4.95) extension. If your rental has not yet expired, the purchased time will be added onto your rental. (Example: if your rental has one day remaining, and you purchase a five-day extension, you will now have six days total before your rental expires.) If your rental has already expired, the extension will allow you to listen to your book again for the amount of time purchased.

  Can I have the same rental on more than one device?
  
  You may listen to your audiobook rental on as many personal devices as you own. Your rental time will be synced across all devices on which you have installed the Downpour app.

[tubemonkey]

LAST DAY -- SYNC Audio -- exp 26 May @ 11:59 pm ET

• FREE -- Alive | What Makes Us --> details

[tubemonkey]

Audible UK -- Daily Deal -- exp 27 May @ 11:59 pm BST

• TBA -- Dead Eye -- Mark Greaney -- action/adventure

[tubemonkey]

Daily Deals -- exp 27 May @ 11:59 pm PT

• Audible US ---> TBA ---- Humankind -- Rutger Bregman, et al -- NF history
  
• Audible CA ---> $7.50 -- Go Down Together -- Jeff Guinn -- NF biography
  
• Downpour ----> TBA

* Humankind: A Hopeful History

* Go Down Together: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde