Audible Launches New Membership Plan

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by issybird

My guess is that they’ll let you finish it once you’ve started it, but as a result, will have a limit on the number of audiobooks you can have open at one time, so you won’t be able to download an unlimited number of books that are about to go off. But this is typical Audible; they didn’t think through the ramifications before rolling it out. Green in my memory is that promotion where they kept making the qualifications more stringent as time passed.

It's fairly typical for subscription services to actually pull content when it rolls off, and if you haven't finished, too bad. I see this with various movie subscriptions all the time. Audible is not unique in that respect. That's why I prefer to buy media that I want to watch/listen to, rather than depend on subscription services to always have it available. This is one way that subscription services counter the join, binge, quit cycle that some people like to use.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

It's fairly typical for subscription services to actually pull content when it rolls off, and if you haven't finished, too bad. I see this with various movie subscriptions all the time. Audible is not unique in that respect. That's why I prefer to buy media that I want to watch/listen to, rather than depend on subscription services to always have it available. This is one way that subscription services counter the join, binge, quit cycle that some people like to use.

I think the aspect that’s unique about Audible is that audiobooks are much longer than the typical movie and most people can only listen to perhaps two or possibly three per month, and they’re certainly not listening to one in a single sitting, as with movies. It would be annoying to start a 20-hour book, say, to have it yanked the following week. Maybe they’ll handle this by announcing with a long lead time before pulling a title, but they’ll have to come up with some accommodation unless they want a bunch of furious customers. The paradox is that they’d probably prefer people to listen to fewer but longer books with the subscription, but people may be somewhat tentative about committing to a long book if they think it’s at risk of being pulled.

I’m not at all familiar with subscription services, but I know I’ve seen with Netflix, for example, articles that say, “Shows to watch this month before they leave Netflix” or something along those lines. However, I admit I’m ascribing to Audible some measures of forethought and customer care that I don’t really think they have; they don’t seem to mind figuring it out as they go along.

[Catlady]

The Audible Plus plan is sounding to me like Scribd. Wonder if it's Audible's attempt to undercut them.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by Catlady

The Audible Plus plan is sounding to me like Scribd. Wonder if it's Audible's attempt to undercut them.

Keeping in mind that Audible is Amazon, it would not be surprising. Amazon does have a history of that sort of thing.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by issybird

I think the aspect that’s unique about Audible is that audiobooks are much longer than the typical movie and most people can only listen to perhaps two or possibly three per month, and they’re certainly not listening to one in a single sitting, as with movies. It would be annoying to start a 20-hour book, say, to have it yanked the following week. Maybe they’ll handle this by announcing with a long lead time before pulling a title, but they’ll have to come up with some accommodation unless they want a bunch of furious customers. The paradox is that they’d probably prefer people to listen to fewer but longer books with the subscription, but people may be somewhat tentative about committing to a long book if they think it’s at risk of being pulled.

I’m not at all familiar with subscription services, but I know I’ve seen with Netflix, for example, articles that say, “Shows to watch this month before they leave Netflix” or something along those lines. However, I admit I’m ascribing to Audible some measures of forethought and customer care that I don’t really think they have; they don’t seem to mind figuring it out as they go along.

Many times the pull is driven by the contract terms with the publisher/author. One other thing to consider is allowing someone to keep an audiobook until they finish it, is that it's a pretty open ended commitment.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

Many times the pull is driven by the contract terms with the publisher/author. One other thing to consider is allowing someone to keep an audiobook until they finish it, is that it's a pretty open ended commitment.

Which is why I think they’d put a limitation on how many audiobooks you could have “active” at one time, similar to the KU and KOLL models. Once you’ve downloaded it, they wouldn’t delete it from your device so long as you stay a member, but you wouldn’t be able to download an unlimited number of titles, either. It’s the KU/KOLL model that had me thinking along these lines.

But of course it’s all sheer guesswork at this point.

[SeaBookGuy]

My gut feeling is it's more likely that they might send out emails to members: "These books currently in your library will be removed on (the new expiration date)."

[Catlady]

How did Audible Escape handle these issues that are being discussed? Wouldn't it be likely that Audible would follow the same protocols for Audible Plus?

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by SeaBookGuy

My gut feeling is it's more likely that they might send out emails to members: "These books currently in your library will be removed on (the new expiration date)."

One would think, but given how iffy Amazon's notice of new books by authors you follow is, I would expect it to be equally spotty.

It's a somewhat different thing, but I never get any notice when an audiobook in my wishlist is removed. One would think they would send an email saying "hey, in another month this book in your wishlist will no longer be available, so if you want to buy it, you need to go ahead".

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Catlady

How did Audible Escape handle these issues that are being discussed? Wouldn't it be likely that Audible would follow the same protocols for Audible Plus?

Did Escape exist long enough for these issue to arise?

[Synamon]

I just cancelled the free trial of Premium Plus with too expensive for the reason and they gave me 2 options to stick around. Just Plus for $7.95 (which is the regular price) or a discounted Premium Plus with one credit per month for $7.95 for the first 3 months and $14.95 thereafter.

Since I'm happy to pay $7.95 per audiobook and still have access to the sales I'll stick around another 3 months.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by ApK

Did Escape exist long enough for these issue to arise?

A few years? And they did change their selections from time to time.

[tomsem]

One of the Prime Day deals (it might even still be available) for Prime members was the Premium subscription for $99. I had taken a break, and not listening to a lot of audiobooks but it was too good to pass up.

I have to admit, the selection of Included audiobooks is very impressive, I’m guessing around 5,000. It is not just Audible Originals, but many ‘regular’ audiobooks (a few of which I previously purchased). These alone would probably keep me occupied if I had the time for it (part of this is just taking the time to browse the selection). I don’t know if it is a rotating selection or if new titles show up over time.

It seems they only exist in the Audible app, i.e. you cannot use a Kindle or combine with ebook for immersion reading in the Kindle app, apparently, or at least I have not gotten that to work yet.

[badgoodDeb]

I picked up the $99 deal too (and participated in the still-ongoing 2 for 1 sale by buying 4 books with my new credits).

I'm still figuring out the details on the Plus audiobooks, like how to search. But I've found a few with a laptop browser, added them to my library, and then use the Audible app on my phone to play them through a speaker, while I cross stitch. I search for my favorite author, (Agatha Christie for starters), look for the INCLUDED phrase, and jump on those books. It's been hit and miss, but I'm getting the hang of it.

[issybird]

I fell for the current sign up for $4.95/month, get a $10 Amazon credit deal, intending to quit at month’s end. I figure I’ll binge on Plus listens for the month (although I won’t have much time, I can already tell), but I don’t think the value is there in Plus for me. At least for the kinds of books I like, there seems to be a lot of overlap with Hoopla. I prefer the Audible app to the Hoopla app, but the Hoopla app is good enough; certainly it’s not worth paying $5 month for the sake of the Audible app.