100 Million Prime members (disclosure: I'm one.)

[frahse]

100 Prime members and I am one. I won't count out the benefits, at this point in time for that might seem crass.

When I first joined I believe it was $49 per year, but maybe they enticed me with a $39 offer.

I am still happy.

100 Mil Prime!

[JoHunt]

I know this is worldwide and membership costs can vary by country, but US $100 is probably the average.

100 million x US $100 = US $10 billion per year. Even if 90% goes to operating expenses (which is probably on the very high side), what's left is not bad at the end of the day.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by JoHunt

I know this is worldwide and membership costs can vary by country, but US $100 is probably the average.

100 million x US $100 = US $10 billion per year. Even if 90% goes to operating expenses (which is probably on the very high side), what's left is not bad at the end of the day.

Plus the mythical doubling of spending of Prime subscribers vs non-subscribers that means (theoretically) that Prime members buy as much as 200M non-subscribers. And those purchases are steered towards Prime-elegible products.

It is a pretty good deal for consumers because of the perks, but it is very good for Amazon's bottom line. Particularly because it allowed Amazon to ramp up its Prime Video library into a top tier streaming service both on the financial and viewer side: Netflix has around 120M+ subscribers worldwide but with 100M+ subscribers Prime Video isn't far behind.

Easy to see how the two have the legacy media spooked. (Fox selling to Disney, WB selling to AT&T/DirecTV, Comcast trying to buy Sky. I suspect NBC/Universal will try buy control of Hulu.)
Hint: Amazon doing LORD OF THE RINGS as a tv series.
Also: something like half the top selling books at Amazon are APub titles.

It's not retail alone Prime is impacting.

[azayn]

Count me in as another Prime member. I generally avoid subscription based services but Amazon is really a great value for the money. Ironically the one Amazon product I have yet to buy into is the Kindle. Although I do like the Voyage, I continue to stick to non-Amazon branded readers. Most of my e-books are downloaded online and don't want to be tethered to Amazon.

If they ever expanded their Prime Lending Library, I would reconsider getting a Kindle. As it stands the Kindle Unlimited offerings are pretty lacking. Without the big 5 publishers, most of the available titles are generic romance stuff which I have no interest in. My local library has a better selection than Amazon.

[Catlady]

I'm a Prime member and I'm happy with the service. Getting free shipping without having to worry about minimums is the main reason; I also use Amazon Video to watch old TV shows. Another perk that doesn't seem to get mentioned much is the extra rewards credit on Amazon purchases using Amazon-branded credit cards (5 percent for Prime members, 3 percent for nonmembers).

[kyteflyer]

Prime video is terrible. It might improve in the future but it just doesnt have enough content to even be a viable competitor for netflix, hulu etc.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by azayn

If they ever expanded their Prime Lending Library, I would reconsider getting a Kindle. As it stands the Kindle Unlimited offerings are pretty lacking. Without the big 5 publishers, most of the available titles are generic romance stuff which I have no interest in. My local library has a better selection than Amazon.

1- Your local library pays out a lot more (tax dollars) per book read than any ebook subscription service can afford to pay out. Just ask oyster.

2-The absence of BPH titles from Kindle Unlimited is a feature, not a bug: Kindle unlimited exists to help promote Indie authors, not to cannibalize sales of established tradpub authors.

[GlenBarrington]

Originally Posted by kyteflyer

Prime video is terrible. It might improve in the future but it just doesnt have enough content to even be a viable competitor for netflix, hulu etc.

True, it is not Netflix, but it is an excellent perk WITH original programming, just like the free music service, unlimited photo storage, free lending library, the ability to share your account with family members are. At $99/year for the US membership, it is a genuine bargain. A good deal for me, and apparently a good deal for Amazon. A win/win situation.

[cfrizz]

Same here, I love my Amazon Prime, and I do spend a lot more now then when I had to worry about limits or shipping costs. I also utilize there free music service.

I just ordered a Roku Stick from then which will enable me to listen to their free music through my audio system rather than my computer speakers. I'm a happy camper!

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by kyteflyer

Prime video is terrible. It might improve in the future but it just doesnt have enough content to even be a viable competitor for netflix, hulu etc.

I like Prime Video. I cancelled Netflix in favor of Prime.

[Apparition B5]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

I like Prime Video. I cancelled Netflix in favor of Prime.

Same here. I subscribed to Netflix for years, but dumped it once it became more about its own original programming than anything else. They only had one original program I liked, the rest were unwatchable. YMMV.

[DrNefario]

I'm currently a prime subscriber, bug I think I'm going to let it lapse for a while at the end of my current year. I have Netflix for video, and I just don't seem to buy much physical stuff any more. I like the lending library, but it would be way cheaper to just buy the books, if I'm not using any of the other services.

I dropped Netflix for a few months last summer, and I think it might be prime's turn this year.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by kyteflyer

Prime video is terrible. It might improve in the future but it just doesnt have enough content to even be a viable competitor for netflix, hulu etc.

I disagree, as I watch more on Prime Video than Netflix. But I like to watch older stuff. Prime has lots and lots of old movies, Netflix seems to have newer stuff. I think the two services compliment each other.

[DiapDealer]

I'm another who watches way more Prime Video than Netflix at the moment.

[dordale]

Originally Posted by Celestial

Same here. I subscribed to Netflix for years, but dumped it once it became more about its own original programming than anything else. They only had one original program I liked, the rest were unwatchable. YMMV.

I'm still a Netflix subscriber, but I have to agree with you on their original programming. There are a couple of their original shows that I enjoy, but for the most part I'm not impressed--wish they would go back to where they were before they got on the "original programming" bandwagon!