"Important updates to your Kobo VIP membership"

ownedbycats · 03-04-2026, 10:15 AM

Received message it increases from $10 CAD to $20. No additional benefits. Ugh.

I no longer recommend.

ownedbycats · 03-04-2026, 11:03 AM

I bet in few years no more VIP program due to not being used.

Quoth · 03-04-2026, 12:51 PM

You'd need to buying a lot of books with VIP discount or points. Not all have.

Byrdie · 03-04-2026, 12:56 PM

Have not gotten that message yet but I'm still seeing it listed as $10 a year on the Canadian site. Any idea when the new rate is going to take effect? I've got around 4400 points saved which I will need to spend if I'm not gonna renew -- and with a sudden price doubling, I'm no longer all that keen on staying a member. :-(

ownedbycats · 03-04-2026, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quoth

You'd need to buying a lot of books with VIP discount or points. Not all have.

I usually managed to break even between redeemed books and discounts/VIP sales (I don't count the yearly freebie because it was usually crap). I came out ahead on redemptions in 2024 due to strategic buying on bonus days.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Byrdie

Have not gotten that message yet but I'm still seeing it listed as $10 a year on the Canadian site. Any idea when the new rate is going to take effect? I've got around 4400 points saved which I will need to spend if I'm not gonna renew -- and with a sudden price doubling, I'm no longer all that keen on staying a member. :-(

Same here, old price on site and help page but chatbot confirmed email. Said it was justified due to more discounted books

Check your wishlist first - on mine 4400 points around $8-9 range.

Cactus Chef · 03-04-2026, 01:49 PM

Didn't recommend it to begin with, certainly don't now.

Obviously Kobo needs to read more carefully how to boil the frog. The secret is not doubling the price overnight...

Aleron Ives · 03-04-2026, 07:10 PM

Yeah, it definitely sounds like Kobo wants to discontinue the program, so they're raising the price to encourage people to cancel, and then they can say they discontinued it because nobody was using it anymore.

ownedbycats · 03-04-2026, 11:08 PM

I send feedback to kobo, for all the good it do

Quote:

Today I purchased a book, and then used the accumulated Kobo VIP points to redeem on another. Then I turned off autorenew because VIP cost increase to $20 is out my budget for a loyalty program and I probably cancel it.

The chatbot says its because more discounted books, except the sort of books I like are generally not discounted so I use it mostly for the occasional redemption. Seeing number go up motivated me to spent a little more to get it to redemption threshold.

The price bump may be easier to take if additional benefits, modest bump of points earned for example. I will miss the program but on a fixed income and prices going up everywhere have to choose carefully my discretionary spending.

Aleron Ives · 03-05-2026, 02:26 AM

Please let us know if Kobo responds to your e-mail. I fear this is part of an emerging pattern, what with Kobo also restricting the price-matching system within the last year. D:

ownedbycats · 03-05-2026, 06:54 AM

Feedback form said they don't respond, so I'd be surprised.

pdurrant · 03-05-2026, 11:08 AM

In the UK it's still showing as £6/year, or 4,000 points. It's certainly worth it to me at that level, as I got just over 25,000 VIP points over the last year, and bought 4 books and renewed my membership and I still have just over 8,000 points.

It would probably be worth it to me at £12/year, but I do realise that my level of book spend is on the high side.

ownedbycats · 03-05-2026, 08:26 PM

How many books redeemed? I surprised points that high, I usually redeem sooner.

pdurrant · 03-06-2026, 02:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

How many books redeemed? I surprised points that high, I usually redeem sooner.

Just 4. 5600, 2400, 2400 and 3200 points. Plus 4000 for the membership renewal.

I got the VIP for the 10% off really. The superpoints have been a pleasant bonus . It's been well worth it so far.

Uncle Robin · 03-06-2026, 02:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Just 4. 5600, 2400, 2400 and 3200 points. Plus 4000 for the membership renewal.

I got the VIP for the 10% off really. The superpoints have been a pleasant bonus . It's been well worth it so far.

Ditto. I buy enough through the year to recoup throught the discount, the redemptions are gravy. At double the cost, I'll have to re-examine the maths

03-04-2026, 10:15 AM	#1
ownedbycats Custom User Title Posts: 11,634 Karma: 81412473 Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Libra H2O, formerly Aura HD	"Important updates to your Kobo VIP membership" Received message it increases from $10 CAD to $20. No additional benefits. Ugh. I no longer recommend.

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03-04-2026, 11:03 AM	#2
ownedbycats Custom User Title Posts: 11,634 Karma: 81412473 Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Libra H2O, formerly Aura HD	I bet in few years no more VIP program due to not being used.

03-04-2026, 12:51 PM	#3
Quoth Still reading Posts: 15,349 Karma: 113121827 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	You'd need to buying a lot of books with VIP discount or points. Not all have.

03-04-2026, 12:56 PM	#4
Byrdie Walking Library Posts: 267 Karma: 4027768 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Libra H20, Kindle Paperwhite 5, 16 gb version	Have not gotten that message yet but I'm still seeing it listed as $10 a year on the Canadian site. Any idea when the new rate is going to take effect? I've got around 4400 points saved which I will need to spend if I'm not gonna renew -- and with a sudden price doubling, I'm no longer all that keen on staying a member. :-(

03-04-2026, 01:49 PM	#6
Cactus Chef Guru Posts: 774 Karma: 9580518 Join Date: Apr 2019 Location: East Coast, United States Device: Kobo Sage, Kobo Clara HD, Galaxy Tab S5e, Kindle 4th Gen	Didn't recommend it to begin with, certainly don't now. Obviously Kobo needs to read more carefully how to boil the frog. The secret is not doubling the price overnight...

03-04-2026, 07:10 PM	#7
Aleron Ives Wizard Posts: 1,846 Karma: 17407442 Join Date: Sep 2022 Device: Kobo Libra 2	Yeah, it definitely sounds like Kobo wants to discontinue the program, so they're raising the price to encourage people to cancel, and then they can say they discontinued it because nobody was using it anymore.

03-05-2026, 02:26 AM	#9
Aleron Ives Wizard Posts: 1,846 Karma: 17407442 Join Date: Sep 2022 Device: Kobo Libra 2	Please let us know if Kobo responds to your e-mail. I fear this is part of an emerging pattern, what with Kobo also restricting the price-matching system within the last year. D:

03-05-2026, 06:54 AM	#10
ownedbycats Custom User Title Posts: 11,634 Karma: 81412473 Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Libra H2O, formerly Aura HD	Feedback form said they don't respond, so I'd be surprised.

03-05-2026, 11:08 AM	#11
pdurrant The Grand Mouse 高貴的老鼠 Posts: 75,023 Karma: 319562998 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Norfolk, England Device: Kindle Oasis	In the UK it's still showing as £6/year, or 4,000 points. It's certainly worth it to me at that level, as I got just over 25,000 VIP points over the last year, and bought 4 books and renewed my membership and I still have just over 8,000 points. It would probably be worth it to me at £12/year, but I do realise that my level of book spend is on the high side.

03-05-2026, 08:26 PM	#12
ownedbycats Custom User Title Posts: 11,634 Karma: 81412473 Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Libra H2O, formerly Aura HD	How many books redeemed? I surprised points that high, I usually redeem sooner.

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