Amazon Prime Video ads tier (extra $3/month for ad-free tier) met with backlash, some already canceling subscription

Amazon has recently come under heavy backlash for its decision to introduce a new ads-free tier on Prime Video.

The company will incorporate advertisements from next year as part of its strategy to continue investing in high-quality content.

Notably, ads will first appear in Canada, Germany, the U.S., and the U.K. And subsequently, they will appear in Australia, France, Italy, Mexico, and Spain.

Even though there will be no changes in the existing price of Prime membership, there’s a significant alteration. Starting next year, users will encounter advertisements on their existing plans.

However, to bypass these ads, they will have the option to pay an additional monthly fee on their existing subscription. It’s noteworthy that U.S. residents will be able to do so by paying an extra $2.99 per month.

And by looking at the reports (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10), it appears that Prime Video members are unhappy with the new subscription tier.

Users say that they will cancel their memberships as and when the company hikes the prices. They believe that the increase in the subscription cost does not justify the benefits that they would get.

Also, they have already purchased memberships for different streaming services that offer quality content. This makes them more inclined toward canceling their subscription. 

In addition to this, they contend that they can get all the necessary groceries and medical supplements from the nearby stores. People also argue that there is no point in paying $140 per year just to get free shipping.

Some are also upset as the company fails to deliver the packages on time even with ‘fast shipping’. And as a result, they have now decided that they will not renew their subscriptions once they expire.

What’s the point of Prime anymore, then? Paying, what is it? $140 a year for movies and shows with ads now, neutered Music, that 20% off pre order for video games ended years ago, and shipping that still hasn’t returned to the guaranteed 2 days thing and probably won’t.
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Users say that they will most likely opt for monthly subscriptions rather than yearly subscriptions. Doing so will allow them to view the content that they have missed out on.

A platform member is disheartened, as they already have to pay for half the movies available on Prime Video. And they cannot accept the fact that they have to shell out extra money just to steer clear of advertisements.

Another claims that they canceled their Hulu premium membership just because of the introduction of commercials.

Half the movies I have to pay for now even though I’m subscribed to the service. Now I have to pay even more to avoid adverts even though I’m already subscribed to the service.
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It’s noteworthy that some have been so frustrated by the announcement that they have already begun canceling their premium subscriptions.

You should also note that Amazon isn’t the only streaming platform to introduce commercials in the premium subscriptions.

Other platforms, such as Disney+, Hulu, and Netflix, also incorporate ads to bolster their revenue, putting Amazon in a position to catch up.

Having said that, we’ll keep an eye on this matter and update this story whenever we come across any further developments.

Note: We have more such stories in our dedicated Amazon section, so be sure to follow them as well.

Featured image source: Amazon Prime Video.

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