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I haven't bought anything from Amazon for nearly 3 years now. I have no subscription streaming services at all, and if I want to listen to music I buy the CD, preferably from the merch table at the gig. I don't really feel like I'm missing out on much.
I'll be ditching it. £8.99 for ad free streaming and free deliveries of random small items was worth it.
I don't watch much on Prime though. Not £12 a month worth.
Hate adverts but happy to pop into my local Amazon locker rather than pay for deliveries.
Or as far as I remember it's also free over a certain amount anyway.
To be honest I’ve been thinking of shit-canning my Prime membership for a while anyway as the free delivery seems to enable my bad habit of purchasing unneeded shite.
This was us - I’ve noticed that there is less free content than ever & as mentioned it’s now mixed in amongst the pay stuff.
I can’t be arsed with the regular “virtual” trawling of the bottom shelf at blockbusters, which is what Prime has become.
Cancelled.!
The reverse perspective is that they’ve given you a choice to avoid a cost uplift by accepting adverts.
This. Netflix simply put their prices up without giving you the option to avoid the increase.
I think Netflix is now by far the worst of the bunch. Endless ten episode documentaries that should have been three episodes.
There's mountains of stuff, the docushite is a tiny part of it and is easily ignored. Their biggest issue is not connecting people with what they would actually like - now there's so much stuff, it's way harder to find the good ones. A good tip is to look at non-English language stuff.
We have three or four streaming services on the go at any point - remember you can rotate subs to allow content to build up on the ones that are off-rotation - which feels like a lot until we compare it to a Sky sub.
The 'worst of the bunch' is definitely Paramount.
To be honest I’ve been thinking of shit-canning my Prime membership for a while anyway as the free delivery seems to enable my bad habit of purchasing unneeded shite.
This was us - I’ve noticed that there is less free content than ever & as mentioned it’s now mixed in amongst the pay stuff.
I can’t be arsed with the regular “virtual” trawling of the bottom shelf at blockbusters, which is what Prime has become.
Cancelled.!
I only renewed before Christmas - would have avoided on principle had I taken notice of the upcoming increase. I might now shop around when something I like is on such as Apple TV's Slow Horses. Then cancel when something awful appears such as Wheel of Time.
I will hang on for season 3of clarksons farm then consider binning it.
I've cancelled too. The gradual reduction in the quality of the streaming services, along with their proliferation, has pushed me back to piracy. It's easier to just download a show/movie rather than work out if it's included in one of the streaming services.
If it's paid yearly rather than monthly how can they change what you paid for half way through? I guess it's in the small print
I won’t tolerate anything that funds Amazon.
And yet you're here on the Internet.
You do know what AWS does, right?
Does anyone know how this affects bought content?
We've probably got about 30 films we've bought as it was better value for money than renting.
I'll be proper peeved if having bought the content (which I presumably cannot download onto other media?) I then have to sit through adverts.
Off to do some googling but if anyone knows.
Gah, just signed up again for free delivery for Christmas and the Amazon kids subscription that needed renewal that's cheaper if you have prime. Might have to buy another kids kindle for the subscription and ditch the prime if it's annoying.
Boom time for firesticks down the pub.
Quick poke around the internet suggests we can download content we've bought to a device with Prime Video app installed but nothing to suggest we can just whack it on a solid state drive or similar.
Not clear on whether they'll be trying to stick ads in them yet if still streaming.
I went down the kodi rabbit hole some time back so the streaming is a moot point.
Got to decide if I need it just for the free delivery which is not as prompt/reliable as it once was anyway.
If it’s paid yearly rather than monthly how can they change what you paid for half way through? I guess it’s in the small print
From Martin Lewis - Amazon told us that annual Prime members will be able to get a pro rata refund of their subscription fee if they decide to cancel as a result of the change.
I’ll likely carry on with Prime just for the free/fast delivery.<br /><br />
I only use Prime for that, then bin it once I’ve got the item. I’ve only used Prime for a series once, and that was for The Periferal, and they’ve canned the second series, so that’s it.
@squirrelking No I don’t, so I guess I should update the previous statement to “I won’t tolerate anything that funds Amazon knowingly”.
I’d be interested to know?
Goddam it.
my annual prime subscription literally renewed today.
I’d be interested to know?
Most if not all of Amazon's profit comes from selling computing infrastructure and services to huge numbers of other businesses across the whole economy. This is what's referred to as 'cloud computing'. They basically invented the system where you can rent servers, storage or other infrastructure and services cheaply and easily with just a credit card and access them yourself which is a vast improvement over the way things were done in the past, in many cases. So credit to them for that.
Ok, so mine renews on 30 April.
I'm guessing I can just renew for a month and cancel right away if I need some big items delivered free?
Cheers!
Is it realistically possible to knowingly avoid it’s use?
Yes. Cancel your broadband subscription.
[Amazon] AWS is huge, it's fully a third of the Internet's cloud compute. By comparison, Microsoft is about a quarter, Google last I looked was around 10%.
The only way you can avoid funding Bozos' next yacht is to get off the Internet and go live in a cave I'm afraid.
If we can't avoid funding his yacht, can we at least fund a few killer whales to sink it?
I'm not sure it's possible to take such a hardline position on corporate ethics. You can avoid the most egregious stuff (like Nestle for example) but AWS? I mean, yes Amazon the online retailer is shitty towards its employees, but so are innumerable other companies you never hear about, and you can't realistically avoid everyone one of them. And is AWS culpable to the same extent that the online retailer is? Is Bezos himself personally responsible? It's a minefield.
You'd be better off campaigning for worker's rights in the UK, raising awareness, writing to your representatives etc.
We have Prime at the moment, to watch the current season of Reacher - but will then end the contract.
Previously I've watched the free-with-ads films. The ads are far, far less obtrusive than typical ITV-like ads.
The only way you can avoid funding Bozos’ next yacht is to get off the Internet and go live in a cave I’m afraid.
+1
We (first world) could be well and truely shafted if "someone" hacked AWS and brought the system down though I hope they have sufficient redundancy and disaster planning to cope with such an event...
AWS isn't really one system.
AWS isn’t really one system.
I realize that but there is a lot of inter-connectivity between systems and, hopefully, there isn't a super-administrator account with access to "everything" (or at least a single mission critical component that taps into every sub-system or region)
hopefully, there isn’t a super-administrator account with access to “everything”
If you've thought of it, they have too 🙂
Well ultimately this is a the future of TV/Cinema and the carved up market place of choice.
As a potential benefactor of these platforms - I'm currently trying to get a feature film we shot last year launched - and trust me you think you're getting ripped off - we got massive distributor fees, poor deals, iffy legal practices.
It's Spotify all over again.
As a viewer I love the choice and quality (4K HDR) this is the golden age of TV for me - so much good content across many platforms (which can be an issue) - but throwing your teddies out of the pram just because you need to pay a bit more to keep these services going?
The British and the internet have always had an expect much for free attitude - I've got middle class friends who still have these dodgy platforms from eBay streaming for free FFS.
It's ultimately an industry and I'm not a fan of these big companies and the way the competition rolls out but you do have to pay your way if you want the content.
Ads or a bit more money is entirely reasonable model - it's what happens on this very platform. (I know I'm not a premium subscriber and was for years - but that's simply down to not sorting it out .)
Netflix has to be applauded for taking the TV out of the dark ages and they're all still figuring out where it's all going.
But we do have to get used to paying for things if we want the content.
And yes I still go to the cinema and give that my support too but streaming platforms are great value without the cumbersome nature of acquiring media. It is also an example of a market place at work (not many of those) - in that there is a good spread of choice and price.
(Eventually things will change and studios will do hybrid deals. Can't see apple or paramount being separate forever. )
Politically the solution to low wages and ethics is probably not boycotts - mostly, but collective bargaining of wages and standards but we know how weak that has become.
Ads or a bit more money is entirely reasonable model
Maybe, but it's more than 'a bit more money' to me.
Currently paying about £9 a month.
They're saying that I'll now have to pay an extra £3 on top for the same thing.
Quite a hike I thought.
Cancelled.... for now.
😐
Maybe, but it’s more than ‘a bit more money’ to me.<br /><br />
And is a cumulative effect - in our house energy has gone up again, the car insurance is due and has gone up, haircuts cost has gone up, the kids swimming subs have gone up, etc. We earn well between us but are very much starting to cut down on extras.
The only way you can avoid funding Bozos’ next yacht is to get off the Internet and go live in a cave I’m afraid.
It's not just off the internet (as cave hinted), your bank, supermarket and the government are likely using aws for something so if you earn or spend money or get sick you'll likely be involved
The only real solution would be to move somewhere that Amazon can't sell to due to restrictions -cuba, Iran or North korea?
as said on the Netflix thread, I cancelled pretty quick after the email came in. Prime Video is crap, whenever I see a film I want to watch on there it's always "Buy or Rent". Amazon Prime is mostly a way that they charge slightly more for stuff you can get cheaper elsewhere, but when you've got the "convenience" of next day/free delivery you don't tend to shop around. (I do and usually find the same item cheaper from an ebay seller.) Now Christmas is over, last minute buying isn't necessary, so a few days delivery is fine. Gen V and The Boys are worth the cost of admission, so I'll sign up when they come around (or maybe torrent them from my NAS if I'm feeling stingy).
As I get more curmudgeonly I hate adverts with increasing venom, so I'm not putting up with that.
As I get more curmudgeonly I hate adverts with increasing venom, so I’m not putting up with that.
Says the 'Free Member'! 🙂
sod that bezo, sonarr is going to get a spanking
Amazon Prime is mostly a way that they charge slightly more for stuff you can get cheaper elsewhere, but when you’ve got the “convenience” of next day/free delivery you don’t tend to shop around. (I do and usually find the same item cheaper from an ebay seller.) Now Christmas is over, last minute buying isn’t necessary, so a few days delivery is fine. Gen V and The Boys are worth the cost of admission, so I’ll sign up when they come around (or maybe torrent them from my NAS if I’m feeling stingy).
Despite cancelling my amazon prime membership, I will defend Amazon's customer service on returns. They really have set the standard in that regard. Case in point; two gifts recived for Christmas - I bought my wife a gift which turned out to be a duplicate from someone else. A couple of clicks and the package dropped off at the corner shop and full, no quibble refund in the account within a couple of days. Gift 2 that we want to return as it's not the right sort / doesn't fit "sorry you've missed the 14day return window, you need to keep the useless item as not willing to swap for other item" ~£50 gift wasted.
No contest as to what is the best customer service.
Amazon Prime is mostly a way that they charge slightly more for stuff you can get cheaper elsewhere, but when you’ve got the “convenience” of next day/free delivery you don’t tend to shop around. (I do and usually find the same item cheaper from an ebay seller.)
+1
It is useful, I got 2x punctures on the car last week whilst visiting my parents in the Dales.
Bought a car puncture repair kit for £12, and it was delivered to their house, in a tiny hamlet, 20 minutes drive up a valley from the "main" road in under 16 hours from ordering!
The difference between that and 3 days delivery via a normal shop and royal mail would have been a towtruck to the village, and a day wasted even if the garage was open.
But really, there's probably 3x a year where it actually pays for itself like that. The rest of the time the products are cheaper elsewhere online or in an actual physical shop if you can peel yourself off the sofa.
But there’s going to be season 3!<br /><br />
so cancel it and when all episodes are avalible sign up for your free month trial and watch the whole series 😀