Amazon has left subscribers outraged with its latest announcement that it will start showing ads to users of its Prime Video service across the world.
The popular streaming service, which recently added the latest divisive black comedy Saltburn to its platform, informed customers about the forthcoming changes a month before they are expected to go into effect.
“Starting on 29 January, Prime Video movies and TV shows will include limited advertisements,” the company said in an email. It noted that the change will “allow us to continue investing in compelling content and keep increasing that investment over a long period of time”.
For those interested in staying ad-free, the streamer is offering users that as an option for an additional $2.99 (£2.99) per month, which you can sign up for here.
Following the news, several customers took to X to express their anger about the major change coming in the new year.
“Seriously?” one tweeted. “Gotta be honest with you guys, this may be the last straw with Amazon. An added fee to keep from getting ads despite being a Prime member for years. @amazon’s quality of service and product has been going downhill. All while you keep raising the Prime annual fee. And now you all keep stripping away things we had as a privilege of being a Prime member. We have to pay even MORE to get those privileges back. I’ve about had enough.”
Someone else wrote that “the most infuriating thing about @amazon @PrimeVideo integrating ads and making customers pay more for no ads is that their former CEO and now ‘Executive Chairman’ [Jeff Bezos] is worth almost 176 BILLION dollars”.
A third vowed that they were “not just cancelling Prime Video but am cancelling Amazon Prime outright”. “What an insult,” they said.
“Don’t you have enough money already? When will it be enough?” a fourth asked.
“Starting to give serious thought to ditching Amazon Prime,” another added. “In a month, Prime Video will have ads unless you pay extra; that may be the final straw for me. If you’ve cancelled Prime, what are your thoughts? Any regrets? I’d miss the fast shipping but tbh I don’t usually need it.”
Billionaire Jeff Bezos founded Amazon in 1994. What initially began as an online marketplace for books has since expanded into the world’s largest online retailer. In 2011, Amazon launched Prime Video, allowing existing subscribers of its $14.99 monthly or $139 annual membership access to a vast catalogue of TV shows and movies.
Prime Video is perhaps best known for its award-winning five-season comedy The Marvelous Mrs Maisel, which is up for Best Comedy Series at the postponed January 2024 Emmy Awards. The show’s lead, Rachel Brosnahan, is also in the running for Best Actress in a Comedy Series, while her co-star Alex Bornstein earned a nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.
