Amazon Prime Video has been blasted by angry customers after it was announced that ads will be introduced next month – with furious loyal subscribers slamming the streaming giant’s greed and cancelling memberships over the news.
Jeff Bezos’s Amazon enraged its members after they revealed earlier this week that users in the US would start seeing commercials on January 29, with those in the UK set to see them a week later, on February 5.
Adding insult to injury, those who don’t want ads interrupting their chosen content will have to pay an extra $2.99 per month on top of their membership.
As it currently stands, Prime Video membership costs $8.99 per month, while Prime membership is $14.99 per month.
Amazon Prime Video has been shunned for revealing ads will be introduced next month
Jeff Bezos’s streaming platform announced subscribers will have to pay extra to avoid ads
Outraged Prime Video users have slammed the billion-dollar company on X, formerly known as Twitter, with many scolding Bezos for wanting to make even more money – despite his net worth of $175.7 billion.
One hit out: ‘Hey @amazon? Sincerely f*** you for this. I already have ads blasting every time I turn my Fire TV on.
‘We pay so much for Prime, too. How much more money do you need?! The greed is STINKY.’
Another said: ‘I just got an email from Prime Video saying the ad free service I’M ALEADY PAYING FOR will no longer be ad free unless I give them an additional $3.00 per month.
‘You greedy little f***ers. I just canceled my service.’
A third added: ‘Prime Video having ads feels like a slap in the face. You’re telling me the multibillionaire wants to make more money selling ad time?
‘For what? Another wasteful yacht?’
Amazon has announced its model will be changing to allow for ads in an email, which was sent out to all customers.
Prime Video members scolded the platforms controversial move on social media, with many branding it ‘greedy’
Prime Video membership currently costs $8.99 per month, while Prime membership is $14.99
Saltburn – starring Barry Keoghan – was recently exclusively released on Prime Video
It read: ‘Prime Video movies and TV shows will include limited advertisements.
‘This will allow us to continue investing in compelling content and keep increasing that investment over a long period of time.
‘We aim to have meaningfully fewer ads than linear TV and other streaming TV providers.
‘No action is required from you, and there is no change to the current price of your Prime membership.’
Amazon is yet to confirm how ads on Prime will work, but they’re expected to appear before and even during content.
It won’t just be the US and the UK that will be privy to commercials though, as the streaming giant revealed that other countries will also be subjected later in 2024.
The platform’s controversial move follows rivals Netflix and Disney+, both of which have rolled out ads to their cheapest subscription options since last year.
