Commencing in 2024, Amazon Introduces Advertising Within Its Prime Video Content Library, Offering Users an Ad-Free Experience for an Additional Fee.
Following in the footsteps of Netflix, another major streaming platform is devising strategies to boost its revenue by incorporating advertisements into its paid subscription plans. Amazon, in its own words, is set to reduce the frequency of ads on its video streaming service, Prime Video, to continue delivering captivating content. For those seeking a completely ad-free viewing experience, Amazon Prime will offer a new ad-free option for an additional $2.99 per month. Consequently, Amazon Prime members will need to pay a slightly higher fee to enjoy an entirely ad-free streaming experience.
Amazon’s official announcement states, “To sustain our commitment to compelling content and further increase our long-term investment, Prime Video shows and movies will include limited advertisements starting in early 2024.” Amazon plans to implement this new advertising approach for its Prime members in early 2024. It’s important to note that the $2.99 monthly cost for the ad-free experience has been announced for U.S. Prime members, with pricing for other countries to be disclosed later.
While the ad-supported option will be available worldwide, Amazon will introduce it gradually. According to their press release, ads will initially be introduced to Prime Video content in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Canada in early 2024, followed by France, Italy, Spain, Mexico, and Australia later in the same year. After the ad policy implementation, users will encounter ads during streaming. Amazon has clarified that it will not alter the pricing of its Prime membership subscription. However, users will have the choice to eliminate ads completely by paying an additional fee for their existing plan.
Meanwhile, Amazon intends to notify its Prime members about this change several weeks prior to the commencement of advertising. Prime customers will receive an email notification in the weeks leading up to the ad rollout, providing them with the option to opt for the ad-free tier.
Amazon Prime’s move aligns with Netflix’s recent adjustments to its paid subscription offerings earlier this year. In a bid to attract more users, Netflix introduced ad-supported plans, which are more cost-effective than its standard offerings. Although these plans are not yet available in India, Netflix still offers a mobile-only plan for its Indian audience.
Concurrently, Amazon Prime introduced a similar cost-effective plan called Amazon Prime Lite. Priced at Rs 999, this subscription offers a simplified and more affordable alternative to the standard Amazon Prime Annual plan, which is priced at Rs 999.
