" I have NEVER heard of anyone liking commercials. "

I think it's more along the line of either don't mind commercials, or like commercial breaks (not the commercials themselves). I don't really care about commercials in breaks, when I can hit mute or go to the bathroom (or both)......What got me to cut the cord was when they started putting ads that run on the bottom of the screen while the show it playing, covering up the part of the program - sometimes the entire bottom third (or so).

What got me to cut the cord was when they started putting ads that run on the bottom of the screen while the show it playing, covering up the part of the program - sometimes the entire bottom third (or so).

Who did that? We have cable and I've never seen that practice.

" I have NEVER heard of anyone liking commercials. "

I think it's more along the line of either don't mind commercials, or like commercial breaks (not the commercials themselves). I don't really care about commercials in breaks, when I can hit mute or go to the bathroom (or both).

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I totally agree.

And she knew what you meant.

Okay…so this took a strange turn LOL

carol, just FYI, being a Christian does not mean you don't stand up for yourself when people (Judi) lie about you.

" If only going to church made every person nicer... "

These days, for far too many it seems to do the opposite.

"Who did that? We have cable and I've never seen that practice. "

It's definitely still around, probably more on "regular" TV than on cable channels. Some "smart TV" and streaming hardware (like Roku) have tried it too, though I don't know if they still are. I know I've seen them on sports programming, still.

I guess the 25+ BILLION dollars per year that the streming service generated isnt enough for Jess Bezos. I’ve said it before and I will say it again; having resources in the billions is not without grave moral consequences for society in general and for those wealthy individuals in particular.

A search said Bezoa owns less than 10% off the comoany. What you say over and over again should be supported by easily f ound facts. 9 of 10 Amazon decisions he makes affect 9 times more shareholders than himself.

Jeff Bezos, who now serves as executive chair, earned $1.6 million last year, according to the company's annual proxy statement filed Thursday.

Apr 18, 2023

That’s not the whole story. This is:

" I guess the 25+ BILLION dollars per year that the streming service generated isnt enough for Jess Bezos. "

You make it sound like it all goes into his pocket......he's the largest shareholder, but owns less than 15% of the company and is no longer the CEO. I'm not a Bezos fan, but I hate the mistake that some people make equating income with profits, totally forgetting that there are significant costs involved. For instance, while retail generates most of their income, most of their profits come from its Web Service.

I'm new to Prime movies/series and I started watching A French Village which is terrific, exceedingly well done, and which I was really enjoying. But then I was required to spend yet more money to watch Season 2--I am beyond furious. I call that Bait and Switch. Simply unacceptable.

Toronto, not all of Bezos’ compensation is salary, obviously. He has a vanity spaceship; Amazon funds his hobby as a business expense. You may be okay with that. 🤷‍♀️ I am not.

" You may be okay with that "

As I said, I'm no fan of Bezos, but your post about Prime was greatly misleading........A very tiny proportion of Amazon's profit comes from Prime streaming (which means an even smaller proportion of Bezo's income comes from Prime streaming). Some quarters, Amazon's subscriptions (including Prime and Audible) actually lose money.

But then I was required to spend yet more money to watch Season 2-

Or, you could just wait until it's free :) That's usually what I do (though there have been exceptions)

After more evaluating, the only thing I watch on Prime are movies we rented or bought-and I have gone back to re-watch them some. So, if anything, this has made me go through my apps I'm currently paying for and get rid of any I won't use due to commercials-unless I just have a series I just have to have.

Amazon Prime’s revenue has doubled since 2018

" Amazon Prime’s revenue has doubled since 2018 "

Revenue is not profit. That's been my point all along about your misleading post.

" this has made me go through my apps I'm currently paying for and get rid of any I won't use "

I think we all need to do that more often about all kinds of things - reevaluate what we've got and whether or not we're still using it......especially for something that's so easy to turn on and off, like streaming services. Stop some for a while, then you can always go back later if you want to.

I'm sure their costs have risen as well. I can't imagine that the move to include advertising or have a fee fro no advertising was not researched prior to announcing. If research had shown that everyone would drop Prime I don't think they would have done this.

I don't think there is anything inherently evil with creating a company that provides services that people want, and making money. I'm sure that many employees and vendors are making money too as a result of Amazon's existence.

Except for the occasional errors and delivery mishaps (most of which they have made good on) I am happy with them. Since I no longer drive their delivery of items has been a real help to me.

Fair point, Toronto, so Amazon’s last reported total sales (2022) were $514 billion. Their reported net profit of 2.43 percent equals $12.49 billion.

“" Amazon Prime’s revenue has doubled since 2018 "”

The pandemic was good for some companies.

I agree with Lucille, between the pandemic and no longer being able to drive, or even shop in person, Amazon has been a lifesaver. She also brought up another good point; there are tons of private sellers using Amazon, so not all the money goes to the company. Also, Amazon provides employment for thousands of people in their distribution centers; there are several in my state alone. I prefer to look at the good, rather than carry around hate for a company and it's majority stockholder.

OT . who is C.A.?

At the same time the big A is a driver of what's come to be called the ensh*++ification of the internet.

Ever notice how search results on their site tend to bring up lots of irrelevant results nowadays?

Woodrose, i view it as out of control capitalism. Amazon has not always done right by its workers. They’ve been shamed into improving working conditions for some of their employees.

I do agree with your description Kwsl: "out of control capitalism". A product (like prime video) being a profitable business is not enough. There is this expectation of continually growing profits. This seems to drive the constant need to find more and more and more ways of making money off of customers. It's not enough to pay an annual service fee, now they need to make money from our viewing of content. As mentioned above, it sounds like cable TV has a similar history (initially promising no ads in exchange for a service fee, then later introducing ads).

Out of control capitalism seems more like out of control consumer spending. Bezos is no monopolist. His products are not utilities. We choose who gets our dollars here.

cyn427, Cassidy Hutchinson

Yes, Zalco we can and do choose where and with whom to spend our money. Is there no limit, though, to this need for increasing profits? I know the price of anything is supposedly what the market will bear. But just because you can charge more, should you? At some point the invisible hand guiding the economy is giving us the finger.

kswl, I'm sorry that you seem to be overly influenced by misinformation and misunderstandings. Amazon is a big company, Bezos' ownership is in the single digits, and his salary is not high when compared to compensation of officers at most public companies. As Toronto Vet correctly added, a big portion of Amazon's operations and profits relate to services. Amazon Web Services, to be exact. It originated as a by-product of its own efforts to internally provide and manage the web capabilities it needed for its own operations. Innovation through serendipity, finding what wasn't being looked for. The essence of creativity.

Biases are more often than not a result of misinformation. I hope you can learn some more and temper your thoughts. Use whatever retailers you prefer without finding the need to slime the ones you don't choose.

It’s a shame you have to disagree by trying to discredit another’s views, Elmer, but I am hopeful that someday you will be able to let your opinions stand on their own merit.

Thanks Judi. The A threw me because her middle name starts with J and she isn't married. :)

kswl, if I make a statement of overly broad and unsupported innuendo that suggests a bias, I'll count on you to point it out for me.

Pretty sure Jeff Bezos doesn't need anybody defending him...

Nor ignorantly attacking him.

Thanks for your thoughts.

If in real life you encounter someone who says something preposterous or unfounded, you say or do what?

I always find it incredibly weird when a person draws such vitriol for being successful. Bezos founded a company, built it up, and became incredibly wealthy. People hate that, and besides blatant jealousy I cannot think of a reason why.

Amazon has helped a lot of people. Whether it be something small, like finding an item one wants that is not locally available, to delivering essentials to people who cannot get out and get it themselves, to providing jobs. Its not a perfect company, there is no such thing. Businesses strive for profits, nothing more. Providing goods and services people need or want is how they attain it. Just like most people go to their jobs to just make a living. I provide a service, I get money for it, and I expect everyone else who didn't earn my paycheck to mind their own business as to how I spend it. I extent the same curtesy to others, including the wealthy.

I love my prime membership and will pay extra for commercial free stuff. I actually do not watch much on Prime. My SO does though,and I will peruse it occasioinally. I have bought all my favorite Christmas movies on Prime, and that is mainly what I watch on it. I use it for the shipping and music. I pay extra for ad free streaming on discovery+. I pay for YouTube Premium so I can watch video ad-free, and also so I can download things to my phone or listen to videos and YouTube Music while my phone is asleep in my pocket when I am walking. All of these are choice, easily cancelled, and no big deal.

Commercials really only bother me when they play the exact same one over and over and over, sometimes in the same commercial break. (freevee is bad about that)

Sorry to go a bit O/T — saw this today and thought of this thread:

https://www.versionmuseum.com/history-of/amazon-website

I can’t remember exactly when I first saw the Amazon site, probably around 2000. I do remember the versions with the tabs. I don’t remember ever ordering anything back then — I think we were worried about security.

I was shocked to see Prime started in 2005! I thought it was much more recent.

Back on-topic … I’ve been considering dropping Prime for a while now, for various reasons. Still contemplating it.

I probably order almost weekly from Amazon. i get many itens for less than i would pay in stores. I also shop there for the convenience. Im anothet who uses the music; although I havent wstched alot on Prime Video. We have a distribution center in our area which provides many jobs. Amazon was great during covid!

I always find it incredibly weird when a person draws such vitriol for being successful. Bezos founded a company, built it up, and became incredibly wealthy. People hate that, and besides blatant jealousy I cannot think of a reason why.

There are many reasons not to be a fan of Amazon or Bezos other than jealousy. Jeff Bezos does not seem like a good guy, Amazon is not a good employer, and their trade practices are monopolistic. Those are three of many reasons other than blatant jealousy. We all have our own opinions and can make decisions accordingly. I used to buy tons from them and now I buy almost nothing unless it is something that I need immediately.

As for ads on streaming services, I will pay extra for an ad-free service, but I am less and less inclined to pay for streaming. In the past few months we have dropped Netflix and Hulu and have only kept Max and Britbox. There is very little for me on Amazon Prime-- I can't remember the last time I watched it.

I've watched some really great shows and movies on Prime, but I feel like I already saw the best of what I like there.

And yes - trying to pin all the criticism on being a result of jealousy is not a valid - or fair - argument.

Just saw this (lawsuit):

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/09/ftc-sues-amazon-illegally-maintaining-monopoly-power

https://apnews.com/article/amazon-ftc-lawsuit-antitrust-1b91bf8026cc3edf81e817cf8596c4bf

" Jeff Bezos does not seem like a good guy, Amazon is not a good employer, and their trade practices are monopolistic. Those are three of many reasons other than blatant jealousy. "

You couldn't be more unconvincing; this comment seems to blatantly be what you suggest it isn't.

I've known several people who've worked for Amazon in executive positions in areas aside from its retailing or warehousing/fulfillment. Its reputation as an employer is that there are a lot of smart people working hard there and the culture is rewarding, demanding and sometimes intense.

The company employs over 1 million workers. Are they all fools? I wonder if they need to know that Amazon is not a good employer.

You couldn't be more unconvincing; this comment seems to blatantly be what you suggest it isn't.

Elmer, I am not trying to convince you of anything. That would be impossible. I am merely offering my own opinion, which I am entitled to.

The company employs over 1 million workers.

So over a million people are getting their livelihood from Amazon. And of course they are voluntary employees and could go elsewhere at any time. And those Amazon employees spend their paychecks, further financially strengthening the people they deal with.

It is hard for me to overstate the difference in my life Amazon has made. I don't drive so their delivery of all sorts of items is very important. Amazon Pharmacy handles my medication needs. Amazon Kindle let's me read books I have borrowed online from my library consortium, for free. Amazon Music provides free music.

They have made some bloopers, but mostly have taken care of them. A few times I have really gotten upset with them over a single issue, but eventually everything worked out, and +99% of transactions go as planned.

Gah. Some people sure are emotionally invested in Amazon. Dialing back the snark and vitriol might be in order here. I mean, everyone is entitled to an opinion about giant corporations and those who profit richly from them.

One of these conversations about Amazon came up a long ago. A poster whose name i do not recall, but I think was a regular here, described her son's experience working for Amazon at the warehouse level. She said he was thrilled with the opportunities and advancement Amazon offered to people willing to work.

I find it remarkable how conscious people are of corporate so-called greed, yet they feel personally entitled to a lifestyle which 95 percent of the inhabitants of this earth would marvel at. Riches are indeed relative, as Adam Smith noted long ago.

" everyone is entitled to an opinion about giant corporations and those who profit richly from them. "

Yes, to a point. Everyone is entitled to an opinion but views lacking in fact or reality as a basis aren't subject to the same respect, in my opinion.

Here's a funny thing about "corporations who profit". These are the ones who innovate new and better products and services, offer employees steady work, customers reliable goods and services, and suppliers business. Corporations who don't profit go out of existence and offer none of these stakeholders anything.

They also offer shareholders returns on their investment. If you think a company makes a lot of profit, buy stock to become an owner and take advantage of it yourself.

I have no emotional interest in Amazon but as Lucille and others have said, I respect the company for its innovations and for the broad categories of its offerings that have made things easier and more convenient for me and for others. Irrational and uninformed attacks are sad to encounter. Amazon is a big target to attack. Those with jealousy or having a bad day - go to it.

" Yes, to a point. Everyone is entitled to an opinion but views lacking in fact or reality as a basis aren't subject to the same respect, in my opinion. "

Wow, that sucks.

Yeah, sure does.