Amazon adds 3 million Prime subscribers
[SAN FRANCISCO] US online giant Amazon says it added three million customers to its Prime subscription service worldwide in the third week of December as it capped a record holiday season.
Prime, which costs US$99 a year in the United States, gives members fast shipping options as well as access to its streaming video, music and other services.
Prime is seen as a way to get more customers into the Amazon ecosystem, including its video service that competes with rivals like Netflix and is investing heavily in its own programming.
"Over 200 million more items shipped for free with Prime this holiday, and members doubled their viewing hours of Prime Video compared to last year," Amazon founder and chief executive Jeff Bezos said.
Bezos added that Amazon's "Man in the High Castle" series based on a Philip K. Dick story became the most watched TV season ever on Prime Video.
Amazon has never disclosed how many customers subscribe to Prime. But the research firm Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) estimated it had some 47 million subscribers in the US at the end of September, and that these customers spent more at Amazon than non-subscribers.
Amazon said Sunday it plans to produce 16 feature films a year, throwing down the gauntlet to Netflix, according to comments by Bezos to the German daily Die Welt.
Amazon won five Emmys for the TV comedy series "Transparent" this year. The feature films will hit the big screen and be quickly available on Amazon's online service.
AFP
BT is now on Telegram!
For daily updates on weekdays and specially selected content for the weekend. Subscribe to t.me/BizTimes
Consumer & Healthcare
Cordlife customers push for legal action
China knockoff raid jolts a global throng of fake-fashion influencers
Apparel company Express seeks quick bankruptcy sale
Mattel posts narrower loss, thanks to Hot Wheels growth and lower costs
Starbucks set for talks with unionised US stores
Gucci-owner Kering posts 10% drop in Q1 sales on sluggish Chinese demand