# charge more for amazon downloads? Here's why



## smw614 (May 15, 2009)

amazon unboxed is great, except for one problem...the 24 hour time window for viewing downloads doesnt fit working people's schedules very well. an example...i download a movie and start to watch it at 10pm. its a two hour movie. i will either fall asleep before it is finished or something will come up that precludes me from finishing it. since the download is only alive for 24 hours, i need to download it again...and pay again!!! in order to watch the download.

*Now, if you had 30 hour rentals, and charged 25% more for them, then i could watch the movie on successive evenings without being penalized.* I guarantee you that i would download infinitely more movies if your pricing followed this model. As your billing model is currently configured, i cannot usually conform to your timeframe and as such, i don't do amazon downloads.

Your thoughts please.


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## MichaelK (Jan 10, 2002)

all very logical.

but this isn't the place to complain or discuss it- Tivo has nothing to do with it. Amazon agreed to the terms with studios that contain those rules.

amazon does have some way to give feedback on their website. Might be a good idea to email them so you too get on the record that the 24hr windows stinks.


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## smw614 (May 15, 2009)

i copied the identical suggestion to the support folks at amazon. let's see if they are interested in raising their prices and getting new customers (at least one...anyway.)


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## MichaelK (Jan 10, 2002)

smw614 said:


> i copied the identical suggestion to the support folks at amazon. let's see if they are interested in raising their prices and getting new customers (at least one...anyway.)


i think they now have to take our complaints to the MPAA and fight it out with them- it wont be anything quick...


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## OHSam2008 (Nov 5, 2008)

Is it truly Amazon or the MPAA's problem that a person begins a purchased movie and falls asleep during it. I haven't used the download for a movie in a while, but if I remember correctly, the 24 hours timer begins when you start the movie. Right? Couldn't the OP just watch the ending the next evening say around 6pm? Seems like a silly issue. You know what your time limit is...you just need to plan better.


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## lew (Mar 12, 2002)

Alternate suggestion, let the customer "rent" the movie for a second 24 hour (consecutive) time period with a 50&#37; discount.

I suspect most people watch a movie to completion. The majority of customers won't want to pay a penny extra for the extra 6 hours. My suggestion would accommodate people who thought the movie was great and want to watch it with other family members the second night.


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## riz (Dec 30, 2000)

MY THOUGHTS EXACTLY!

I have made this exact same argument over and over. We start a movie, fall asleep and by the time the next night comes around, usually the same time for movies, the 24hrs is ENDING!

This restriction is plain silly. If they are trying to prevent piracy, most of us do not pirate this type of transmission so if I pay, let me watch it over a 48 hr period. If I wanted to copy it, I would do it in the first 24hrs so why burn legitimate on demanders that don't steal? Man, the 24hr timeframe is a slap in the face imo, it's not cheaper than renting from blockbuster and you only get 24hrs? not cool and totally unnecessary.

Give us 30hrs or 48hrs, anything less is simply turning off legitimate on demanders. I mean, nobody can stop pirating but most are not pirates! so quit treating us like one!


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## lew (Mar 12, 2002)

The current model doesn't work for you.

Rent a movie from a Red Box kiosk and you'll pay extra if you keep the movie more then 24 hours. Rent a movie from a local video store and you're subject to late fees.

I don't think the main issue is piracy, a pirate can copy the movie in 24 hours just as easy as 48 hours. My guess is the studio wants more money if you're watching the movie multiple times, with multiple people. Makes some sense if the movie is available at the same time the movie is still in the theaters, it makes less sense if the movie has already been released on DVD.

I'll speculate most people don't have an issue with the 24 hour rule and Amazon would lose more business if they increased the basic fee.



riz said:


> MY THOUGHTS EXACTLY!
> 
> I have made this exact same argument over and over. We start a movie, fall asleep and by the time the next night comes around, usually the same time for movies, the 24hrs is ENDING!
> 
> ...


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## jcaudle (Aug 16, 2004)

smw614 said:


> amazon unboxed is great, except for one problem...the 24 hour time window for viewing downloads doesnt fit working people's schedules very well. an example...i download a movie and start to watch it at 10pm. its a two hour movie. i will either fall asleep before it is finished or something will come up that precludes me from finishing it. since the download is only alive for 24 hours, i need to download it again...and pay again!!! in order to watch the download.
> 
> *Now, if you had 30 hour rentals, and charged 25% more for them, then i could watch the movie on successive evenings without being penalized.* I guarantee you that i would download infinitely more movies if your pricing followed this model. As your billing model is currently configured, i cannot usually conform to your timeframe and as such, i don't do amazon downloads.
> 
> Your thoughts please.


Why do you need a longer rental period? You have 30 days after you purchase the download to watch it. The 24 hour clock only starts after you view the programming. Don't watch it until you have time to finish it. Seems reasonable to me.


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