Audible subsidizes its streaming plan via premium credits: Difference between revisions
Fireablazin (talk | contribs) Re-wrote the Audible's response section. A few other minor edits. |
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'''[[Audible]]''' is transitioning its audiobook marketplace from a traditional purchase model into a streaming service.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Greene |first=Daniel |date=2025-08-25 |title=Nail in Audible's coffin |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BJIZA_OpDw |url-status=live |access-date=25 Aug 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Hartness |first=John |date=25 Aug 2025 |title=AUTHORS ASSEMBLE! Audible generative AI takeover {{!}} How this hurts Authors and Narrators |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLKQAASI6y0 |url-status=live |access-date=25 Aug 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Greene |first=Daniel |date=12 Aug 2025 |title=Audible is Broken |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhTmMv_s578 |url-status=live |access-date=25 Aug 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=25 Aug 2025 |title=Learn more about audio books with virtual voice |url=https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G3QRL9HQNF273Q2H |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250825204046/https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G3QRL9HQNF273Q2H |archive-date=25 Aug 2025 |access-date=25 Aug 2025 |website=[[Amazon]]}}</ref> In August 2025, Audible has changed their royalty structure | '''[[Audible]]''' is transitioning its audiobook marketplace from a traditional purchase model into a streaming service.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Greene |first=Daniel |date=2025-08-25 |title=Nail in Audible's coffin |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BJIZA_OpDw |url-status=live |access-date=25 Aug 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Hartness |first=John |date=25 Aug 2025 |title=AUTHORS ASSEMBLE! Audible generative AI takeover {{!}} How this hurts Authors and Narrators |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLKQAASI6y0 |url-status=live |access-date=25 Aug 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Greene |first=Daniel |date=12 Aug 2025 |title=Audible is Broken |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhTmMv_s578 |url-status=live |access-date=25 Aug 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=25 Aug 2025 |title=Learn more about audio books with virtual voice |url=https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G3QRL9HQNF273Q2H |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250825204046/https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G3QRL9HQNF273Q2H |archive-date=25 Aug 2025 |access-date=25 Aug 2025 |website=[[Amazon]]}}</ref> In August 2025, Audible has changed their royalty structure to subsidize this transition, by taking money consumers spend on audiobooks and distributing it across all the audiobooks the consumer listened to that month, regardless on whether or not the audiobook was purchased or streamed using Audible's streaming service.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":8">{{Cite web |last=Sullivan |first=Robin |date=8 August 2025 |title=Convince Audible to revise it's New Royalty Model |url=https://www.change.org/p/convince-audible-to-revise-it-s-new-royalty-model |url-status=live |access-date=26 Aug 2025 |website=[[Change.org]]}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite web |author=paigevoice |date=13 Aug 2025 |title=Audible's new royalty mess |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QZEEXOtJik |url-status=live |access-date=2025-08-25 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref> | ||
==Background== | ==Background== | ||
Audible, founded in 1995, is the longstanding global market leader for purchasing and listening to audiobooks.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Knight |first=Lucy |date=2025-05-13 |title=Audible unveils plans to use AI voices to narrate audio books |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/may/13/audible-unveils-plans-to-use-ai-voices-to-narrate-audiobooks |url-status=live |access-date=25 Aug 2025 |website=The Guardian}}</ref> Since 2020, Audible has offered two plan-types to consumers: a premium plan that gives credits consumers can use to purchase audiobooks and a non-premium plan that allows consumers to stream an Audible-curated selection of audiobooks.<ref>{{Cite web |last= | Audible, founded in 1995, is the longstanding global market leader for purchasing and listening to audiobooks.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Knight |first=Lucy |date=2025-05-13 |title=Audible unveils plans to use AI voices to narrate audio books |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/may/13/audible-unveils-plans-to-use-ai-voices-to-narrate-audiobooks |url-status=live |access-date=25 Aug 2025 |website=The Guardian}}</ref> Since 2020, Audible has offered two plan-types to consumers: a premium plan that gives credits consumers can use to purchase audiobooks and a non-premium plan that allows consumers to stream an Audible-curated selection of audiobooks.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=24 Aug 2020 |title=All-You-Can-Listen Membership Option, Audible Plus, Rolls Out in Preview |url=https://www.audible.com/about/newsroom/all-you-can-listen-membership-option-audible-plus-rolls-out-in-preview |url-status=live |access-date=26 Aug 2025 |website=[[Audible]]}}</ref> Common knowledge suggests if a credit is spent on an audiobook, the author and audible split that credit by some agreed upon percentage.<ref name=":5" /> For an audiobook streamed through Audible, it is reasonable to expect the subscription price is split between all streamed audiobooks for the given month. | ||
==Consumer rights impact summary== | ==Consumer rights impact summary== | ||
===Digital ownership erosion=== | ===Digital ownership erosion=== | ||
Since 2020, Audible has been transitioning its marketplace from a traditional purchase model into a [[Subscription service|streaming service]]. In August 2025, Audible unveiled a new royalty structure to siphon money from credit purchases to subsidize their streaming library.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":8" /> | Since 2020, Audible has been transitioning its marketplace from a traditional purchase model into a [[Subscription service|streaming service]]. In August 2025, Audible unveiled a new royalty structure to siphon money from credit purchases to subsidize their streaming library.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":8" /> | ||
==Audible updates their royalty structure== | ==Audible updates their royalty structure== | ||
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One user expressed displeasure at the restructured royalties: <ref name=":8" /><blockquote> | One user expressed displeasure at the restructured royalties: <ref name=":8" /><blockquote> | ||
I've been a plus user for years. Learning that how it's been restructured is actively harming the indie authors I discovered through this platform is disappointing. If you won't correct this then I'll have to take my business elsewhere.</blockquote>Another user on the petition | I've been a plus user for years. Learning that how it's been restructured is actively harming the indie authors I discovered through this platform is disappointing. If you won't correct this then I'll have to take my business elsewhere.</blockquote>Another user on the petition said: <ref name=":8" /><blockquote> | ||
I've been an Audible subscriber for years (at least 12... maybe more... I don't know). If I'm being honest, I've never given much thought to exactly how my Premium Plus membership is being divvied up, but I can tell you for sure, the proposed Audible breakdown is not how I would have guessed or expected it to be done.</blockquote> | I've been an Audible subscriber for years (at least 12... maybe more... I don't know). If I'm being honest, I've never given much thought to exactly how my Premium Plus membership is being divvied up, but I can tell you for sure, the proposed Audible breakdown is not how I would have guessed or expected it to be done.</blockquote> | ||
The user hawaiianshirtwizzard9542 | The user hawaiianshirtwizzard9542 on where they expect their audible credit to go:<ref name=":4" /><blockquote> | ||
When I spend money on a credit, I assumed the full value (or whatever agreed upon percentage of that credit) was going to that one author. Never in my life would I have expected that part of that credit would go to some pool of authors I wasn’t paying for. Audible thinks its users are stupid and I’ve had enough.</blockquote> | When I spend money on a credit, I assumed the full value (or whatever agreed upon percentage of that credit) was going to that one author. Never in my life would I have expected that part of that credit would go to some pool of authors I wasn’t paying for. Audible thinks its users are stupid and I’ve had enough.</blockquote> | ||
The user RariettyC said: <ref name=":4" /><blockquote> | The user RariettyC said: <ref name=":4" /><blockquote> | ||
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==Audible's response== | ==Audible's response== | ||
Audible | Audible frames the royalties change as one that "prioritizes equity, flexibility, and insight for creators".<ref name=":6" /> The platform says the new royalty model creates new opportunities for smaller authors by allowing all titles to generate revenue. Audible has not yet responded directly to the petition. | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||