Half of Amazon's more than 100 million Prime subscribers probably signed up for streamlined shipping, and the others wanted premium video content, said Michael Simon, a staff writer at PC Magazine.
The Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos revealed the number of Prime subscribers in his [annual shareholder letter](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1018724/000119312518121161/d456916dex991.htm) on Thursday.
The letter also discussed such esoteric issues as yoga handstands and the qualities of a good memo. Bezos also wrote that Amazon shipped more than 5 billion products to Prime subscribers around the world, and Amazon's video service “continues to drive Prime member adoption and retention.”
Bezos did not say how many subscribers signed up primarily for that original video content and how many for shipping, but PC Magazine's Simon said it was “probably split halfway."
Whether it was free shipping or premium video content that drove users to pay around $100 a year for Prime, the large number of subscribers highlights Amazon's potential to further disrupt retail and the entertainment industry at the same time.
Recent moves also show Amazon's tactics extend to the brick-and-mortar realm: Amazon bought the Whole Foods grocery chain last year and the company announced Wednesday that its smart Fire TVs will be sold exclusively at Best Buy stores later this year, turning one of its biggest competitors into an ally.
“This is something of an olive branch,” said Simon. “If this is successful, we could see Best Buy branching out to more exclusive deals, maybe even with exclusive Echo products.”
Investors and consumers can likely expect more. As Bezos wrote in his shareholder letter: "You cannot rest on your laurels in this world."
For full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/amazon-prime-soars-with-100-million-subscribers).
You'll just have to wait for interest rates (and prices) to go down. Plus, this deal's a steel, the big carmaker wedding is off, and bribery is back, baby!
It’s a chicken-and-egg problem: Restaurants are struggling with record-high U.S. egg prices, but their omelets, scrambles and huevos rancheros may be part of the problem. Breakfast is booming at U.S. eateries. First Watch, a restaurant chain that serves breakfast, brunch and lunch, nearly quadrupled its locations over the past decade to 570. Fast-food chains like Starbucks and Wendy's added more egg-filled breakfast items. In normal times, egg producers could meet the demand. But a bird flu outbreak that has forced them to slaughter their flocks is making supplies scarcer and pushing up prices. Some restaurants like Waffle House have added a surcharge to offset their costs.
William Falcon, CEO and Founder of Lightning AI, discusses the ongoing feud between Elon Musk and Sam Altman, and how everyday people can use AI in their lives.
U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum “will not go unanswered,” European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen vowed on Tuesday, adding that they will trigger toug
The Trump administration has ordered the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to stop nearly all its work, effectively shutting down the agency that was created to protect consumers after the 2008 financial crisis and subprime mortgage-lending scandal. Russell Vought is the newly installed director of the Office of Management and Budget. Vought directed the CFPB in a Saturday night email to stop work on proposed rules, to suspend the effective dates on any rules that were finalized but not yet effective, and to stop investigative work and not begin any new investigations. The agency has been a target of conservatives since President Barack Obama created it following the 2007-2008 financial crisis.
Jeff Benedict, author of 'The Dynasty,' weighs in on the Kansas City Chiefs being the next big dynasty, who he thinks will win Super Bowl LIX and more. Watch!
