Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Audible.com - an early user opinion

I keep this website up simply to house my tangents.  Too often, I get too far off point as I write.  Author's use footnotes, I use this.  When I get too far off topic, but still want to express the rest of the thought... I warehouse it here.

This particular tangent is from this section of my main website.

This is about my brief experience with Audible.com

I should note they did nothing wrong.  I was just very disappointed with what the offer was.  I drive a lot.  Probably about 25 to 30 hours a week in my truck.  So, I listen to a lot of podcasts and books on tape.  Up to now, I have been using my local library.  They are awesome!  Through a free app on my phone called 'Overdrive' I can borrow audiobooks from the library right to my cell phone... without ever stepping foot into the library.  Problem is, their selection is understandably limited. 
I have heard Audible commercials for years.  I had a loose understanding of the concept, which was - pay about $10 a month and listen to however much you want.  I don't want, or need, to own the books.  Just want to stream them.  At a good clip, I knock out about a book a week.  I figured maybe that is worth $10 a month.

I was wrong.  Again, nothing Audible did wrong.  I just misunderstood the deal.  The deal, instead, is this - $15 a month, and you get 1 book a month.  That's it.  Finish your book in 3 days (like I just did)?  You have to wait 3 more weeks, or buy a new credit at $15 to get a new book early.

At the rate I consume, that I would have to pay about $50 a month.  They do have an unlimited program, but it costs about that much.  I chatted with their customer service last night, and dude was extremely helpful.

Here is the situation I am in.  The next book I want to read is Christopher Moore's 'Second Hand Souls'.  It is a continuation of his amazing book 'A Dirty Job'.  Here are my choices to listen to that book tomorrow:

not listen to it tomorrow, but wait 3 weeks for a new credit from Audible
pay $16.53 to Audible for a new credit (on top of the monthly $14.95 I pay already)
pay Amazon.com $15.97 to stream it right to my phone

It is cheaper for me to get it through Amazon than through Audible.  AND... if I do that I may as well just drop Audible.com.   The weird part is this, though - Amazon owns Audible.

I know we aren't allowed to use the term 'retarded' anymore... but I have to cite myself in this bizarre business practice. About 15 years ago, I wrote about United's low cost carrier Ted.  It didn't last long, because their tickets cost more than full fare United tickets.