Amazon Just Shared a Secret Number

Jeff Bezos reveals number of Prime subscribers
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 19, 2018 2:55 AM CDT
Amazon Just Shared a Secret Number
In this June 16, 2014 photo, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos walks onstage for the launch of the new Amazon Fire Phone in Seattle.   (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)

After years of speculation, Jeff Bezos finally disclosed the number of Amazon Prime subscribers Wednesday, and it was a big, round one: The CEO said in a letter to shareholders that the service now has at least 100 million subscribers, CNBC reports. He said the company shipped more than 5 billion items through the service last year, an average of almost one item per member every week. In the letter—which can be seen in full here—Bezos praised his company's "divinely discontent" customers and said setting high standards was the way to deal with "ever-rising customer expectations."

Amazon launched the service, which costs around $100 a year in the US, in 2005. Analysts have long tried to determine the number of subscribers, with one recent estimate putting it at 80 million, reports Slate. The service offers streaming music and video as well as free shipping on many Amazon products, and while Netflix has more subscribers, Prime's numbers are well ahead of competitors like Spotify and Apple Music. In his letter, Bezos also disclosed that technical work is underway to bring Prime benefits to shoppers at Whole Foods, which Amazon bought last year. (Bezos did not address President Trump's attacks on the company, which caused a dip Amazon's stock has now bounced back from.)

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