China News Service Client, Beijing, April 18 (Reporter Wu Tao) "The same VIP service, the price of buying with different mobile phones is actually different." Many netizens think that this is "big data kills familiar", what do you think? In fact, the online video platform's VIP service is still too much, don't believe it, you see!
A one-year online video site's VIP price varies by 30 yuan on different devices. Photo by Wu Tao
The same VIP, recharge with iPhone is more expensive than Android phone
Recently, a reporter survey found that the same VIP members have different purchase prices on different devices. For example, Youku and Sohu Video VIP members purchase 198 yuan a year on Android or PC devices, and 228 yuan a year on iOS devices, with a price difference of 30 yuan. Tencent video, iQiyi, etc. have similar problems.
Many online video platforms claim that this is due to a 30% discount on Apple services. Earlier, Apple told a reporter from ChinaNews.com that how to set prices is 100% controlled by the developer, and Apple does not bear this pot.
In addition, this 30% draw is not static. In 2016, Apple adjusted the rules of the winnings. For subscription services, such as automatic renewal in the second year, the winnings fell from 30% to 15%.
The price difference between a continuous annual package and a separate annual package for an online video platform VIP does not exceed 15%. Screenshot
But many online video platforms have not reduced consumer payments accordingly. For example, Sohu Video has a membership price of 228 yuan a year and a continuous package of 208 yuan a year. The price reduction is obviously not 15%.
Apple may let go of premium video apps
It is worth noting that on April 2nd, according to foreign media reports, Apple has now relaxed this policy, and its specific plan allows premium video services to charge viewers through its own channels without having to be charged 30%.
In response, the reporter asked the relevant person in charge of Apple to get a reply: In a specific plan, customers can choose to use related to their existing video subscriptions on qualified high-quality video entertainment applications (such as Prime Video, Altice One and Canal +). The payment method of buying or renting movies and TV shows. However, Apple did not indicate which apps are considered as high-quality applications.
In fact, in many areas, the virtual services sold by enterprises have achieved the same price for different devices, whether it is iOS or Android devices. For example, "Glory of the King" in the field of mobile games, skin props are the same price on iOS and Android devices.
Apple said that many companies have achieved the same price of subscription services for Android and Apple devices, which proves from another aspect that platform developers have 100% control over pricing power.
After the paid music is purchased and downloaded on a certain platform, after the VIP disappears, you can no longer listen to it. Screenshot
VIP advertising models are emerging
In addition to the price, there are many VIP services for online video platforms. First of all, the most difficult for users to accept is advertising. Many online video platforms show that buying VIP members can enjoy the exemption of advertising rights. However, during the implementation, many movies and TV dramas still have advertisements, especially hit dramas. It is difficult to do without advertisements.
Although most online video platform user agreements show that members can enjoy the right to close the introductory advertisement with one click, they can manually skip the member-directed recommended content, they still need to manually "click", and unconsciously the user has already seen the advertisement.
There are more and more online video platform advertising models. For example, there are "small theater advertisements" like the props in the show, and VIP users are no exception. Many netizens said, “When you are in a small theater advertisement, when you see the highlights, you will come to the advertisement and play in minutes.”
What makes people cry is that some online video platforms also have VIP exclusive ads. "I bought VIPs to advertise. What do I mean by adding exclusive ads now?"
In this case, multiple online video platforms, including Sohu Video, etc., show that for VIP users, some copyright dramas with special requirements may still provide you with different types of advertising services.
On the left is the price of VIP membership rights provided by an online video platform, marked with the original price of 129 yuan. The right of the picture shows the original price of the same product Jingdong official flagship store 99 yuan. Screenshot
VIP membership benefits
In fact, not only the removal of advertising rights, many services promised by online video VIP members have failed to do so, and even the services have been greatly discounted.
For example, some netizens reported that they bought VIP members and purchased download sources or music separately. However, after the VIP expires, the purchased download resources cannot be viewed.
QQ Music said, "At the request of the copyright owner, some songs can only be played offline in the local download terminal of the user during the member's validity period after download, and the related download songs cannot be played offline after the member expires."
In the same situation, there is Sohu Video ’s user agreement, “If you do not watch the purchased service video within the valid time, it is deemed that you have watched all of it, and Sohu.com will not refund you.”
So for a few years after joining the membership, and before returning to liberation without renewal, "many downloaded movies and TV shows can't be watched." Some users said in an interview with a reporter from China News that they were locked up and must be renewed for purchase. VIP, otherwise the original purchased resources can not be enjoyed.
In addition, many online video platforms also have e-commerce services, claiming to be able to buy goods at low prices, but in fact consumers have not much discount.
For example, on an online video site, the Lenovo Percussion U2 headset, which is said to have an original price of 129 yuan, can be purchased by VIP members for 59 yuan. In fact, this headset is priced at 69 yuan in the official flagship store of Jingdong. The original price is 99 yuan. This is suspected of falsifying the original price. The platform responded to this. When Lenovo gave us the original price, it was like this, but the price was lowered later, and I have gone to communicate with the supplier.
In response to various problems with the online video platform, on April 8th, the Zhejiang Provincial Consumer Protection Commission interviewed 11 music companies including iQiyi, Tencent Video, Youku, Mango TV, Bilibili, Sohu Video, PP Video, Himalayan, etc. Video platform.
Zhejiang Provincial Consumer Protection Commission pointed out that the above platforms have unclear description of advertising privileges and suspected false publicity; by default, automatic renewal is checked, which is easy to cancel and difficult to open; additional charging items and other issues.
At that time, Tencent Video, Mango TV, iQiyi, Himalaya, etc. all expressed optimization and implementation of rectification. But for now, many platforms are “not at all”. (Finish)