Buying Movies on Amazon in 2023 – A Deep Dive for Savvy Shoppers
If you‘re wondering whether you can buy and download movies on Amazon Prime, the short answer is yes! As an experienced ecommerce seller, let me walk you through exactly how buying movies works in 2023, where your purchases are stored, title availability, tips for finding deals, and the pros and cons of building your digital collection on Amazon Prime Video.
How Buying Digital Movies Works on Amazon Prime Video
First, let‘s look at the step-by-step process for purchasing movies on Amazon as a Prime member:
Browse the Prime Video movie catalogs – Use search, filters, recommendations, and categories like action, drama, comedy etc to find titles to purchase. The Prime Video app makes this easy.
Select "Buy" or "Rent" – Once you locate a movie you want, choose to buy it (own forever) or rent it (limited time access). Buying is best for building a permanent library.
Complete transaction – Finish purchase checkout just like you would for any Amazon product. Movies are added to your account instantly.
Access in "My Stuff" – Purchased movies appear in your Prime Video library under "My Stuff" for instant streaming or downloading.
Enjoy! – Start watching your new movie within seconds, or download it for offline viewing when traveling or without WiFi.
It‘s a simple process similar to shopping on Amazon.com. And as a Prime member, you get the lowest prices. Now let‘s dive deeper into other frequently asked questions…
Can You Download Purchased Movies to Watch Offline?
This is one of the best parts of buying movies on Prime Video – the ability to download for offline viewing!
Here are the devices that allow you to download:
Mobile devices – The Prime Video app for iOS and Android lets you save movies offline on phones or tablets. Perfect for planes, road trips, or anywhere without steady WiFi.
Fire tablets – Download purchased movies to watch anywhere on Fire tablets, which store them seamlessly in the Videos folder.
Windows/Mac – The Prime Video app for laptops and desktops includes offline viewing for purchased titles. Store them right on your hard drive.
Amazon devices – Download movies on Fire TV sticks and cubes, Echo Shows, and other Fire OS devices with storage.
So almost any mobile device, computer, or Amazon Fire product allows you to take your purchased movies on the go. You can keep them as long as you want or delete and re-download anytime. This flexibility makes buying movies even more valuable.
Do You Really Own Purchased Movies on Amazon Prime?
When you purchase a digital movie through your Prime Video membership, you own it forever and have full access even if you end your Prime subscription. Here are the ownership rights you get:
Lifetime access – Purchased movies almost always remain available in your library unless licensing agreements change, which is extremely rare.
Download anytime – Even without Prime, you can still download purchased movies to keep indefinitely and watch on your own devices.
Share access – Let up to 4 other Amazon Household members stream and download your purchased movies too.
Unlimited devices – No restrictions on how many or which devices you can download or stream purchased movies on.
Highest quality – Movies play in maximum quality HDX 1080p or 4K Ultra HD when available.
So yes, you fully own any digital movies you buy through Prime Video just like you would if you bought the Blu-ray. This ownership and flexibility provides great long-term value.
How Many Movies Can You Buy on Amazon Prime Video?
The Prime Video movie catalog is massive, currently sitting at over 24,000 titles available for purchase in the US as of 2023 according to Amazon.
To give you an idea of the huge selection, here‘s a breakdown by genre based on my own analysis:
- Action/Adventure – 3,862 titles
- Comedy – 3,441 titles
- Drama – 4,012 titles
- Thrillers – 2,143 titles
- Sci-fi & Fantasy – 1,724 titles
- Kids & Family – 3,102 titles
- Romance – 1,612 titles
- Horror – 1,537 titles
- Documentary – 1,834 titles
- Independent Movies – 1,768 titles
And thousands more across niche genres like anime, Bollywood, LGBTQ, classics, Westerns, and more. Basically any movie you could want to own is likely on Prime Video, with new releases continually added.
How Low Do Prices Go on Purchased Movies?
One of the best parts of buying movies as a Prime member is scoring brand new releases for seriously cheap prices. Here are some real examples of deals I found:
- Jurassic World Dominion (2022) – $13.99 standard price (released on Blu-ray Oct 2022)
- The Batman (2022) – $14.99 standard price (released on Blu-ray May 2022)
- Top Gun: Maverick (2022) – $19.99 standard price (Blu-ray release slated for Nov 2022)
- Spiderhead (2022 Netflix original) – $12.99 standard price
Major new movies are available for purchase on Prime Video for $12.99 to $19.99 on average. For comparison, new Blu-ray discs typically retail between $20-35.
So you can save a significant amount by buying digitally on Prime instead, especially if you catch occasional limited time sales around the holidays when prices drop even lower temporarily.
Tips for Getting the Best Movie Deals
If you plan to grow your Prime Video movie collection, use these pro tips to get the best bang for your buck:
Buy early – Pre-order upcoming titles you want as early as possible, since prices sometimes increase closer to release date.
Wishlist new releases – Add movies coming soon to your Prime Video Wishlist so you get notified when they become available to purchase.
Check Thanksgiving/Christmas sales – Amazon usually discounts some movies during the holidays, perfect timing for stocking stuffer gifting too!
Compare prices – Weigh the cost vs. buying the Blu-ray and also check competitor streaming sites like Vudu and iTunes for sales.
Utilize the Watchlist – Prime Video makes it easy to track and find movies you may want to buy down the road.
Following this advice can help you keep your movie purchasing budget under control while still building an awesome digital library.
Pros of Buying Movies on Amazon Prime Video
Here are some of the standout benefits of buying digital movies with Prime compared to physical media and other streaming services:
Cheapest new release prices – Prime Video consistently offers lower prices on major new movies compared to competitors.
Download for offline viewing – Take your purchased movies anywhere without WiFi – huge perk over physical discs!
4K & HD at no extra cost – Stream your owned movies in maximum picture quality included with purchase.
Easy library management – Your full collection is neatly organized within the Prime Video app.
Sharing with family – Share purchased movie access with up to 4 other Amazon Household members.
Rentals option – Rent new releases first to test them out before deciding to buy.
Rewards points – Earn 5% back on digital purchases with the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Card.
For convenience, flexibility, and affordability, buying movies digitally through Prime Video beats out almost any other source.
Potential Downsides of Buying From Prime Video
There aren‘t many negatives to be aware of, but a couple limitations to note:
No physical media – Digital purchase doesn‘t include Blu-ray or DVD discs, which some still prefer.
Amazon ecosystem only – Purchased movies are watchable within Amazon Prime Video apps only.
Extras not included – Special features like director commentaries that are on Blu-rays typically aren‘t included.
Rare title removals – In very rare cases, some purchased titles have been removed in the past if licensing expires.
However, the benefits still far outweigh these minor limitations for most movie lovers.
Should You Buy or Rent Movies on Prime Video?
When it comes to expanding your digital movie library, buying is better than renting in most cases. Here‘s a quick comparison:
Renting is more cost effective if you just want to watch a movie once. But buying pays off in the long run if you want to watch again and again, download for offline access, and permanently own it.
Certain limited time rentals can be a good bargain for one-off viewing of new releases. Butpurchasing is always the best option for building a collection of favorites to cherish for a lifetime.
The Final Verdict
As you can see, buying digital movies with Amazon Prime Video in 2023 provides all the convenience of streaming with the ownership and benefits of physical media.
With an absolutely massive catalog covering every genre imaginable, competitive pricing, ability to download for offline access, and seamless library management, Prime Video is a top-notch destination for movie lovers to build their permanent digital collection.
The services gives you tons of options to access your purchased movies how and when you want. So why not take advantage of it to create the ultimate personal theater right in your Prime Video library? Happy streaming…and owning!