I had to buy a software product last week that cost $65 – not bad – I know it’s a great product, I’ve used it in the past for many years, and I’m happy to pay for the upgrade and get a new version.
I read the initial purchase agreement wrong and signed up for a monthly subscription for $20/month – so $240/year for a product I use a smattering of times because I’ll get some new content.
Immediately, I cancelled and then dug through their website to find the license and the thing I actually wanted.
Found it bought, now it’s mine – I don’t get all this extra “stuff”, but I get what I need, and I own it.
At the same time, I discontinued my Xbox Game Pass subscription, and when I went to log in, errors across all the games I had purchased were popping up everywhere because even though I bought the game, I didn’t have an active online game playing subscription.
We’re entering an era where it’s not enough to own what you have, but you have to pay to use it.
Imagine going to pick up a hammer, but having to pay a charge each time you hit a nail.
We’ve taken subscriptions to the extreme point of ineptitude and forgotten what their initial value was in the first place.