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Netflix Is Bluffing

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11–20 of 48 posts

Re: Netflix Is Bluffing

#11

Netflix focusses on movie/tv-series subscription model (streaming+dvds), and they are laser focussed on improving consumer experience in this area. On the other hand, Apple, Google, Amazon focus on other businesses (hardware, advertising, and e-commerce). That's why I think Netflix will survive, and that's why startups survive and thrive: Focus!

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Re: Netflix Is Bluffing

#12
post #8
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Netflix's problem is that there are no switching barriers to keep viewers loyal to Netflix. That's also their biggest strength. Apple's got all their vendor lock in, amazon is trying to build vendor lock in with the kindle fire line, google is trying to build a vendor lock in with google play. If you buy into that ecosystem, it's a good way to keep you. But if you don't want to buy into any specific manufacturer, ne…

But how much do you think the average consumer cares about that (or is even smart enough to think about it)? Sure, we all understand the ecosystems because we're developers and we follow that sort of thing, but I'm not sure that the average consumer would see it the same way. If anything, they might be swayed by the whole "Oh, that will work with my iTunes account!" factor.

Netflix's independence is potentially a big deal. In a rational world, the content producers would see Netflix's platform agnosticism as a big selling point. No producers want (or at least should want) their hit TV series or movie to be viewable only on iOS devices or Android devices or Windows devices.

Re: Netflix Is Bluffing

#13

Maybe I'm weird, but it seems like netflix has got worse over time. It used to be magical, now it feels a bit clunkier and the selection might be getting bigger, but it's not getting any better. Most of the time now I redbox anything new, hulu what's on current tv, and only worry about netflix for when I want to burn through an older show. Maybe it was the price hike or the whole period of bad PR that ensued after th…

They lost a good deal of their "premium" content when their cross licensing agreement with Stars expired. This included many of what most people would consider their mainstream movies.

That being said, at the current price it is still an incredible bargain compared to direct purchase of even a few of the shows on the system.

Re: Netflix Is Bluffing

#14
post #7

I wish Netflix would transition fast to an HBO model where they produce their own content. I could see them establishing a kickstarter like content crowd-funding option (opt-in) for say 15 $ / month extra where users would vote on shows, finance them & bring them to life. just imagine what/if scenarios would have played out when "Arrested development" was canceled if we had such an option back then. My point is, if k…

They have the American version of "House of Cards", the original version of which is probably one of the best televesion dramas ever made.

Their sitting on a lot of data on both what people say they like, and what they actually watch, and they're no doubt looking to do more content production.

Re: Netflix Is Bluffing

#15
post #7

I wish Netflix would transition fast to an HBO model where they produce their own content. I could see them establishing a kickstarter like content crowd-funding option (opt-in) for say 15 $ / month extra where users would vote on shows, finance them & bring them to life. just imagine what/if scenarios would have played out when "Arrested development" was canceled if we had such an option back then. My point is, if k…

Remember that they also have the exclusive rights to the new season of Arrested Development. So it sounds to me like they are moving in the HBO direction.

Re: Netflix Is Bluffing

#16
post #7

I wish Netflix would transition fast to an HBO model where they produce their own content. I could see them establishing a kickstarter like content crowd-funding option (opt-in) for say 15 $ / month extra where users would vote on shows, finance them & bring them to life. just imagine what/if scenarios would have played out when "Arrested development" was canceled if we had such an option back then. My point is, if k…

You want crowdfunding to address shortsightedness? I don't see these as being compatible.

Re: Netflix Is Bluffing

#17
I often find myself using Netflix to watch a movie, decide I want to see more titles by that director or starring that same lead actor, find out I can't stream that movie and would need to wait for a mailing, and then task switch to iTunes for a rental.

I would be perfectly happy giving Netflix that money; if nothing else, they deserve the iTunes affiliate cut for making me want to buy something at that moment. I realize many people use Netflix because of the flat pricing and wouldn't go for this, but people like me are the "whales" when it comes to media spending, and it might be worth trying to pick up our business.

(Sadly, I bet many people would then see this as a serious conflict f interest against their flat-priced streaming service, and get angry. :()

Re: Netflix Is Bluffing

#18
post #7

I wish Netflix would transition fast to an HBO model where they produce their own content. I could see them establishing a kickstarter like content crowd-funding option (opt-in) for say 15 $ / month extra where users would vote on shows, finance them & bring them to life. just imagine what/if scenarios would have played out when "Arrested development" was canceled if we had such an option back then. My point is, if k…

You want crowdfunding to address shortsightedness? I don't see these as being compatible.

I want crowd-funding to address consumer choice,editorial & artistic freedom, consumer friendly consumption mechanisms, platform lock-in and profit concentration. Crowdfunding is very much compatible with all of these requirements. Theo only thing standing between us & that world is a few quarters of Kickstarter/ IndieGogo/ Rally/ GoFundme growing their user bases.

Latest Netflix estimates say that 1 episode of Arrested development will cost 1.5 million $. Going with an average rate of 3$ per episode would mean 500,000 average pledges would be enough to fund such an enterprise. (36$ per user per season)

Two games on Kickstarter, Double Fine Adventure/ Star Citizen had a pledger base of about ~90,000 users. We're half an order of magnitude from that. 2~3 years in internet time is an eternity, I'm confident that producing quality content will soon migrate online. I think the studios obsession with piracy & control will soon backfire on them. Google is going after them with premium channels, Amazon & Netflix are both toying with content in-house & Apple has the market power to eventually twist their arms.

Re: Netflix Is Bluffing

#19
post #7

I wish Netflix would transition fast to an HBO model where they produce their own content. I could see them establishing a kickstarter like content crowd-funding option (opt-in) for say 15 $ / month extra where users would vote on shows, finance them & bring them to life. just imagine what/if scenarios would have played out when "Arrested development" was canceled if we had such an option back then. My point is, if k…

You want crowdfunding to address shortsightedness? I don't see these as being compatible.

[deleted]

Re: Netflix Is Bluffing

#20
post #7

I wish Netflix would transition fast to an HBO model where they produce their own content. I could see them establishing a kickstarter like content crowd-funding option (opt-in) for say 15 $ / month extra where users would vote on shows, finance them & bring them to life. just imagine what/if scenarios would have played out when "Arrested development" was canceled if we had such an option back then. My point is, if k…

You want crowdfunding to address shortsightedness? I don't see these as being compatible.

[deleted]
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