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Quibi reportedly lost 90 percent of early users after their free trials expired

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Re: Quibi reportedly lost 90 percent of early users after their free trials expired

#121

Post by TylerE »

evanelias wrote: post #118
qwe098cube wrote: post #65

I never understood their pitch in first place. Why pay for quick bites when I get decent content (~10min) for free on youtube? Generally, I would assume people watch netflix/amazon/disney content for entertainment and expect their originals to be of the usual or slight longer duration. That's content to enjoy watching over a longer period of time. People like this format, hence binge watching is a thing. I can't see…

Verizon attempted a similar content/audience strategy to Quibi several years ago, with their content platform called go90 [1]. Their pitch centered around the lack of 15-20 minute video content with high production values, and the assumption that this type of content would be successful with millennials and commuters. They burned over $1B and it was a colossal failure -- apparently so forgettable that none of the cov…

> the lack of 15-20 minute video content with high production values,

What a truly bizarre tack if that's what they really though. A "30 minute" TV episode is actually about 20-21 minutes minus the ads, intro, and credits.

Re: Quibi reportedly lost 90 percent of early users after their free trials expired

#122

Post by verisimilidude »

bluthru wrote: post #73
kin wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I got a year of Apple TV+ just for getting a new Apple device. If you cancel early, you cancel for good. I put a reminder on my calendar to cancel at the end of a trial. I have yet to even attempt to watch anything because of poor reviews and klout. I remember during the Apple TV+ announcement that Tim Cook was using phrases like "the best stories" and "the best content". I thought it was so arrogant.

Apple is diluting their brand with this nonsense.

I think there's a place for Apple to get this right. They have a music streaming service that makes sense. They're a major player in the podcast space. They've long sold digital music, TV, and movies. Apple has been in the content game since the early days of the iPod. A properly executed Apple TV+ could fit with their brand.

But you're right, they're fucking up.

To me, Apple's content tends to be way too safe. It's boring. (Or, at least it was boring when I saw it.) If I want straight-down-the-middle-of-American-culture-type content, I already have Disney+ and way too many other choices. If they want to grab my attention, they need to take some risks and/or find their niches.

This is what I appreciate about the other major tech company with a me-too streaming service: Amazon. Prime Video is willing to take risks on weird genre stuff, and some of it is really good. I could never see Apple releasing something like Fleabag or The Boys. That perception is probably why Apple TV+ has been so forgettable. Boring has no place in Apple's branding.

Re: Quibi reportedly lost 90 percent of early users after their free trials expired

#123

Post by sulam »

S33V wrote: post #111
sulam wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The largest cohort with these premium services take the free trial and then immediately cancel. Then you have to earn them back.

Do you have a source with that? Based off of the majority of my family members it seems like that would be the opposite. I wouldn't be surprised that there's a correlation between tech-savvy individuals and those who cancel straight to subscription trials right away.

I work for a company with a premium service, and we have a number of employees who have worked on other premium services. It’s definitely true in the aggregate.

* Worth noting, since you mention tech savvy individuals, that these are not tech savvy services (although buying a premium service from an app on your phone probably immediately skews you somewhat tech savvy).

Re: Quibi reportedly lost 90 percent of early users after their free trials expired

#124

Post by jyriand »

Never heard of this service. Seems like they have too much money at hand. When you have billions you start to think that every problem can be solved with money and that inhibits creative solutions. Instead of organic growth based on the value they can provide, they try to buy their way into the premium league.

Re: Quibi reportedly lost 90 percent of early users after their free trials expired

#125

Post by anoraca »

mikeryan wrote: post #52
ObsoleteNerd wrote: post #14

8% is not a terrible conversion rate at all, and they’ve only just started. I’m not a Quibi user and have no vested interest in them either way but this is the third different article I’ve seen in the last week or 2 talking about how terrible they’re doing and now they’re about to crash and burn, because of an 8% conversion? Comparing them to Disney is ridiculous too, it’s Disney! With multiple generations obsessed w…

I work in this industry and generally agree with your assessment. However a few things, the general industry perspective went like this: 1. David Katzenberg and Meg Whitman were creating a consumer service targeting a demographic they don't fit in a field they've not worked in. (Consumer apps for a younger demographic) 2. They got 1.8 Billion in funding. For fuck's sake you should get one breakout hit piece of conten…

"For All Mankind" is an absolutely amazing show from Apple. Alternate history of if Russia got to the moon first. Lots of historical footage (sometimes augmented). I loved watching it. Maybe too niche for a breakout hit but it is extremely good.

Re: Quibi reportedly lost 90 percent of early users after their free trials expired

#126

Post by jacquesm »

A ~10% conversion from free to paid is something quite a few companies would sign for on the spot. Depending on the industry you can see < 1% to < .1% and still be happy. All that matters is whether or not the customers that do convert stay long enough to make it worth your while. If 50% converts but they all cancel after month 1 that's a lot worse than if 10% converts and they stay for 30 years.

Re: Quibi reportedly lost 90 percent of early users after their free trials expired

#127

Post by droningparrot »

I'm sure there's more to it than this, but I think that a bit of unfortunate timing may have contributed to Quibi's demise. This may have had a chance in the pre-lockdown world when everyone was rushing around, and had a few short moments of boredom in between.

With most people no longer commuting and most forms of entertainment and recreation closed, a lot of people have fewer things competing for their time. I think many people are now spending their time on things that use up longer chunks of time: watching TV or movies, going outside, and hobbies.

Re: Quibi reportedly lost 90 percent of early users after their free trials expired

#128

Post by Hamuko »

verisimilidude wrote: post #122
bluthru wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple is diluting their brand with this nonsense.

I think there's a place for Apple to get this right. They have a music streaming service that makes sense. They're a major player in the podcast space. They've long sold digital music, TV, and movies. Apple has been in the content game since the early days of the iPod. A properly executed Apple TV+ could fit with their brand. But you're right, they're fucking up. To me, Apple's content tends to be way too safe. It's…

>They have a music streaming service that makes sense. They're a major player in the podcast space. They've long sold digital music, TV, and movies.

The transition from a music store to a music streaming platform made sense. "Hey, you know the music that you could have bought so far? Well, now you can stream it."

Not so much for the movie/TV show business. "Hey, you know the TV shows and movies you could rent and buy? Well, fuck those, we have ten original titles that you should watch instead."

Apple TV+ doesn't feel like it builds on top of the experience and connections made with the movie/TV show renting/selling business. I just opened up the Apple TV application on my iPhone and the What to Watch list is rather sad. First one is USS Greyhound, which might actually be a decent watch. Next one is "Greatness Code", doesn't really look like my cup of tea, but probably it's probably not crap. In third there's "The Gentlemen" - oops, only available for purchase at 13.99 euro!

Re: Quibi reportedly lost 90 percent of early users after their free trials expired

#129

Post by catalogia »

whoisjuan wrote: post #87
catalogia wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's NBC? I think that's something my grandmother used to talk about sometimes. I'm being semi-facetious here. I think "legacy media", particularly network broadcasters, are coasting off brand recognition earned in a bygone era that younger generations never experienced and never will. That's obviously not sustainable in the long run.

I know you're being cheeky, but NBC owns "Friends" and "The Office". Those two series alone account for a large number of streaming hours in Netflix.

Fair point, but both those shows initially found popularity before the streaming era. Is NBC still capable of producing content that people will binge-watch 10-20 years later for a nostalgia kick?

Re: Quibi reportedly lost 90 percent of early users after their free trials expired

#130

Post by pkamb »

umeshunni wrote: post #94
pkamb wrote: post #79

Where is the vertical video app that lets you watch your favorite YouTube/IG/Twitch-type “content creators” on your phone in the same easy/addictive format as Stories? That seems to be what people want, not network produced scripted tv made brief + vertical.

> Where is the vertical video app that lets you watch your favorite YouTube/IG/Twitch-type “content creators” on your phone in the same easy/addictive format as Stories? I think you just described TikTok.

Yeah, this kind of content/UI is definitely available on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and probably Facebook.

YouTube and Twitch though seem to have some of the strongest "content creator" culture and are both still stuck in landscape videos and other sub-optimal phone UI.

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