As reluctant as Hollywood may be to accept that consumer interest in content ownership is plummeting, the evidence just keeps piling up. Witness a research paper from Google entitled “A Window Into Film”. According to the paper, DVD-related search terms are off more than 45% from their peak, while search queries for Netflix (and Redbox to a lesser degree) are up. A line graph from the paper is embedded after the jump.
Interestingly, as Netflix- and Redbox-related searches have risen, searches for “free movie” and similar terms have declined from their 2009 peak. Here’s the graph from Google showing the dramatic spike in Netflix queries in particular:
As we’ve chronicled on this site, Netflix’s explosive growth has been a double-edged sword for the company. As Netflix’s profile and profits have risen, so has Hollywood’s frustration with seeing its content “devalued”, as well as its desire for a bigger piece of the action.
Where will the lines on this graph head from here, Insiders? Will Netflix and its smaller rival Redbox continue to garner a larger share of web search terms at the expense of DVD? Or will Hollywood’s efforts to get back to the “good old days” of high DVD sales begin to make a difference?
(via GigaOM)
why buy it when you’ll eventually see it on tv so much you begin to hate it like harry potter. Or you’ll buy it only to have an updated version come out, like vhs to dvd to bluray
G oing to the movie theater is an experience that will never die just so long as the theater industry doesn’t keep getting greedy. But dvds are too expensive for what netflix and redbox offers. I personally love to watch movies and if all dvds were approximately 5 dollars a pop I would have an insane collection, but you really have to search for those deals or wait years for that to happen. I only buy what I absolutely love and will without a doubt want to watch again. If the content of the film was better instead of some of the crap they put out their more people would be excited to own the “real deal” (not saying that I don’t enjoy bad movies). Dvds could conquer or live amongst netflix and redbox and all the other companies trying to rise up if they dropped their prices. Same goes for the movie theaters. If I have to pay a lot of money to see or own something I will always think twice and search for the better deal. Especially when it comes to going to the movies. I am more inclined to spend my money on watching and going to the movies a lot more if it were cheaper and I would be more inclined to spend money at the snack bars.
I would definitely buy a dvd if it cost no more than $5.00