Discussion Netflix CEO frustrated over failure in India, share fell 20% and more

[marvel44]

Slashing the prices to ₹199 per month for Basic, ₹499 per month for Standard and ₹649 per month for Premium, as well as promoting it using Alia Bhatt.

That's not enough for making in roads into Indian markets. As @iDJ bro said in the earlier post as well, Hotstar is offering Premium Sports, High Quality Originals from FX, HBO, 20th TV and more importantly Disney+ originals much lower than the cost Netflix is charing for their lackluster mobile plan. Their premium Plan should be closer to what Prime and Hotstar are charging after seeing their lackluster content slate.

Plus Netflix will always be one of the biggest homes of Korean content, which are massively popular in India as well as Asia-Pacific. Indians’ love for Korean shows is far more than Squid Game; some may be surprised to see how popular some K-dramas (such as Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha and It’s Okay to Not Be Okay) are in India.

Also, Netflix is just first in the race for that and have them for the time being. Disney+ and Amazon are ramping up the content production there. Disney will have launched 4 originals in the space of the 4 months they are operating in the country. Eventually, all will come on to Hotstar in the coming months once the dubbing and other processes involved are completed. Amazon is also in the same mood, they are adding multiple Korean shows as we speak.

Netflix has said recently it is focusing not just on the original content but also on having more local and regional content, especially in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam. If they manage to add Sports also then it would surely increase subscribers.

Having Tamil and Telugu content production is not enough. It has to tell the stories of the lands they are coming from. That's very unlike Netflix, who choose to remake the existing content everywhere. It's highly unlikely they will achieve anything, with adding Telugu and Tamil contents. Better content is found on YouTube than most of the shows they will line-up anyway.

Most people having subscription to all OTT would find spending more time of Netflix.

I wouldn't agree with you bro on this for sure. I know many people, who have dropped the subscription including myself because they won't find anything to watch on Netflix at all and paying such a hefty price isn't worth for the same. Apart from Friends, B99 and Breaking Bad for some extent, Prime has more SITCOMS AND SHOWS which are watched multiple times by people. And better content quality is with Hotstar with thier FX and HBO originals, even if we discount Disney+ Originals which are clearly more popular.

Lastly, l will say as long as they are gonna blame someone for thier lack of bravery, they will be sitting in the same place for years to come unless Prime and Hotstar decides to just hike the prices to Netflix level which is very unlikely. Last time, when some analyst asked why Hotstar is dominating Indian Market his answer was because they are offering the marginal price compared to Netflix, but never acknowledged the fact that they were lacking the quality in all the aspects in India.

Apart from the foreign content, I haven't seen a great Netflix original from USA which should have the major driving force since the launch of Sweet Tooth. There are several duds in the way, The Jupiter Legacy, A Cowboy Bebop etc etc which are canceling just after season, says the state at which Netflix is operating in its home marketplace.

 

[Prithi Deb]

There is nothing premium about Netflix for them to charge so high amount.

Netflix definitely provides a premium experience.
When you open their app, you will be able to say Yes, this looks premium. Can't say the same with the other. Hotstar's inconsistent UI, Prime Video's laggy UI with a horrible search engine. And Zee5 doesn't even let user watch in Full HD on their Mobile & PC with their "highest quality" plan. Don't even get me started with SonyLiv.

Most people having subscription to all OTT would find spending more time of Netflix.

I have subscription to almost all services. I definitely spend 90% of the time on Netflix.

 

[iDJ]

Ghoul, Delhi Crime, Jamtara, Ray, Aranyak, Decoupled, Kota Factory, Little Things, Upstarts, Choked, Bulbbul, Raat Akeli Hai, Ludo, AK vs. AK, Pagglait, Ajeeb Daastaans, Haseen Dilruba, Dhamaka, Minnal Murali.
(few of them are aquired)
These are the ones I can remember right now.
Meanwhile I can only name a few from other platforms. Or atleast ones that have left any impression on me.
And there's also the added benefit of International (English/Non-English) content.

Even I liked some of the original shows/movies like Jamtara, Decoupled, Bullbul etc. are good. Most of the other shows are just forgettable. Their bad content overshadows their good content.

Netflix definitely provides a premium experience.
When you open their app, you will be able to say Yes, this looks premium. Can't say the same with the other. Hotstar's inconsistent UI, Prime Video's laggy UI with a horrible search engine. And Zee5 doesn't even let user watch in Full HD on their Mobile & PC with their "highest quality" plan. Don't even get me started with SonyLiv.

You need to a have a balance bro. Like you said Sony Liv has good content but bad UI. Despite having premium sporting event, good selection of international content and strongest original among OTT players. They are not considered premium. Same is the case here. True premium platform when it comes to content is Disney+ followed by Prime. Netflix comes 3rd.

 

[Prithi Deb]

How come people are unable to find good content on Netflix? I don't understand. You guys must have your eyes closed while browsing through Netflix or Social Media or even OTF.

Everyone feel free to tag me if you want me recommend you some "quality" content on Netflix.
Or even PM me if feeling shy.

I am sorry, but all I am seeing is pure blind hate towards Netflix, just because it is a bit more expensive than others.

 

[Esmail]

If they really want to be a runaway success in India they need to price the service way lower, they are still only popular among the classes, if they want to appeal to the masses they will have to go for plans like
Mobile- 49/month 480p one mobile or tablet screen
Basic- 99/month 720p one screen including PC and smart TV
Standard- 249/month 1080p two screens including smart TV
Premium- 399/month 4K four screens including smart TV
They can restrict the Indian subscription from being used anywhere outside India as Prime video does.

 

[greylala91]

Netflix with current pricing makes sense when it is split with others. Nothing comes even close to it in terms of watching experience. As far as the content goes, people have different opinions but the Netflix originals are vast and covers majority of categories, you dont have to like them all. Just watch what calls to your taste. Even their intention is not to make one like everything they make.

Local content partnerships could help them get more reach. They can also adopt something like prime video channels and people will subscribe just for the app experience

 

[iDJ]

@Prithi Deb bro. It's not blind hate. I have always supported them and justified their pricing in the past. Their content over the years have deteriorated. They put one or two good shows a month. Than they fill it with some of the most time sucking shows. They themselves have ruined themselves by acquiring any random bollywood releases which wouldn't work at theatres. Or some independent nonsense. I have watched Netflix content on TV long before they entered the country. Using Prime Video as well since the day they launched here. There is so much improvement on their offering.

 

[marvel44]

How come people are unable to find good content on Netflix? I don't understand. You guys must have your eyes closed while browsing through Netflix or Social Media or even OTF.

Buddy.. Barring some Foreign content can you even mention some good original English show which they have launched post Sweet Tooth? Their returning shows like You is an exception. I can name some 10+ English shows which were launched on Hotstar and Prime which are absolutely great. I get it, you watch everything and anything Netflix will put out. Most people aren't that way. I personally only watch English contents for 95%. What exactly is there on that platform that one should rave about.?

I don't understand why you should think that's blind hate from anyone . I was a subscriber for most part, now I discontinued because its not worth it. If they prefer something more, then it's their choice and personal opinion. Not only here, most of my friends in the US are dropping the subs as well. Hulu is slowly taking its place as preferable option for most of the users. That's why they are loosing subscribers mostly in their core markets like Canada and US itself.

 

[Ashok Varma]

Piracy wins more hearts than Netflix in India! If they charges more, then why they can't stop piracy of their movies in India?

 

[rohan7]

In my opinion Netflix is not a family oriented is the major draw back