Netflix Streams Most, But Fails to Satisfy

July 26, 2012
Although 81% of the Consumer Reports subscribers who used a streaming video service in the previous month used Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX), rival services such as Vudu, Apple iTunes, and Amazon Instant Video all scored higher for overall satisfaction in Consumer Reports' first ratings of video services.More than half (52%) of the 15,277 Consumer Reports subscribers polled said they used a streaming video service in the previous month, compared to 47% who saw a movie at a theater, 43% who rented a DVD or Blu-ray disc, and 32% who used their cable provider's VOD service.The biggest gripe with Netflix's streaming service was its limited selection of movies, especially the latest releases. This is a common problem with all-you-can-watch streaming services, a category that also includes Amazon Prime and Hulu Plus. Fewer than one in five survey respondents said that they were highly satisfied with the choice of titles from those services. However, the selection of titles available on pay-per-view streaming services such as Amazon Instant Video, iTunes, and Vudu received high marks from more than 60% of users.