About 40% of Americans have cut back on streaming services in the last three months because of financial concerns, according to a recent report
Americans are quitting subscription streaming services in droves as the cost of living continues to climb, a recent report has found.
Streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu have become increasingly popular in recent years, but Deloitte’s 2026 Digital Media Trends report, released late last month, shows how Americans are getting frustrated over the cost to have their favorite movies and TV shows at the click of a button.
“As the cost of everyday essentials like food and housing remain high, many consumers are reevaluating their budgets and cutting back on nonessential expenditures,” Deloitte said in its survey results. “At the same time, prices for media and entertainment services continue to climb.”
I’m sure Netflix, Hulu, and similar services will compensate for subscriber losses in the usual manner: by continuing to increase their prices and further screwing over their remaining subscribers. You know, the time-honored cable/satellite TV strategy.
In fact, that’s already been happening for several years. Which is why (along with them offering mostly shit content that I never watched) I cancelled almost all my streaming services a couple of years ago.
I just got a notice from them saying they’re increasing prices and “are here for me if I have questions “.
Uh huh.
I have a question:
WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU RAISING PRICES EXPECTING PEOPLE TO STAY SUBSCRIBED IN THIS ECONOMY, NETFLIX?!
In this case my question was “where’s the cancellation button?”
Been a member since 2011. Not paying $30 a month for this.
Because like absolutely all public companies, they need to grow their revenues every year without ever a pause, and once you have reached the maximum number of subscribers you think you can get, the only path left to increase your revenues is to increase the revenues per subscriber.
Besides, these companies have been enshittifying their services so badly over the years that there is no one left among managers who can imagine they wouldn’t get away with it.
I don’t give them 5 years before they resolve to shady tactics like phone calls during which they trick you in agreeing to upgrade to a higher grade subscription, or make the cancellation so difficult that you end up paying a few more months, etc.
I’ve never really understood the mentality of businesses. They’re losing customers, so they bump the price to compensate, therefore losing more customers.
I guess those that hang on end up making up for those they lose, and because all the other services are doing the same, they end up getting people who’ve jumped ship from another one and signed up at a good introductory cost.
But, like, just charge a bit less and have more customers.
You’re thinking long term. Companies (esp public) only cares about the short term such as next quarter
It’s the mentality of CEOs, MBAs and Venture Investment, line must go up this quarter, nothing else matters, we’ll be jumping out leaving suckers holding the bag before the business goes under. Scam culture, and it fucking works.
Long term strategy is dead (except for privately owned, see Valve), this is late stage capitalism baby, take what you can, give nothing back. Seems fair to do unto them.
The same mentality that “gave us” the 2008 crash.
Amazon Prime be taking the Jesus money. Weird recommendations showing up lately.
I remember when Netflix paid someone good money for improving their recommendation algorithm. Now they keep trying to shove live boxing matches in my face no matter how many times I say I’m not interested.
Oh come on, everyone is excited to see current star Minnie Driver play some bible lady
And don’t forget the old lobbying to push for greater persecution and criminalization of torrents and VPNs