Netflix Inc.

Netflix utilizes a number of different advertising methods. Netflix created a coupon in the form of an enlarged movie ticket offering a free month of service. These “movie tickets” are given out at cash registers at all Best Buy stores and are included in packing boxes of most of the major DVD player manufacturers (Sony, Philips, Toshiba, Panasonic, RCA, etc.). Best Buy’s website also has a link directly to Netflix which is under the “DVD rental service” drop down menu. Each DVD mailer sleeve from Netflix includes a tear off “tell a friend” certificate with a promotion code that provides the bearer with a free month of service. At one time, Netflix sold banner ads on their websites. However, they abandoned this strategy after three months because the revenue stream was not sufficient to cover the cost of maintaining the ads. Netflix also has an aggressive affiliate program. The affiliate program encourages other websites to provide links to Netflix and offers a referral fee for linked new members at a range of $9-$12 per member. This fee is dependent upon the number of referrals provided in a month. If a site is successful at delivering greater than 200 new customers in a month, the referral fee is negotiable, up to $30 per new customer. Netflix is a straightforward company. It rents DVDs via the Internet and sends them to you through the U.S. Postal Service. For a flat fee of $19.95 a month, you can build a list of movies at the Netflix.com Web site that you want sent to your home. The company sends you the first three along with prepaid return envelopes. When you're ready to send them back, you put them in the return envelopes and drop them into any mailbox. The minute the return is processed, the next one, two, or three DVDs are on their way. Depending on where you live, the turnaround time is two to five days.

The average Blockbuster store carries roughly 1,500 movie titles. Netflix carries more than 12,000 titles. It has movies that you can't find anywhere else. And Netflix uses collaborative filtering technology to send you emails that alert you to movies that you might otherwise never consider. Netflix saw the video- and game-rental market moving to DVD and built its business around that trend. Netflix doesn't rent videocassettes, only DVDs (in part because they're lighter and cheaper to mail). Netflix was able to identify and implement a strategy fo...

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...been reported that they have had some bad point where they fell 8% and there is an estimate net loss of $5 million to $15 million. This is not good if there are any plans of gaining money from the stock. Also as of right now this is what was reported about Netflix stock:

“Stock of the online DVD rental company was up more than 15% in early morning trading Thursday. Netflix increased their forecasts for both revenue and total subscribers today, trying to compete with powerhouses like Blockbuster and Wal-Mart. The increased forecast stems from a slew of new subscribers that have invested in the service after a price decrease from $21.99 to $17.99 last month. Despite the increases in revenue and subscribers however, some analysts feel that the business model is “fatally flawed” and the company may fall by the wayside due to competition from the aforementioned retail and entertainment powerhouses.” Investors Guide reported this.

A good thing for Netflix is the fact that they have teamed up with Wal-Mart; this might make it a little bit easier for them to keep their stock up later in the future. Still I would not waste my time in buying their stock with them not being reliable enough.