Netflix Leads The Way As Canadians Cut Cords
EVP Recently ran a survey to figure out the market share for video streaming subscriptions in Canada. The information we found was shocking….
With Canada rapidly becoming a nation of cord-cutters, the race to be the leading streaming service heightens. Cable is still the premier source for the country’s television viewers right now, but the alternative options are battling for the immediate future, as 200,000 Canadians dropped their cable service in 2015, a number that increased by 100,000 from the previous year. We surveyed 400 people to get a sense of the video streaming subscription landscape and unsurprisingly, the results indicated that Netflix is well in front of the pack, with 56% subscribed. The Canadian cable giants’ responses to Netflix’s domination are not even close. Bell’s CraveTV is at the bottom, with 4% of the surveyed Canadians subscribing and Shomi, Rogers’ offering, comes in with 8%. From our survey, 40% answered that they use none of those options, but that percentage is sure to decline as more people recognize the value offered by Netflix.
Netflix’s lead in the category is likely due to its ubiquity and the deep library of content — attributes that stem from being an initial mover in the world of cable alternatives. The statistics for Netflix are staggering, as the service at times accounts for over one-third of Canada’s total internet usage. CraveTV and Shomi have the benefit of being attached to corporations with the resources to collect content but are hurt by that same association — if you’re going to subscribe to a streaming service, why keep the cord? At this point, cable is relying on two resources to stay plugged in, live sports and news, but even these pillars are being challenged in the mobile and digital age. News breaks faster on the web, through social media platforms and publication sites and the major sports leagues are exploring avenues to stream their games in partnership with the likes of Google and Apple TV.
Netflix is winning and will continue to win as long as they can provide the content viewers want at a cheaper price, with a smooth user experience. Cable is facing an uphill battle as viewers more and more see their television as one of many devices to watch content on and as services like Netflix and Amazon continue to not only acquire the high end, most popular content but produce their own as well. The landscape of on-demand video and television streaming has undergone a significant transformation over the past decade, and this change has been dictated by the desires of viewers, so it’s hard to sympathize with the juggernaut cable corporations when people make the choice to toss their box.
Secondary research included in this report is as followed:
Techvibes: As Canadians Continue Cutting Cable Cords, Netflix is the New Black
Financial Post: Telecoms scramble to keep customers after half a million Canadians cut landlines last year
