We were watching a show on Netflix last night... and ended up pausing it several times.
Why? No commercials mean no restroom breaks. Can't take the dog out. Or move the laundry from the washer to the dryer.
Don't get me wrong. I enjoy having the option of when I want to take a break. But the ad-free aspect of Netflix isn't the reason I subscribed. My kids were. And really, still are. They live on Netflix. But we've found some shows we really enjoy there as well, like "Stranger Things" and "Bloodline" (well, the first two seasons of "Bloodline").
But a lot of people say they'll drop Netflix if they add ads.
Netflix is testing ads (promos) of their original content. But just in case this is a first step to adding regular advertising, Hub Entertainment Research started asking subscribers what they would think if Netflix added commercials.
The study found that nearly one-quarter of Netflix subscribers said they would leave if it showed ads.
That number, however, changes if you get a price break on your subscription... or if there are tiers of subscriptions, different prices depending on whether you got your shows with or without ads.
I really don't think it will matter that much, as long as Netflix has can't miss shows like "Stranger Things". But if they ever back off the original content and people can find what they're looking for somewhere else, without paying, or without ads... they'll be in a world of hurt.