CHESTERFIELD, Mo.—The upcoming streaming services from Apple, Disney, WarnerMedia and NBCUniversal are joining a market that already features more than 100 streaming services, and all of these entertainment options are starting to make things complicated for consumers. This is based on findings from the 2019 Subscription Management Report from Amdocs, which found that some consumers are becoming “overwhelmed” from managing all of their subscription services.
One solution that interests consumers—39% according to the report—is a bundled platform for all of their streaming services with a single sign-on and simplified browsing, as well as making it easy to try new subscriptions and add additional users.
The study also revealed that pricing may be reaching a plateau if new features don’t become available. Among U.S. consumers, 27% spend more than $100 per month on subscription services. More than half (59%) say they are happy with their current subscriptions and are not looking to make changes, while 22% said they would only consider adding another service if something new came to market.
Advertising is also a key factor in the consumer experience, per the report. While a majority of international viewers said they would be OK with receiving tailored advertisements (39% opposed), U.S. consumers are more adverse. The preferred streaming services are ad free or feature limited ads (like Netflix), which require streamers to look for other monetization and business models.
“It’s clear from these findings that CSPs and OTT services must find innovative ways to differentiate their offerings through personalization and diversity of content, and an accessible, user-friendly interface will increase the likelihood of consumers adopting new subscriptions,” wrote Darcy Antonellis, head of Amdocs Media. “The availability and access to streaming content is increasing, but so are consumer expectations, particularly around cost, ease of access and contextual experience. It’s critical for success to meet these needs through a unified, flexible approach.”
