Thursday, November 3, 2011

IS Blog #3: Hulu Plus vs Netflix: What do you think?

My article for this week focuses on the online service known as Hulu Plus and its competing service, Netflix. This article aims to stress the increasing popularity of Hulu Plus, as it is becoming an added application for many existing technologies in the modern world. This fairly new service called Hulu Plus is one, which allows customers to watch unlimited episodes of their favorite television shows, available by seasons in high definition, anywhere you are. The increasing popularity of Hulu Plus can be beneficial in their competitive marketplace by allowing users another option to watch their favorite TV shows, at a low cost and giving customers the confidence in knowing that Hulu Plus will always provide the episodes they are looking for, and if not the cancellation process is extremely simple.

This new service can be compared to Netflix’s longer and better known service. Netflix users also are given the opportunity to watch the latest television shows they missed as well as rent DVD’s before they are released to the public. At a low rate, Netflix also does not burden their customers with advertisements during their viewing experiences. Hulu Plus, being a service that was introduced after Netflix can be described as a service that is following many informative technological strategies.

Aside from the debate on whether Netflix alone is a better innovative application or Hulu is increasing in popularity and sales, one can examine Hulu Plus and its informative technological strategies it raises. With the introduction of Hulu Plus, customers are given another option to watch their favorite television shows at a low price. Although Hulu is not the only corporation to introduce this new method of watching shows online, they have paved the way for advancements to be made within Hulu. Not only does Hulu Plus convenience customers by allowing them to watch their favorite television seasons, but it also saves them time waiting for their missed shows to re-air on television networks. This strategy provides efficiency and convenience to customers by creating access online for their users. The Internet has become such a key element of technology in the modern world. By creating this program online, Hulu Plus directors validate the statistic that more people are becoming attached to internet-based applications and using their computers more and more frequently then they would a television or any other device. Through the usage of the Internet in this new and improved service, many customers are able to witness the growing IT strategies associated with the Internet and its ability to provide television shows that do not directly require a television set.

By examining the service that Hulu Plus provides for its customers, one can derive many advantages and disadvantages as compared to Netflix, Aside from the IT strategies Hulu Plus brings into the market, one must also consider the costs at which these services provide to their consumers. Hulu and Netflix each charge customers 7.99/month for their services. While Netflix sends actual copies of movies and series shows selected by their viewers, Hulu only allows their customers to take advantage of their online website to watch these shows at their convenience. Netflix, being a company that has been in progress for a longer time period than Hulu Plus, has gained feedback from their customers about their service, giving them direct reasons as to why they are able to attain customer loyalty. Reliability was a key element Netflix stresses, and this was a very good one in the eyes of their consumers. Hulu Plus has not yet gained this customer satisfaction at the same level, which Netflix has. Netflix has been known for its reliability while Hulu was better known for their easy access through the Internet. With Netflix, customers have to wait for their movies to be shipped to them, while other Hulu customers can watch at their convenience as long as they are accessible to a device, which carries Hulu Plus.

All in all, I think that it is important to examine the benefits and advantages of a service before a customer jumps into it. I believe that the IT strategy with the Internet has been a great factor of success for Hulu Plus. Due to its increasing popularity, Hulu Plus has also derived its own applications, which are now accessible on other electronic devices aside from typical computers. These other devices include, iPhones, iPads and Android cell phones. I firmly believe Hulu Plus would not have reached its success level without the strategic minds of all who were involved in creating this new technological service. In correspondence to Netflix, I also believe that a customer should choose their service based on preference, because there are not enough distinguishing characteristics between Netflix and Hulu Plus, which should opt a person to one over the other option.

2 comments:

  1. http://www.pcworld.com/article/209955/hulu_plus_now_available_to_all_what_you_need_to_know_before_signing_up.html

    article: http://www.uwmpost.com/2011/09/19/netflix-vs-hulu-plus/

    www.netflix.com
    www.hulu.com/plus

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  2. The rivalry between Hulu Plus and Netflix is one that has rapidly grown recently. Netflix was established in 1997 and has been a top on-demand provider ever since. However, Hulu Plus came to the scene in 2010 and has made its presence known in the market. Netflix has experienced a drastic decline while Hulu Plus has had an immediate success. Hulu Plus offers more of a newer selection and more recent TV shows while Netflix provides shows months after they were aired. On the other hand, Netflix already has an existing customer-relationship therefore people might stay loyal to their business. Another advantage for Netflix would be that they offer mailing to households where as Hulu Plus is simply an online market. It is important to weigh the pros and cons for each before committing to a certain one. Both offer the same price of $7.99 per month therefore it is only a matter of preference. Personally, I would pick Netflix due to the fact that I do not have to be online just to experience my product. It is nice to be able to sit back and relax while enjoying your product and that is exactly what Netflix provides. Overall, both companies are special it is just a matter of preference with the customer.

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