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If you cast your mind back to the end of 2019 and all of 2020 (six years ago!), you’ll remember that Netflix was quietly eliminating one of its most beloved sign-up benefits: the 30-day free trial. For years, this was the default way to connect your friends and family to the service.
Well, fast forward to today, and we’ve learned that the free trial is making a comeback – at least in a testing capacity. Netflix has confirmed to us that they are currently exploring the possibility of resuming free trials in select markets outside the US and UK. Our understanding is that these free trials may vary and are only for people who have never signed up for Netflix before.
A spokesperson for Netflix confirmed the test, telling What’s on Netflix the following:
“We regularly test promotions to help potential members experience the value of Netflix.”
Netflix is always tinkering with user acquisition
Longtime readers will know that Netflix has never stopped trying alternative ways to acquire subscribers.
After finishing the Classic Trials for the first time in 2019 (launched in the UK before going global). throughout 2020), they are famous Launched a “Watch Free” portal in 2020. That initiative put together a curated selection of original movies and first episodes of hit shows to stream without an account in front of a paywall. Justifying the end of the free trial era at the time, a Netflix representative said: “We are considering various marketing promotions in the US to attract new members and give them a great Netflix experience.”
More recently, we’ve seen Netflix using live events on a large scale to test the waters. Earlier this year, Netflix acquired the rights to the World Baseball Classic in Japan. This was an attractive strategy designed to take advantage of long-standing regional viewing habits and entice a demographic that might not typically sign up for a traditional VOD service. Along with that live event, Netflix actually offered a Discount on first month sign-up For customers in Japan.
Why is Netflix doing a free trial now?
It’s been six years since free trials were on the table, and Netflix is a completely different beast today. Having recently surpassed 325 million global subscribers, they are already massive. But to continue rising internationally and domestically, they will have to overcome the holdouts. For those who have never tried Netflix yet, paying upfront may still be a huge barrier to entry. Removing the paywall for a few days gives those in attendance a chance to really experience the value of the platform’s expansion, from the TV and movie library, which stands at 6,000 to 10,000 titles in most regions globally, to the recent push into video games, podcasts, and YouTube-style content in addition to its overhauled experiences on mobile and TV.
The goal of this test is to determine if the free trial is still the best hook. Once the trial period ends, those users can easily move up to any of Netflix’s paid tiers, which now start at a much more accessible entry price (i.e., Standard with ads).
As is always the case with Netflix’s A/B testing (like the recent website design overhaul), they’ll review the data to see if it’s actually useful before deciding to roll out the test more widely.
Would you like to see free testing return to your area? Do you think they are still an effective way to attract new customers? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
