Netflix is one of the leading streaming services for television and movies. The company started off as a subscription service where customers could rent DVDs by mail and return them to Netflix after viewing. Since their start in 1999, Netflix has grown exponentially, and now offers thousands of TV shows and movies to subscribers through their own television or mobile device. Although Netflix has had great success in the past, it has recently lost hundreds of thousands of subscribers. Why is it that this once booming company is losing around 30 percent of its customers?

One answer to this circulating question could be the streaming service’s catalog of television shows and movies. In the past few years, Netflix has stopped offering popular TV shows, like “The Office” and “Friends.” These shows were picked up by competitor streaming services, which caused Netflix to lose subscribers to their competitors, particularly subscribers who only subscribed to the streaming service for the sole reason of watching these popular shows that are no longer on air. 

Although Netflix does offer their own original shows and movies, called Netflix Originals, the TV shows in particular are often limited series, meaning that there is only one season. This has contributed even more to the downfall of Netflix’s subscribers, as subscribers are not encouraged to stay with the streaming service if their favorite Netflix Originals are canceled after one season. Despite the popularity of Netflix originals like “Maid” and “The Queen’s Gambit,” the one season nature of these series might be contributing to the decline of Netflix subscribers. 

Another reason for Netflix’s subscriber loss could be the current situation between Russia and Ukraine. Netflix decided to indefinitely halt their streaming services in Russia, which caused the loss of around 700,000 Russian subscribers. This substantial loss is a probable answer to the question of Netflix’s declining popularity.  

As a result of Netflix’s loss of subscribers, shareholders of the company have suffered a tremendous financial loss. In April 2022 alone, Netflix’s stocks have decreased almost 50% in value. After a high of roughly $665 per share in November 2021, the current stock price is about a third of that, at only $199. This decrease in the value of Netflix’s shares has caused the company to drop billions of dollars in value. As of now, the future of Netflix is uncertain, but if they continue to lose subscribers at the same rate that they currently are, Netflix could potentially see its final days.