Film Availability in Netflix Country Stores in the EU

Posted: 21 Feb 2020

See all articles by Michail Batikas

Michail Batikas

Nova School of Business and Economics

Estrella Gomez-Herrera

Joint Research Center of the European Commission; University of Balearic Islands

Bertin Martens

Tilburg Law and Economics Center (TILEC); Bruegel

Date Written: November 2015

Abstract

This study compares the film catalogues among the 11 Netflix country stores in the EU that provide film streaming services to consumers on the basis of a subscription (SVOD) business model. We estimate cross-border availability of films in Netflix in the EU at 31%, somewhat lower than the 40% availability of downloadable films in the Apple iTunes stores in the EU. Availability patterns are to a large extent driven by consumer preferences and geographical and linguistic proximity. The average delay in availability between theatre and Netflix release (“windowing”) in the EU11 is 326 days, with wide variations across countries, compared to only 112 days delay in the US. Windowing delays are shortening for more recent films. For a sample of films in the UK Netflix catalogue we find that they remain available for 340 days on average.

Keywords: VoD, Digital Single Market

JEL Classification: F10

Suggested Citation

Batikas, Michail and Gomez-Herrera, Estrella and Martens, Bertin, Film Availability in Netflix Country Stores in the EU (November 2015). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3358375

Michail Batikas

Nova School of Business and Economics ( email )

Campus de Carcavelos
Rua da Holanda, 1
Carcavelos, 2775-405
Portugal

Estrella Gomez-Herrera (Contact Author)

Joint Research Center of the European Commission ( email )

Via E. Fermi 2749
1049
Belgium

University of Balearic Islands ( email )

Crta Valldemossa km. 7,5
Palma de Mallorca, Islas Baleares / Illes Balears 07003
Spain

Bertin Martens

Tilburg Law and Economics Center (TILEC) ( email )

Warandelaan 2
Tilburg, 5000 LE
Netherlands

Bruegel ( email )

Rue de la Charité 33
B-1210 Brussels Belgium, 1210
Belgium

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