DRM - Feedback - We know customers hate it, why do you?
 

I know there is many negatives about DRM for customers, but what is your full opinion?

Do sites not use it because their customers don't like it, and there is a crack for it anyway? What about the file sharing/tube sites/chargebacks issues that drm would reduce? Is it because of the limitations on file formats that are ever needing to be added to please the customers?

I want to hear everyone's opinion, but please provide more imput then just 'a few fowl words'.

Thanks in advance.

Looks like this dropped like a stone. Here's a bump for you to help you get the opinions you requested.

Use it and watch your rebills drop like a stone too.
end of story.

Clearly, you haven't tested the new technology. You have probably used it and have no idea... hulu.com

I hear you but Hulu does not count on rebills or have six billion competitors not using DRM.
last I heard they are a long way from making any cash as well.
However I think you are comparing apples to oranges here.
Just my two cents though

HD streams man \/

Mainstream is a tad bit larger than porn... as for hulu, they have doubled in content size, added ads, and from what I understand we will be seeing live on demand stuff soon. Being U.S. only market and ranked 200, is off the chart - so much so other studios are now trying to catch up. I'm pretty sure they aren't hurting for money.

It's not comparing apples to oranges when hundreds of millions of people use streaming every day. They left torrents, downloads, etc.. and use the quicker, better, more featured streams on hulu - rather than steal it.

And soon... people will pay for parts, features, on demand, etc. Brilliant.


Our industry needs to wake up and smell the apples and oranges, they are both fruits - just because they are from a different tree doesn't mean they aren't both juicy, and even taste great together.

Our industry needs to merge into the ideas of the mainstream markets and start benefiting from this thing called, the Internet.

DRM is simply too shaky and it will piss off your support people due to the extra amount of work they will have to do as WMP11 and visita have the potential to cause huge problems..

Also with WMP11 just one buggy license is enough to make it nearly impossible to get DRM to work on computer again...

Oh and the fact that MS doesnt support it more and that its broken and not protecting your movies like it should be and insted causing way way to many problems..

but short version: "its just not worth it"

Wow great post!@

For my new members area, I',m compromizing with the downloaders. I'm offering HD 1280x720 4000kbps streaming versions of every movie. The downloadable version is half the size and bitrate but still looks amazing. That way, the HD version, which is just as easy to scrub around on as from their desktop, is only for paying members, but the downloaders still get something nice as well. Not as nice, but still nice. Honestly, the streaming is so fast and easy to skip around on that there's no reason for anyone to want to download unless their just going to rip a bunch and cancel.

I would use DRM if they could download to keep but not share.
Members are 50/50 on streaming. Some mind some dont. I think 98% would be cool with downloading, and it stays active on 1 computer.
thoughts?
Duke

90% of the sites I have ever seen are too slow for streaming... members don't want to wait for buffering or have to buffer in the middle of a scene.

Chances are the 50% that are against it are the ones spreading stuff all over the tubes :disgust

Virtually all sites I have seen that used DRM had problems with the license distribution. The server that it was supposed to connect with was no longer there or similar issues.

But from a consumer point of view I would just never even want to bother with it. And if I signed up to a site only to find out it had DRM when I downloaded the first video, I would charge back.

I know your site uses DRM - we are currently reviewing it, and I remember thinking to myself that it was such a shame that you did since I know it's going to be something that prevents surfers from joining the site.

totally.
I know for a fact I had some rouge members following me on twitter and bitching to me about various things. So I looked up their passes and, and they were being traded, so i changed it. Then messaged the guy, and he clearly was someone who had a traded password; and he had the nerve to criticize. (I still heeded his criticism of course) but it's amazing at the sense of entitlement people think they have to porn.
Duke

Review sites are loosing more street cred than vanilla ice did when he said he grew up in the hood. No one gives a shit what review sites say anymore. If they say something bad, just pull my links. No harm no foul.
Duke

I'm not saying you or anyone else should. I merely stated my opinion both as an affiliate and from a surfer perspective.

As an affiliate though, I would definitely be interested what kind of product I send my traffic to buy. If DRM is unpopular among surfers, they are less likely to buy a membership to a DRM site. And if they do, are more likely to not let it rebill or even charge back. Either way = less money.

This is currently what I do use. They have full access to the files unless there is file sharing or chargeback.

Thanks for all the feedback. What about the tube sites/ file sharing issue? Can someone give me a bit more info about the hulu site and how it works differently?

You will have to deal with a lot of technical customer service issues with DRM. If people can't view the videos they will do a chargeback, if they find it inconvenient they will cancel.

"Musicload said in a letter distributed last week that customers are having consistent problems with DRM, so much so that 3 out of 4 customer service calls are ultimately the result of the frustrations that come with DRM."

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/n...sed-by-drm.ars

http://thomashawk.com/2008/05/why-mi...sucks-big.html

http://www.info-mech.com/drm_flaws.html

Do a search on it, there are literally thousands of topics on it.

Customer satisfaction is directly related to your success, it's one thing if they hate it because they can't download the video, it's another if they hate it because it's a frustrating POS system that doesn't work for them. :2 cents: