Ryan, it’s interesting you bring up Netflix in the context of the USPS losing volume. Netflix is doing well in this depression:
The Los Gatos, Calif.-based company added 718,000 customers in the final three months of 2008, more than doubling the growth envisioned by management. The surge left Netflix with just under 9.4 million customers through December, a 26 percent gain from 2007.
And, Netflix continues to innovate:
In addition to the 100,000 titles available [through the USPS], Netflix also offers about 12,000 selections that can be instantly streamed through high-speed Internet connections at no additional charge — an alternative that appears to be gaining traction with more consumers.
A large fraction of USPS volume must be Netflix and similar services. Is it a coincidence that USPS is seeing a drop in total volume at the same time that streaming movies are becoming more popular?
3:50 pm on January 29, 2009
