RESEARCH PAPER ON

To study the Rise and Usage Trends of

OTT Video Platforms in Mumbai.

Submitted By: Nishit

Submission Time:

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Executive Summary

Internet and technology have become an inevitable part of our lives and are therefore,
omnipresent.This can also be seen when it comes to visual entertainment. It started with a few
channels on television and now is easily accessible on our fingertips. This research paper talks
about such Over The Top (OTT) media platforms which enables entertainment via the internet.
Their services offer the audience an access to film and television content including existing
series as well as original content. Examples of such Indian platforms include Netflix, Hotstar,
Amazon Prime, Voot, YouTube, YouTube Premium, AltBalaji, etc. These services are typically
accessed via the sites on personal computers, through applications on mobile devices, via digital
media players or integrated Smart TVs.

This research paper hence aims to study the rise and usage trends of OTT Video Platforms in
Mumbai across various Age Demographics. Broadly, three age groups have been considered in
this research which are, 16-24 years; 25-40years; 40 years above. The objectives of this research
paper is to understand the reasons for rise in usage of OTT Video Platforms; To analyse usage
trends; To understand the consumer behaviour patterns with respect to cost associated with OTT
Video Platforms; To answer if OTT platforms are affecting conventional media platforms. A
cross sectional descriptive research was conducted in order to fulfill these objectives. A
structured questionnaire was circulated through Google among the target population in order to
obtain relevant data.
The findings of this research paper suggest that there has been a rise in use of OTT platforms
because of factors like convenience, uninterrupted viewing and access to international content
which were not available while using traditional media like television and cinema. The data
collected shows that users spend around 1.72 hours while streaming online in a single day with
YouTube and Netflix being the most preferred platforms. The usage among the age groups of
16-24 and 24-40 is higher compared to the age group of 40 above. The data collected depicts
that, on average, a person spends around ₹1015.09 on online streaming every year. The
increasing usage of OTT platforms has affected the demand for traditional media negatively.
This can be seen as 69.2% respondents said that they prefer using online platforms in
comparison to television and cinema. The study also pointed out that a major impediment in
people using OTT platforms is that they become addictive. Platforms could release TV series
over a longer span of time. This would have multifold effects, by enhancing user experience,
creating long term customers and preventing addictiveness and distraction.

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 INDEX RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

LIST OF CONTENT

SERIAL TITLE PAGE NUMBER

NUMBER

1. INTRODUCTION

2. LITERATURE REVIEW

3. RESEARCH PROBLEM

4. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

5. METHODOLOGY

5.1 RESEARCH DESIGN

5.2 SAMPLING DESIGN

5.3 DATA COLLECTION METHOD

5.4 DATA ANALYSIS

6. FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS

7. CONCLUSION

8. LIMITATIONS OF STUDY

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9. BIBLIOGRAPHY

10. APPENDIX

10.1 QUESTIONNAIRE

10.2 PLAGIARISM REPORT

LIST OF CHARTS

SERIAL TITLE PAGE

NUMBER NUMBER

6.1.1

6.1.2

6.1.3 IMPACT OF COST EFFICIENCY ACROSS

DEMOGRAPHICS (ON A SCALE OF 1-5)

6.2.1 AGE GROUP AND AVERAGE TIME SPENT ON

OTT’S (IN HOURS)

6.2.2 AGE GROUP AND AVERAGE TIME SPENT ON

TRADITIONAL SOURCES (IN HOURS)

6.3.1

6.4.1 PREFERENCE OF SOURCE FOR MEDIA

CONSUMPTION IN % TERMS

SERIAL TITLE PAGE

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NUMBER NUMBER
6.1.1  ROLE OF ACCESS TO INTERNATIONAL
CONTENT IN RISE IN OTT USAGE
6.1.2 ROLE OF CONVENIENCE IN RISE IN OTT USAGE
6.1.3 IMPACT OF COST EFFICIENCY ACROSS
DEMOGRAPHICS (ON A SCALE OF 1-5)
6.2.1 AGE GROUP AND AVERAGE TIME SPENT ON
OTT’S (IN HOURS)
6.2.2 AGE GROUP AND AVERAGE TIME SPENT ON
TRADITIONAL SOURCES (IN HOURS)
6.2.3 USAGE TRENDS BY PEOPLE ACROSS VARIOUS
GENRES OF MEDIA
6.3.1  TREND SEEN IN OWNERSHIP OF OTT MEDIA
ACCOUNTS
6.4.1  PREFERENCE OF SOURCE FOR MEDIA
CONSUMPTION IN % TERMS

LIST OF TABLES

SERIAL TITLE PAGE

NUMBER NUMBER

6.3.1 AVERAGE SPENDING ON OTT PLATFORMS

ACROSS VARIOUS DEMOGRAPHICS (IN
RUPEES)

6.3.2 STANDARD DEVIATION OF AVERAGE MONEY

SPENT ON OTT’S ACROSS VARIOUS
DEMOGRAPHICS

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 Introduction

Doordarshan was India’s major home video entertainment player after its formation in 1976. It
offered a wide range of services like educational programmes, series based on Indian folklore
(for e.g., Mahabharata), and live sports (especially due to ASIAD Games of 1982) (Tracadas,
1996).

An Over-the-top (OTT) Media Platform is a streaming media service offered directly via the
internet to the viewers. It uses broadcast, satellite television or cable, platforms and act as
distributor of such content. Their services offer the audience an access to film and television
content including existing series as well as original content. Examples of such Indian platforms
include Netflix, Hotstar, Amazon Prime, Voot, YouTube, YouTube Premium, AltBalaji, etc.
These services are typically accessed via the sites on personal computers, through applications
on mobile devices, via digital media players or integrated Smart TVs.

The Indian video streaming market is at a nascent stage, but the video OTT market globally has
entered into the growth phase of the market life cycle. With a whopping CAGR of 22.6% during
the period of 2017–2022, the Indian video OTT market is set to outperform the global video
OTT market, which is to have a CAGR of 10.1% during the same period.

This research paper is an attempt towards studying the Indian OTT Video service industry in
depth on the Rise and Usage Trends in Mumbai.

Literature Review
There are more than 900 channels, and home video entertainment has expanded into over-the-top
(OTT) platforms like Hotstar, Netflix, Voot etc. OTT is any Internet application that may
substitute or supplement traditional telecommunication services, from voice calls and text
messaging to video and broadcast services (TRAI, 2018).
The shift to increased usage of OTT platforms for video entertainment is heavily indicated by the
increased advertising expenditure. Marketers’ expenditure on digital media was 21% in 2010.
This figure is expected to rise to 36 % in 2020. On the other hand, the global expenditure on TV
advertising was 30% in 2010, which is expected to increase by a mere 2% in 2020 (Deloitte,
2015).

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OTT platforms, while still only a $0.5 billion industry, are growing rapidly and are expected to
become a $5 billion industry by 2023. Awareness, however, is still dominantly prevalent with
college going students, graduates or professionals. To increase the reach of these OTT platforms,
B2B partnerships with DTH operators have materialized (Videocon-SonyLIV, Tata Sky-Netflix).
As of now, OTT poses only a minor threat to cable TV (Kathuria, Kedia, & Sekhani, 2019).
The increased usage of internet and cheap availability of the same is a huge influence on the
video entertainment OTT rise. The price of mobile data has decreased from Rs 313/GB in 2015
to Rs18.5/GB, making India the caterer of the cheapest mobile data in the world. This is largely
due to the breakthrough of Jio and its penetration pricing strategy. In addition to lowering prices,
other telecom companies have also started offering OTT services (Vodafone Play, Airtel
XStream) like Jio (JioTV) as a means to maintain competitiveness. The rural internet penetration
has also almost doubled from 13% in 2016 to 24% in 2018. The increase in average data speeds
and growth in average data usage have complemented video entertainment OTT usage (KPMG,
2019).
87% of daily online video watching is through mobile phones. The growth of smartphone users
from 200 million in 2015 to 340 million in 2018, bundled together with cheaper mobile data
makes OTT an accessible option for viewers. Users are increasingly consuming video OTT
content since they can be watched anytime and at any place. OTT platforms are capitalizing on
this specific aspect by providing cheaper subscription to mobile-only users. For instance, Netflix
offers a mobile plan at Rs.199/month, as compared to its Standard Definition, one-screen at a
time plan at Rs. 450/month, which can be used on other devices like tablets and TVs as well
(KPMG, 2019).
The ease of use of OTT applications is a noteworthy criterion for adoption. Consumers would
want a similar level of ease of navigation in OTT applications as it is in net banking and online
shopping applications. The “on-the-go” aspect of video OTT platforms is lucrative for
millennials since this flexibility allows them to watch content during traveling and commuting.
The media library offered by the OTT platforms plays the biggest role in attracting potential
millennial consumers. To capture more millennials, video OTT services could recalibrate their
marketing efforts on changing consumer mindsets about the subscription prices in comparison to
cable TV (Dasgupta & Grover, 2019).
Video OTT platforms are being consumed due to high quality user experience. Features of the
OTT application are an integral part in delivering a premium viewing experience to the
consumer. “Continue watching” and “Skip Intro” are monumental changes from traditional video
consuming means of cable TV. Netflix and Amazon Prime Video’s accurate AI-driven
“recommendations” also amplifies the consumer’s viewing experience. Cost-efficiency is also a
factor which influences the viewing experience. JioTV is offered in addition to Jio’s telecom
services. Amazon Prime Video too is combined with Amazon Music and Amazon’s e-commerce
services of faster delivery (PwC, 2018).

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Despite the growth of video OTT services being gargantuan, a disruption of cinema and cable
TV in the near future still seems unlikely. Film studios are increasingly pumping in ‘franchise’
movie instalments and ‘star-studded’ cast movies, which are preferred by consumers skewed in
all locations- metropolitan, tier 2 and tier 3. OTT platforms are offering the same movies only a
couple weeks after its theatrical release, yet it has not caused a substitution of cinema, since
consumers still favour non-replicable cinematic experiences. Moreover, cable TV’s low
subscription charges and presence in rural areas along with urban prevents OTT taking over the
video entertainment industry (PwC, 2018).
Video OTT applications are being increasingly adopted for its myriad of content. However, to
capture more consumers, further improvement is necessary. In order to retain, trial consumers
and short-term consumers, OTT platforms need to produce more ‘hero’ content. For instance,
Netflix’s subscription plummeted after consumers had finished watching the show. Hotstar had
the same fate following Game of Thrones’ conclusion. Differentiated content is vital too. Netflix
and Voot are going in this direction by taking advantage of the lack of censorship in OTT
platforms to produce unfiltered adult content, while at the same time offering different dedicated
‘Kids’ sections. This amplifies the previously mentioned viewing experience and increases
consumer choice. Other OTT platforms, however, have not made significant changes in this
arena (Samtani & Jindal, 2018).
The dimensions of usage and personalization of OTT has been disperse. The rampant expansion
of the choice of a consumer or an individual represents an opportunity for the OTT industry. As
media platforms proliferate, they are subsequently muddling with the people to curate their own
set of experiences for content. To unite all the content they wish for- sport, movies, lifestyle, TV
series – consumers are often compelled to subscribe to a variety of services. In October 2018, as
surveyed by PwC, 2016 consumers in US between 18 and 59 with annual incomes above US$
40,000, more than 51% said that they wished they could pay just one monthly fee for all the
video content they watch, regardless of the platform for service, and around half(50%) said that
they hoped that all the video content would eventually be available at one place. This
fragmentation is creating a complexity for consumers, content creators, and marketers (PwC,
Global Entertainment and Media Outlook, 2019).
Globally, many people are inclined towards cable TV in spite of OTT’s existence. There are a
few key factors that have served as impediments from people shifting to OTT. The outlook being
piled with different, incompatible systems that are challenging to understand, makes it
treacherous. Also, globally, people often prefer to stick to a personal habit. The OTT
technologies are comparatively newer. Hence, the education gap regarding the benefits of OTT
acts as a hindrance. Also, demographically, Baby Boomers are most devoted to linear television,
and their opulence relative to other age classes will endure to prop up the medium for the coming
years. Along with this, universally, the access to high-speed internet has not been available,
eminently in rural areas (Maskin, 2014).

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Globally, Video-on-demand services through a paid online service provider has gained immense
popularity in North America and Asia Pacific. VOD service users are likely to be enlightened
towards cord shaving

Research Problem

To study the rise and usage trends of OTT Video Platforms in Mumbai across various Age
Demographics.

Objectives

● To understand the reasons for rise in usage of OTT Video Platforms in Mumbai
● To analyse usage trends in Mumbai
● To understand the consumer behaviour patterns with respect to cost associated with OTT
Video Platforms in Mumbai
● To answer if OTT platforms are affecting conventional media platforms in Mumbai

Methodology

RESEARCH DESIGN
Descriptive research design has been used to conduct this research on OTT video platforms and
their influence on people and conventional media across various demographics trying to further
explain why there is a shift in how people consume entertainment media. The findings are
quantitative in nature and require a structured approach. The data has been collected through an
online survey. This is a single cross-sectional study since the data has been collected from
different age groups of the population over a particular period of time.

SAMPLING DESIGN

The sample size of the population is 120 people who reside in Mumbai, India. The sampling
method used is non-probability techniques where units in the population do not have a known
chance of being selected as a sample. The population is selected on the basis of convenience
therefore, the population consists of our friends, acquaintances and relatives. The target
population consists of people from different age groups which are - less than 16 years old, 16-24

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years old, 25-40 years old and above 40 years old. The reason for selecting the given age groups
is because their usage and preferences for various entertainment programs differ from each other.

DATA COLLECTION METHOD

The data was collected through primary research as it is a very subjective topic. A structured
questionnaire was designed and created on google forms. The link of the form was circulated and
the responses were recorded on an excel sheet. Online forms were chosen as a method to collect
data as it is a time saving and cost effective method.

DATA ANALYSIS

Following measures have been used to analyze the data collected:

1)Mean:
An average worked out by dividing the total of all participant’s scores by the number of
participants. For Ungrouped data:
Mean = ∑x/n
For grouped
data: Mean
= ∑fx/n 2)
Median:
It is the middlemost value of a series of values arranged in ascending/descending order.
For ungrouped data:
When number of terms is odd, then
Median = (n+1)/2 th observation
When number of terms is even, then
Median = average of (n/2)th and (n+1)/2 th
observation For grouped data:
Median = [(n+1)/2- (f+1)/fm]*w + Lm
Where, n= total number of terms
f= sum of all frequencies of the median class
fm= frequency of the median class
w=class interval width
Lm = lower limit of median class interval
3)Mode:
It is the value of maximum frequency
For grouped data:
Mode= L + [ (f1 – f0 ) /(2f1 - f0 - f1 )] *h

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4) Range = Maximum value-
minimum value 5) Standard
Deviation: For ungrouped data:
σ = √(∑(x-Mean)2 /n For grouped
data: σ = √(∑f(x-Mean)2 /∑f

Findings and Analysis

● To understand the reasons for rise in usage of OTT Video Platforms in Mumbai
● To analyse usage trends among demographics
● To understand the consumer behaviour patterns with respect to cost associated with OTT
Video Platforms
● To answer if OTT platforms are affecting conventional media platforms

OBJECTIVE 1 : To understand the reasons for rise in usage of OTT Video Platforms
in Mumbai

OTT is widely adopted in Mumbai, as concluded by 96 out of120 respondents using online
streaming platforms. It can be noted that the age group of 16-24 and 24-40 use online platforms
as a source of entertainment while people aged above 40 years usually use television. There is a
high usage of online platforms among the younger population because they own electronic
devices which support such media and are tech savvy enough to use them. Since the target
population belongs to tier 1 city i.e. Mumbai, easy accessibility is another major reason for such
a high rate. Population which is 40 years above still watches television and has not shifted to
online platforms.

Content has the largest influence on the rise of usage in OTT. In a metropolitan city like
Mumbai, demand of OTT platforms offering a myriad of international content is higher
(Hotstar, 2019) (what is this?) as the number of people well-versed with English is higher. This
is backed by the respondents’ average rating being 3.93 out of 5 when asked to what extent does
this factor affect your viewing.

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Convenience plays a huge role too since being able to watch content during daily activities like
commuting is a revolutionary change. On average, respondents have rated convenience 3.92 out
of 5 as a factor influencing usage. KMPG’s 2019 report supports this deduction further by stating
that convenience is the second largest factor behind consumers ditching cable TV for OTT
services.
Despite advertisement expenditure on OTT being high (Deloitte, 2015), its impact on increase in
OT is comparatively lower. The respondents have rated advertisements as a factor of their usage
a mere 2.95 out of 5.
Uninterrupted viewing is the unique selling point of the OTT platforms hence making it an
important factor with a mean of 3.83. Here, standard deviation is high because of varied
responses among various demographic groups.
As an entertainment platform, variety of content and availability of international content is a
crucial factor in determining the viewership. The most variety is demanded by the younger
population.
Factors like cost efficiency, increasing availability of internet, and recommendation (where
the users get suggestions about the content that they could watch based on their previous
choices) have a moderate impact on the usage of OTT Video platforms across various
demographics (mean being between 3.5 and3.7). These factors clearly impact OTT usage as the

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data is in line with the KPMG report,2019, which support the findings. Also special features
found on OTT such as skip intro and auto play are important factors with the mean being
around 3.5. It is so because such features differentiate it from an ordinary television viewing
experience. The standard deviation(1.90) is very high.The reasons for high deviation are because
of different age groups showing different attitudes towards the usage of such features provided
by the OTT platforms, highest deviation being showed across the age group 16-24 years(sd=1.1).
Peer pressure is the least affecting aspect with an overall mean of 2.58. It may be because
entertainment is a very subjective choice therefore, peer pressure works only to a certain extent.
Impact of Advertisements which favour OTT platforms also does not have any major
impact(mean being 2.95), however, its impact can be seen on age group of 24-40 years, showing
a mean of 3.17.

Chart 6.13: Impact of Cost Efficiency across demographics (on a scale of 1-5)

OBJECTIVE 2: To analyse usage trends in Mumbai

Usage trends have been measured by collecting data on which platform do the users prefer, how
much time they spend on it, how often do they use OTT to watch different kinds of content, do
features like recommendations and autoplay become a reason for addiction.
Among various options available as OTT platforms, the most popular are as follows Youtube
(86%); Netflix (71.9%), Amazon Prime (67.8%); Hotstar (59.5%); Voot(20.7%).
On average, a person from the given population spends around 1.72 hours while streaming online
in a single day. Demographically evaluating, a person aged from 16-24 years old, on an average,
spends the highest time streaming online(1.81 hours), compared to an 24-40 year old spending
around 1.29 hours on an average, and a person above 40 year old spending the least among all,
that is, 1.17 hours on an average. This can be negatively correlated to the occupation and time
available to different age groups.

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 Chart 6.2.1: Age Group and Average time spent on OTT’s (in hours)

Chart 6.2.2: Age Group and Average time spent on Traditional Sources (in hours)

On average, a person from the given population spends around 1.12 hours while watching
television/cinema in a single day. It is noticed that the 40-48 age group spends the highest
amount of time watching cinema/television on an average (1.72 hours), followed by age group
24-40 years, which is averagely 1.17 hours, and 16-24 years of around 0.99 hours. Clearly, when
we correlate the above two data, it can be concluded that the 16-24 age group is more inclined
towards usage of online streaming platforms, contrary to the higher age group- 40-48 years, who
are inclined towards television and cinema.

A set of questions deals with how often do the users use OTT platforms for different kinds of
content such as sports, movies, reality shows and education. The following analysis can be
drawn from the data collected:

When it comes to Sports, it can be inferred that the overall population rarely uses online
streaming platforms. The data demographically also shows similar conclusions, as all the age
groups prefer television for watching cricket matches and other sports.
It can be inferred that maximum people from the population often use online streaming platforms
to watch movies. Though the age group 40-48, only sometimes watches movies online, since
they prefer conventional sources over OTT video platforms.

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It is analysed that maximum respondents sometimes watch reality shows through online
platforms. However, it does not hold true for age group 24-40 as they like watching reality shows
on online platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime etc.
When it comes to education, the modal data has been very consistent, as maximum people from
all age groups only sometimes use online streaming platforms for educational purposes. The
mode for every demography is similar, hence, the data is not very diverse.

The next aspect talks about weather features like recommendations and autoplay become a
reason for addiction. From the findings, it can be inferred that, maximum people from the overall
population, agree to view the next episode that auto play starts. Age groups below 16 and 16-24
strongly agree that the autoplay feature is helpful, and hence sometimes leads to addiction among
them. Whereas 24-40-year olds just agree, and age group 40-48 is neutral towards the same.
It can be observed that maximum people from the population agree to the fact that usage of
online streaming platforms for streaming videos can be addictive after a while. It is seen that, age
group 40-48 is neutral towards the addictivity of online streaming platforms, whereas the age
groups 16-24 and 24-40 believe that streaming video can be addictive after a while.

OBJECTIVE 3: To understand the consumer behaviour patterns with respect to cost

associated with OTT Video Platforms

TABLE 6.3.1: AVERAGE SPENDING ON OTT PLATFORMS ACROSS VARIOUS

DEMOGRAPHICS (IN RUPEES)

Free 1- 501- 1001- More than Grand

Row Labels service 500 1000 2000 2000 Total

16-24 years
old 21 16 19 18 18 1078.80

24-40 years
old 2 5 2 2 1 729.17

40-48 years
old 2 3 1 2 1 833.33

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 Grand Total 25 24 22 22 20 1015.09

TABLE 6.3.2: STANDARD DEVIATION OF AVERAGE MONEY SPENT ON OTT’S ACROSS

VARIOUS DEMOGRAPHICS

AGE GROUP STANDARD DEVIATION

16-24 1079.03

24-40 844.46

40-48 942.81

Overall 1044.94

In order to analyse the yearly expenditure of the respondents on OTT video platforms, the data
collected depicts that, on average, a person spends around ₹1015.09 on online streaming every
year. The highest amount of money spent per year is around ₹1078.8, which is by the age group
16-24 years, because this age group majorly represents college and university students who are
commonly inclined towards higher usage of OTT platforms, and are usually updated with such
modern medias of entertainment. But, it is also observed that the data is highly scattered due to
evaluation of a high overall standard deviation (1044.94). This means that, among the data
collected, many prefer free services, and many also prefer to spend more than ₹2000. An even
higher standard deviation is seen among the age group 16-24 years(1080). This shows that the
data is highly dispersed, as the standard deviation is almost equal to the mean.

It is also inferred that, the lowest amount of money spent per year, is by age group 24-40 year,
which is ₹730. The possible reason being that, this section of the population represents the
working class, and prefer to devote fewer time on various shows and series. It is also seen that
the average amount spent by the above 40 age group, spent a moderate amount of ₹ 833. This
section of the population usually spends their leisure time on entertainment media, but mostly on
conventional sources.

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The respondents were questioned on the ownership of the account they use. The data collected
shows that a large section from the population usually purchase their own accounts instead of
using their friend’s or family member’s accounts.(around 50%) .The modal data represents the
same value across all age, where maximum people have purchased their own account for the
usage of online streaming platform, showing consistency in the data. The reason for people
purchasing accounts for themselves is due to the likeability of the content along with the
preference to watch wider array of content from all around the globe with better user experience.
The part of the population which use other’s accounts or pirated alternatives (39% and 8%
respectively) are probably cost sensitive or lack awareness regarding the same.

Looking upon the savings aspect of respondents through different media forms, it is inferred that
maximum people from the population think that maybe online streaming platforms are cheaper
overall, and hence they might end up saving a bit while streaming as compared to conventional
sources like TV and cinema. Reasons being availability of various cost-effective packages
available on online platforms and accessibility to free trials for specific periods. However, this
shows that there might be a state of confusion in the minds of the population, where they find it
difficult to compare the cost effectiveness of the media.

OBJECTIVE 4: To answer if OTT platforms are affecting conventional media platforms in

Mumbai

It was observed that there has been a significant rise in the usage of OTT platforms in the first
objective. This objective deals with what is the effect of such rise on conventional sources of
entertainment like television and cinemas.From the target population, 96% respondents use
online platforms. When asked about their preference, 69.2% respondents said that they prefer
using online platforms in comparison to television and cinema. With an overall mean of 4.67,
meaning that the respondents strongly agree that their usage or consumption of conventional
sources of media and entertainment has drastically decreased due to a hike in online streaming
platforms. The age group 16-24 strongly agree to this, whereas 40-48 age group is neutral to the

17
fact, owing to their comfort level while using conventional sources. Therefore, clearly showing
that rise in OTT platforms have affected the demand for television and cinema negatively.

Chart 6.4.1: Preference of source for media consumption in % terms

Recommendations
According to the responses received, prices act as the prime barrier for consumers. Companies
offering online video streaming services could make their services more cost-effective.
Furthermore, the perception that cable TV is cheaper could be addressed by the above
mentioned companies through awareness and comparative marketing campaigns.
Moreover, the investment in production of new content by OTT platforms and procurement of
streaming rights of more content would act as a consumer retention tool for potential consumers
who are considering discontinuing services and those consumers who are using OTT platforms
through free trials. In 2017, Netflix and Amazon spent more than a combined amount of ₹1000
cr (₹10 billion) towards the production of original content (BCG, 2018). This is an ideal measure
towards gaining more users, and other companies should follow in their footsteps.
A major impediment in people using OTT platforms is that they become addictive. Platforms
could release TV series over a longer span of time, for instance weekly, instead of the current
trend of releasing entire series at once. This would have multifold effects, by enhancing user
experience, creating long term customers and prevent addictiveness and distraction. Another way
to prevent losing customers due to reasons of addiction is using nudge theory (Sunsein, 2014).

18
Platforms could nudge binge watchers by prompting choices to take a break or stretch, thus
positioning themselves as customer-centric.

Limitations of Study

1. Sampling Limitations

The sample is taken for 120 people and the choices of each respondent might be different from
the other as every respondent’s perception is different from one another. The data might not be
true for the entire population.

2. Sampling Method

The non-probability method of convenience sampling was used which does not give equal
chance to all units of the Target Population to be a part of sample set. Instead, census or
population study could have been used. Hence it is biased to a certain extent in terms of its
sample set.

3. Objective Limitation

The study may not have covered each and every aspect probable. Also, some objectives are
broadly identified but could have been narrowed down to increase the depth of the study. But to
maintain feasibility and recognizing constraints of resources, the research is limited to certain
objectives only.

4. Cross sectional study

Under Descriptive Research, single collection cross-sectional study has been performed. The
data was collected only once and at a particular period of time. Hence, the same data might not
be relevant after a certain period due to change in various external and internal factors.

5. Location
The findings are true only for a particular region and for a particular set of people as the data is
collected only in one country, in one state and is limited to a region only. Our research is limited
to Mumbai itself. Mumbai being a metropolitan city, such similar consumer behaviours and
usage patterns may not hold true for all. It cannot be generalized for Pan India or worldwide as
its collection was restricted.

Annexure

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 Structured Questionnaire

1. Which age bracket do you fall in?

a) Less than 16
b) 16-24
c) 25-40
d) 40-48
e) More than 48

2. What is your sex?

a) Male
b) Female
c) Other

3. Do you use online streaming services (such as YouTube, Netflix, Amazon Prime etc.)? a)
Yes
b) No

4. Which entertainment platform do you prefer?

a) Television
b) Online platforms
c) Movie theatres

5. What would be the reason for your preference above?

(open ended)

6. Which streaming services do you use to stream entertainment?

a) Netflix
b) Hotstar
c) Amazon Prime
d) Voot
e) YouTube
f) Alt Balaji
g) Others

7. Why do you think online streaming services have gained momentum over the last few
years? Rate on a scale of 1-5 with 1 being Least Likely to have Affected to 5 being Most
Likely to have Affected.
a) High Quality User Experience

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O1 O2 O3 O4 O

5
b) Convenience
O1 O2 O3 O4 O

5
c) Uninterrupted Viewing
O1 O2 O3 O4 O

5
d) Cost Efficiency
O1 O2 O3 O4 O

5
e) Increasing Availability of Internet
O1 O2 O3 O4 O

5
f) Wider Array of Options
O1 O2 O3 O4 O

5
g) Recommendations
O1 O2 O3 O4 O

5
h) Access to International Content
O1 O2 O3 O4 O

5
i) Peer Pressure
O1 O2 O3 O4 O
j) Impact of Advertisements

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 5
O1 O2 O3 O4 O

8. How much time do you spend on average while watching television or cinema in a day?
a)0-1 hrs
b) 1-2 hrs
c) 2-4 hrs
d) More than 4hrs

9. How much time do you spend on average while streaming online in a day?
a) 0-1 hrs
b) 1-2 hrs
c) 2-4 hrs
d) More than 4hrs

10. While Streaming Videos online, rate the following factors on a scale of 1-5 with 1 being
Strongly
Agree and 5 Strongly Disagree
a) After watching a movie, I view the next recommended movie as well
O1 O2 O3 O4 O5
b)While watching TV Series, I view the next episode that Auto Play starts
O1 O2 O3 O4 O5
c)I believe streaming videos becomes addictive after a while
O1 O2 O3 O4 O5

11. How much money do you spend per year on online platforms?
a) Free Services
b) Rs. 1-500
c) Rs. 501-1000
d) Rs. 1001-2000
e) Rs. 2000-4000
f) More than Rs. 4000

12. Have you purchased your own account or use somebody else’s?
a) Own account
b) Somebody else’s account

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13. Do you believe you end up saving more using Online video streaming instead of
traditional media platforms? a) Yes
b) No

14. Do you think that exposure to international content via online media has caused a change
in your tastes and preferences? a) Yes
b) No

15. What could act as a hindrance in you using such platforms?

a) End of Free Trial

b) No new content
c) Prices
d) Addiction
e) Distraction
f) Lack of awareness
g) Others, Please Specify

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