Last March, Netflix launched a pilot test in Chile, Costa Rica and Peru to limit the possibilities of sharing a Netflix account between households and create additional accounts dependent on a main one at a lower cost (about 2.70 euros per change). After this couple of months running, the results of this test in Peru have begun to come to light and at the moment everything is a disaster.
Account sharing was one of the many methods that Netflix users had to get their subscription cheaper. However, in recent times it seems that the bosses of the platform itself have targeted these formulas to share your account, despite the price increases and consequent loss of customers.
Results of the pilot test in Peru
According to reports from the country of Machu Picchu via Rest of the World , According to these, when speaking with more than a dozen Netflix subscribers in Peru, it was discovered that most users were not formally informed of the policy change through an email or notification sent by Netflix, not even two months after Netflix’s initial announcement.
Netflix pilot test in Peru
The outlet also reported that Netflix’s level of compliance varied from user to user, with some shared account users reporting that they ignored validation requests without penalizing the account owner. Others, despite being aware of the policy change, continued to share their account with no problem.
Currently, Netflix leads the Peruvian market with 41% of streaming service subscribers, followed by HBO Max and Disney+ with around 20%, according to data shared by Ampere Analysis.
Confusion regarding the concept of “home”
There is also confusion around Netflix’s definition of “household” as some may consider members of their immediate family to be part of the household, and it seems that Netflix is aware of that ambiguity. In a statement sent to The Verge , Netflix spokesperson Kumiko Hidaka explained that “a Netflix account is for people who live together in the same household .”
Netflix
According to Rest of the World, although it could be clear that these are cohabitants under the same roof, according to the testimony of Netflix customer service staff in Peru, they were asked to provide verification codes to subscribers who call because someone within your household uses your account from another location. This allows members outside of a subscriber’s household to continue using the shared account for free.
For Hidaka, not everything is so chaotic: “The millions of members who actively share an account in these countries have been notified by email, but given the importance of this change, we are increasing notifications in the product more slowly. We are pleased with the response to date.”