If you"ve just signed up for Netflix, you will no longer be able to watch its content for free in the U.S. within a trial period. The company announced today that it is pulling the plug on its free trial offer for U.S. customers.
Netflix told The Verge that it was seeking "different marketing promotions in the United States to attract new members and give them a great Netflix experience.” The latest change is part of the streaming service"s efforts to experiment with subscription models, which also included free educational content on YouTube as part of a marketing push. In August, it also opened some of its original content to viewers worldwide for free. The free shows are available to watch via a portal on Netflix"s website without having to sign up for the service.
Netflix"s decision to drop free trials in the U.S. doesn"t come entirely as a surprise since it previously removed that option in other countries as well. That said, the company reiterates that subscribing to its service requires "no contracts, no cancellation fees, and no commitments." It remains to be seen how this change will affect its growth moving forward.