Last fall, Alibaba Group launched a Netflix-like streaming service called 'Tmall Box Office' in China. With a format similar to the American video service, Tmall Box Office gives Chinese consumers an easy way to stream videos and TV shows on-demand.
Tmall Box Office is similar to Netflix in that users pay a monthly or annual subscription fee to stream video content. Unlike other streaming services in China, only 10% of this content is available for free, with the remaining 90% available after purchase. This means that users can either pay per episode or select an ongoing payment plan. The platform includes both Chinese and foreign TV shows, as well as original programming created by Alibaba Group.
With the launch of Alibaba's new platform and similar services such as Letv, Tencent Video and Iqiyi, it is clear that there is a growing interest in on-demand video streaming in China.
Chinese Streaming Services
'Tmall Box Office' Gives Viewers Access to Chinese and Foreign Content
Trend Themes
1. Growing On-demand Video Streaming - The launch of Tmall Box Office and other similar services in China highlights the increasing demand for on-demand video streaming among Chinese consumers.
2. Subscription-based Streaming Services - The popularity of Tmall Box Office's subscription model shows the potential for disruptive innovation in the streaming industry by offering affordable, all-you-can-watch content to viewers.
3. Localization of Streaming Platforms - The inclusion of Chinese and foreign TV shows on Tmall Box Office indicates the opportunity for disruptive innovation in catering to local and global content preferences, creating a more personalized streaming experience.
Industry Implications
1. Video Streaming - The launch of Tmall Box Office and other Chinese streaming services represents a disruptive innovation opportunity in the video streaming industry by providing convenient and diverse content options to Chinese viewers.
2. E-commerce - Alibaba Group's foray into the streaming industry with Tmall Box Office suggests a potential disruptive innovation in the e-commerce sector, as the company expands its offerings to include digital entertainment.
3. Content Creation - The original programming feature of Tmall Box Office presents a disruptive innovation opportunity in the content creation industry, as Alibaba Group enters the streaming market and produces its own shows.