The power of choice is very appealing to consumers. As the streaming service wars continue to increase so do our choices when it comes to video on demand (VOD). More than half of all Americans have at least one paid streaming VOD service, while many subscribe to two or three paid services monthly. When shopping for your streaming service, it’s important to take advantage of the trial period to make sure the service is a fit. Trial periods can range from: 5 days (PlayStation Vue), 7 days (Sling TV and CBS All Access), 30 days (Netflix and Hulu), to two months (YouTube TV). Some services are even being offered for one year free with other services or purchases. Apple has had offers for a free, one-year trial of Apple TV+ with the purchase of the new iPhone® 11. While Verizon customers are benefiting from the one-year free trial of Disney+.

Consumers are looking at content, cost and comfort when picking their services. Content is king. If you like “The Handmaids Tale,” then Hulu is your choice. Do you like a lot of original content like “Stranger Things?” Then Netflix is your choice. Do you want family content or love “Baby Yoda?” Then Disney+ is perfect. Are you a sports enthusiast? Then FuboTV has what you’re looking for.

No matter what you’re selling, cost is always a top consideration for consumers. Paid streaming services can range from $6.99 a month (Disney+) up to $135 a month (the premier package on AT&T NOW.) Choosing services that allow for advertisements can offer lower pricing to consumers. If you plan on having two to three services per month, you’ll want to be smart and savvy in your total monthly streaming budget.

Finally, comfort is important. Being able to sign into a service wherever and whenever you want is a must! And navigating the service needs to be easy and intuitive, with recommendations that fit your viewing patterns.

Most services do not require any length of commitment for subscriptions. No matter what you want, the choice is yours!