For a fair analysis of each website, I am viewing both websites as a “non-member”. That means that I have logged out of my Netflix account to view the page as a new customer would since I do not have a log in for Redbox.
With that being said, the first website under review is Netflix.com. Netflix provides Internet streaming video and flat-rate DVD-by-mail services to its subscribers. The home page is very simple and easy to understand, allowing individuals to quickly find what they want. Netflix logo, which acts as the “home” button, is located upper left of the screen of every page while members also have a sign in link in the upper right. The main area of the page allows individuals the opportunity to start their free trial, browse selection, or create an account. The flat-rate, tech support number, and devices that can connect to Netflix accounts are also provided. The bottom of the page contains links that will also connect to everything mentioned above, as well as links for those interested in company information like jobs, RSS feeds, terms of use, and privacy policy. All this can be accessed without having to scroll the page.
Netflix takes advantage of using white space, or in this instance their famous “red space”. Everything is aligned in the center of the page. The headings draw the individual’s attention to specific areas that contain key information that every potential customer should be aware of. A main picture in the center of the page shows a family enjoying Netflix services while smaller, but still detailed, pictures show the various devices i.e. Wii, PS3, Xbox, laptop, and TV that Netflix connects to. A neat feature that Netflix applies to their site is the pop-out box that expands when the cursor is over a film title that allows the individual to view details about the film and if the film is available for Internet streaming.
The audience for Netflix has to be anyone interested in viewing films. Since Netflix has become the dominant supplier of on-demand media, their selection seems unlimited. Mainstream, independent, documentary, and, more recently, original programming media has expanded their services to just about anyone with an Internet connection, DVD, or Blu-Ray player. Netflix’s simple, yet effective, web site allows users to choose virtually any movie or TV show that they want to watch, whenever they want.
Redbox is a competitor for Netflix, however, they use a kiosk approach where customers can pick up DVD and Blu-Ray instead of mailing them out. Redbox’s website, Redbox.com, has a layout similar to Netflix. Their logo (upper left), sign in (upper right), and company information (bottom of page) are all the same as Netflix. There are also links that a person can click on to locate Redboxes, and to browse movies, as well as games. The page in center aligned with banners and a slide show highlighting rates and new releases. One major difference that I see on Redbox’s site is that you have to scroll their main page to view the bottom 1/3 of the page. This is significant when we realize that the text states that viewers tend to not scroll down beyond the first screen of text. The only thing that Redbox can show in its favor from this is that the bottom 1/3 of the page contains information that maybe would be only useful to specific individuals that were interested in the company’s information, Redbox’s social media pages on Facebook, Twitter, Redblog, and email alerts.
Redbox takes a little longer than Netflix to load its pages and does not group similar titles (one picture each of the title for DVD and Blu-Ray). They do instill Netflix’s cool design of expanding the film’s information when the cursor is scrolled over, but does seem to be a bit slower than Netflix as well. The overall look of the site just seems a bit too cluttered for a business site and looks more like a blog than anything else. Also, having to locate a specific title to the nearest location could be frustrating for some individuals, especially if they miss the box where they can type in their zip to browse Redboxes nearest them.
The audience that Redbox seems to be trying to reach is those individuals that have the same interests as Netflix, but rather choose to not wait a day for Netflix to ship a title to them. At only a dollar a night, I’m sure that it is worth travelling to the nearest Redbox to grab something for movie night. I, however, have never preferred Redbox to Netflix. If I was to base which one I would do my business with which site was better aligned with the text, Netflix would win hands-down.
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