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- Recent reports indicate a growing trend of users pausing their streaming video services.
- This behavior involves canceling subscriptions temporarily, only to reactivate them shortly after.
- I often find myself unsubscribing and resubscribing to Hulu—data suggests I’m not the only one with this pattern.
My relationship with Hulu resembles a rollercoaster; I’ve ended my subscription and returned so many times that it could rival the drama of reality TV shows. Each year, I review my various subscriptions in an effort to save money, leading me to frequently cut ties with Hulu. Yet inevitably, a new show catches my eye, prompting me to return once again.
I’m not alone in this behavior: The Wall Street Journal recently highlighted the emergence of what they call “subscription pausers.” An analysis by Antenna revealed trends among subscribers who leave platforms like Netflix, Apple TV+, Disney+, Hulu, Max, and Amazon Prime Video.
The findings were revealing:
In the first three quarters of 2024, 34.2% of premium streaming video subscribers rejoined services they had previously canceled within the last year—a notable increase from 29.8% in 2022. This cycle of pausing and resuming indicates that while customer cancellations have risen over the past year—averaging 5.2% in August—the actual rate of defections is lower at around 3.5% when accounting for those who resubscribe.
Additionally, last month saw the Federal Trade Commission implement a new “click-to-cancel” regulation aimed at simplifying online subscription cancellations. This rule mandates that if you sign up online for a service, you must also be able to cancel it through an online process rather than being forced to do so via phone or mail.
From my perspective as a consumer familiar with these platforms’ practices, most streaming services already comply with this FTC guideline. Therefore, I doubt its impact on cancellation rates will be significant; instead, companies may resort to offering discounts or bundling options as strategies to retain customers long-term and minimize what is known as “churn.”
As for myself? I’ve happily returned as a subscriber after being enticed by comedian Brian Jordan Alvarez’s quirky TikTok series. In these videos featuring him dancing shirtless alongside an audio meme promoting his FX show “English Teacher,” which streams exclusively on Hulu—I can confidently say I’m back from my hiatus!
cite='https://www.tiktok.com/@brianjordanalvarez/video/7431967072873188650' data-video-id='7431967072873188650' style='max-width:605px;min-width:325px'>@brianjordanalvarez
♬ afilmbykirk - ꫂ ၴႅၴ
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