Study of factors influencing the choice of an over the top (OTT) platform

Abstract

An Over-the-top (OTT) is a digital video service that is delivered via the Internet to viewers. Usually, these services are accessed via personal laptops, computers, mobiles, tablets, etc. Compared to the conventional private network, which has proprietary set-top boxes, they are streamed over the public internet.The user base of OTT channels such as Netflix, Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video, Zee TV, etc. has expanded with better networks, strong internet infrastructure, and smartphones. The Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown have caused people to stay at home, leading to the rise in the subscribers of the OTT platforms. Film directors release their movies on such platforms as movie theaters are closed due to lockdown. According to a report, the Indian OTT market is set to reach Rs 237.86 billion (US$3.22 billion) by FY25, from Rs 42.50 billion (US$576.73 million) in FY19. We have performed an online study to understand what contributes to a user to choose a particular platform. We have collected responses through surveys and performed data analysis after cleaning the data. The findings of our work provide theoretical and managerial implications concerning the conclusions of our study.