Legend has it that the founder, Reed Hastings, had a bad experience with a video rental store. He rented the movie Apollo 13 and could then not return the copy because; he had lost the videocassette. He found this very annoying, as he had to go to the store and pay a fine of around $40. There had to be a better way, the computer scientist was thinking on his way to his gym. And shortly after, along with Marc Randolph (also a software entrepreneur) they started Netflix, an online video rental company.

Netflix success concept

Quick attempts were made to copy the concept of Netflix and many competitors bought rights for movies and series. As a result, Netflix began to develop their own films and series exclusively for users of the platform.

The first and one of the most successful series was House of Cards with two Hollywood stars in the lead roles and directed by Kevin Spacey and David Fincher. Netflix had managed to offer them contracts after seasons, a novelty in the sector. Of course, the fee also played an important role.

Other popular streaming series also contribute to the success of the broadcast platform, including “Marco Polo”, “Orange is the New Black” and “Narcos”.

Another strategy is to include serie classics in the offer. So the entire seasons of “Full House” and “Gilmore Girls” are available almost exclusively on Netflix.

The company, still managed by Hastings, is currently one of Hollywood's key distribution partners and one of the largest producers of audiovisual content. Current user numbers vary, but are estimated to around 104 million, who together watch around 125 million hours of daily movies and television programs on the broadcast platform.

Where does the Netflix name come from?

The name of the transmission portal is composed from two English words, "net" for net or internet and "flix" for films in colloquial language. In 2012 Netflix started their expansion to Europe, launching in the United Kingdom and Ireland on January 4. By September 18 it had expanded to Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden as well.

How to stream Netflix abroad

With ChillGlobal you can use your Netflix-account worldwide! Simply log in to our free basic version. The plug-in for your Chrome or Firefox browser will be downloaded and installed in less than 20 seconds (even if you're not an IT nerd)! 

AND as if that wasn’t enough, you get 20 hours for FREE, every MONTH without registering a credit card! You only need an email address to register and you can start immediately. With ChillGlobal you have access to all the content of our 15 participating countries, no matter where you are in the world! 

For example, if you have Netflix from your country of origin, you can log in to your account abroad and go to your favorite movies as usual.

Did you like the blog post? Check out and LIKE our Facebook page