Netflix is making an unexpected move no one saw coming
But it makes sense when you think about it.
Netflix (NFLX) first launched as a DVD rental service in 1997. It started as an idea founders Marc Randolph and Reed Hastings had on a carpool trip. Both men were inspired by what Amazon was doing (which, at that time, was selling only books) and wanted to find a way to put their own unique spin on the idea.
After ditching the idea of shipping VHS tapes to customers' homes, as they were simply too fragile to survive the trip, Randolph and Hastings decided to try out DVDs — which, mind you, had just come out themselves in 1995. That idea led Netflix to become the very first DVD rental website, unknowingly setting the stage for Blockbuster Video's demise.
