Quickflix
| Company type | Public (formerly) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Online DVD rental, Video on demand, Streaming media |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Founder | Bill Keech, Sam McDonagh, Stephen Langsford |
| Defunct | September 2021 |
| Fate | Compulsory liquidation |
| Headquarters | Sydney , Australia |
Area served | Australia, New Zealand |
Key people | Stephen Langsford, Simon Hodge |
| Products | DVD and Blu-ray disc rentals, Internet streaming of films and TV programs |
| Parent | Karma Media Holdings (from 2016) |
| Website | quickflix |
Quickflix was an Australian enterprise specializing in online DVD and Blu-ray Disc rentals via postal delivery, alongside internet streaming of films and television programs through either pay-per-view or subscription models.
Established in 2003 initially as a disc rental provider, Quickflix introduced online movie downloads in 2006 and expanded to streaming services by 2011. By June 2014, the company had amassed more than 182,000 subscribers. As the pioneer major streaming platform in Australia, Quickflix rapidly lost market presence following Netflix's entry into the Australian market in 2015. The firm entered voluntary administration in early 2016 and was subsequently relaunched under new management later that year. After several additional years of operation, Quickflix was ultimately dissolved in September 2021.
Disc rental
Quickflix offered a subscription-based rental service for DVDs and Blu-ray discs with a fixed monthly fee. Customers curated a rental queue from available titles. Discs were sent individually through Australia Post, typically arriving within four days nationwide. Subscribers could retain rented discs indefinitely without incurring late fees but were limited to having no more than two discs checked out at any one time. To obtain a new title, users returned the previous disc via prepaid envelopes; upon receipt, Quickflix dispatched the next item in their queue. Returns could also be registered online to accelerate the delivery process.
Internet streaming
The Quickflix streaming platform was compatible with smart televisions, gaming consoles, Blu-ray players, desktop and laptop computers, smartphones, tablets, and other devices. Subscribers accessed two tiers of content: a basic catalog mainly comprising older films included with the subscription, and premium titles—more recent releases—available for an extra charge per rental. Non-subscribers could also rent premium content on a standalone basis. Prior to its 2016 relaunch, Quickflix provided streaming of television series; post-relaunch, its library concentrated solely on movies.
Quickflix secured licensing agreements with major studios such as Disney, NBC Universal, BBC Worldwide, and Lionsgate. An investment by HBO in 2012 granted access to HBO’s television catalog until 2015.
Customers had the option to combine streaming with disc rental subscriptions at discounted pricing.
History
Quickflix was founded in Perth in 2003 by Bill Keech, Sam McDonagh, and Stephen Langsford, with Simon Hodge joining shortly thereafter. Langsford and Hodge continued to serve as principal executives. Langsford brought experience from founding the internet company Method + Madness and consultancy Change Corporation. The business attracted investment from notable figures including Bruce Gordon, Lachlan Murdoch, and Domenic Carosa.
The company listed on the Australian Securities Exchange in 2005 but was removed from the exchange in 2017. In 2005 Quickflix acquired competitor HomeScreen, effectively doubling its subscriber base. The launch of movie download services followed in 2006 as competition against BigPond Movies intensified. By April 2011, Quickflix had shipped its ten millionth DVD.
In July 2011, BigPond Movies discontinued its DVD-by-mail service and sold its inventory to Quickflix. That same month saw Quickflix debut its subscription streaming service on Sony devices; this offering later expanded to include PCs, Macs, PlayStation 3 consoles, Samsung devices, and Xbox 360 platforms. The Quickflix application was also pre-installed on select Windows Phone models.
Expansion into New Zealand occurred in March 2012 alongside a $10 million strategic investment from HBO. Despite this infusion of capital, financial challenges emerged by 2013 resulting in board resignations and the departure of the CEO.
By mid-2014 Quickflix led Australia’s streaming market with over 182,000 subscribers but experienced stagnation in growth. In July that year Nine Entertainment purchased HBO’s stake in Quickflix for $1 million—just a tenth of HBO’s original investment amount. The following year introduced new competitors including Netflix, Presto, and Stan—the latter being a joint venture between Nine and Fairfax Media—leading to significant subscriber attrition for Quickflix.
On 26 April 2016 Quickflix entered voluntary administration. The company attributed this outcome partly to major shareholder Nine Entertainment’s refusal to restructure shares acquired from HBO—a restructuring that would have enabled fundraising for content acquisition and marketing efforts. Nine demanded either a multi-million dollar payment or transferring customers to Stan; both proposals were declined by Quickflix. Nine also obstructed a potential partnership with Presto. Additionally, plans to acquire a Chinese media firm were abandoned. Over the five years leading up to 2015, Quickflix reported cumulative net losses exceeding $40 million.
On 4 October 2016 U.S.-based Karma Media Holdings purchased Quickflix for $1.3 million. Following its December 2016 relaunch, Quickflix introduced an updated streaming subscription featuring up to four premium rentals monthly alongside a curated library focusing on recent film releases. However, subsequent years showed limited expansion of the streaming catalog as the company shifted focus back toward mail-based disc rental serving a niche audience.
In May 2021 EnergyAustralia filed for Quickflix’s winding-up; the company was compulsorily liquidated by court order in September that year.
See also
External links
- Articles with short description
- Defunct video on demand services
- Subscription video on demand services
- Defunct subscription services
- Video rental services in Australia
- Australian streaming companies
- Australian companies established in 2003
- Australian companies disestablished in 2021
- Internet properties established in 2003
- Companies based in Sydney
- PlayStation 4 software
- 2005 initial public offerings
- 2016 mergers and acquisitions
- Australian subsidiaries of foreign companies