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Ask HN: Why doesn't imdb sell movies?
Just wondering aloud, imdb is my goto point whenever i want to know something about a movie. Anybody who looks up a movie definitely has at least a slight intent to watch the movie. Why don't they get into selling movie (dvds) or a partnership with netflix to stream movies.
So why don't they?
- kingsidharth 16y agoIMO, that's not the problem they are solving. They are usually 'the professional' database of movies, people and such. Streaming movies is not what they set out to do. Documenting about them is what they aim at. But they surely are an influence on some people's choices. It's sort of asking - Why 'The New York Times' doesn't sell books. It does affect the choice but they don't set out to sell books. That is, sort of, what gives them authority. I might not trust the list as much if they were setting out to sell more and earn more.
- hessenwolf 16y agoTl;dr; they wouldn't seem independent and unbiased.
- frossie 16y agoUhm. Someone should tell them that. If I go to, say: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096928/ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096928/ there is a "watch now on Amazon Video On Demand" link to the right of the page, rent from Blockbusters, buy from Amazon, etc etc. Even pre-acquisition they had "buy" links to the right, which I assumed were Amazon affiliate links.
- presty 16y agoisn't imdb owned by Amazon?
- joelg87 16y agoYes, you're right - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Movie_Database http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Movie_Database
- sid6376 16y agoYep they are. Major faux pas!!! just checked it. And they even provide links to amazon for buying the movies. I never noticed this until I was looking for it today and i spend a lot of time at imdb. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Movie_Database http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Movie_Database
- iterationx 16y agoNot only that... http://tctechcrunch.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/amazon.png http://tctechcrunch.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/amazon.png
- adamzochowski 16y agoMost amazing part of IMDB is that it predates http, and obviously, wikipedia. It started as a series of text files on usenet sent between various movie buffs, each adding their own contributions. One of the IMDB contingents for sale to Amazon was keeping it quite autonomous, and open. The database is still being exported to the same formatting as when it was traded on usenet; which is why one still gets files specific for Amiga and OS/2. http://www.imdb.com/interfaces http://www.imdb.com/interfaces Kind regards