Netflix-1st-mailer-design

1999
Made from cardboard, the first Netflix mailer weighs more than an ounce. But with only 100,000 customers, reducing material and shipping costs is not yet a priority for the company.

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There is a cool gallery on CNN that helps us visualize the evolution of the Netflix mailer, the key to their business and core to their success. The shot to the left is the 1st crack at cracking the DVD via USPS product development - a carboard box. They were not to concerned at this point, rife with VC $, and only 100,000 users. You have to start somewhere. Here is a link to the article if you feel like reading more.