Remember When Qwikster Was Going to Be a Thing?

A year ago this month, Netflix announced it was going to increase its one DVD-by-mail and unlimited streaming service by 60 percent, enraging its customer base, and acting erratically by announcing it would spin off its DVD-by-mail service and call it Qwikster — then killing the plan weeks later. CNET talked to current and former employees to show what was happening behind the scenes, including the loss of top executives who helped turn Netflix into a success, and the hiring and firing of more than 150 employees who planned on working at Qwikster, but found themselves jobless after Netflix’s major fumbling. It’s a great case study of how not to run a company, but also what you have to do when everyone hates you. Is this a good time to tell you guys that we’re splitting The Billfold into two separate sites? One is all Mike, and the other is all Logan, and there will also be a paywall! Just kidding, but I mean, could you imagine!?

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