Long Island, New York, PepsiCo's chain rental store.

Standing behind the counter, Arthur skillfully was busy with the work at hand and handled rental matters for customers. There were many people renting films tonight, and the long queue was about to arrive at the shelves.

""Spy Shadows", rental time for one week." Arthur finished the procedures and said with a smile: "Thank you for your patronage."

The male customer picked up the disc and walked straight out of the store.

The customer behind came to the counter and placed the selected discs on the counter. Arthur quickly began to scan the code, and the computer system quickly recorded the relevant information.

Arthur silently recited the name of the disc while scanning the code to check with the name that appeared on the computer screen: "Mummy 2, Jurassic Park 3, Hannibal, and Spy Shadows..."

It’s probably the weekend tomorrow. The customer rented all this year’s popular movie discs, and it seemed that he was going to hide at home to watch movies on the weekend.

"Thank you for your patronage." Arthur sent another customer away.

Two female customers followed behind, renting romance and comedy movies, and a black customer behind them rented a large stack of horror movie discs.

Two more young men came over, and Arthur repeated his previous work.

Both of them only rented one movie, and the name displayed by scanning the code is "Spy Shadows".

After repeating the same work continuously, Arthur quickly became numb, but still maintained a serious and responsible attitude, constantly silently recited the name of the disc and checked the results of scanning the computer code.

After the dozen or so customers left, the title of "Spy Shadows" was silently recited in his mouth seven times.

It was almost nine o'clock in the evening, and the store finally became quiet. Arthur stretched his head and looked at the shelves. Seeing that there was no figure in the empty space, he quickly stretched.

"I'm so exhausted." Arthur muttered.

The store owner York came over and said, "It's time to get off work."

Arthur and another clerk cheered: "Okay!"

Old York reminded: "Don't be happy first, remember to pass today's data to the statistics department of the headquarters to check the latest list released by the headquarters. We need to update the list and recommendation positions in the store in advance."

Arthur quickly listed the statistics and said: "Today, just like yesterday, the most rentals were "Spy Shadows", with a total of 63 rentals."

Old York nodded: "Since the release of discs, this movie seems to be more popular in the rental market than in the cinema."

Another clerk reminded: "The store manager, there are only 40 copies left in the inventory of "Spy Shadows". Should we apply for a batch of new discs? Otherwise, after tomorrow, there will be no movies to rent in "Spy Shadows"."

Old York had already considered it and said directly: "Arthur, send an email and apply for another 300 "Spy Shadows" discs from the Channel Department."

"So much?" Arthur was a little surprised.

Old York said: "Discs were just launched last week and the peak rental period has not yet arrived. These 300 copies plus the previous 200 copies, a total of 500 discs should be enough to support the rental cycle."

While busy with the work at hand, Arthur said, "The movie "Spy Shadow" is obviously about to explode in the rental market."

Another clerk answered: "It seems that the theater is not bad either."

"North America's box office is $178.62 million." Old York said with certainty: "The top 15 of the year's annual box office is absolutely fine."

Arthur asked: "How many box offices are there in the world?"

The clerk replied: "It's almost $350 million, right?"

Old York has obviously paid attention to the film and said: "Some areas overseas are still being screened, and the global box office of 350 million is definitely no problem."

"This company is released again," Arthur said.

The clerk said: "I watched the news online a few days ago. It is said that the movie sold $7 million for the premiere of TV!"

"It's not just that." Old York has been in the industry for decades and is well-informed: "I attended a regional channel conference last weekend and heard from the people above that the Embassy Films, which released "Spy Shadows", had 15% of the advertising share in the first round of TV broadcasts."

Arthur was speechless for a moment. As a practitioner in the film industry, he could only be envious and jealous.

How good would it be if he was the boss of this movie? How many luxury cars could he buy with such a high-income movie? How many beauties could he buy with such a high-income movie?

Throw a bunch of checks out, let the beautiful models line up and lie on the ground, and then go over and take turns to go up.

This wonderful life can only be imagined.

"What are you thinking?" Old York saw Arthur's hand stop, knocked on the counter, reminding him: "Hurry up! We'll get off work on time today!"

Arthur quickly came to his senses, uploaded the data, opened the email address, and downloaded the file issued by the headquarters.

"Okay!" Arthur said quickly: "Store Manager, the company's latest rental list is ranked first!"

Old York came to the counter opposite the store and slightly adjusted the discs and posters of "Spy Shadows" to ensure that they are in the most conspicuous position so that customers can see it as soon as they enter.

"My thirty years of experience will never go wrong!" Old York said again: "You can watch it, "Spy Shadows" will create a miracle in the disc sales and rental markets."

Early Sunday morning, a dusty maroon Volvo station wagon drove into a commuter parking lot in Silicon Valley, California, in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains.

After experiencing the Nasdaq crash in 2000 and the 9/11 terrorist attacks last month, the Internet industry is in a slump.

There are more than 20 men and women waiting in the parking lot. There is still a downhill road to enter Silicon Valley. These young computer geeks have to ride together to complete the carpool.

The canvas bags that geeks carry with them have various logos, representing Silicon Valley companies such as Apple Computer, Sun Microsystems, and Oracle.

These people are typical Silicon Valley people dressed in beach pants or Levitra jeans, with a wrinkled long-sleeved sweater or wool jacket, and sneakers or canvas shoes. How many people didn't know how long it took for them to take a shower, they looked unkempt and staying up late for a long time also made them look sleepy.

The Volvo station wagon drove to the uninhabited side of the parking lot, where a shiny steel-blue Toyota Avalon was parked alone.

The Toyota driver sat in the driver's seat and immediately jumped out of the car when he saw Volvo coming.

The man was in his forties, tall and thin, wearing blue Levitra jeans, a slightly old button-up shirt, and bright white sneakers.

Before Volvo could stop, the driver shouted: "Reed!"

Reed Hastings was walking in a hurry with his hands in his pockets, looking at Volvo approaching with dark blue eyes, the car stopped obliquely, and moved a few more times to adjust the position.

Mark Randolph, who was driving Volvo, finally got out of the car with satisfaction, and bypassed the Volvo station wagon and greeted Reed Hastings: "Good morning, Reed."

Reed Hastings said with a little anxiety: "You're late!"

"It's not too late." Mark Randolph was nearly forty years old, unlike Hastings, who was a social genius and the ideal marketing manager for many companies. He smiled and said to Hastings: "It's just the right time."

Reed Hastings shook his head, not caring about this little thing.

Although they are not the same type of people, there is no lack of harmony, trust and friendship between the two: they all have the confidence brought by superior education, and their minds integrate their own ideas into the enthusiasm of the company.

"How is it?" asked Mark Randolph.

He walked around the car and stood next to Hastings.

Reed Hastings replied: "It's already here."

While speaking, he leaned into the Avalon sedan, searched in the briefcase on the passenger seat, and took out an oversized rose envelope.

Mark Randolph saw the envelope and said, "Open it."

Reed Hastings took out a quaint knife from his top pocket, cut open the envelope, pulled out a silver compressed disc from the envelope, and took it in his hand and checked it carefully.

The disc is intact!

"In good condition!" Reed Hastings handed the disc to Mark Randolph: "It took 16 hours to mail it from New York."

Mark Randolph looked at the disc and said, "It's one quarter faster than before."

As the largest online movie rental company in the United States, the speed and security of mailing CDs are the key to the company's business development.

Reed Hastings leaned against the Avalon door and said: "The speed and safety of mailing are very guaranteed now."

Mark Randolph understood what the following words meant: "Our business is growing slowly." He leaned against the car and said, "Reed, the environment is not good now."

Netflix is ​​indeed the largest online movie rental company in the United States, because there are very few competitors.

Reed Hastings didn't respond, but asked, "Mark, what do you think we're missing."

"There are too many things missing." Mark Randolph told the truth: "Funds, technology, talents, customers, film sources, etc."

Reed Hastings continued, "What is the most lacking?"

Mark Randolph considered it and said, "Customers. If we have hundreds of thousands of members, it is easy to raise funds. With the funds, we can promote the website and buy more content to attract new customers."

Reed Hastings sighed: "After all, it's still a problem of funds and content." He looked into the distance: "The funds cannot be solved for a while, we can try to get content that can attract new customers first."

"What?" asked Mark Randolph.

"In your hands," Reed Hastings said: "This is a disc of "Spy Shadows". It is currently the hottest video in the offline rental market. It has been ranked first on the PepsiCo's rental rankings for ten consecutive days."

Mark Randolph picked up the disc and looked carefully at the side with the seal: "We do not have the right to sell and lease the discs for this video."
Chapter completed!