The Times of India

In 1997, Reed Hastings got hit with a late fee and quietly rewired the way world watches movies

A common annoyance with late video rental fees sparked a revolutionary idea for Reed Hastings. The limitations of physical stores, from sold-out movies to strict hours, fueled widespread customer frustration. The advent of durable, mail-friendly DVDs, combined with online ordering, allowed Netflix to dismantle these inconveniences, offering a more convenient and stress-free movie rental experience for millions.