TVOD / PPV — Transactional Video on Demand
Pay-per-view and rental revenue for events, premieres, and premium releases
What is TVOD?
TVOD (Transactional Video on Demand) is pay-per-view or rental — viewers pay for individual titles or events rather than a subscription.
Best for
- Event-led viewing (sports, concerts, conferences, live events)
- Premium first-run releases where urgency drives willingness to pay
- Niche content where the audience is small but willingness-to-pay is high
Common pitfalls
Payment friction — every extra step in checkout kills conversion. Fewer fields, saved cards, and Apple/Google Pay are non-negotiable on mobile.
No upsell path — standalone TVOD is a dead end. Always offer a subscription upsell post-purchase ("Watch everything for $X/mo").
Refund and support overhead — PPV has higher refund rates than subscription. Set clear refund policies and plan support volume around events.
Starter structure (MVP)
- Single purchase option at $X
- 48-hr rental option at $X (lower barrier)
- Post-purchase subscription upsell
- Bundle pricing for event series
Event-specific checklist
- QA checkout flow on all target devices 72hr before event
- Geo-restriction rules set up if rights require it
- Concurrency headroom provisioned
- Support staffed for event day
What to instrument
- Checkout conversion rate (add to cart → complete purchase)
- Refund rate
- Post-purchase subscription conversion
- Revenue per event
Planning a PPV launch or event?
Book a monetization call.