Buffering reduces video watch time by ~40%, according to research

The internet's vast size allows users to be selective with their content consumption. Even minor obstacles such as clunky interfaces or required plug-ins can deter users from a site. Amazon found that an additional 100 milliseconds of waiting led to a 1% decrease in sales. Video buffering is particularly detrimental, with just one buffering event decreasing the amount of video watched by 39%. Mux's data shows that most videos buffer relatively quickly, with 38% buffering for one second or less. However, any buffering interruption leads to a significant reduction in viewership, with people who experienced any buffering having an average session length of 130 seconds - a 39% reduction. Video publishers can eliminate many cases of buffering by adjusting video bitrates, moving to adaptive streaming formats, changing CDNs, and more.