NETFLIX Raises Fees - Gives Birth to QWIKSTER - REVERSES DECISION!- Page 2

[tazber]

Posted: 7/13/11 at 12:59pm

Oh, and I think that netflix has a strategic plan to phase out mailing hard copies altogether and strictly focus on streaming.

So this is kinda like squeezing every last drop they can get before retiring the through the mail plans.

I would not be surprised to see the rates increase even further 6 months from now.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 7/13/11 at 1:03pm

"I love reading the fake outrage people are expressing on their facebook page. I'm pretty sure for every 300 people who say they're going to cancel or have already cancelled their service, maybe 1 or maybe even 2 will actually do it."

I bet the outrage is no more fake than your statistics.

Actually, I'm sure you're right that fewer will cancel than say they will, but I'm willing to bet that many will opt for a cheaper plan. Honestly, I did within seconds.

I wonder if an identical service will start up in the next couple of months.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/13/11 at 1:16pm

Reg, I really was referring to what looks like 15 year old screaming about how this is the greatest disaster to ever happen and the company will go under in two months now and they've already gotten 50 of their friends to cancel their memberships. It's crap.

[Wildcard]

Posted: 7/13/11 at 1:18pm

I think this would be justified if many of the movies they have on DVD are available for streaming as well. But they just aren't.

[jasonf]

Posted: 7/13/11 at 1:18pm

Taz- I think you're right, but this is the wrong way to do it. I would LOVE to keep streaming, but they need to improve their selection before I pick that over discs.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 7/13/11 at 1:19pm

Oh, I know, Jordan, and I was mostly teasing.

But I think the outrage is real, whatever the outcome.

Taz, that's an interesting point. But then they're going to have to have 100 percent of their inventory available for streaming. I imagine someone will eventually, if not them.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 7/13/11 at 1:22pm

They already announced that they were going to move away from disks. But the outrage was so swift and fierce that they backed away from that plan - at least publicly.

And according to the map Taz posted I'm pretty sure I'm in "All Star Superman" which I bought instead of getting it through Netflix

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 7/13/11 at 1:54pm

Jordan, I was thinking the same thing. Downgrades, sure, but I wonder about outright cancellation. Because honestly? Where else can you (legally) get a service like Netflix provides? Maybe if all you watch are the very latest blockbuster releases, you can stick with Redbox. Of the 153 DVDs in my queue, I can bet you the vast majority can't be found in my library system, or Redbox, and all video stores are long-gone from my area.

This is why I joined Netflix back in 2005- because I wasn't satisfied with 500 copies of the latest release and only a handful of the most popular classics were afforded what little shelf space was left. If Redbox satisfies your movie needs, fine, enjoy, but don't criticize Netflix for not being the new Blockbuster- some of us like it that way.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/13/11 at 1:57pm

Exactly. They still have a better selection than anyone else and offer both streaming and dvd's in the mail (which nobody else does).

If you want to cancel, by all means cancel. But don't pretend that you're "gonna show them by going somewhere else" because within a week you'll be bitching about how they don't have what you want.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 7/13/11 at 2:27pm

Anger at people's anger seems an odd reaction to me.

But anyway, everyone's going to have to figure it out for themselves. My very first response was to change my plan from 2 disks to 1 (I similarly went from 3 to 2 at the last price hike) and keep the streaming.

But now that I've thought about it, I really do the streaming so seldom--mostly because I get quite a bit of rebuffering, but maybe I have crappy internet and this is only a problem for me. I don't know that I've ever watched an entire streamed movie; mostly TV shows. Which I can do on Hulu.

So now I'm thinking I'll drop the streaming and keep the 1 DVD plan, and use my terrific corner shop for backup.

My point in making you all read this is just to say that I think a lot of people (tho maybe only Jordan's 2 out of 300, but multiply that by Netflix's 23 million customers and it's still a lot) are going to actually do the cost/benefit analysis and make a change.

And if Netflix improves their streaming selection, folks may make a new decision.




Updated On: 7/13/11 at 02:27 PM

[Luscious]

Posted: 7/13/11 at 2:33pm

Myself and three other co-workers all downgraded our plans to streaming only this morning. And as soon as I find a viable streaming alternative, I'll be cancelling my Netflix subscription altogether. In addition, at least 4 Facebook friends have stated that they plan on downgrading or cancelling their accounts. The outrage is real. People are not just talking -- they're taking action! Expect a back-peddle from Netflix any minute now.

[jasonf]

Posted: 7/13/11 at 3:10pm

I think 2/300 is SEVERELY underrating how many will reduce their service. Some will cancel, but I agree not many will entirely. A LOT will reduce what they have. Netflix is a commodity and easy to chop from ever-increasingly more stringent budgets.

This is going to wake people up to say "hm, I wasn't using this that much anyway, guess I'll cut it."

[Gothampc]

Posted: 7/13/11 at 3:33pm

Which costs Netflix more, the streaming service or the disc service?

I'm sure they will eventually move to all streaming, but there are a lot of things that are not on streaming. For example, many of the lesser known British shows are not on streaming.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 7/13/11 at 3:37pm

Currently I'm the only member of the household who uses the streaming and I that's mostly just for stuff that isn't available on DVD. Lately I've been thinking about upgrading my TV to a one that allows streaming in the hopes of avoiding the "I didn't like the movie you picked" complaints. If I do that I'll probably drop down to one disk

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 7/13/11 at 5:39pm

I'm not angry, I just find it ridiculous that everyone predicting Netflix's immediate downfall seem to believe people like them, renting Little Fockers and Insidious the week they comes out, are the only ones using Netflix.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/13/11 at 5:43pm

Oooooh, I forgot INSIDIOUS came out this week! I need to buy that!

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 7/13/11 at 5:44pm

If people are really outraged, why are they downgrading their accounts? Wouldn't it send more of a message to actually cancel?

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 7/13/11 at 6:31pm

Skittles, I wasn't talking to anyone in particular. And maybe I haven't read enough of the outraged posts, but I didn't know it was just the mass consumers of the lowest-common-denominator movies who were bothered by the hike. I'm not the former, but I am the latter. (Of course, going by sheer numbers, I'm sure you're right that that's majority, because it's, well, the majority.)

Phyllis, yes, of course. I'm not taking a moral stance or anything. It was a price hike with no added value, and it just made me examine the cost and make a decision. That's really all I'm saying. But I imagine Netflix took decisions like mine into consideration.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 7/13/11 at 7:02pm

I know you aren't. Some in this thread (as well as other people crabbing about it on the internets) seem to be. I mean, look at Luscious's comment (and not just because he started it with the word "Myself"!).
Updated On: 7/13/11 at 07:02 PM

[jasonf]

Posted: 7/13/11 at 7:12pm

We're not canceling simply because despite the hike, Netflix is still the best movie provider out there, and generally we've been very happy with the service.

We're cutting back which in the end still gets us movies, but it DOES hurt Netflix's bottom line.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 7/13/11 at 7:21pm

What jason said.

Also, I realized I really wasn't taking advantage of the service to my advantage. If they hadn't raised the price--again, with no added value--I would have just let it ride. But once they gave me occasion to examine it, I went with a lower-priced plan.

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/13/11 at 7:24pm

Have any of you tried Redbox? It's really great. Movies are $1 on DVD and $1.50 on BD. And it's all available the day of release. You can return your rentals to any of their kiosks around the country. It's all automated, like a Horn & Hardart's. :)

You can reserve online in advance, too, and pick it up from the designated location.

You should give it a try. There's no membership. You just need a credit card, and an email account.

I only rent sporadically, so it's ideal for me. No flat fees.

http://www.redbox.com/

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 7/13/11 at 7:26pm

I'd never heard of it till this thread, but the nearest kiosk is 20 NYC blocks away.

Updated On: 7/13/11 at 07:26 PM

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/13/11 at 7:27pm

I should add that this is for new and relatively new releases, but I include "art films."

But if it's a few years old or older, they probably won't carry it. And it's not for box sets of TV shows, either.

But Jordan, if you want to rent Insidious, you could get it tonight for a buck. Then return it tomorrow by 9PM. If you don't, they charge you another buck for each day you have it.

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/13/11 at 7:28pm

20 blocks might be too far, Reg, unless you pick it up on your way home or something. They have them everywhere, though. Maybe near your work or grocery store or bank?