Netflix's Additional Blu-Ray Fees increase (again)

[Craig]

Posted: 3/30/09 at 2:46pm

Not long ago, there was no additional fee for being sent blu-ray discs. Currently, the fee is $1 per month extra. Not bad. Just got the following email which increases it a total of 25%.

Dear Craig,

You are receiving this email because you added unlimited Blu-ray access to your account for $1 a month. The number of Blu-ray titles has increased significantly and will continue to do so. As we buy more, you are able to choose from a rapidly expanding selection of Blu-ray titles. And as you've probably heard, Blu-ray discs are substantially more expensive than standard definition DVDs.

As a result, the monthly charge for Blu-ray access is increasing for most plans and will now vary by plan. The charge for monthly Blu-ray access on your 3 DVDs at-a-time (Unlimited) plan will increase from $1 a month to $4 a month.

The new charge for Blu-ray access will be automatically added to your next billing statement on or after April 27, 2009 and will be referenced in your Membership Terms and Details.

If you wish to continue unlimited Blu-ray access for $4 a month, you don't need to do anything. If not, you can remove Blu-ray access anytime by visiting Your Account.

If you have questions about this change or need any assistance, please call us anytime at 1-888-923-0898.

-The Netflix Team

Updated On: 3/30/09 at 02:46 PM

[blueroses]

Posted: 3/30/09 at 3:02pm

The blame clearly lies with Obama, Pelosi, the unions and the MTA.

[tazber]

Posted: 3/30/09 at 3:03pm

I love BD, but as I was telling Besty, with my HDMI up-convert I find the difference between BD and DVD negligible.

I'm curious if anyone else feels this way.

I can't see spending extra for a BD unless it's something I REALLY love (like LOTR or Oz).

Updated On: 3/30/09 at 03:03 PM

[Craig]

Posted: 3/30/09 at 3:08pm

I notice a difference. Perhaps it's the size of your screen or what you're watching?

Ultimtely - it's not a travesty. It's only $4 a month. But as they JUST started charging add'l fees for Blu-Ray not too long ago, this just stings a little bit. Especially since it's a 25 percent increase based on my current plan.

[best12bars]

Posted: 3/30/09 at 3:21pm

Not to burst your bubble, Craig, but it's actually a 400 percent total difference to go from a buck to four dollars. A 25 percent increase would be $1.25.

But I like your optimism! ... I think. I just wonder if BD will ever really catch on beyond the ultra-techies (or the old "laser disc" crowd) who MUST have the best possible quality available.

It's an extra $36 per year for your "upgraded" plan. I don't know if that's going to discourage people or not, but their email to you kinda makes it sound like "if you want a Mercedes, you'll have to pay extra for it."

Most people are happy driving Toyotas.

EDIT: Okay, let me further clarify my math here ... The price has gone up to 400 percent of the original amount (from $1 to $4), but the actual increase difference between the two is 300 percent (since you were already paying a buck). Oy.

Updated On: 3/30/09 at 03:21 PM

[tazber]

Posted: 3/30/09 at 3:25pm

I don't think that $36.00 a year is going to dissuade anyone from ordering BDs on netflix, but in terms of purchasing them the cost difference is much more significant.

BD sales are up, but I still don't see there being enough demand for to sustain it as a viable format.
In fact, I'm leery about buying BDs in the event that they do become the next laserdisc.

[best12bars]

Posted: 3/30/09 at 3:29pm

That will depend on player sales more than disc sales.

If BD players start showing up in every PC and Mac (desktop and laptop), and if people buy a BD player when their old DVD player dies, then the format will survive and grow.

[Craig]

Posted: 3/30/09 at 3:35pm

It's 25 percent of the $16 a month I'm paying. That was my point.

Interesting to not - and Besty can argue for or against this one - but BD disks reportedly have longer lifespans and are harder to scratch. So even though the costs might be more initially - the longevity of netflix being able to rent the same disk increases. So one wonders what the actual threshold is for being more expensive.

[tazber]

Posted: 3/30/09 at 3:46pm

Now that I did not know.

The question I suppose then is: are dvd's fragile enough to warrant a more durable alternative.
I would guess that most consumers would say no.

[best12bars]

Posted: 3/30/09 at 3:56pm

Disc longevity is still only a theory, even for DVDs. When they first showed up, they were touted as having a 75-year shelf life. Well, we're about 64 years away from knowing if that's true.

I think the price increase isn't going to be a deal-breaker.

The two biggest concerns will be "consumer convenience," and by that I mean (as I said in an earlier post), BD players have to be available everywhere that DVD players are now (laptops, SUVs, PCs, Macs, etc.) ... otherwise, why would you own a disc that you can only play on one set in your house?

And the studios have got to release more of the flagship titles quickly. And I mean their big catalog sellers. Not the latest hit movies. Nobody is going to run out and buy a BD player just to get the hi-def disc for "Marley and Me" or "Paul Blart: Mall Cop." If they already own a player, they might very likely rent or buy the BD for it instead of the DVD, but it isn't going to recruit anyone new to the format.

I'm talking about the titles that will actually drive people to the store to buy a Blu-ray player. Warner Bros. has already started with The Wizard of Oz and Gone With the Wind. They should add Citizen Kane and King Kong. Fox needs to release the Star Wars Trilogy and The Sound of Music. Paramount needs to release the Indiana Jones Trilogy and Titanic. Universal needs to release E.T. Sony needs to release Lawrence of Arabia. Disney needs to release "Snow White," "Lion King," and "Mary Poppins."

Those are the "must have" titles. Several of them are in production (some have been for a LONG time already with no official street date), and a few of these have already been announced. But by the end of this year, ALL those titles should be out. Otherwise, I see another year of "wait and see" from most people.

Right now, consumers can sense the "wait and see" attitude coming directly from the studios themselves.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 3/30/09 at 4:23pm

Warner Bros. has already started with The Wizard of Oz and Gone With the Wind.

I'm still wondering if there will truly be a discernible difference in quality or if it is just a few new extras. I remember reading an article about how the main difference in BD quality will only occur in newer films using digital technology as only so much could be improved on pre-digital films. Of course, that may be completely wrong as I really have little knowledge on the process itself.

[Craig]

Posted: 3/30/09 at 4:26pm

True there's a limit to how good "good" can be. The issue really comes down to how much $$/time the studios throw into the restoration process.

Sometimes they don't do anything but use the same source they did for the DVD. That may or may not be advantageous to having it on Blu-Ray depending on the methods they used for restoring, etc.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 3/30/09 at 4:35pm

See, that's why I'm reluctant to get Wizard of Oz or Gone With the Wind on BD. I haven't seen anything that identifies them as being of superior quality or anything. It could just be the 4-DVD set on one or two BDs. At least, when VHS gave way to DVD, you knew you were getting higher quality. Not necessarily so from DVD to BD, which is why I think it's a much harder sell until the DVD format starts to phase out, which isn't going to happen anytime soon.

[best12bars]

Posted: 3/30/09 at 4:46pm

Wizard of Oz and GWTW are both 70 years old now. And it's true their images will have film grain. There's no getting around it. But I think (and hope) you'll see some incredible detail. The good news is that Warners already paid (a lot) to have those films put through their patented "ultra-resolution" process. They realigned the 3-strips for the old Technicolor process, etc. Went into individual frames and removed dirt. Very meticulous. And all in hi-def. That was done for this last DVD release.

(And no, they don't splurge to have that done on every old movie.)

At this point, I'm choking on the price of both titles. Amazon has them for pre-order at the "bargain price" of $59 bucks. Zowie! They are my two favorite films of all time, and even I am thinking about waiting. I don't really want another 80-page color booklet and postcard repros of old lobby cards. Save a bunch of trees and just give me the movie ... at a regular BD amount, please.

With prices like this on flagship titles, you're DEFINITELY looking at the "laser disc" crowd. Those are just high enough to scare away the masses who can't really tell the difference in quality anyway.

[Craig]

Posted: 3/30/09 at 4:49pm

wait for DDD's 20 percent off :)

[best12bars]

Posted: 3/30/09 at 4:53pm

Speaking of DeepDiscount ... have you noticed they're not so very deep anymore? In fact their pre-order prices are actually higher than Amazon's.

Why? Because Amazon bought DeepDiscount about a year ago. They use them now as a strategy tool. Word of warning to all out there! Check both sites first (and a few others) before you buy. Don't just assume DDD is the best you'll get.

Their special sales are still very good, but their general prices on new titles? Not good anymore.

[bschneid76]

Posted: 3/30/09 at 9:57pm

I just got the email too. I went and had to downsize because I think $4.00 more is a bit much. I wonder how many people will be lowering their plans after this increase. Oh well, I really don't get to watch the amount of dvds that are in my package in a timely fashion anyway. So I am going down to 1 dvd at a time instead of 3. Perhaps they will lower the cost after a while.