long waits on Netflix

[Harvey]

I have noticed their service getting weaker, but I do like that they'll send me extra DVDs if the top item in my queue has a long wait.

[Nate]

Green Shirt wrote:

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Blockbuster has gotten pathetic over the past year. They have long been accused of taking their time with shipments to customers who have a fast turn-around time (which is true in my case). Plus, they started counting the free store rentals I took home in exchange for the mailed ones in the "at home" section, which further slowed the process.

I experienced the same thing, Blockbuster would receive a returned movie on Tuesday and not ship the next title until Friday or the next Monday. I switched to Netflix in October and like it better than BB.

I am on a two at a time plan, and most ship from Richmond, VA (the closest mailing center to me). I was surprised last week however, when I had two movies out already, and Netflix sent me an email stating they had located a copy of the movie that was listed #1 in my queue at another distribution center. When I got it the return address was in Tacoma, WA.

I returned one of my movies yesterday (one that came from Richmond), and they shipped a replacement, so basically right now they're giving me three movies out on a two movie plan.

[Temis the Vorta]

Witterquick wrote:

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Good for you Temis. How do you create a new phantom user? I couldn't find a link anywhere on the site. Maybe it's because I'm not a real member yet? The box was pretty boring by the way.

Go to Your Account at upper right on the screen.
Scroll to the bottom and click Account Profiles.
Click Add Profile.

It doesn't matter what the profile name is, since you can have the DVDs sent to your address under your name (as though you're the parent and the second profile is a child.)

What I do is keep all my DVDs in my original profile except for the long-waited ones, which I put in my second profile (just six or so). I assign all my DVDs to the second profile and use the first one to keep track of everything.

When I want a new release coming out on Netflix, I hold back a DVD and send it in either late Friday or the Saturday before the release. Then I will have an open spot first thing on Monday when they are divvying out who gets the new releases that arrive in the Tuesday mail.

The problem with that strategy is that you end up paying more per-DVD for the "benefit" of getting the titles sooner. The name of the game here is to not pay more, and still get what you want. Don't just give in to what Netflix wants you to do!

[Gary Mitchell]

Temis the Vorta wrote:

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Go to Your Account at upper right on the screen.
Scroll to the bottom and click Account Profiles.
Click Add Profile.

It doesn't matter what the profile name is, since you can have the DVDs sent to your address under your name (as though you're the parent and the second profile is a child.)

What I do is keep all my DVDs in my original profile except for the long-waited ones, which I put in my second profile (just six or so). I assign all my DVDs to the second profile and use the first one to keep track of everything.

The problem with that strategy is that you end up paying more per-DVD for the "benefit" of getting the titles sooner. The name of the game here is to not pay more, and still get what you want. Don't just give in to what Netflix wants you to do!

There is no problem with this strategy if you're finished with one of your rentals on Saturday.

[Temis the Vorta]

Or Friday night. I never watch movies during the day. But I always send stuff back asap, regardless of when I watch it.

[rramarr]

Netflix sucks unless it's old and/or unpopular. The view it now option through the internet or console such as Xbox is a joke unless you are interested in something old as dirt. You cannot even view new releases that are not popular through the instant viewing option. Maybe those with a more favorable experience live in areas without a major city nearby therefore not as much competition in requesting DVDs. I am serviced through the Orlando center which also serves Tampa Florida - Good luck on getting any new release in the same month.

[RoJoHen]

rramarr wrote:

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Netflix sucks unless it's old and/or unpopular. The view it now option through the internet or console such as Xbox is a joke unless you are interested in something old as dirt. You cannot even view new releases that are not popular through the instant viewing option.

Most of this is a lie.

[Professor Zoom]

rramarr wrote:

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Netflix sucks unless it's old and/or unpopular. The view it now option through the internet or console such as Xbox is a joke unless you are interested in something old as dirt. You cannot even view new releases that are not popular through the instant viewing option. Maybe those with a more favorable experience live in areas without a major city nearby therefore not as much competition in requesting DVDs. I am serviced through the Orlando center which also serves Tampa Florida - Good luck on getting any new release in the same month.

This is wrong. Or dirt is an exaggeration. I've caught up with Califorincation and 30 Rock. Hardly old as dirt.

And, just looking now, The Proposal, Julie and Julia, Angels and Demons are available for watch now. Hardly as old as dirt.

[RoJoHen]

^Exactly.

I got caught up on 30 Rock, The Office, the new Doctor Who, and the latest season of LOST all by watching instantly. I've also got even more new shows in my queue waiting to be watched: (Bones, 24, Primevil, etc.).

[Star Wolf]

Nerys Myk wrote:

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My "local" warehouse is about three hours from where I live. So I have a good turnaround. If I play it right I can turn and burn three or four films a week.

Postman hat on

Three hours or hundreds of miles it should not matter. Each Netflix warehouse is on a next day deliver schedule to its area through the postal service. Occasionally an address will be misread and routed to the wrong route or a carrier error will see it delivered to a next door neighbor which will cause a delay.

If Netflix has to ship from another warehouse which often happens with the more niche market and foreign titles it will take a couple of days but they send an email informing you that they had to ship from somewhere else..

Although the service is supposed to be universal some piggies are more valuable then others mail wise.

[Temis the Vorta]

RoJoHen wrote:

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Most of this is a lie.

I dunno, it corresponds pretty closely to my experience (in San Francisco - maybe living in the sticks helps?) Add the problem that Netflix will deliberately withhold the good stuff as punishment if you're smart enough to realize, the name of the game is rapid rate of turnover of DVDs. They selectively want to winnow out customers like me that they are losing money on, and keep the laggards that they make the most profit from.

I've caught up with Califorincation and 30 Rock. Hardly old as dirt.

TV series aren't as bad as new movie releases - summer blockbuster type films are by far the worst. 30 Rock is on network TV, so probably isn't in huge demand. HBO/Showtime are worse, since people who don't subscribe can only see it on DVD. When the new season of something like The Tudors, Big Love and Entourage pops into my regular queue, the first disk is usually Long Waited, but it's the honest Long Wait that corresponds to Netflix's own stated policy, not the bullshit three-months Long Wait.

The main annoyance is, you gotta be careful or you end up getting disk 2 first. Netflix needs to institute a feature for TV series where you can link DVDs so that you can't get disk 2 before disk 1, etc.

And, just looking now, The Proposal, Julie and Julia, Angels and Demons are available for watch now.

I got over 200 DVDs in my queue but not those. Because I heard they suck. New stuff that isn't popular doesn't get Long Waited.

For instance, I have The Informant!, Afghan Star, Gamer* and Departures in my "regular" profile - all recent, none Long Waited. They are too obscure, foreign and/or sucky to be in demand.

*I know it's bad! I know! I know! I want to see it anyway, just to laugh at how bad it is. Milo Ventimiglia's "performance" alone is reportedly worth the rental.

[RoJoHen]

Temis the Vorta wrote:

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I dunno, it corresponds pretty closely to my experience (in San Francisco - maybe living in the sticks helps?) Add the problem that Netflix will deliberately withhold the good stuff as punishment if you're smart enough to realize, the name of the game is rapid rate of turnover of DVDs. They selectively want to winnow out customers like me that they are losing money on, and keep the laggards that they make the most profit from.

I dunno, for a while I was on the 3 disc plan and would go through 9-12 discs a week, and I never once had trouble getting the discs I want.

However, since the instant library continues to grow (a bunch of new stuff got added earlier in the week), I find myself using that a whole lot more. As others have said, I'd strongly suggest getting a device that allows you to play it on your TV (I use PS3). The quality is just as good as a DVD.

Also, I'd hardly call Chicago "the sticks."

[Temis the Vorta]

That wouldn't solve my problem - the stuff that gets wait-listed for three months is never the stuff that is instantly viewable. It's only the big Hollywood releases of the Inglourious Basterds type that get hung up.

I could just admit defeat and watch all the obscure/foreign/sucky movies and TV shows in my queue and not worry about the four or five titles that never get sent to me, but I'm curious what the cause is.

If you return movies quickly, are in a major market, and never have problems receiving new Hollywood blockbuster type movies immediately, then maybe my theory is wrong. Further experimentation is required!

[RoJoHen]

The only thing that I have ever had wait-listed was "The Hangover" when it first came out because of its unexpected popularity. I ended up seeing it by other means the following day, so I took it off my queue. Otherwise, I've never had any trouble with new releases, and I am definitely a power user.

You might just want to call them up and see what's going on. They have excellent customer service reps.

[Temis the Vorta]

You might just want to call them up and see what's going on. They have excellent customer service reps.

Already did that. I got through quickly, the guy was nice but he had no solution to my problem. Either he couldn't solve my problem, or he wouldn't. He didn't explain "what was going on." Either he didn't know, or he wouldn't admit it. I suspect the latter, since he made an oblique comment about Netflix needing to "change its business model." He also said they'd had "problems" with Inglorious Bastards in particular. No elaboration there, either. The pauses in the conversation strongly suggested he'd been told just what to say and what not to say.

So there seems to be a lot more going on behind the scenes at Netflix than they will admit, and could be something that people haven't even theorized about in this thread. Either way, I don't regard customer service as "excellent" unless they solve my problem, so as far as I'm concerned, they get an F for customer service.

The Hangover was long-waited for me, too. Maybe my problem is that I put every movie that turns out to be in demand in my queue, whereas other people just put a couple. Also, I never see movies "by other means" because I am totally pigheaded and DEMAND that Netflix send me the damn movie like they're supposed to!