So I cancelled Netflix today.

[darkshadow0001]

The past year 80% of my discs has been badly scratched or cracked. The first FIVE years most of the time was fine. I've had more then one cracked disc... I'd say at least 7 or 8.

That sounds like someone is tampering with your mail.

This past year-to-date I've not had one bad disc, scratched too bad to play or cracked. Not one and I go through a lot of discs. Something does sound suspect here. Do you have a roommate or someone who might want to screw with you?

With an unstable job I can see cancelling Netflix or any WANT. I've nearly stopped getting any monthly comics the last two years, instead waiting on collected editions which can then be found themselves discounted.

It's probably just the distribution center. Granted, not every disc was bad, but it seems like I had more now then before. Some distribution centers for Netflix probably just are better then others. I may decide to go back to it, depending on my financial situation. If I did go back to it, like this month, would they charge me for a whole new month or would that wait until the beginning of the month as usual? Or would it be better to wait until December or something if I decide to return?

 

[Snaploud]

I'm on the unlimited one-at-a-time plan, and that's going up $1 per month, which isn't that bad. However, I'm annoyed that the only cheaper option I've been offered is unlimited instant viewing but no DVD rentals. I don't have the bandwidth for instant viewing to be practical, so I wish they'd offered me the reverse: a cheaper plan that's all DVD rentals and no instant viewing.

Go to the account section. Go to change membership. There's an option at the bottom.

1 DVD at a time (limit 2 rentals a month) (watch instantly up to 2 hours a month on your pc or mac--no netflix ready device or Starz) for $4.99 a month

You misunderstand my point. I'm perfectly aware of that plan; it's the one I originally had before I chose to upgrade to unlimited 1-at-a-time. My point is that they sent me a letter saying they were going to raise the price for that plan by a dollar a month, but I could get it for a dollar less if I switched to unlimited online and no DVDs. And that's of no use to me since I don't have the bandwidth for online viewing, so I'm saying that I wish the alternative they offered had been the opposite, all DVDs and no online. But I don't want to drop back down to only 2 a month.

Fair enough. Your previous post indicated that you might not be aware of the $4.99 plan. Obviously, the $4.99 plan is not going to work if you send your one disc back more frequently than the $4.99 plan allows.

I suppose they figure that anybody sending netflix discs around that often would want access to streaming. It's also possible that they just prefer streaming-only customers and would rather all people eventually transition to streaming-only.

 

[KB24]

My husband decided to drop our discs down to 2 at a time for him and 1 at a time for me. We have the bluray plans and Instant Watch on the Roku as well.

While I understand that Netflix would need to raise prices- higher fees and rights, overhead, and whatnot- I'm surprised they did it. Do you want a less number of people paying more or do you want to keep your prices low and have more subscribers? With the success they were having, I would think they might run some sort of serious new sign up discount special to grab even more subscribers.

I like netflix a lot. Beats the old video store anyway, and you did get a lot for your money-especially if you are a household that uses streaming, multiple lists for each family member, and have a blu-ray player. If you're one person with no streaming or bd access, and everything you want is always on wait or unavailable then netflix isn't good for you. I often find I like obscure things that are often on wait or end up in my saved list, but if anything between both our queues and instant watch, somethings I have more shows then I know what to do with!

 

[Starbreaker]

$1 or $3 is not a lot of money for most people per month. Just work 15 minutes more.

 

[KB24]

I don't think its the money increase that upsets most, but as new folks come on and netflix gets fancy with the streaming, sometimes the service does suffer. We've had a lot of damaged discs- especially blu-ray, and we've wondered if someone's been in our mail as well.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

The price increase will just make me more vigilant about optimizing my viewing level so that I only have one disk at home at any given time - no more, no less. I calibrate it to what else is going on (other stuff taking my time/more or less stuff on TV worth watching). If I find I have more than one disk at home consistently, I bump the level down. If I'm going without any at home for a few days, I bump the level up.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

^That's one of the things I like about Netflix -- the ability to change plans frequently. I even put mine on hold for a month occasionally, and my queue is just sitting there waiting for me to come back. Love it!

 

[Star Wolf]

I don't think its the money increase that upsets most, but as new folks come on and netflix gets fancy with the streaming, sometimes the service does suffer. We've had a lot of damaged discs- especially blu-ray, and we've wondered if someone's been in our mail as well.

That sounds like someone is tampering with your mail.

This past year-to-date I've not had one bad disc, scratched too bad to play or cracked. Not one and I go through a lot of discs. Something does sound suspect here. Do you have a roommate or someone who might want to screw with you?

With an unstable job I can see cancelling Netflix or any WANT. I've nearly stopped getting any monthly comics the last two years, instead waiting on collected editions which can then be found themselves discounted.

It's probably just the distribution center. Granted, not every disc was bad, but it seems like I had more now then before. Some distribution centers for Netflix probably just are better then others. I may decide to go back to it, depending on my financial situation. If I did go back to it, like this month, would they charge me for a whole new month or would that wait until the beginning of the month as usual? Or would it be better to wait until December or something if I decide to return?

As a letter carrier my first thought is that your carrier is stuffing your mail box. Her has to take it out, as a letter and there being so many disc he doesn't want to waste time go to your door and/or leave a notice for it. And he doesn't want to leave it outside the box should someone steal it. If anyone misses a day picking up their mail the next day when he delivers, or even that same day with poorer carriers, crack goes the disc as the box fills up.

 

[Keith1701]

I used to have both Blockbuster and Netflix, and here's what I found:

1. Blockbuster is better for new releases, because the studios have special arrangements with them, and they exclude Netflix from those arrangements.

2. Netflix is more user-friendly. It has a better search feature, it's easier to play around with your queue, and so forth.

3. Netflix is probably still cheaper, even with the price increase.

4. Neiflix is faster. Blockbuster has a terrible turnaround time. You have to wait twice as long to get a new movie.

5. Netflix has the "watch instantly" feature---BB doesn't.

Bottom line---BB sucks, and Netflix rocks. I cancelled BB a while back, and I put 'Flix on hold, so I didn't know about the price increase, until just now.

I like Block Busters better, but I will stick with my DVR

 

[Lookingglassman]

I got "Legion" from netflix and was going to watch it until it wouldnt play because of scratches to the disc.

 

[Captain Craig]

Four pages and some one, one, likes BlockBuster better. I guess there's always one.

 

[Scout101]

I liked blockbuster just fine, and didn't have any problems with their mailing service or turnaround time. I even like Blockbuster's interface a lot better. Not so much for recommending things, but for making new releases easier to find (plus put in the queue for stuff coming out next week), and having a list of things in the theater now, so you can mark them for when they come out on dvd later. Blu-ray movies were also included for the same price, and new releases come out a month before Netflix has them. Can also get video games as part of the mailing price. All things in their favor.

On the other hand, it was slightly more expensive. Their biggest advantage was being able to trade in things in the store (and get a store movie free while you wait), but they systematically closed all the stores in my area, making that worthless. Didn't to much for streaming, think it was another couple bucks and not really promoted. Really, closing the stores is what killed it for me. Plus the ease of streaming to my bluray player with Netflix.

Sure, pros and cons to both, but saying either is all that much better is kinda fanboy cheerleading IMO. Or personal experience and small sample sizes. I was a blockbuster customer for about 6 years, got hundreds of movies, and never really had any problems...

 

[Starbreaker]

Netflix has the option to "save" new movies too. I did that with several things last year like Moon, which never played anywhere near me.

 

[flipjack]

From the articles I've read about this, Netflix is practically stating outright that the price increase is to try to drive people towards the "Watch Instantly" only plan. Apparently it's a better profit margin for them.

"We are now primarily a streaming video company delivering a wide selection of TV shows and films over the Internet," Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said in a news release.

 

[Scout101]

Netflix has the option to "save" new movies too. I did that with several things last year like Moon, which never played anywhere near me.

Yes, it does, but you have to search for the movie to save it, and know what you want ahead of time. Blockbuster has a tab that says "releasing this week", another that's "Releasing next week", and then a "In Theaters" tab. Using the In Theaters one, you could scan through those and save them quickly. Unless I'm doing it wrong, can't find anything similar on Netflix.

Netflix's definition of New Releases pisses me off as well. It defaults to showing a list of anything that's come out in the last couple years, rather than actual new stuff...

So yeah, while netflix is a good service, let's not blow smoke up their ass and pretend they are perfect and everyone else sucks. Blockbuster DID have some better features

 

[Timby]

From the articles I've read about this, Netflix is practically stating outright that the price increase is to try to drive people towards the "Watch Instantly" only plan. Apparently it's a better profit margin for them.

I don't have a hard time believing that; it certainly costs less to stream a movie than it does to maintain a physical inventory at distribution centers across the country and pay for the shipping and receiving costs.

 

[bigdaddy]

From the articles I've read about this, Netflix is practically stating outright that the price increase is to try to drive people towards the "Watch Instantly" only plan. Apparently it's a better profit margin for them.

"We are now primarily a streaming video company delivering a wide selection of TV shows and films over the Internet," Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said in a news release.

Well duh.

They have to buy dics, have a place for them to ship from and hire a few people to run the place. They then have to pay for shipping cost both ways.

 

[Snaploud]

Netflix's definition of New Releases pisses me off as well. It defaults to showing a list of anything that's come out in the last couple years, rather than actual new stuff...

Yeah, it would be so much easier if they would just let you sort the "new" releases by the date they were added to netflix.

 

[Starbreaker]

They do. You can search new releases from 1 week to one year.

Also, just added by genre.

 

[Snaploud]

They do. You can search new releases from 1 week to one year.

Also, just added by genre.

I'm not seeing that option. Where can I find it?