Netflix shoots itself in the foot... aka no more free streaming

[bigdaddy]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/12/netflix-price-subscription-plan_n_895779.html

Netflix has announced their new fucked up pricing model.

No more free streaming!

What made Netflix great is you can watch things online, mainly older things, and still get newer movies in the mail. That's all gone now.

This wouldn't be a big deal, but it's not like the newer movies are added to streaming quickly. Some are, but many are not. Until that is addressed I think this is insane.

This is just opening the door for other companies to come in, which is great because maybe then Netflix will get their had out of their ass.

 

[Kestra]

Oh Netflix, I Knew It Wouldn't Last

No, it's not going away! I'm just complaining.

I didn't see a thread about this, so apologies if there already is one. I got an email from Netflix today saying that they're dividing up unlimited streaming and unlimited DVD plans. So if I want to keep what I have now, I go from $9.99 to $15.98 a month. That's a steep jump for me, considering I've been trying to economize a bit.

I'm torn now. I like getting the DVDs, especially since I never go to the movies anymore. On the other hand, I definitely haven't been renting as many movies and I've been streaming a lot. I'm thinking about just going with unlimited streaming which is $7.99/month but I'm considering just cancelling altogether.

Anyone else hit with a change? Any decisions?

 

[Spot's Meow]

Yeah I was pretty irritated to read the email about it this morning. I really wouldn't care if there were more movies on instant. I mean, they have a huge instant library already, but I still have a great deal of movies on my DVD queue that they seem to have no intention of adding to instant any time soon. It sucks that I'm going to have to choose, because I can't afford to have both now.

 

[Kestra]

Man, you beat me by two minutes! I posted about it in my own thread but hopefully the mods will just close that thread. Here was my OP:

No, it's not going away! I'm just complaining.

I didn't see a thread about this, so apologies if there already is one. I got an email from Netflix today saying that they're dividing up unlimited streaming and unlimited DVD plans. So if I want to keep what I have now, I go from $9.99 to $15.98 a month. That's a steep jump for me, considering I've been trying to economize a bit.

I'm torn now. I like getting the DVDs, especially since I never go to the movies anymore. On the other hand, I definitely haven't been renting as many movies and I've been streaming a lot. I'm thinking about just going with unlimited streaming which is $7.99/month but I'm considering just cancelling altogether.

Anyone else hit with a change? Any decisions?

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Looks like this doesn't affect me since I only use the streaming and have never used the DVDs.

 

[David cgc]

I made a note to switch just before the changeover (I'll be damned if they cut off my service a second before their deadline), and I'm pretty sure I'll be going to DVD-only. I rarely used streaming, but it was nice to have.

I was pretty shocked by the change, too.

 

[bigdaddy]

Yeah I was pretty irritated to read the email about it this morning. I really wouldn't care if there were more movies on instant. I mean, they have a huge instant library already, but I still have a great deal of movies on my DVD queue that they seem to have no intention of adding to instant any time soon. It sucks that I'm going to have to choose, because I can't afford to have both now.

That's my main problem too. If they add a ton of movies to streaming on September 1, then maybe this works, but as of right now it's a total fail.

I go over my friend's dorm and we watch Doctor Who, and Dead Like Me and I was hoping when he came back in September we could then watch some Star Trek. Nope, not going to happen now.

It's what made Netflix special. For only $2 more you get streaming and discs. And dumbass company can have internet streaming, we have seen many fail at it, it was mainly do to Netflix being better.

Now they aren't better and some studios might see the weakness and start up their own service. Which is fine, but then there won't be 1 site with a whole bunch of shows and movies, there will be 18 with a few movies each.

 

[Kestra]

Looks like this doesn't affect me since I only use the streaming and have never used the DVDs.

Yeah, it won't affect you. I know that they need to turn a profit but after increasing the price last year, I'm not thrilled about this. I'll have to see what sort of cable options we get at our apartment in CA and see what makes the most sense financially. I want to have a way to see new releases but I've gotten less interested in movies coming out, so it might not be a big loss.

 

[Spot's Meow]

I think I am going to go with instant only, because that is what I use the most. And mostly for the TV series' they have on there, I hardly ever watch actual movies on instant. This just means that I won't get to see a lot of the newer releases since I can't afford to go see them in the theater and now I can't afford to see them on Netflix. Maybe I will Redbox the ones I really want to see. Or have to wait several years for them to show up on TV...sigh.

 

[Tan Ru]

Re: Oh Netflix, I Knew It Wouldn't Last

I think I'm gonna cancel my account with Netflix.

I don't like all the price-jump games they're having... In this Obamaconomy where one must watch their hard-earned denero, Netflix monthly fees are just getting too damn high. (just like cable)

Plus I've seen all the classics I want to see from the Netflix library and I could care less about new movies about giant space-robots, speedy Japanese tuner-cars and/or magical British children/teens.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Looks like this doesn't affect me since I only use the streaming and have never used the DVDs.

Yeah, it won't affect you. I know that they need to turn a profit but after increasing the price last year, I'm not thrilled about this. I'll have to see what sort of cable options we get at our apartment in CA and see what makes the most sense financially. I want to have a way to see new releases but I've gotten less interested in movies coming out, so it might not be a big loss.

I guarantee you there's no cable deal that will come close to Netflix prices. I view the Netflix streaming as basically on-demand TV service for $8 a month. There is really nothing out there to compete with it, unless you use a competing service like Hulu. Going to a satellite or cable system? Forget it. It will cost at least three times as much, and most likely more.

This is why I upgraded my Internet service to fiber (for less than my DSL bill) and jumped onto Netflix, instead of signing up with a cable service or something.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Re: Oh Netflix, I Knew It Wouldn't Last

I've never taken to streaming. I'll stick to the old fashioned DVD method probably till Netflix pries it from my cold, dead hands. 2x is good enough for me. I could probably downgrade to 1x, especially in the fall.

 

[Kestra]

Looks like this doesn't affect me since I only use the streaming and have never used the DVDs.

Yeah, it won't affect you. I know that they need to turn a profit but after increasing the price last year, I'm not thrilled about this. I'll have to see what sort of cable options we get at our apartment in CA and see what makes the most sense financially. I want to have a way to see new releases but I've gotten less interested in movies coming out, so it might not be a big loss.

I guarantee you there's no cable deal that will come close to Netflix prices. I view the Netflix streaming as basically on-demand TV service for $8 a month. There is really nothing out there to compete with it, unless you use a competing service like Hulu. Going to a satellite or cable system? Forget it. It will cost at least three times as much, and most likely more.

This is why I upgraded my Internet service to fiber (for less than my DSL bill) and jumped onto Netflix, instead of signing up with a cable service or something.

Oh, I think we're going to end up doing a combination of services and I just need to see what makes the most sense. Cable, or Netflix and Hulu, whatever works.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Yeah, it won't affect you. I know that they need to turn a profit but after increasing the price last year, I'm not thrilled about this. I'll have to see what sort of cable options we get at our apartment in CA and see what makes the most sense financially. I want to have a way to see new releases but I've gotten less interested in movies coming out, so it might not be a big loss.

I guarantee you there's no cable deal that will come close to Netflix prices. I view the Netflix streaming as basically on-demand TV service for $8 a month. There is really nothing out there to compete with it, unless you use a competing service like Hulu. Going to a satellite or cable system? Forget it. It will cost at least three times as much, and most likely more.

This is why I upgraded my Internet service to fiber (for less than my DSL bill) and jumped onto Netflix, instead of signing up with a cable service or something.

Oh, I think we're going to end up doing a combination of services and I just need to see what makes the most sense. Cable, or Netflix and Hulu, whatever works.

Become a total recluse! No more TV or Internet or phones! It's cheap and no one can bother you!

 

[Temis the Vorta]

I need to check my bill. Isn't the 2x DVD rental more than $12/month now? If so, I'm in luck since I've never bothered with streaming and don't really plan to anytime soon. I dislike watching anything longer than 10 minutes on my PC.

 

[Kestra]

Become a total recluse! No more TV or Internet or phones! It's cheap and no one can bother you!

I went through a period where I stopped picking up my phone (unless it was my parents, because they'd send out a search party). My friends got together and contacted my sister, who got a hold of me. There's no escape.

 

[bigdaddy]

They still should have a combo plan that is cheaper than just the two plans together. Something like $13 a month for both or $8 separately so you save a little and the price only goes up $3. A 60% increase for no added benefits (aka more movies and shows) is nuts.

 

[Skywalker]

I switched over to streaming-only last year, but I feel bad for those of you who were still using both services. Sorry, guys.

 

[Captain Craig]

I haven't been to my personal email so this thread here is my first news on it.

THIS SUCKS

I don't stream a ton, maybe 2-3 films a month but I like having had the option.

I'll just go back to disc only.

Them acting like the drug dealer who gives it for free then charges later isn't going to work on me. I'll just go back to discs only.

 

[RoJoHen]

Re: Oh Netflix, I Knew It Wouldn't Last

No, it's not going away! I'm just complaining.

I didn't see a thread about this, so apologies if there already is one. I got an email from Netflix today saying that they're dividing up unlimited streaming and unlimited DVD plans. So if I want to keep what I have now, I go from $9.99 to $15.98 a month. That's a steep jump for me, considering I've been trying to economize a bit.

I'm torn now. I like getting the DVDs, especially since I never go to the movies anymore. On the other hand, I definitely haven't been renting as many movies and I've been streaming a lot. I'm thinking about just going with unlimited streaming which is $7.99/month but I'm considering just cancelling altogether.

Anyone else hit with a change? Any decisions?

I think I might just go to Streaming-only for $7.99. I have noticed that when I do get DVDs in the mail, they sit around my house for a month before I ever even watch them and another month before I send them back.

I stream quite a bit, and they keep adding more and more stuff that I want to watch, so I'm definitely keeping it.

The price jump was inevitable.