long waits on Netflix
- Thread starter Temis the Vorta
- Start date
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.
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.
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.
Or Friday night. I never watch movies during the day. But I always send stuff back asap, regardless of when I watch it.
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.
Most of this is a lie.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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."
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!
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!
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.
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!
Well, when I say "by other means," in this instance I mean my sister ordered it OnDemand from Comcast, and I happened to be around to watch it.
Well, Julie and Julia does suck. I haven't seen the others.
They just happened to be the first three movies I saw on the Watch Now New Releases section.
I chose the first three to show that "old as dirt" is a lie or an exaggeration.
Yeah, the only problem titles are the ones that are both new and highly popular mainstream movies like The Hangover. Those titles you listed aren't highly popular. The lack of popularity of Angels & Demons (which did decent box office) also suggests a refinement: that "highly popular" is according to Netflix's demographic. Not really mainstream America, but the snotty urban intellectual elite. If your tastes matches that groups', and you send back DVDs quickly, Netflix has got your number.
Unless you use the Phantom Profile dodge. Just returned another DVD, and yet another Long Wait "miraculously" became available.
Okay, I think I can declare the first phase of the experiment a success. Next phase: redistribute my DVDs from being 2 from the Long Wait specific profile to 1 for each profile. Will Netflix only send DVDs from my regular profile, or give some consideration to the "other guy"?
I had the movie Tron in my queue for a couple of weeks and now it went to Long Wait status.
Honestly, I think it all boils down to the Netflix scheduling system estimating if/when that title will be available based on current factors (ie sudden interest in scheduling, number of queues waiting, estimate turnaround time for copies currently rented, etc).
Honestly, I think it all boils down to the Netflix scheduling system estimating if/when that title will be available based on current factors (ie sudden interest in scheduling, number of queues waiting, estimate turnaround time for copies currently rented, etc).
RobertScorpio
Pariah
I had no problem getting ANDY WILLIAMS LIVE AT ALBERT HALL!!....You have to know that this title is on EVERYONEs must see list...
I have had no problem ever getting new releases from Netflix. Maybe its one of the benefits living in San Diego california.
Rob
I have had no problem ever getting new releases from Netflix. Maybe its one of the benefits living in San Diego california.
Rob
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