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http://blog.netflix.com/2011/07/netflix-introduces-new-plans-and.html


Netflix raised the cost of my plan by $1 less than a year ago and now they are wanting me to pay another $6 to keep the same plan I already have! I understand that occasionally prices change but this is getting stupid. I don't use the DVD rentals very often but I enjoy having the option becuase I like renting older anime, and movies that are not available for streaming and are to old for RedBox.

Just saw you post that on Google+. Ugh. We will probably keep doing it but it sucks pretty hard.

This is just what I was looking for on here. Makes sense that they are changing their structure, but they aren't giving any discount to keeping both plans. $8 for either DVD or Streaming, or $16 to have both... make having both a little cheaper than the this or that option and you'll make more money all around.

I remember that some cable company (comcast I think) was challenging/throttle Netflix stream due to high bandwidth usage. I guess Netflix is going to pay the fee and pass the cost to the users.

Figures, just as I was about to actually sign up for an account.

We rarely use the DVD service. If they had raised the whole thing buy a buck or two they would get a little more money out of me to keep the option. I'll be dropping the DVD's and I bet I won't be the only one.

I know this is going to sound funny, but ever since I switched to Blockbuster (there's 2 shops within 10 miles of my place) I couldn't be happier. I've lost the ability to steam movies (which is never a problem because I just alternate my dvds) at the store for .50-1.00 and to be honest the Netflix instant stream selection has been poor for over a year. Also with BB I get games for just about the same price as I got Netflix:

https://www.blockbuster.com/signup/m/plan/

So yeah I have the 1 dvd 1 game plan. I have a new release game at home all the time, as well as alternating new release bluray. If there's something old I want to watch, I drive 5-10 mins, go to the store and get 4-5 blurays for .50-$1.00 a piece.

For me what sold it, was that I could get games AND Blu-Ray movies, basically a combo of Gamefly/Netflix without the streaming movies. Oh yeah, and the fact that most new releases are out at BB a full month before Redbox or Netflix. If they added streaming to membership instead of a Per Movie Basis, they'd destroy Netflix at this point, but then again, they'd have to raise their prices.

I might be reading it wrong but it seems just streaming is actually going to be cheaper?

Of course...and it should. No inventory costs, multiple rentals of the same movie at the same time, cutting out of postage costs. It's a total win for them. In fact, they are overcharging. It's a real cash cow for them.

Dropping DVDs.

Yeah im going to switch to just streaming which is all I do anyway.

Espy said:

We rarely use the DVD service. If they had raised the whole thing buy a buck or two they would get a little more money out of me to keep the option. I'll be dropping the DVD's and I bet I won't be the only one.

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That's what I've been thinking. If it's a new movie that's not on the instant stream I want to watch bad enough I can just go to Red Box and pay $1.

I must admit I'm somewhat surprised that there is no discount for both, I would have bet that they would have made it some bundle deal, not $2 more but maybe something like $13.98 for both plans.

Bummed, but I will also be dropping the DVD. We watch the stream far more often.

I've had the cheapest DVD+streaming plan for a while. When I moved internationally, it was useful in that I had the DVD sent to my mom and streamed overseas to my laptop with a VPN, though very rarely. My style of use is something Netflix probably hated, as people probably lent their streaming password to overseas relatives. I'll probably drop the streaming, as I rarely used it, and keep the one at a time mailed DVD. If there is no contract, I can sign back up for streaming, one month at a time, when I know I want to watch something, then cancel it when the month is over.

The old deal was good for us, but netfliz was obviously having problems keeping good movies in "stock" in its streaming service. I expect they will use this cost increase to increase availability of streaming movies.

We use redbox even on the DVD plan, and if it weren't for streaming we wouldn't be using netflix anyway.

So I hope they use this service change well, and give me more streaming movies, and if so I won't miss the DVD service, except for the fact that the streaming service is obviously inferior (no surround sound, low quality picture).

But I have redbox and blueray if those things are that important to me.

Just dropped my Netflix subscription and signed up for a free month trial membership to Amazon Prime to check out there selection. Honestly, I wouldn't have minded so much paying the extra amount for Netflix if they hadn't tried to pass this increase off as their lowest prices ever and a great benefit to customers. Just come out and say that you need more money to offer better selection and be honest, don't try to convince me that doubling my current monthly rate is a new low price.

Also, it would have helped if I'd been able to watch anything I wanted to watch online/on my gaming console, and if my viewing experience didn't go:
GUN FIGHT buffer dialog buffer CAR CHASE buffer missing audio buffer ACTION SCENE...

Wait, we get streaming movies from Amazon Prime? I've had that for seven months!

The US does, not sure where you are, and I'm not sure about anywhere outside the US.

The Amazon Prime eligible selection looks awful.
Added at: 18:25

Quotemander Prime said:

Wait, we get streaming movies from Amazon Prime? I've had that for seven months!

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Also, the student and mom versions of Amazon prime are not eligible for free streaming videos.

They got Pushing Daisies. Holy crap!

Wasn't Netflix hoping to get more people to use their streaming service because it was at a lower cost to them? Maybe this is what they are hoping will happen with this new strategy. Honestly most people, if they decide to choose just one of the two plans, will go with streaming and just use redbox (as stated above) for their DVD needs. I believe this is their plan: 1) "force" people to make a choice, knowing that most will choose the streaming plan and the, 2) just get rid of the DVD option all together, stating that there was not enough DVD only subscribers to keep the plan viable.

That's kinda dumb.

As for Netflix selection I will say that I enjoy
It for watching nerd tv. It has all of Buffy the vampire slayer, and ALL of star trek except for DS:9 for some reason. Pretty sure it all all of the stargates too. Plus firefly.

phil said:

That's kinda dumb.

As for Netflix selection I will say that I enjoy
It for watching nerd tv. It has all of Buffy the vampire slayer, and ALL of star trek except for DS:9 for some reason. Pretty sure it all all of the stargates too. Plus firefly.

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Having all of Star Trek except for DS:9 is kinda like having all the burger except for the meat.

no ds9!? i was going to check that tomorrow. dang it

Welp, no DS9, no reason to even check it out. By far my favorite Trek series.

I've heard they went with this new pricing structure because people with streaming were sitting on DVDs for too long.

ive had mine for three months >.>

That's still all of TOS and TNG!

City on the edge of forever!
Trouble with Tribbles!
The introduction of the Borg AND Q!
The one where they tell Wesley to shut up!

I don't even know you people anymore.

data's day

The Offspring.

Spock's Brain

oo family..

Star Trek - Not available in NetFlix Canada streaming.

aww *pats Adammon on the back* poor canadalandian.

Darmok!

Gusto said:

Darmok!

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I'm watching that one RIGHT NOW!

phil said:

I'm watching that one RIGHT NOW!

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Good man!

Suketh! His eyes uncovered!

nerds.

^_^

Gusto said:

Good man!

Suketh! His eyes uncovered!

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Temba, his arms wide!

figmentPez said:

I've heard they went with this new pricing structure because people with streaming were sitting on DVDs for too long.

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Actually that doesn't make any sense. I would think Netflix would LOVE people to sit on a disc for as long as they want.

I've had the 3-at-a-time plan for a couple of years. 99% of what I get from them I rip & send the disk back the next day unwatched. Depending on available disk space & laziness, I would get 3 disks in the mail monday, drop them in the mail on the way to work Tuesday, & have 3 more disks on Thursday. Drop those in the mail Friday & repeat. That's 24 disks a month. 24 x postage both ways. 24 x handling & processing.

On the other hand, due to a lengthy stretch of apathy, I had the same 3 discs for the last 8 months. Discounting the $8/mo streaming portion, that means I paid $14 a month to keep the same 3 discs. You'd think at some point they'd send me an email saying "You know what? They're yours now. We'll send you the cases & the next 3 on your list". But no, they didn't. I returned them a few weeks ago & they sent the next 3 on my list, with no other comment.

This is purely an pre-emptive adjustment for expected higher costs. Its been less than a week since Sony pulled most of their offerings from the availability list. Netflix's position here is similar to Southwest Airlines. They were visionaries & locked in a long term deal for a very low price. Now the studios want a bigger piece of the pie, & Netflix is going to have to pay it & pass it along to the customer.

Long story short - I'm probably going to drop down to 2 discs at a time.

What he said. Studios see success and want a bigger cut. Honestly, we do three discs at a time now to see things not available and use streaming for TV shows, but I'd cut the discs before I cut the streaming. Being able to bring something up to watch basically anywhere is worth is for me.

redthirtyone said:

Actually that doesn't make any sense. I would think Netflix would LOVE people to sit on a disc for as long as they want.

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My guess, and I could be wrong, is that inventory management is much more difficult with slow return times. The cost of sending and returning discs for heavy users may be greater, but when the discs are coming and going regularly I assume it's easier to know how many copies of any given film to buy. If 100 people sit on their copies of "Megahit Movie" and that's out of 1,000 copies, that's no big deal. If 50 people sit on "Obscure Art Film" and that's out of 100 copies total, that will really lengthen the queue time. The lower shipping costs probably can't offset buying extra copies of every single film.

Actually, this is really good for me. I'm about to pay less for the service I primarily use and drop the one I don't.