Netflix changing price and plans

[Thiefami]

Just got the email about this and got on and changed my plan right away. Netflix is separating the unlimited streaming and unlimited DVD plan which was $10 a month and is charging $8 a month for each now, and if you don't change your plan they'll just put you down for both.

I can understand them wanting to make more money since they're a business, but I don't like these changes. I don't rent DVDs from them enough to where I would need both, and you can't choose unlimited streaming with the 1 DVD/2 month plan. I went ahead and changed to the streaming only since I use that a lot, but this change doesn't make me very happy.

How about they change the freakin layout back. The new one sucks testiclaus

[shaddix]

If you are going to dvd only, just use blockbuster instead.

[Baelorn]

Man, I'm surprised how pissed some people are over this. Netflix is still a pretty amazing deal even with the price hike.

Oh, and those of you saying they're raising the prices because they drove everyone else out, do some fucking research. They actually have more competition than they did before.

Pachter predicts Netflix's streaming content licensing costs will rise from $180 million in 2010 to a whopping $1.98 billion in 2012.

When streaming video was new, Netflix was able to secure contracts with the likes of Warner Bros. Studios and MTV to license big TV and film catalogues for about $5 million to $10 million per year. This time around, Pachter says, those costs could increase more than tenfold.

"The content owners realize they can't give Netflix all the leverage," he says. "Netflix had the power when they were the only bidder. But you don't have as much leverage when you suddenly have competition."

[Khamsin]

If you are going to dvd only, just use blockbuster instead.

Depends on how many DVDs you rent in a month. Isn't it something like 3 DVDs out at one time, and just mail one back to be able to get the next one from your queue, for one flat monthly fee?

[Dmitry]

Depends on how many DVDs you rent in a month. Isn't it something like 3 DVDs out at one time, and just mail one back to be able to get the next one from your queue, for one flat monthly fee?

Yeah you can turn them in whenever, as soon as they receive one the next goes out. While they don't have the best movies to stream most of the time, I can usually find something that could hold my interest long enough, but I also hate not finishing movies. It's nice to be able to watch things you might never have known about otherwise too, like a lot of anime I've been watching recently. Hopefully they add a better selection, but the amount of time I stream stuff makes this an easy choice.

[Pyro]

This is whore shit...

[SaviorSelf]

Saved me $2, thanks! <3

[TacoTaru]

The amount of mad on the internet over this is hysterical.

[Diamicles]

Jesus fucking christ, that's 50% more for what we used to have.

and without any sort of increase or upgrade to service, either.

I guess they weren't happy with all the money they were making by destroying the brick and mortar movie rental businesses.

Man, I'm surprised how pissed some people are over this. Netflix is still a pretty amazing deal even with the price hike.

Oh, and those of you saying they're raising the prices because they drove everyone else out, do some fucking research. They actually have more competition than they did before.

so, exactly who is their competition? Hulu? lolright. None of those other companies have the market penetration or name recognition that Netflix has, so in terms of competition, Netflix is dominant in their market, but still decides to raise prices for absolutely no upgrades to their service. Greed is good, right?

[MaachaQ]

If you are going to dvd only, just use blockbuster instead.

Does Blockbuster even exist anymore? Last summer when I visited my parents in the US, all of the nearby Blockbuster stores were closed or on the verge of it, and no other video rental chains had locations nearby. If my parents wanted to rent a move, it was from the Red Box machines at the grocery store... I couldn't talk them into Netflix then, and I certainly wouldn't be able to now.

[Silenka]

I just started a free trial of netflix, having never used it before, and I really like it. I doubt I'd even bother ordering DVDs from them, especially considering most of the experiences I have had with rental discs in the past ended up very unsatisfying when the last 30 mins of the movie would skip uncontrollably (I have a huge paranoia about used discs being scratched). I don't know how long it will take me to watch all the stuff I'm interested in on Netflix, but I'm really glad that their library of TV shows is so huge. I just wish their anime had a jp/sub option but that'll probably never happen =/ Anyway, having not had Netflix before, I'm perfectly happy with the streaming only and will be continuing my subscription after my trial is over - after all, anything I can't get on Netflix (insert piracy advocacy here).

[Xerlic]

For some reason, I don't really give a shit about paying 18 bucks a month instead of 12 bucks a month. It's only 6 more dollars. But, when I think that it's a 50% increase pretty much because they can, it gets me annoyed. Either way, I'm probably not going to cancel. We use both streaming and actual blu-rays enough to justify paying.

[Meresgi]

I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't show friends Leprechaun in the Hood every Halloween.

Personally I love the Syfy movies. There's some movie up there on the new releases that's like "Super spider vs Crockodroid" or something. I'll be watching that this weekend and getting drunk.

[Ragnus]

For some reason, I don't really give a shit about paying 18 bucks a month instead of 12 bucks a month. It's only 6 more dollars. But, when I think that it's a 50% increase pretty much because they can, it gets me annoyed. Either way, I'm probably not going to cancel. We use both streaming and actual blu-rays enough to justify paying.

^This. I dunno why everyone is so mad over this. Between Demonoid, Netflix, and Hulu+ I get everything I could ever want to watch for less than 30 bucks a month.

[thetruepandagod]

was reading this a month ago, seems pretty pertinent

http://seekingalpha.com/article/2706...p-for-disaster

[Ksandra]

Does Blockbuster even exist anymore? Last summer when I visited my parents in the US, all of the nearby Blockbuster stores were closed or on the verge of it, and no other video rental chains had locations nearby. If my parents wanted to rent a move, it was from the Red Box machines at the grocery store... I couldn't talk them into Netflix then, and I certainly wouldn't be able to now.

Blockbuster has a netflix equivalent which is how they're surviving. I actually may switch to that (I have to think on it), because not only are the prices going to be cheaper now with this change (if you want both streaming and DVDs that is), but blockbuster also allows you to do it with games which netflix lacks. Also, if you actually happen to have a blockbuster that isn't out of business (no idea where though lol) it includes 5 exchanges from there (basically 5 free rentals at an in-store). One of my old roommates had blockbuster and it didn't seem like they were any slower or faster about getting dvds to you. So really the only difference is the games and the price.


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

basically netflix streaming + 1 DVD disc = 16$ a month

blockbuster streaming + 1 disc including DVDs and games = 12$ a month

(not sure on rates for BB on bluray btw)


Come to think of it, this netflix change may be the best thing that ever happened to blockbuster. (I doubt blockbuster would try to match it considering netflix is probably raping them atm on subscriptions, so this could be a great way to put them on an even level). And the more I think on it, if you really are pissed about netflix doing this, switch to blockbuster for now. Neither netflix or blockbuster require a minimum month/year subscription, and that would give netflix the incentive to change their shit up.


[edit] hubby pointed out to me, one major downfall to BB is there is no current stream support on game consoles, so that's something to think about if wanting to switch. But again, considering there's no minimum requirement, if you're willing, I'd still suggest switching because if they get an influx of subscribers and they see that's what their customers want, it may get support later on. And again the idea is to not support netflix's price hike.


[edit edit] lol, doing more poking around, BB may suck as an alternative. I guess their subscription doesn't include streaming as that's a separate thing, and they still charge like $4 per item to stream (wtf blockbuster). So I guess it's only worth it if you want to do DVD onry, especially if you actually have an open BB near you or you want to drop a gamefly subscription. I did find out that they don't charge extra for blu-ray, though.

[Kaylia]

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaat? Damn. This is pretty lame. Looks like I'll be changing this to streaming only since that's the majority of what I use Netflix for. Out of the 7 months I've had it I think I've ordered 2 dvds through the mail lol, but it was nice to have the option to get the dvd if it wasn't available for instant stream.

Since you will be saving 2$ a months with streaming, why not pay another 8$ once every 4 months or so or something? Or am I missing something.

[richardd]

ya. well.

i'd pay them anything if they just had a freaking 'play all' option for their tv streaming shits. i hate having to move my indix finger to my ps3 controller and highlight/select episode 2 for abortion episodes of rocko's modern life. it takes the life outa me

[Fhloston]

Sticking with streaming. Pirating the rest. They better step up their fucking selection on the streaming side though. Some of the shit they add on there is really just wtf.

[Vuitton]

I don't even understand the DVD option tbh. You mail something in and wait like 4 days for the movie you want to watch right now to arrive?

4 days? I get them next day. If I returned a DVD in today's mail, they would receive it tomorrow, and send me my next DVD, which I would receive the day after that.