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Debbie, Blockbuster is MUCH slower in DVD delivery through the mail. Figure one a week even if you return the next day. IF you still have a BB store nearby, you can exchange as many as you want.
Not that much slower. It takes around 3-4 days to receive a movie currently. Under Netlix it is was a flat 3 days.
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Originally Posted by eevee
I wish people would stop acting so butt hurt about this netflix thing. Who on earth enters into a new service and expects prices to remain static forever? they messed up, sure, but why do people freak out when companies raise prices? nothing is static and companies do exist to make a profit and appease stockholders. evaluate the cost of the product with the value and if you find the value lacking, bow out- it's all voluntary after all.
This is why I and so many others (600,000+ people who exited Netflix totally). The History:
Early Dec/Jan - $1 Price Hike
June - CEO Reed Hastings starts selling off 5000 shares/week (i.e. max for CEO). To date, he continues this practice.
July/Aug - 60% Price Hike to keep both services
Sept - Disconnection of services. Example, I want to watch on streaming a movie. I search for it. It isn't available. It now no longer tells me if I can rent it for DVD. Instead, I have to go to a different website to search for it. That is just one example of this. Also, this month Hastings admits to arrogance during this process.
Now the facts...
Streaming has not been better in the past 1 year. In fact, it has been way worse. Sony Pictures pulled all content for a month. Starz/Showtime pulled their original tv series. Starz didn't renew their contract, which means end of Feb all the blockbuster movies from the studios goes bye bye. On the DVD front, Netflix refused to bend to the studios by extra money for new releases. Instead now they mostly are all wait 45 days to see.
You take it what you will but even Reed Hastings, the guy at the top, realizes it is a sinking ship. He is selling shares of stock like its on fire, further killing the stock prices. This will be a case study for years to come on how to tank a top business.
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of course, one would expect an increase of service w/ the price increase, but people need to realize that Netflix doesn't own anything it rents out or stream.
I am pretty sure they still own the movies they rent via disc. They used to sell the old copies via their website.
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frankly, I'm more pi$$ed off at studios who are trying to cash in on the popularity of streaming. they will keep raising the price for providers to stream their content and services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon will be the "bad guys" forced to increase their prices to keep the service going
Netflix takes in tons of money from streaming. Studios aren't stupid. Now they want their cut seeing the profit margins on streaming. Some companies like HBO saw it years ago and pulled from Netflix at that time and since has their own HBO Go and Cinemax Go. Some finally realize it like Starz and Sony. If Mad Men got a deal worth about $1 million per episode, shouldn't the studios that provide more content and better programs/money get more... So is the studios really to blame or is it Netflix for agreeing to such terms that set off this chain of events...
"Not that much slower. It takes around 3-4 days to receive a movie currently. Under Netlix it is was a flat 3 days." Our experience is different. It may have to do with postal routing, but 1 week turn-around for BB and sometimes able to get two a week thru NF. I'm not surprised that it varies from area to area.
Sony et. all. The issues are tremendously complicated. Distribution of films is a science. The studios have always been pushed by exhibitors to keep the window between first release and video release as large as possible. Quite literally, if the window was to go to 30 days for all films, just about every movie theatre in the country would fold up within a few months.
Any major piracy of films that happens during the first-run window is easily traced by cap-codes and other methods. That means the first window acts as advertising for a later video release, but advertising that MAKES money instead of costing it. The distributors don't want the movie theatres to go away.
Streaming throws a monkey wrench into the structured releasing - first run film, second run film, pay per view, premium channels/video release, general release. If piracy was completely eliminated as a problem, distribs might think differently.
All of the whole structure of movie release is based on the impatience of the customer wanting to see a hot product. A film has an extremely limited shelf life and use-by date.
Is there a good answer? No. The money will fight it out. The whole idea of getting people to pay large sums of money to watch colored shadows is pretty strange anyway.
Is there a good answer? No. The money will fight it out.
That's it in a nutshell.
I guess that's at least partly why I haven't quit Netflix yet. (And quitting Blockbuster back in 2004 was a VERY happy day for me.)
We're now, as media consumers, sort of in uncharted territory. We can prognosticate but nobody is positive what will happen.
Money, and the control of it, will determine the final outcome.
For us, my husband will never quit Comcast, so one thing I can do is watch my favorite shows (I only have a couple, but I do love them) on Xfinity.
Sony et. all. The issues are tremendously complicated. Distribution of films is a science. The studios have always been pushed by exhibitors to keep the window between first release and video release as large as possible. Quite literally, if the window was to go to 30 days for all films, just about every movie theatre in the country would fold up within a few months.
Any major piracy of films that happens during the first-run window is easily traced by cap-codes and other methods. That means the first window acts as advertising for a later video release, but advertising that MAKES money instead of costing it. The distributors don't want the movie theatres to go away.
Streaming throws a monkey wrench into the structured releasing - first run film, second run film, pay per view, premium channels/video release, general release. If piracy was completely eliminated as a problem, distribs might think differently.
This has no impact to Netflix, Blockbuster, Redbox, or any other film renting business as all these mediums only rent out movies that have already been released on dvd.
Yes, of course, money drives things. Blockbuster paid the studios in order to rent out movies upon their dvd release dates where Netflix said screw it and our customers will wait an additional 45 days while they can watch commercials about buying the product at their local electronic/target type store. This has again no impact on unreleased product to the home market since these DVDs can be purchased. Netflix rather wasted tons of money so someone can stream Mad Men episodes instead of giving quality movies.
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Our experience is different. It may have to do with postal routing, but 1 week turn-around for BB and sometimes able to get two a week thru NF. I'm not surprised that it varies from area to area.
When were you members? I tried Blockbuster years prior and found shipping issues but since I re-joined due to Netflix's greed I have found them to be a lot better. They have more distribution centers than they once had.
"This has no impact to Netflix, Blockbuster, Redbox, or any other film renting business as all these mediums only rent out movies that have already been released on dvd."
eeh-aahh-errr... Sorta right / sorta not. It gets too complex and in many cases I agree, so splitting hairs isn't the overall point.
Currently have memberships to both BB & NF. My experience is current. The BB distribution point is further, and the NF one is at the central postal distribution point for Alabama, where everything comes in every night. Just one of those variables. In Charlotte or Atlanta, I'm sure it would be different.
I am pretty sure they still own the movies they rent via disc. They used to sell the old copies via their website.
Netflix takes in tons of money from streaming. Studios aren't stupid. Now they want their cut seeing the profit margins on streaming. Some companies like HBO saw it years ago and pulled from Netflix at that time and since has their own HBO Go and Cinemax Go. Some finally realize it like Starz and Sony. If Mad Men got a deal worth about $1 million per episode, shouldn't the studios that provide more content and better programs/money get more... So is the studios really to blame or is it Netflix for agreeing to such terms that set off this chain of events...
Cockiness is a b*tch, isn't it...
to specify a bit further to avoid confusing, Netflix doesn't own the rights to anything it rents out of streams. it is their content. it's subject to the whims of the studios who produce the content, hence why they're forced to delay renting out new releases or can't stream certain items. Netflix doesn't own original content, though it seems like that will change soon when House of Cards comes out through their service
you must have missed the reason so many people are complaining. Netflix was NOT making any extra money in the beginning from streaming b/c the cost of streaming was added as a bonus to the DVD plans. if you paid about $10/month for the 1-DVD at a time plan, you got the streaming tossed in for "free".
the studios are to blame in that they have now seen the profitability of streaming and are trying to get more money for their content. the figures often touted on news sites if that Netflix may have to go from paying $200 million for content to close to $2 billion. you'd have to be blind to not see studio greed at play here. studios know that if Netflix won't pay up, then Hulu, Amazon, or Google will so they have more power in that regards. Netflix is like any company in that it must stay profitable, which is hard to do when the people you're getting content from increases their prices nearly ten fold
don't get it twisted, I'm far from some Netflix fan girl. The CEO f-ed up badly. If you had read my prior response, you'd see I have my own qualms about his most recent actions. But I'm not going to overreact by screaming how much Netflix sucks and how they're greedy and only in it for the money and so on and so on. 600k people may have left, but over 20 million have stayed on. for better or for worse, it is still the best service of its kind in terms of value and selection (plenty of sites have done comparisons with other services and Netflix always wins out). for that reason alone, people will hang in there for a bit longer, even through this debacle. and don't think that Netflix doesn't know this
600k people may have left, but over 20 million have stayed on. for better or for worse, it is still the best service of its kind in terms of value
I agree. I am also glad all those 600K people left, I hope more leaves so all those movies that I have not been able to rent due to being out will become available!
And at this point, I think even an elementary school kid knows how greedy the movie and the music studios have become. Capitalism at its best.
Perhaps Obama should "influence" them into helping with their donation for budget recovery?
I really like the streaming option. We don't even have cable anymore because it seemed like overkill.
I use the streaming only option as well. Can't beat it for $7.95 a month....can you? WAY cheaper than cable and better.
There IS a lot of competition out there, but Netflix does have a great people friendly site with good service and quality. I've had no billing problems or anything from them. I would hate to lose them as a service.
Cancelled today. I really liked Netflix for around three years. The DVD service was quite fast. When prices were raised, I quit the DVD part and kept streaming. For eight bucks, less than the price of a pack of cigarettes, also less than one on-demand movie from the cable company, it seemed a no-brainer.
Yet I have discovered that I almost never watch anything available from streaming. The content just isn't there. Perhaps one day all the good stuff that is on DVD will be available on streaming. But that day isn't here yet.
So while eight bucks isn't a lot, if I am never using the service, what is the point?
I'm noticing something disturbing with my Blockbuster subscription now. Some of the Brit-coms and Brit-mystery tv shows that were available a few months ago are no longer available. Either they are selling off DVD stock, not replacing damaged disks, or lost the rights. If it keeps up, I foresee the Blockbuster DVD selection limited to competing against Redbox. Not sure what I'll do (other than canceling BB) if that happens.
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