Netflix to change policy: Bend over you are about to get double charged
#83
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Joined BlockBbuster online this month with their free trial. There is a BB near my church and work and the BB online allows you to have free unlimited rentals in store, as well as video game rentals (free online but small fee in store).
So far I've enjoyed watching a few new release movies not on Netflix (quickster???) or redbox, and definitely not on Netflix streaming. It has also been nice just to pop into the BB store and drop off my mail in movie and grab a new release right off the rack.
I also loved the fake apology that netflix sent. Summary: "sorry I did not tell you ahead of time, but not sorry for the changes."
So far I've enjoyed watching a few new release movies not on Netflix (quickster???) or redbox, and definitely not on Netflix streaming. It has also been nice just to pop into the BB store and drop off my mail in movie and grab a new release right off the rack.
I also loved the fake apology that netflix sent. Summary: "sorry I did not tell you ahead of time, but not sorry for the changes."
"I messed up. I owe you an explanation.
"It is clear from the feedback over the past two months that many members felt we lacked respect and humility in the way we announced the separation of DVD and streaming and the price changes. That was certainly not our intent, and I offer my sincere apology. Let me explain what we are doing.
"For the past five years, my greatest fear at Netflix has been that we wouldn't make the leap from success in DVDs to success in streaming. Most companies that are great at something – like AOL dialup or Borders bookstores – do not become great at new things people want (streaming for us). So we moved quickly into streaming, but I should have personally given you a full explanation of why we are splitting the services and thereby increasing prices. It wouldn't have changed the price increase, but it would have been the right thing to do.
"So here is what we are doing and why.
"Many members love our DVD service, as I do, because nearly every movie ever made is published on DVD. DVD is a great option for those who want the huge and comprehensive selection of movies.
"I also love our streaming service because it is integrated into my TV, and I can watch anytime I want. The benefits of our streaming service are really quite different from the benefits of DVD by mail. We need to focus on rapid improvement as streaming technology and the market evolves, without maintaining compatibility with our DVD-by-mail service.
"So we realized that streaming and DVD-by-mail are really becoming two different businesses, with very different cost structures, that need to be marketed differently, and we need to let each grow and operate independently.
"It's hard to write this after over 10 years of mailing DVDs with pride, but we think it is necessary: In a few weeks, we will rename our DVD-by-mail service to "Qwikster." We chose the name Qwikster because it refers to quick delivery. We will keep the name "Netflix" for streaming.
"Qwikster will be the same website and DVD service that everyone is used to. It is just a new name, and DVD members will go to Qwikster.com to access their DVD queues and choose movies. One improvement we will make at launch is to add a video games upgrade option, similar to our upgrade option for Blu-ray, for those who want to rent Wii, PS3 and Xbox 360 games. Members have been asking for video games for many years, but now that DVD by mail has its own team, we are finally getting it done. Other improvements will follow. A negative of the renaming and separation is that the Qwikster.com and Netflix.com websites will not be integrated.
"There are no pricing changes (we're done with that!). If you subscribe to both services you will have two entries on your credit card statement, one for Qwikster and one for Netflix. The total will be the same as your current charges. We will let you know in a few weeks when the Qwikster.com website is up and ready.
"For me the Netflix red envelope has always been a source of joy. The new envelope is still that lovely red, but now it will have a Qwikster logo. I know that logo will grow on me over time, but still, it is hard. I imagine it will be similar for many of you.
"I want to acknowledge and thank you for sticking with us, and to apologize again to those members, both current and former, who felt we treated them thoughtlessly.
"Both the Qwikster and Netflix teams will work hard to regain your trust. We know it will not be overnight. Actions speak louder than words. But words help people to understand actions.
"Respectfully yours - Reed Hastings, Co-Founder and CEO, Netflix.
"p.s. I have a slightly longer explanation along with a video posted on our blog, where you can also post comments."
"It is clear from the feedback over the past two months that many members felt we lacked respect and humility in the way we announced the separation of DVD and streaming and the price changes. That was certainly not our intent, and I offer my sincere apology. Let me explain what we are doing.
"For the past five years, my greatest fear at Netflix has been that we wouldn't make the leap from success in DVDs to success in streaming. Most companies that are great at something – like AOL dialup or Borders bookstores – do not become great at new things people want (streaming for us). So we moved quickly into streaming, but I should have personally given you a full explanation of why we are splitting the services and thereby increasing prices. It wouldn't have changed the price increase, but it would have been the right thing to do.
"So here is what we are doing and why.
"Many members love our DVD service, as I do, because nearly every movie ever made is published on DVD. DVD is a great option for those who want the huge and comprehensive selection of movies.
"I also love our streaming service because it is integrated into my TV, and I can watch anytime I want. The benefits of our streaming service are really quite different from the benefits of DVD by mail. We need to focus on rapid improvement as streaming technology and the market evolves, without maintaining compatibility with our DVD-by-mail service.
"So we realized that streaming and DVD-by-mail are really becoming two different businesses, with very different cost structures, that need to be marketed differently, and we need to let each grow and operate independently.
"It's hard to write this after over 10 years of mailing DVDs with pride, but we think it is necessary: In a few weeks, we will rename our DVD-by-mail service to "Qwikster." We chose the name Qwikster because it refers to quick delivery. We will keep the name "Netflix" for streaming.
"Qwikster will be the same website and DVD service that everyone is used to. It is just a new name, and DVD members will go to Qwikster.com to access their DVD queues and choose movies. One improvement we will make at launch is to add a video games upgrade option, similar to our upgrade option for Blu-ray, for those who want to rent Wii, PS3 and Xbox 360 games. Members have been asking for video games for many years, but now that DVD by mail has its own team, we are finally getting it done. Other improvements will follow. A negative of the renaming and separation is that the Qwikster.com and Netflix.com websites will not be integrated.
"There are no pricing changes (we're done with that!). If you subscribe to both services you will have two entries on your credit card statement, one for Qwikster and one for Netflix. The total will be the same as your current charges. We will let you know in a few weeks when the Qwikster.com website is up and ready.
"For me the Netflix red envelope has always been a source of joy. The new envelope is still that lovely red, but now it will have a Qwikster logo. I know that logo will grow on me over time, but still, it is hard. I imagine it will be similar for many of you.
"I want to acknowledge and thank you for sticking with us, and to apologize again to those members, both current and former, who felt we treated them thoughtlessly.
"Both the Qwikster and Netflix teams will work hard to regain your trust. We know it will not be overnight. Actions speak louder than words. But words help people to understand actions.
"Respectfully yours - Reed Hastings, Co-Founder and CEO, Netflix.
"p.s. I have a slightly longer explanation along with a video posted on our blog, where you can also post comments."
#84
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**** netflix for running blockbuster and hollywood video out of business, then pretty much pwning themselves.
i can only rent from redbox and blockbuster express. i have no more stores near me.
i can only rent from redbox and blockbuster express. i have no more stores near me.
#86
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I still don't understand why people want to say to themselves "Hey, I'd like to watch a movie," and then either
A: Drive to a store (or vending machine) where movies are kept on little round pieces of plastic, carry one or more pieces of plastic home, try to play it, discover that it is scratched, drive back to the plastic store and exchange it for a different piece of plastic, come back home, put the plastic into a box, watch a movie, and then drive the piece of plastic back to the plastic store the next day,
-or-
B: Same as A, only it involves the mail and you have to wait 1-2 days between the "I'd like to watch a movie" and "I am now watching a movie" phases.
A: Drive to a store (or vending machine) where movies are kept on little round pieces of plastic, carry one or more pieces of plastic home, try to play it, discover that it is scratched, drive back to the plastic store and exchange it for a different piece of plastic, come back home, put the plastic into a box, watch a movie, and then drive the piece of plastic back to the plastic store the next day,
-or-
B: Same as A, only it involves the mail and you have to wait 1-2 days between the "I'd like to watch a movie" and "I am now watching a movie" phases.
#89
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Yip, i dropped my sub around this time due to the price hike. I've now been a subscriber for the last 2 months again. I did it for House of Cards, Arrested Development, and Hemlock Grove..
******* got me.
******* got me.
#93
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yeah i just signed up again for arrested development and i can see top gear as a bonus. service had improved substantially since i got rid of it a few years back. currently watching AD season 1 in streaming in hd even though i have the dvds.
#94
Been happy with them for years, but I don't have cable or dish. Netflix is my TV, I download torrents for others stuff. Problem with Netflix is that they seem to be losing some good content to other places who are starting their own similar product. I will not pay $8 to five different streaming sites cause they went all proprietary on my and hoard their content like a selfish 4 year old.
#96
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Been happy with them for years, but I don't have cable or dish. Netflix is my TV, I download torrents for others stuff. Problem with Netflix is that they seem to be losing some good content to other places who are starting their own similar product. I will not pay $8 to five different streaming sites cause they went all proprietary on my and hoard their content like a selfish 4 year old.
It'd be a lot cheaper than what I pay the cable company.
#98
Boost Pope
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Location: Chicago. (The less-murder part.)
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Find me five different streaming sites that I can get through my Apple TV or another single set-top service that will consistently and reliably deliver all the content I am looking for, including new stuff from the networks, and I will HAPPILY pay them $35 per month for the pleasure.
And they're free.
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