What the hell, Netflix?

[xannoside]

 I mean, seriously, what. the. hell?!

Ok, look.  I understand that your previous price-point might not have been ideal for you, that you were undercutting your own business with the smallest unlimited BD/DVD-rental plan being a $2 add-on to $10 streaming.  I get that you were contemplating a price increase already.

But raising your BD/DVD-rental plans by 400% *and* splitting it off from your streaming plan so you can charge people for *both* just feels like a price jack.  You say you want to accomodate the folks who want a DVD-only service, and that's fine.  But you do realize that those people will be paying less now, right?  Why would everyone else who doesn't want to change want to pay almost double overall so the first bunch can pay less?!

The very least you could do is offer a discounted bundle service.  $8 for either plan individually, but $13 (heck $14, even) if you get both.  It's not exactly unreasonable, and it's a still a higher price that what you were charging before.  And now, there's an actual clear value for people who might be interested in both.

Comments

[ivy03.livejournal.com]

Since I'm on a much bigger plan, the price difference for me is minimal.

I'm thinking that the recent increase in availability of streaming for TV devices has meant a huge growth in that side of their business--I can't really blame them for spinning it off.

[xannoside.livejournal.com]

It's the DVD plan that they're spinning off and charging the heck out of.

The streaming plan that is actually $1 cheaper now. And isn't your plan still going up by around $6?

[ivy03.livejournal.com]

It's only going up by $2. I have the four per plan--a result of the unemployment...I should probably ramp that back.

[bigscary.livejournal.com]

this is the situation I and Q are in -- she's on the 3-plan so we'll be paying a couple of bucks more, but might take the opportunity to drop to 2 and save, I think, a buck.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

I don't see what their price point is for the two-at-a-time plan, like I have on this release, but it was posted elsewhere. This is a $2-3 jump. I'm dismayed, but I'm also sure that this isn't just Netflix screwing people. My roommates feel differently; they think that now that Blockbuster is gone, Netflix is taking full advantage of having conquered the market and being the only provider. I think it's equally likely that this change reflects the fact that studios have been threatening for a year now, since their contracts with Netflix are coming to a renewal point, to jack up what they charge Netflix to provide content. Bottom line, even if it's more expensive for the same service, Netflix has to charge more because it gave away the baby and the studios aren't happy.

Of course, that sounds like me being a defensive fangirl of Netflix. Fair enough.

[xannoside.livejournal.com]

2 DVDs at a time w/ streaming was $17-18 before? Wow, the 1 DVD at a time w/ streaming went up by $6!

I guess it really does price out better at the higher volumes., I just didn't realize it started so fast.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

2-at-a-time is about $15, $16 after taxes. This will make it $18 before taxes, so a $2-3 jump, as I said. I'm sure they're not hitting the higher plans as hard because heavy users like that probably pay for themselves as is. My sister has, like, five-at-a-time, and I'm sure they return movies less often than I do. People with higher plans are lazier and more willing to pay, up to a point. Charge them more and they'll drop those premium plans in a heartbeat. So once again, the cheap option is screwed.

[xannoside.livejournal.com]

*wince* I checked out the current site, and 2/time is listed at $20.

It's a smaller jack then the real cheapies (me :P), but still pretty big.

You're right, it looks like the 5+ plans are basically unchanged.

[ecmyers.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I have the 1/time unlimited plan, and I'm not sure what I should switch to, if anything. I don't need more DVDs out at a time, when I can barely keep up with one as it is, though I use it more often when I have more free time.

It's still loads cheaper than cable service, but I wonder if I'd be better off abandoning the DVD plan entirely and relying on iTunes to rent movies--though I don't think their digital selection can compare to the physical media.

[xannoside.livejournal.com]

I am wondering that myself. The streaming plan is pretty good for $8, and I watch streams regularly. But my DVD rental habit is...inconsistent.

If I rent only 1-2 movies a month, the Netflix rental is totally not worth it compared to iTunes, Amazon, or Redbox.

If I go up to 3-4, though, it becomes somewhat more difficult to determine.

[negativeq.livejournal.com]

The problem I have with streaming is that the movie is not reliably available. The license to stream it can be yanked any time. This is why I prefer physical media, and still buy DVDs.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

Yeah, ouch. I didn't think it was going to be that high. Well, the question now becomes do I take this as a challenge--i.e. I keep the 2 discs at a time and watch more movies--or do I drop it to 1 at a time to save money?

[xannoside.livejournal.com]

I think I will need to radically re-do my queue if I keep 1 disk. I've noticed that I watch a lot more movies in a month if they're silly/bad/fun movies instead of cinematic masterpieces (just never in the mood to give my full attention).

With them raising the prices, I would need to start watching the heck out of my queue.

[negativeq.livejournal.com]

Same here! The more cerebral the movie, the longer it sits at home.

(Obviously not counting the rentals for work.)

[negativeq.livejournal.com]

Aye Aye.

I have maintained the 3-at-a-time plan because I am constantly screening documentaries for work. Many of these are not available on streaming, and streaming in a school building is risky for a variety of reasons. Depending on what I am doing, I can go through 3 to 9 DVDs a month.

The past few months my turnover rate has been much lower. I was planning on switching to a 1 DVD plan and be faster about watching it. Get more for my buck. However, with this price jack, I might be better off leaving my plan alone. I currently pay $21.76 after taxes - already an increase from the previous $18.50. According to Netflix, the price will jump to $23.98 in Sept. With taxes, that will be about a $4 increase. Marginally not as bad as $6.

I am not happy about paying more (AGAIN) for the same service.

You are right that people with higher plans are lazier and willing to pay to a point. I already feel like I am wasting my money! At least it is tax-deductible for me ...

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

If you feel like you're wasting money, drop it like a hot potato. But I'm crazy enough to possibly see this as a challenge. I'll see how I do with the first month. From there, I can modify it.

[firynze.livejournal.com]

But bundles are eeeeeeeeevil. The book industry says so, so it must be true.

Also, why bother listening to reason, rather than just trying to gouge people?

[moonlightalice.livejournal.com]

I'm incensed about this, too. The second price hike in 8 months in which I pay more for less service. I have the 1-at-a-time plan, which is nearly doubling in cost. Soon I'll be paying for that what I paid a year ago for the 3-at-a-time plan. No grandfathering? No bundles?

I'd do the instant only plan in, well, an instant, if their catalog were better. It sucks now. Things come and go unpredictably, and it's still only a fraction of the DVD catalog. I was watching Dexter and then poof, vanished. That's not a service I want on its own.