Netflix price change

[cellio]

So Netflix just raised my subscription fee 60% (effective September 1). They did this by splitting streaming and DVDs into two separate plans, each costing $8/month, instead of bundling streaming with DVD plans as they do now. They argue that the price increase is due to the high cost of (and demand for) streaming (see recent news about them and Sony, for instance), but if so their pricing doesn't make sense. They didn't raise the price of the current streaming-only plan, and they are now asserting that DVDs cost $8/month to support (for one out at a time) instead of the $2/month suggested by the current pricing model. My current plan is $10/month for streaming + one DVD at a time. If streaming is $8 of that, then they have just raised DVD-rental fees 400%. (Ok, less half the overhead of having a customer account -- but I'm betting that's pennies a month.)

I, unlike others, am not looking for an alternate streaming service. Netflix has the largest streaming catalogue out there (though it has many deficiencies) and it already works for me. I want easy DVD rental because of those gaps in the streaming catalogue. What alternatives do I have for that?

Comments

[goldsquare.livejournal.com]

In my case, I use Dish Network for television, and it comes with free on-demand. Free is cheaper than what they have.

I'll be reconfiguring some hardware, and giving that a try. And there is still a Blockbuster nearby that has DVDs for a dollar a night, as well as Redbox for recent movies.

I only recently got Netflix (June). I'm horrendously dissatisfied with sound and picture quality, as well as having Sony movies yanked just as I started the service.

My solution probably doesn't work for you. But it's what I am going to try, before essentially paying nearly twice what I pay now.

[osewalrus.livejournal.com]

Few people are aware of how Netflix is being squeezed by the entertainment cartel on one side, and the broadband folks on the other. Netflix raised fees in part because of overall increase in license fees (much higher for streaming, which must be separately negotiated, than for DVDs, which are subject to the first sale doctrine -- once Netflix buys the dvd, they can rent it as many times as they want. NB: They pay a much higher price to purchase than for residential use, since the purchase is for public display.)

Meanwhile, usage based billing and metered pricing squeeze Netflix on the other side. That is why they are developing a low-rez version of the service (now available in Canada).

[thnidu.livejournal.com]

Here's an Inquirer article (http://www.philly.com/philly/business/125472228.html) that discusses the issue. You might get some ideas from it.

[dragonazure.livejournal.com]

We rarely rent movies. If we like something enough to buy it, we buy it. Otherwise, we borrow it from the public library. A LOT cheaper than any subscription service, and its an OK route to go if you don't care about being FIRST! or seeing stuff in the theatre....

[mortuus.livejournal.com]

I'll go the DVD-only route, so it actually ends up saving me a couple dollars. I've only used streaming a handful of times because most of what I want to watch isn't even available as streaming. If they ever reach a point where everything is available (and by then hopefully the streaming will be higher quality; it's pretty good now, but I've had a couple hiccups), then I'll reevaluate, but for now, DVD-only actually works best for me.

[miz-hatbox.livejournal.com]

We were already getting the 3-DVD plan and doing a tremendous amount of streaming, so the price hike is minimal to us. If we decided to drop a service it would probably be cable TV instead.

My mom, on the other hand, does not have a TV that is set up for streaming--anything they want to stream, they have to do it on their computer--so they're going to disk-only.

[mbarr.livejournal.com]

I'd much prefer the $1 or $2 dollar per dvd, along w/ a fee for running the account. Maybe 2 dollars. I'd be better off because we barely watch the DVD's as is.

Of course, we were watching through B5. Now we'll have to get them shipped, unfortunatly.

(I've seen it already, but T hasn't.)

[http://users.livejournal.com/merle_/]

I'm switching to just streaming. It's nowhere near as good -- for example, A-Team streaming has 80 episodes or so when there are really 100, and anything recent won't be streamable. But dealing with mailing things back is such a pain that there's no way I want the DVD-only plan. And if Sony wants to try to shaft them, I'll shaft Sony by refusing to watch their stuff and telling people why. *sticks out tongue* Pffft!