Netflix raises rates, irks subscribers

ap ^ | July 13, 2011 | MICHAEL LIEDTKE

[Dacula]

SAN FRANCISCO

[Tax-chick]

they pulled any access to anything but the first year of Doc Martin

I couldn't get into that ... there wasn't a single character that I liked even slightly.

[ConservativeDude]

Personally, I have two accounts (complicated...). On the account that was unlimited streaming plus 3 DVDs, I dropped that to 2 DVDs only and no streaming. Saved $10/month.

I’m ok with that...not sure how Netflix came out ahead in my particular transaction, however.....

[ctdonath2]

I just copied our two DVD queues, so I have the list of ~300 discs.
Short of finding a “must see” therein, I’ll switch to streaming-only tonight.

[TomGuy]

The Netflix Blog got 5000 comments yesterday, and it is accepting no more comments.

lol

http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=2765056849626104020&postID=6660458436715562257

People (including me) are not happy with this big increase (percentage-wise). They just raised rates in January.

I guess their stock price hitting over $300/share has given them the ‘big head’.

[ConservativeDude]

Blockbuster has a similar program for renting DVDs by mail, but it costs $11.99 a month. The good thing is they get a lot of the new releases almost a month earlier than Netflix, and if you live near a participating store, you can return your dvd to the store and select a new one up to 5 times a month.”

Wouldn’t it be ironic if after all this Blockbuster came out ahead, seeing as Netflix knocked it into bankruptcy?

[allmendream]

It is unfortunate that they didn't catch the customers like you who don't stream at all and send them a different e-mail.

It should be that if you don't do anything your bill will go DOWN - to just the mail no streaming.

As it is, when you do something, that will be to SAVE money.

It separated out the costs to make a more attractive option for people like you who don't stream - it just got sold wrong - and bad that the onus is on you to change it or your bill doubles for a service you don't use.

But it is saving me money - you also, either a couple bucks or all of it - depending on if you cancel. ;)

[momtothree]

“... if you live near a participating store”

I will say that we have a problem now living near a participating store. Use to have one in our main town but that closed. I have noticed a lot of the stores closing and the nearest available one to us takes a good 20 minutes to drive to (one way and not in rush hour). However, you are right about living near one and getting five turn ins a month. (plus, you get to keep that movie as long as you wish)

[aruanan]

Those who want to rent up to two DVDs at a time with streaming will pay $20 per month, or 33 percent more.

I selected this option at least a couple months ago. The change occurred before that.

[indubitably]

Got my email yesterday and was bummed. Netflix is kind of a guilty pleasure for us. I like the dvds, hubby likes the streaming. We tend to live pay-to-pay, so even though it has only been a lousy $9.99/mo., by jumping to $15.98/mo. - well, that’s over 100 miles in gas. Gotta cancel. We’ll get movies from the library.

[TomGuy]

Some alternatives:

Hulu/hulu plus ($7.99)

Amazon prime ($79/year) unlimited streaming, limited selection.

Google videos (TV/Movies section)

Fancast.com/xfinity tv

Crackle.com

Archive.org [classics/public domain movies and TV]

[jpsb]

I mostly watch regularly scheduled TV shows on major cable networks like FX, TBS, SCIFI, HISTORY, SCIENCE, etc. Plus cable news FBN, CNBC, CNN etc.

[IYAS9YAS]

well, that’s over 100 miles in gas.

With the average price being about 3.25/gallon, what do you drive/ride that gets better than 53 miles/gallon?

[cerberus]

I love Netflix streaming. In fact, I even turned in my cable boxes since I got it. It is actually worth far more than it costs (don't say I said so). I don't give a rip about getting DVD's mailed to me. I am currently on a free trial of Hulu Plus, but will cancel it because it is bug ridden and not at all user friendly (compared to Netflix). Hulu Plus freezes up and the interface and content are not nearly as good as Netflix.

Just my personal opinion, of course.

[Navy Patriot]

I've got Redbox and Blockbuster (4 kiosks within walking distance).

Netflix is screwed, I actually opened one of their weekly mailers the other day, and left it lying around. It's trash now and I won't be opening any more.

[TomGuy]

Jessie Becker, Netflix’s vice president of marketing, wrote Tuesday on Netflix’s blog that charging just $2 more for a bundled plan

For those already on plans, the new increases are more than $2; the increases are closer to $5.

Right now, I am on the 2-DVD+unlimited streaming for $14.99. Come September, that plan will cost $19.99. My calculator shows that as being more than a $2 increase.

J Becker needs a new calculator.

[basil]

Blockbuster went out of business here just about at the same time that Netflix came on the scene.

I don’t sit at my computer to watch a movie, ever!

We have Netfix on our big flat screen tv, and we usually pick a movie to watch every night if we don’t have anything better to do.

I don’t mind the increase in price—it’s still cheap entertainment the way I see it. We couldn’t go to one movie for the price of Netflix, plus you have to get in your car and drive to a theater.

I still think Netflix is one of the best bargains around, even with the increase in price. I will continue to have it on my tv.

We also like the older movies. There are very few new movies that we are interested in seeing. We have our choice of about 100 movies, including all the different categories.

[warsaw44]

Is that photo from the Back Bay Shaws in Boston?

[TomGuy]

I just copied our two DVD queues, so I have the list of ~300 discs.

I just moved several newer titles (most with 'long wait' or 'excessively long wait') to the top of my queue.

I hope they get the message. If they are going to jump up prices that much, they need to buy more disks and cut out the 'long wait' for popular titles.

[PrincessB]

I decided to go with the streaming only option. I use it far more than the DVD service because TV/movie watching is a last resort or last minute decision for me. I had a plan that limited the minutes of streaming and I got 2 DVD’s a month. I have run out of streaming minutes several times and end up going to Redbox because I have a DVD in limbo.

Once they unbundled streaming from DVD I did this and I feel like I get more “bang for my buck.”

[JoeGar]

I cancelled my Netflix last month. Their mail service got so bad it wasn’t worth it. I now just buy what I want “on demand” from my cable company.