Netflix Turns Focus Back to Disc

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by cds1834

I personally could care less about Netflix offering titles for rent the same day they are available for purchase.

Same here, been renting since the early 80's then purchased titles that I deemed worthy of repeat viewings (LaserDisc, βetamax, VHS, DVD, D-Theater and Blu-ray). Very few blind buys for me.

Folks that think they will see short window on Netflix for $8.00 a month is living in a dream world. Netflix worldwide subs is < 40 million, MVPD subs worldwide is projected to exceed 1 billion in the near future.

[chetripley80]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

There is a lot of info on cost per mile for transportation, I just used my AAA numbers for a sedan which was 60.8¢. You see, I had to purchase my vehicle, have it serviced, put a tag on it, cover it with insurance, put tires on, put fuel in it, etc., etc. Total cost ÷ number of miles = cost per mile, period.

It's funny how some people can be so completely ignorant and not realize what you meant. They've obviously never heard of mileage reimbursement.

[slick1ru2]

Originally Posted by octagon

According to all the articles you've linked DVD by mail generated profits of $109M in the second quarter of this year. If expenses increased by $4M that quarterly profit would have plummeted to $105M.

Ouch.



Speaking of emotional interest, why do you act as if a division that generates almost half a billion dollars in profit per year is some sort of albatross?

$100M+ profit per quarter isn't exactly a burden, is it?

You seem to not be able to see trends. Which one keeps shrinking and which keeps increasing? Which do they ignore and which do they promote? Which is expanding to new countries and which isn't? Which did 95% of the quarterly statement dwell on and which was mentioned in passing?

[The_Donster]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Queue management. I constantly shuffle things around based on my mood.

I always receive exactly what I want, exactly when I expect it.

In six years with Netflix, approximately 24 discs per month, I have received one disc one day later than anticipated. Once! And that was a USPS hiccup.

I hope Netflix never abandons physical media. For me it has been perfect. Convenient as hell, one day turnaraounds, and less than $1.00 per disc.

I think I learned this early on. I know this is something that Rick and I have discussed. Something that always baffles me is when Netflix announces something has dropped on streaming folks are *****ing about something else unrelated to that movie or series. If you are wondering when the next season of XYZ is going to drop you aren't using your que correctly. Between the 3 services I watch and the BD rentals through Netflix I always have something to watch.

[slick1ru2]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

There is a lot of info on cost per mile for transportation, I just used my AAA numbers for a sedan which was 60.8¢. You see, I had to purchase my vehicle, have it serviced, put a tag on it, cover it with insurance, put tires on, put fuel in it, etc., etc. Total cost ÷ number of miles = cost per mile, period.

Tell me, if you have a $60,000 collector car with zero miles you never drive and go to the video store one time in it, you are going to say your mileage rate is $10,000/mile (plus the cost of gas)? Or you have a car for 10 years, you adding up every dime you put in it since day one to figure cost per mile? For a six mile trip, you can use gas milage and gas price and be close enough.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by slick1ru2

You seem to not be able to see trends. Which one keeps shrinking and which keeps increasing? Which do they ignore and which do they promote? Which is expanding to new countries and which isn't? Which did 95% of the quarterly statement dwell on and which was mentioned in passing?

You honestly think they're 'ignoring' over four hundred million dollars per year? What could you possibly be basing that on?

Are you reading between the lines of a quarterly statement you've never even seen?

But maybe you're right. Maybe they think an extra four hundred million dollars per year are just four hundred million headaches they would rather do without.

That seems pretty stupid but I guess you never know...

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by chetripley80

It's funny how some people can be so completely ignorant and not realize what you meant. They've obviously never heard of mileage reimbursement.

Agreed. It is just basic four function arithmetic and record keeping. No algebra, trig, geometry or calculus required.

There is a reason why the IRS requires transportation record keeping if you use transportation cost as a deduction. Have not looked into this for several years now but quite a few years ago the IRS deduction was ≈ 53¢ per mile if you took the standard deduction.

[slick1ru2]

Originally Posted by octagon

You honestly think they're 'ignoring' over four hundred million dollars per year? What could you possibly be basing that on?

Are you reading between the lines of a quarterly statement you've never even seen?

But maybe you're right. Maybe they think an extra four hundred million dollars per year are just four hundred million headaches they would rather do without.

That seems pretty stupid but I guess you never know...

Here's the last letter to shareholders. You tell me how much they focus on streaming vs DVD. DVD is the red headed stepchild of NetFlix.

Have you already forgotten about Qwikster? The number of subs they have now for DVD is a fraction of what it was in 2011.

So tell me why they wouldn't sell it off while its still making money?

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by slick1ru2

Here's the last letter to shareholders. You tell me how much they focus on streaming vs DVD. DVD is the red headed stepchild of NetFlix.

Have you already forgotten about Qwikster? The number of subs they have now for DVD is a fraction of what it was in 2011.

So tell me why they wouldn't sell it off while its still making money?

Didn't know you were an Accountant Slick, you never mentioned it when I told you my occupation (same) Remember, you accused me of just looking at numbers when it came to compression? Anyway, learn something new every day.

[slick1ru2]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Didn't know you were an Accountant Slick, you never mentioned it when I told you my occupation (same) Remember, you accused me of just looking at numbers when it came to compression? Anyway, learn something new every day.

I went to school to be a CPA, but it was around the Arthur Andersen implosion so I stayed in the medical field.


EDIT: And I am married to an accountant.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by slick1ru2

I went to school to be a CPA, but it was around the Arthur Andersen implosion so I stayed in the medical field.


EDIT: And I am married to an accountant.

Ok, cool.

[slick1ru2]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Ok, cool.

At one point my wife was the cash manager for the company that owned Hawker, she made a couple trips over to their production facilities.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by slick1ru2

At one point my wife was the cash manager for the company that owned Hawker, she made a couple trips over to their production facilities.

Really? Interesting stuff.

[bruceames]

I agree you need to look at more than gas expenses in determining mileage costs. I use a nice round number of 50 cents a mile to estimate what I'm paying for certain trips.

I guess it's down to Redbox and Netflix now for disc rentals, other than the few B&M stores that are left. It's the end of an era.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Many years ago there was a large stockholder in Blockbuster that had a background in kiosk. He tried very diligently to get Blockbuster to invest big time in the kiosk business but they would not have none of it (Carl Icahn running interference?). Can’t remember his views on subs by mail.

It seems to me anyone with a pea brain at Blockbuster management during this time period should have seen the elephants of kiosk and subs by mail coming down the road from a mile off and jumped on it big time. They saw too late, jumped, missed the boat and sunk to the bottom. Too bad for them!

I just hope all the folks involved in consumer HDMI 2.0, HEVC and 4K don’t screw it up.

[The_Donster]

I definitely like the convenience of walking out to my mail box instead of standing in a line at the Red Box kiosk. Every time I'm at my local store I see a line and just want to shake them and scream, "Haven't you ever heard of NETFLIX?!?!? They deliver straight to your house and there is no time limit or sir charge!"

[rickah88]

Originally Posted by The_Donster

I definitely like the convenience of walking out to my mail box instead of standing in a line at the Red Box kiosk. Every time I'm at my local store I see a line and just want to shake them and scream, "Haven't you ever heard of NETFLIX?!?!? They deliver straight to your house and there is no time limit or sir charge!"

Exactly! Now that Netflix has boosted their BD output, I have a constant supply of BDs in my queue.
Now if the studios could just quit with the rental copies, I'd be in heaven. Unfortunately, that trend is definitely growing as Sony, with the last month, as gone rental copy on their releases.
Oh well, can't win 'em all.

[The_Donster]

I'm not a fan of the rental copies either. My first one was Bridesmaids, but my wife and I talked about it so much that I went out and bought it for our anniversary for her. Something that is frustrating is that some of the discs haven't been switched out to BD's. I keep hoping that they'll eventually get Ed Wood on BD, but by the time they do I feel it will be in my library. Like you said Rick, can't win them all

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by The_Donster

I definitely like the convenience of walking out to my mail box instead of standing in a line at the Red Box kiosk. Every time I'm at my local store I see a line and just want to shake them and scream, "Haven't you ever heard of NETFLIX?!?!? They deliver straight to your house and there is no time limit or sir charge!"

I think people thought, "I can pick up a movie while I"m at the supermarket/mall, that's easier!"
And I keep thinking "How it is 'easier'?...You still have to RETURN them!"

(The only time I do bother to physically return disks anymore is when I check them out of the local library--
Which, unlike Blockbuster, has just about half the 3-D movies I've been looking for, somewhere in our entire state system, that I've been able to rent for, um.....free. )

[slick1ru2]

Netflix's unique content is only going to grow, they have 4 Marvel series they just agreed to making. There are even reports of a pay tv channel that they are discussing with cable operators, direct competition to HBO.