Netflix +$1 for Blu-ray access

[SpaceDog]

Dear John,

As you may know, Blu-ray movies are more expensive than standard definition movies. As a result, we're going to start charging $1 a month (plus applicable taxes), in addition to your monthly membership charge, for unlimited access to Blu-ray movies.

The additional charge for unlimited Blu-ray access will be automatically added to your next billing statement on or after November 5th, 2008 and will be referenced in your Membership Terms and Details. If you wish to continue getting Blu-ray movies for $1 a month more, you don't need to do anything. If not, you can remove Blu-ray access anytime by visiting Your Account at the Netflix website.

If you have questions about this change or need any assistance, please call us anytime at 1-888-638-3549.

-The Netflix Team

Talk about a dear john letter...
BLOCKBUSTER IS LOOKING BETTER AND BETTER.

[Chocolatejas]

$12 a year is not going to break my bank... They lowered my 3 at a time plan sometime ago anyway.

[aramis109]

Been announced for awhile. Ya know, I haven't tried Netflix but I love Blockbuster Online. If you have one near you, it can be a good deal.

My Plan:
$19.95 a month, 3 out at a time, 5 in-store trade-ins a month.

I'm not sure comparatively how that is to Netflix, but I love being able to drop off movies on the way home and pick something up for that night. It makes it a lot easier to get those "Very Long Wait" flicks as well. I use it for ONLY BD's outside of my kid's flicks.

[davidxiphoid]

I won't mind this as long as I actually get the blus I want in a somewhat timely manner. Up to now it's been very scattered. I get about half the day they come out and have to wait sometimes 3 weeks to finally get a blu thats on my list.

[SquidPuppet]

One Dollar? I'm OK with that.

[Groo The Perverted]

oh. So it costs more to ship Blus?

Oh well. I stopped using Netflix/Blockbuster when they kept throttling my account and shipping things from all the way across the country when there was a shipping place in my own town.

And then keeping them for a couple days before registering them as "returned"

[inaz4sun]

Got the same email. Now is the right time for me to cancel. I only have like 5-10 movies in my queue anyway, because I have either seen everything good already, and by the time I get the new releases they have already been on HBO. And I have about 120 HD movies saved from my Dish. So I'll cancel to tell them my displeasure, then re-up with BB maybe after the holidays. I can barely watch one a week as it is now, so while still cheaper than renting one at a time, when there isn't much out there that I am excited about just doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

[QwikSand]

$1 more is nothing and I will say with them. It obviously costs more to buy them and we all know that.

[Hawk]

Originally Posted by Chocolatejas

$12 a year is not going to break my bank... They lowered my 3 at a time plan sometime ago anyway.

Just curious. What did they charge you for the 3 at a time before this $1 increase? Thanks.

[ibeetle]

What a way to distroy Blu-ray Disc.
A potentially new Blu-ray customer is in Best Buy looking at players when the sales rep says too bad Netflix charges more to rent the movies over standard DVD's. It does not matter if it is only a $1.00. More is more in the eyes of the average consumer.

I love the great it cost more lie. When Netflix went live in 1997 the average cost of a DVD was $35.00. Today that cost is equal to over $45.00. Considerably more than a discounted retail price of a Blu-ray Disc today.

Quite simply put, adjusting for inflation Blu-ray Disc are cheaper now than DVD's were in 1997. So are the players, and Netflix has far more bargaining and buying power to negotiate better deals with distributors.

Make no mistake about it. This is pure and simple an old fashion money grab from Netflix.

Reed Hastings, Netflix's founder is on Microsoft's board. He has gone or record as saying he dislikes Blu-ray, he has gone or record as saying digital downloads are the future and he (bypassing his board by the way) signed a contract to provide content, exclusively to Microsoft through the XBox 360.

What if you don't rent any Blu-ray Disc this month? Heaven forbid something happen to your player but players do die, houses are broken into; A month may go by before you have a Blu-ray player replacement. For me, I have been catching up on Television series and reliving some series from the '60's and '70's. I have not rented a Blu-ray disc in well over 2 months (bought some, but not rented). So, just because I have even just one Blu-ray Disc in my queue I am going to be charged $1.00 extra a month. What if I watch that one movie? No high definition dvd's in my queue and yet because I did watch a Blu-ray Disc movie a month earlier I am still going to get charged extra... for nothing?

I didn't rent any Blu-ray movies this month... doesn't matter. But I have nothing to show for my extra $1.00... thanks for nothing Netflix.

[cnowels]

Interesting. I haven't heard anything from them about raising my rates yet. But I seem to sometimes get preferential treatment due to the fact that I've been a solid member for over 10 years. Maybe they'll grandfather me in.

[J.Cornelius]

Just received the following email from NetFlix. Just another cost of the rise!



As you may know, Blu-ray movies are more expensive than standard definition movies. As a result, we're going to start charging $1 a month (plus applicable taxes), in addition to your monthly membership charge, for unlimited access to Blu-ray movies.

The additional charge for unlimited Blu-ray access will be automatically added to your next billing statement on or after November 5th, 2008 and will be referenced in your Membership Terms and Details. If you wish to continue getting Blu-ray movies for $1 a month more, you don't need to do anything. If not, you can remove Blu-ray access anytime by visiting Your Account at the Netflix website.

If you have questions about this change or need any assistance, please call us anytime at 1-888-638-3549.

-The Netflix Team

[QwikSand]

I don't know everything about it but I do know that local video rental places say they have to pay full price to purchase from the studios, which is over $100 or used to be at least, for a dvd to rent out. Probably costs more for a Blu-Ray to purchase outright, that's my point. Full price to them is not full price to us.

[D1-2005]

I can handle $1.00, if it were like $5 I might have to be more concerned. I'm ok with a dollar as long as they use this towards getting more Blu's instock.

[MD-Blu]

Originally Posted by J.Cornelius

Just received the following email from NetFlix. Just another cost of the rise!



As you may know, Blu-ray movies are more expensive than standard definition movies. As a result, we're going to start charging $1 a month (plus applicable taxes), in addition to your monthly membership charge, for unlimited access to Blu-ray movies.

The additional charge for unlimited Blu-ray access will be automatically added to your next billing statement on or after November 5th, 2008 and will be referenced in your Membership Terms and Details. If you wish to continue getting Blu-ray movies for $1 a month more, you don't need to do anything. If not, you can remove Blu-ray access anytime by visiting Your Account at the Netflix website.

If you have questions about this change or need any assistance, please call us anytime at 1-888-638-3549.

-The Netflix Team

How much are they before the $1 increase? I might do that since my local video rental store don't rent Blu-rays.

[nbxfan]

Just got my e-mail as well. I don't think the $1 increase is that big of a deal. The one thing that would be nice is getting the movies quicker rather than the constant "long wait" thing that seems to happen a lot. So hoping the $1 increase means they are purchasing more Blu's to satisfy the demands.

[inaz4sun]

Based on my usage, I'll drop Netflix, wait a few months to watch my 100+ HD movies on my external drive from Dish Network, then re-up with BB for some minimal account, since 2 a month or so is usually all I can watch a month anyway.

[QwikSand]

Someone on here once explained why some people get movies faster than others. The longer you keep a movie outl the higher up on their rental priority list you are put because to them you are a 'good renter'. It's also been confirmed by some well known tech people on their shows.

[ibeetle]

Some intersting news in recent days about Netflix.

http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/39632/122/

http://www.reuters.com/article/techn...4957XX20081006

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/stor...%7D&dist=msr_9


So basically, sense Netflix founder Reed Hastings partnered the company with Microsoft subscribers are dropping off, their stock is tanking, revenues are evaporating, and they decided to take it out on their Blu-ray Disc customers.

[cnowels]

Originally Posted by ibeetle

Some intersting news in recent days about Netflix.

http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/39632/122/

http://www.reuters.com/article/techn...4957XX20081006

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/stor...%7D&dist=msr_9


So basically, sense Netflix founder Reed Hastings partnered the company with Microsoft subscribers are dropping off, their stock is tanking, revenues are evaporating, and they decided to take it out on their Blu-ray Disc customers.

This is the part I don't understand. Every single year, for the last decade, whenever there is a news article about Netflix, it talks about their tanking stock, about their flawed business plan, and about how their demise is imminent. I'm serious - from news reports, they have never once turned a profit. And yet, they're still here. Even when Wal-mart services and others fold up their tents. They must just be a money laundering front for the mob or something.