Netflix BD premium now $5

Sami

Just got this:

Dear Sami,

You are receiving this email because you added unlimited Blu-ray access to your account for $1 a month. The number of Blu-ray titles has increased significantly and will continue to do so. As we buy more, you are able to choose from a rapidly expanding selection of Blu-ray titles. And as you've probably heard, Blu-ray discs are substantially more expensive than standard definition DVDs.

As a result, the monthly charge for Blu-ray access is increasing for most plans and will now vary by plan. The charge for monthly Blu-ray access on your 4 DVDs at-a-time (Unlimited) plan will increase from $1 a month to $5 a month. The price of your 4 DVDs at-a-time (Unlimited) plan is not changing and remains at $16.99 a month.

The new charge for Blu-ray access will be automatically added to your next billing statement on or after April 27, 2009 and will be referenced in your Membership Terms and Details.

If you wish to continue unlimited Blu-ray access for $5 a month, you don't need to do anything. If not, you can remove Blu-ray access anytime by visiting Your Account.

If you have questions about this change or need any assistance, please call us anytime at 1-888-923-0898.

-The Netflix Team

timlitton

Me and the woman have considered switching to Netflix since Blockbuster has a poor offering of bluray and the ones they have are always out. She's also p.o.'d at blockbuster since we rented Qaurantine a month or so ago and it was scratched so bad we had to skip ahead a chapter and scan back to an undamaged section.

They told her "no refund" because we didn't rush back that night to exchange it. They acted like we were trying to "pull one over" on them for $4. We rent between 6-12 discs a month and all of the sudden we decided to "get em" for $4.

Anyway, enough ranting.

How do you like Netflix? Do you rent enough per month to make it worth your while? How's the selection of BD's right now?

AsSiMiLaTeD

Blockbuster is the devil.

I also got that email from Netflix.

bobman1235

The amount of money depends on which plan you have; for the two at a time plan, it's 3 bucks a month, for the 3 at a time people, it's 4 bucks a month, etc.

Sami

timlitton wrote: »

How do you like Netflix? Do you rent enough per month to make it worth your while? How's the selection of BD's right now?

I like it, although right now I don't watch enough to break even on the cost versus rent. I don't want to cancel either since I'm on an old 4 disc-at-a-time plan which you can't get anymore. BD selection is good, and in general Netflix has much better selection that BB.

Shizelbs

Considering they offered up the streaming service for Xbox Live for free, I suppose I can't complain. Nonetheless, its a pretty big price hike. Still worth it for me.

acsubie

not happy, but Netflix has saved me tons of money by renting a ton of crappy movies that i would have otherwise purchased. I rent about 10-12 monthly and for $20 monthly i still cant complain

dorokusai

I agree, not happy with the upcharge but as mentioned....I've saved alot of money on dogs.

danz1906

Its still a Good-Deal:)

flipcap22

Sami wrote: »

I like it, although right now I don't watch enough to break even on the cost versus rent. I don't want to cancel either since I'm on an old 4 disc-at-a-time plan which you can't get anymore. BD selection is good, and in general Netflix has much better selection that BB.

Maybe you can try putting your account on hold and still keep the grandfathered account? I think this won't cancel it. I just recently put my account on hold (not finding a lot of time to watch discs right now) and got the BD fee increase email today.

hockeyboy

Netflix doesn't work for me. I prefer to buy the movies on Amazon and when they have buy one get one free at Columbia House. I travel a lot and some months I just wouldn't use it. I like the freedom of owning the discs even though I have ended up with a handful of dogs. I still rent occasionally but my friends and I often do hostage exchange programs where we trade a couple to each other until the next time.

mantis

I get 1 unlimited at a time and it's plenty. I can't watch that many movies in a weeks time. They come so fast. I drop the one I watched in the mailbox and I turn around and a new come comes.

Netflix has been very good. I have no problems at all.

Dan

AsSiMiLaTeD

I also have the 1 movie plan. To be honest I don't even get that many discs, I use it mostly for the instant viewing feature. Unfornately it doesn't work on my PS3, but I have a large computer monitor and a couch in my office, so it's no problem to watch in there.

fast1

funny, i thought i saw this thread in another forum... hmm nvm

Ejhocky313

I have Netflix, 3 out at a time, and I like it. I have a Bluray player, but I don't get blu-ray discs from them, because i don't care to pay the premium. Every once in a while they send me a disc that is scratched and unplayable in spots. It is indeed very frustrating, but the good part (optimism), you can request a new one right away and they will send it right away. One time they sent me a movie that was broken, but I can't blame them for that, it was clearly broken en-route to me.

Hoopnoop

I've experimented with both Netflix and Blockbuster and still strongly prefer Netflix despite the price increase. I find that their availability of BD movies is much better and it is just a more user-friendly service. I do miss the ability to get a movie at the actual Blockbuster store but Netflix has free streaming which we use a lot on our Tivo.

So, overall, I think Netflix is still the best deal out there despite the price hike.

metal83

I like Netflix for the most part, been using them for over a year. I put my account on hold this month though because there is not much coming out I want to see, and it would be cheaper for me to rent the couple new release Blu rays at blockbuster than to pay a full month of Netflix.

I got that same email though, and personally I am a little annoyed. I have the "4 at a time" plan and it's been costing me $24.99 a month, now it's going to be $28.99 a month when and if I reactivate my subscription. Getting nickel and dimed everywhere I guess now a days.

I only use Netflix for new releases Blu rays, so now i'll have to rent at least 6 a month on that plan to make it worth it. I have a Blockbuster right up the road from me, and they charge $4.99 for Blu ray, so i'll be playing it month by month from now on. If there's a lot coming out in one month I wanna see, I'll use Netflix, if not, I'll use Blockbuster (or maybe just downgrade my Netflix Plan for the month).

PhantomOG

of course this happens one week after I sign up with netflix.

I'm only on the 1 at a time plan so its not a deal breaker. I will feel more pressure to make sure I watch at least 1 movie a week to make it worthwhile though.

danger boy

I am on the Netflix 3 plan.. but they actually sent me a 4th movie the other day.. called and said they were trying out a new feature.. whereby if a movie in your que is a long wait, they'll send you a 4th movie without any price increase.. like I said, it is something they are trying out the customer rep said.

increase it still ok with me.. you can't rent 8 to 10 movies a month at any local video rental place for under $20. esp BD ones.

hockeyboy

I figure if you're going to pay 30 bucks a month for pretty much unlimited rentals, then why not just spend a bit more and buy the BR's? I average about 17 bucks a BR disc and order about 3 a month. I spend around 500 a year and build a nice library, although I see the appeal of spending a bit less for unlimited view.

timlitton

Keiko wrote: »

We don't use Netflix, but quit renting from BlockBuster 2 or 3 years ago. Their rental rates are just ridiculous here at almost 5.00 bucks a SD DVD. I'm assuming blu-rays are probably more. We rent from a small Mom & Pop's store for 3.00 a movie. Every 10 rentals we get a freebie. They sell off the new releases 2-3 weeks later for 5.00. BlockBuster can kma. :mad:

I hear ya.

I'm worried about the mom & pop shops. With the rise of Netflix, Redbox, iTunes, websites like HULU and pirating, it seems pretty grim for the local rental store.

I remember how excited I used to get when I was young and we'd go to the VIDEO STORE! It's weird that it was a special even back in the day... Row after row of VHS tapes (and beta for a while) at places with names like Video Stop and Showtime and The Peep Show... uh. forget the last one.

Ron-P

timlitton wrote: »

Me and the woman have considered switching to Netflix since Blockbuster has a poor offering of bluray and the ones they have are always out. She's also p.o.'d at blockbuster since we rented Qaurantine a month or so ago and it was scratched so bad we had to skip ahead a chapter and scan back to an undamaged section.

They told her "no refund" because we didn't rush back that night to exchange it. They acted like we were trying to "pull one over" on them for $4. We rent between 6-12 discs a month and all of the sudden we decided to "get em" for $4.

Anyway, enough ranting.

How do you like Netflix? Do you rent enough per month to make it worth your while? How's the selection of BD's right now?

I quite renting from Netflix for the same reasons you quite Blockbuster. I like BB better, they have yet to raise their Blu-ray prices and I can go into my local store and swap my movies right then and there, really comes in handy on new movie Tuesday. Netflix is completely horrible when it comes to new releases on Blu-ray.

Keiko wrote: »

We don't use Netflix, but quit renting from BlockBuster 2 or 3 years ago. Their rental rates are just ridiculous here at almost 5.00 bucks a SD DVD. I'm assuming blu-rays are probably more. We rent from a small Mom & Pop's store for 3.00 a movie. Every 10 rentals we get a freebie. They sell off the new releases 2-3 weeks later for 5.00. BlockBuster can kma. :mad:

Blu-ray prices are the same as DVD prices and you can get a program that allows for in-store trading with no additional cost.

timlitton

Ron-P wrote: »

I quite renting from Netflix for the same reasons you quite Blockbuster. I like BB better, they have yet to raise their Blu-ray prices and I can go into my local store and swap my movies right then and there, really comes in handy on new movie Tuesday. Netflix is completely horrible when it comes to new releases on Blu-ray.

Good to hear.

I want to be totally fair to BB. After playing phone tag for a month with the district manager, they credited the movie and offered two free rentals to keep our business. It was the store manager that was the problem, but we're on the fence at this point.

Also, it seems some of you are using their online rental service. We're not, we're old fashioned brick and mortar customers.

Ron-P

Just sign up for their online service and then you can get all your movies via their stores. In store exchanges is a huge plus over Netflix's mail only offerings.

shawn474

I cancelled Netflix after having them for over a year. I wasn't entirely disappointed but decided it wasn't worth it. I'd get long lists on "long wait" and get things way down on my queue when earlier titles were available. I am strictly doing redbox now and if i find something i like on there, i will buy the blu ray. it's a dollar a night and i have had pretty good success even with the new releases of having them in stock.

ryanjoachim

I've had Blockbuster for around 6 months now, and the BIG selling point for me and my wife was the ability to trade in the mailed-movies for in-store movies. I get 5 exchanges a month.

It used to be that exchanged movies had the same rental rules as regular rentals (5-day rental, etc). Now the exchanges have no time-limit. This is really a huge plus for us, because sometimes we'll find a movie that our son LOVES, and with the weather in Oregon going outside isn't always an option. So, we keep a movie that he loves for a couple/few weeks till the weather clears up, then return it.

Plus, we get 3 movies at a time with the 5 in-store exchanges for $20.

reeltrouble1

I still use my mom and pop store, of course, I am, afterall, an American.

RT1

bobman1235

Netflix is an American company....

reeltrouble1

thank you BoB, always good to have someone handle the light work, I believe you are also an American along with NetFlix being an American company, albiet dishonest, not forthcoming, and of course based upon greed, although at times you have displayed latent Alien tendencies, perhaps a part of the larger Hulu plot.

RT1--An American.

Sami

reeltrouble1 wrote: »

American company, albiet dishonest, not forthcoming, and of course based upon greed

Yep, sounds American to me.

Hillbilly61

I use the local M&P store, been a customer with them for 15 years. I think they are seeing the pressure from the likes of Netflix though. Of late, their new and newly (new stuff that has been around long enough to be relegated to the general shelves) as dwindling.

Saw a Modern Marvel type show featuring Netflix a while back. Their distribution system is astounding. The trick is to get a returned movie that comes in out to the next customer ASAP. That is no small feat given the thousands of titles out there the entire populace is wanting to watch at any one point in time. Their sorting machines are directly tied to their databases, minimizing the amount of human handling (the big cost item) of the movies. Money is made strictly via the volume that is kept moving, as their profit margin is pretty slim.