Netflix Changing Plans

[Enishi]

I switched to one DVD out per time. It feels kinda pointless now. Blockbuster is looking nice again.

[Destroit]

Netflix Blog

Received this in my E-Mail today. Guess we know the real reason they split the plans now. I am most likely gonna cancel one or the other now. Probably the streaming since I mostly watch DVDs still. Having to log into separate websites to rate every thing twice and remove shit from one queue because I watched it on the other is just gonna annoy me.

Management fail on behalf of Netflix, and I'll tell you why. When you change the name of something people love, even if it is the same service, people are dumb and think it's something else entirely, they got bought out, etc. So they drop it. I understand why there is a need for Quikster or whatever, but they're going about it the wrong way. Instead of branching into a whole new subsidiary company, why not just hire more staff to make the Netflix DVD (and now gaming) department run smoother? You're going to not only have to hire new staff anyway, but with a whole "separate" company, it seems to me like they'd have to hire more and up their actual resources. If the pricing is still the same as now...why the added hassle? The two entries on your account (so if you accidentally don't have enough, your account gets bounced twice), the separate .com, the divided rating system, and having to toggle between both queues.

Seems like they could have streamlined their webpage and ordering services to encompass both successfully and at the capacity that is demanded (I mean...it's Netflix, it's not like a mom and pop shop where they can get easily overwhelmed). Instead, now customers are confused, the brand loyalty is diminished simply because the logo on the package will be different (people, except me, don't like change), and now it's a pain in the dick to queue movies, go to both webpages, be billed by both webpages, etc. CEO is a moron, there was no real need for this and it will probably do his company more harm than good in the long run.

[Enishi]

It's interesting and sad how CEOs and other upper management types can become so isolated and reality divorced in their perspectives that they even consider such bone headed changes.

[Fierce Critter]

I personally think this is going to kill their sales because in this economy, you would have to be either super lazy, so obese you can't drive to the store, or disabled to spend THAT much money for something you're going to get cheaper at Family Video and/or Redbox.

There are also people living in the sticks who can't easily get back to Redbox within 24 hours or don't have a video rental closer than about 12 miles. Like a lot of upper Michigan.

[DJ Nocker]

Netflix is helping kill movies, im ok with them messing things up.

[Fierce Critter]

Netflix is helping kill movies

How do you figure?

[DJ Nocker]

How do you figure?

No one makes media purchases anymore.

[Fierce Critter]

There are several people in my family alone who buy DVD's on a regular basis, and who buy them as gifts for others.

I don't think media sales are going anywhere. Even CD's and LP's are seeing a resurgence in sales recently.

[Simon Bar Sinister]

looks like Quikster got 86-stered: http://www.alternet.org/newsandviews/article/678019/netflix_gets_the_message%2C_dumps_qwikster/#paragraph4

[Simon Bar Sinister]

Netflix loses more customers than expected: http://money.msn.com/stock-broker-guided/article.aspx?post=adbf739e-2f2c-418c-a40c-f9e8d19f82e5