Netflix policy changes re DVD rentals

[Mrx15]

I normally get overnight delivery from Netflix (for the last 5-10 years) but haven't received a movie they sent on Monday, 2 days ago. That's unusual so I called them. I called twice to be sure about their new policy and attitude, also talked to a supervisor...

They harped about the US Post Office closing down 82 distribution/sorting centers, and claimed USPS will now make full use of their allowed 3 day delivery time frame. Bottomline seems to be that Netflix will no longer send replacements or report a movie missing until after 3 days. Period. No exceptions. They usually made friendly & cheerful exceptions to that rule in the past, but not any more, apparently.

I then called my local USPS delivery manager who is investigating it, in a very friendly way. I learned that the 82 distribution/sorting centers have been closed down for quite awhile, so that shouldn't be the cause. Netflix was only using that as an excuse.

I looks like Netflix has turned sour on the DVD rent by mail business, in general. They were offering a free month trial of Blu-Ray rentals for awhile, but probably discovered that would flop flat as a donut. They used to process DVDs on Saturday but quit that too. They're not even listing all new available DVD movies, even some very popular ones that might win an Academy Award this year.

[newpball]

The future is streaming.

Shipping movies by US mail is outdated.
We are living in 2015!

[fritzi93]

You're probably reading it right.

Blockbuster by-mail rental went through a similar progression. When I joined they would send a new disc immediately upon a report of bad disc. That ended about a year before they finally quit.

Look for the next step: titles disappearing as they run down their inventory and don't replace damaged discs. I got the same damn bad disc three times in a row from Blockbuster (and reported it each time). They evidently didn't want to bother with weeding out their last copy of that movie.

Anyway, welcome to the forum.

[usually_quiet]

Streaming isn't an option available to everyone. Much of N. America does not have high-speed Internet service available, or it costs too much.

[jman98]

The future is streaming.

Shipping movies by US mail is outdated.
We are living in 2015!

I call bs on this. If it's a joke it's a bad one. If you're serious, then you're ignorant.

Go to Netflix. Try to stream any of the following hits from a few years ago.
The Hangover
Taken
Edge Of Tomorrow

Wake me up when you can actually stream those from Netflix.

[MOVIEGEEK]

It may be a USPS carrier stealing them or crooks stealing them from mailboxes, it's happened to me twice in the past 10 years. If it doesn't arrive in 3 days then file a complaint with Netflix and the USPS, they will investigate.

[wulf109]

Netflix used to have a distribution center in my city. My return addess was in my city. About six months ago I noticed they no longer were returning to my city,did they close the distribution center? Maybe that's the reason for the slowdown.

[newpball]

The future is streaming.

Shipping movies by US mail is outdated.
We are living in 2015!

I call bs on this. If it's a joke it's a bad one. If you're serious, then you're ignorant.

Go to Netflix. Try to stream any of the following hits from a few years ago.
The Hangover
Taken
Edge Of Tomorrow

Wake me up when you can actually stream those from Netflix.

So they don't stream everything (yet)? So what?

Streaming is the future.
I expect it won't be too long before Netflix cuts those archaic delivery methods.

Why you attack the messenger is beyond me.

[YZ125]

It would be nice if they'd stream everything but theres alot of behind the scenes contractual stuff going on and they dont.
A dvd in the mail is often the only way to get some of the "newer" movies from netflix. ......P.i.t.a

[MindController]

The future is streaming.

Shipping movies by US mail is outdated.
We are living in 2015!

I call bs on this. If it's a joke it's a bad one. If you're serious, then you're ignorant.

Go to Netflix. Try to stream any of the following hits from a few years ago.
The Hangover
Taken
Edge Of Tomorrow

Wake me up when you can actually stream those from Netflix.

So they don't stream everything (yet)? So what?

Streaming is the future.
I expect it won't be too long before Netflix cuts those archaic delivery methods.

Why you attack the messenger is beyond me.

Streaming won't be the future until data caps on internet plans are removed. Regardless, there will always be people who prefer physical media.

[newpball]

Regardless, there will always be people who prefer physical media.

Oh, they may prefer it unfortunately for them rights owners are beginning to realize that streaming is protecting their assets much better than physical media.

[_Al_]

I could not stream Netflix on Christmas day and New Year's Eve. That's after there suppose to be some kind of highway for Netflix paying extra fees to Comcast. I'd like to know if that was likely Comcast or Netflix problem.

[YZ125]

we had problems here in PA with netflix, roku , comcast and the web in general during those same times. Probably high traffic

[_Al_]

yes, it is kind of uneasy to realize how unstable cloud could be, sure one can watch something by click of a button, but at the same time if someone clicks another button or for whatever reason you do not watch anything, or after some time and establishment of all this one can come and say, you got to pay more, where in the meantime your local renting place is gone, ... not mentioning privacy issues, where one can get a list of what household watches in no time but I guess that is what it is nowadays, and this is only entertain business, something that could be dumped supposedly easily, though very tough to do, something like getting rid of sugar, easily said then done ...

[jman98]

Oh, they may prefer it unfortunately for them rights owners are beginning to realize that streaming is protecting their assets much better than physical media.

Based on the number of requests we get all the time at this website for help with capturing streaming media, it may not protect it as well as you think.

But I get that you have your ideas about this and aren't going to change them so you believe what you want.

[newpball]

Based on the number of requests we get all the time at this website for help with capturing streaming media, it may not protect it as well as you think.

Most streaming services are subscription based. Why would anyone who has access to say Netflix want to capture all those streams they can see whenever they want?

And the content is better protected because when captured content is sold it could be traced by unique digital watermarks identifying the original subscriber.

But I get that you have your ideas about this and aren't going to change them so you believe what you want.

How about this we pick up this 10 years from now and then see how many people order DVDs or Blu-Rays though snail mail.

[fritzi93]

I read a thread recently (it might have been on AVS) that Roku had amended their TOS to prohibit capturing. Now, I wonder why they felt compelled to do that? (Can one admit here any more to capturing off a Roku?).

With the right gear, anything that can be played can be captured. Though I suppose it's still easier to just rip a disc.

[Krispy Kritter]

The Netflix streaming movie queue rotates. Not all movies are available all of the time.

[usually_quiet]

It will take at least 10 years, if not more in N.America. The current infrastructure can't handle the extra traffic, and won't be improved overnight. Existing laws would also need to be changed to make high-speed Internet service more available and affordable to consumers since competition and innovation are stifled by current policies favoring the phone/cable/Internet local monopolies that dominate the industry.

[TreeTops]

If you are a new user to Netflix they don't offer DVD by mail anymore. Their home page only talks about steaming.

[usually_quiet]

If you are a new user to Netflix they don't offer DVD by mail anymore. Their home page only talks about steaming.

No. The DVD plan still accepts new subscribers https://dvd.netflix.com/

[TreeTops]

That doesn't help newbies that don't know about that special link for DVD rentals. Netflix is trying to discourage that feature.

[usually_quiet]

That doesn't help newbies that don't know about that special link for DVD rentals. Netflix is trying to discourage that feature.

Somebody who wants DVDs would probably try typing "Netflix DVD" into a search engine like I did. (I use RedBox and had no prior knowledge of the special link.)

Netflix separated the two types of subscriptions some time ago. They may end the DVD plan at some point, but it still exists now in the US, and telling people that new subscribers are not being accepted, as you have been doing for quite a while now, is incorrect. It is high time somebody called BS on this.

[redwudz]

Netflix has a average 2-3 day turnaround in my area, but there is a distribution center about 30 miles away. This has remained the same for over 5 years.

Netflix tried to separate streaming from rentals last year with two separate bills and increased costs. They pissed most Netflix users off and lost a fortune on the stock market and in membership for this blunder. They apologized and left streaming and rental on the same site. Of course they would rather stream as it's cheaper and easier than dealing with physical media. But many members don't have connections that support HD streaming.

Netflix also made a deal with 'hollywood' to add an extra delay to new rental releases. You can get most movies earlier on Redbox than you can get at Netflix.
And many of their movies are now 'rental' versions, which may not have all the extras that the studio releases have.

Bottom line, like it or not, Netflix is one of the few surviving mail rental DVD/BD services in the US.

[Krispy Kritter]

Netflix and other vendors negotiate the release date. This has been the case for quite awhile (dating back to Block Buster). It was most noticeable in advertising where you would see "Block Buster" exclusive, or "Netflix" exclusive. All it really meant is that they are/were able to rent the content before other sources (usually 28-30) days.

I haven't been able to judge processing time lately with all of the holidays and my work schedule. I was in a similar situation where the mail time was only ` day each direction. But it doesn't surprise me that they are cutting costs with DVD rentals. I haven't seen the sales numbers recently, but I'm sure the DVD subscriber numbers are declining as more people move to streaming.

[DynoDon]

It's time to welcome some of you to the new world of Netflix and the USPS. As of Jan 5, 2015, USPS will no longer give overnight delivery to 1st class mail. This change has been in the works for a couple years and it has been implemented under the radar. This affects all 1st class mail-not just Netflix. This means, that after 8 years with Netlflix, it is no longer a viable method. I'm a 3 disc subscriber and I haven't had a new disc since last Thurs even though I live 15 miles from the distribution center. Add no more Sat shipping and I'm getting 1/2 the discs I was getting last year. Goodbye Netlfix-Hello Redbox. Sorry folks, It's USPS, not Netflix causing this.

[DynoDon]

It will take at least 10 years, if not more in N.America. The current infrastructure can't handle the extra traffic, and won't be improved overnight. Existing laws would also need to be changed to make high-speed Internet service more available and affordable to consumers since competition and innovation are stifled by current policies favoring the phone/cable/Internet local monopolies that dominate the industry.

Is there enough bandwidth for streaming 4K? I've heard satellite doesn't have the capacity. If not-where are you going to get 4K content?

[usually_quiet]

It will take at least 10 years, if not more in N.America. The current infrastructure can't handle the extra traffic, and won't be improved overnight. Existing laws would also need to be changed to make high-speed Internet service more available and affordable to consumers since competition and innovation are stifled by current policies favoring the phone/cable/Internet local monopolies that dominate the industry.

Is there enough bandwidth for streaming 4K? I've heard satellite doesn't have the capacity. If not-where are you going to get 4K content?

Netflix recommends a 25 Megabits per second or greater Internet connection for its Ultra HD offerings. That is available in some places via a physical connection (CATV provider, Telco provider, Google Fiber, etc.), but certainly not everywhere, and it isn't cheap.

A physical delivery system is under development. http://www.cnet.com/news/4k-blu-ray-discs-arriving-in-2015-to-fight-streaming-media/

[tarzan54]

I also noticed in the last several weeks the disks aren't coming as usual, I would send my disks back to Netflix on Saturday they would receive them Monday morning an send my next disk out that morning and Tuesday I would receive my new ones, It's Thursday and I still haven't gotten my disks, Called the post office and they say it isn't there fault that it is Netflix, Man at the post office also says he has been getting his disks late too, Maybe Netflix is trying to piss off their customers so they will drop their dvd service.

[DynoDon]

Based on the number of requests we get all the time at this website for help with capturing streaming media, it may not protect it as well as you think.

Most streaming services are subscription based. Why would anyone who has access to say Netflix want to capture all those streams they can see whenever they want?

And the content is better protected because when captured content is sold it could be traced by unique digital watermarks identifying the original subscriber.

But I get that you have your ideas about this and aren't going to change them so you believe what you want.

How about this we pick up this 10 years from now and then see how many people order DVDs or Blu-Rays though snail mail.

I've heard from users that streaming picture quality is not up to dvd level. Also, the special features are not available. Keep in mind. some people still actually like owning something. It's the millennials that like to rent-preferably for free.