Is the Netflix backup a conspiracy? Nope
By Ben Drawbaugh 
posted Jan 16th 2008 12:04PM
posted Jan 16th 2008 12:04PM
posted Jan 16th 2008 12:04PM
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Like you'd expect the exec to say, "Yeah, that's what we're doing, you caught us!" Please, that's not confirmation at all.
That said, I don't really believe that's the case myself, but hey.
lol even if it were true the studio wouldnt say anything. I think Netflix just doesnt have the supply to meet the demand.
I believe him, if it were true wouldn't of responded at all.
You mean like that other certain studio exec who replied to the rumors of Warner going blu-ray exclusive by denying them?
They're liars. Period. I don't believe a word one of these execs says.
That said, I think Netflix is trying to limit their inventory, not the studios, but they need to beef it up a bit because it's clearly VERY short of the demand, not just a little short when EVERY HD title on any format is "very long wait."
My Queue is fine, just fine
The only thing that's backed up on mine is Planet Earth and Superbad.. everything else is available now
Out of maybe 30 Blu Rays
only 9 of 32 Blu-Ray's are available in my queue...Ironically it's the 9 at the bottom of the list.
This seems to be ALL NEW RELEASES, not just Hi Def ones. I have a standard DVD movie in my queue from a Dec 2nd release still showing very long wait. And Eastern Promisses which was released on Dec 23rd has a very long wait still for both the DVD and HD DVD versions. I think they just don't order enough new copies of anything. I am thinking of dropping them.
Obviously its Netflix's fault.
Anything HD that's come out within the past 3 or 4 months has an extended wait.
I dropped out of Netflix long ago because of ridiculously long queue waits on the movies I wanted to see. Sounds like things really haven't changed that much since I left.
I dropped them for the SAME reason. It was getting ridiculous.
I had Casino Royale (dvd) in my queue for 5 weeks before the movie was released. Then it was listed as "Very Long Wait" for 3 1/2 months after it was release. This was happening a lot so I finally dropped Netflix. I never did see Casino Royal.
http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/5308/unacceptableho7.jpg
Sigh...
(Cleveland, OH area)
I dont know what unlucky people you all are, but i dont have any backup at all with netflix. When new movies come out, I am willing to wait a day or two, and doing that has never left me waiting. Most likely the hi-def customers are holding onto their discs longer than we'd all like them to. I know i've been guilty of it at least once.
Why isn't Blockbuster included in this article??? They have the EXACT same problem.
Blockbuster is horrible at this point, all but one in my queue is not available. I'm actually dropping them tomorrow, no need to just be waiting for nothing.
your waits are also based on "usage", so if they don't like your viewing pattern, your waits are longer.
Yup - the faster you 'flip'em' the worse they get sending you stuff (new releases ESPECIALLY!)
I only watch 2 movies a month, so I doubt they are throttling me.
Is this true? If it is then it explains a lot.
A LOT!
Receive 3 movies Monday, copied...er... I mean watched them that same night. Tuesday they were already in the mail back back to netflix. Rinse and repeat.
BrokenFern, And once you've copied a few hundred you're planning on dropping (or downgrading) your Netflix subscription while you watch them all right? And you're probably really surprised that they'd be such jerks as to slow down shipments to you too. If you're ripping them off, don't be surprised if they throttle your service a bit. They're losing money on you even with the throttling, assuming they actually do that.
It's not totally their fault. They are a business and they do have to make profits. Hi-def movies do cost more than regular dvd's. They buy just enough hi-def movies in either format and then send them out. You know that mail doesn't move on sunday and there is a turn around time for someone else to get the movie before you. You should try sending your movies back on a saturday so that you'll be first to get a new release right on Tuesday as long as the new release is at the top of your queue. That's how I have been always able to get new releases right away.
When I called a couple weeks back, they told me they were "working on a strategy to improve on this." I have a simple solution - BUY MORE DISKS!!!!
Maybe Netflix needs to begin to charge extra for those who want HD or Blu Ray movies. Then the extra cost of these discs would not be a factor with their poor inventory. I would happily pay a few dollars extra a month to get HD movies when I want them.
I agree with you, I would be willing to pay a few dollars more to get the new high def blu ray releases faster. I am usually able to get older BD releases right away, but the new Pirates, Die Hard, Simpsons Movie, Santa Clause 3 have been very long waits since the day they came out. I have had better luck with Blockbuster Online getting them faster, as I am a member of both, but it isn't all that much better.
Netflix is adding thousands of customers a week, probably alot more, but seems they are adding fewer copies and it doesn't equal out.
Few things that come to mind:
-Boost profits by getting more customers and NOT increasing inventory (free money!)
-HD discs are more expensive, so they will have fewer available, or maybe they simply did not predict this much demand and are hesitant to add more
-By creating artificial scarcity, this lowers the number of movies per customer per month. The less movies that get flipped per month, the more revenue they retain
-Maybe they are pushing people to use their cheaper online viewing by frustrating them with long physical media wait times
No matter what, its certainly not a good business move, as people can just walk away. Sure, might be profitable for a few months, but this gives Blockbuster a chance to steal countless thousands of customers if they step up to the plate with plenty of movies and equal pricing.
Anyone noticed that some of the discs come looking deliberately scratched up. I received Bourne Ultimatum HD-DVD from Netflix and it was scratched up so badly and I had to watch the dvd side for the end of the movie. it had been out maybe a week when I received it. I also received Planet Earth disk 2 blu-ray from Blockbuster online and it had symetrical, deep scratches in several places. Unplayable. It looked like someone dragged a fork, a very sharp fork across the disc. Very strange. How does that happen. I mean you take the disc out of the envelope, put it in the player and then back in the envelope. How can these discs be so badly damaged?
I have 13 Blu-Ray titles in my queue, including SUPERBAD and PLANET EARTH and all show as available now.
This is why I left Blockbuster and why I will leave Netflix if they don't fix this problem soon.
If I have to wait for HD content, I will go the Apple TV download route. I have seen their HD podcasts using AppleTV on my plasma and if their HD movie content comes close to that quality, then goodbye NetFlix.
Been waiting Tivo/Unbox to come through with HD downloads. Guess what, I'm still waiting. Hopefully they will get some HD content which will start a price war with Apple/iTunes.
Hmm....
I would have to blame this on Netflix. They have moved away from revenue sharing agreements and purchase copies of movies from the studios now. I would say that growth of the HD market has overrun their abilty to obtain additional content. They have spent a lot of money increasing the size of thier library but probably very little of it for the HD market. I can't say I blame them since they have over 7mm subscribers and there are less then 4mm HD movie players out there (less depending on how you factor the PS3).
Here is an excerpt of their 10k from May:
"• Content amortization increased by 77%. This increase was primarily attributable to increased acquisitions for our content library in order to support the growth in or subscriber base."
Thanks for this. I have updated my queue to all DVD's and now everything is available.
When I talked to Netflix, they said that the studio's give them only a certain number of Discs and they can't order more than that, so that is why it is so long.
- Roger
It seems like it depends on where you live. I receive most hd dvd's or blu ray in the normal time. Everyone says that it's taking forever, it seems to be normal for me. I live in Kansas City, and it seems that most of the movies I order are coming from downtown.
I wonder if more people are watching discs since the TV writers' strike started. I know I have...
The delays have really piled up in the last couple weeks, so I think it's people getting their HD players for Christmas and starting to *gasp* use them. A glut of new users can cause this problem. Before Christmas, the only problem titles that I've ever seen were 300, Shrek 3 and Spider-Man. Now, it's a lot worse, but I did just now get Shrek 3.
hey i dont have nay delay on my list.. All the HDDVDs i want are avail.. Sorry for you guys but iam still happy with netflix.
Just got these in emails and I live in Indiana:
Your movie was not available at your local shipping center. We sent it from Boise, ID and expect it to arrive on Friday, Jan 18, 2008.
Your movie was not available at your local shipping center. We sent it from Salem, OR and expect it to arrive on Friday, Jan 18, 2008.
If they are doing that a lot, thats got to kill some of the time.