Netflix glitch to delay deliveries

Update at 6:15 p.m. PDT to add areas that may likely see delays in delivery.

Update at 7:55 p.m. to reflect that the site has since come back online.

Netflix customers expecting a little red package soon may be disappointed.

The largest online video-rental service has suffered a technical glitch that has knocked out its Web site as well as its logistics and delivery systems, according to a Steve Swasey, a company spokesman.

The malfunction, the source of which the company won't reveal, began at about 7 a.m. PDT. The site came back online about 12 hours later, but the malfunction caused Netflix to miss the deadline to mail a large number of shipments scheduled to go out on Monday--affecting customers across the United States, according to Swasey. "We did send some shipments, but most of them will go out on Tuesday."

Swasey declined to specify what percentage of the company's more than 7.5 million customers would be affected.

The blackout was the second longest in company history. In July, Netflix suffered an outage that lasted longer than 18 hours. On that day, the company's shares fell 7 percent as the market punished Netflix for a drop in customers.

This time, the glitch came as Netflix's customer numbers are on the rise and its stock is soaring. Stock analysts upgraded Netflix on Monday, and the company closed trading at $38.18, up 5 percent. Over the past six months, the company's shares have doubled in value.

One of the differences between the two outages is that Netflix's logistics and shipping systems were not affected in July. With the more recent glitch, Netflix continued to ship DVDs but that changed sometime Monday afternoon.

(Credit: Screenshot of Netflix HTML source featuring deleted sentence)

In a message posted to its site, Netflix told customers not to worry because the company's "distribution centers are still sending and receiving DVDs." A check of the site's HTML source showed that the company rendered that sentence invisible sometime later.

"Our engineers have been feverishly working on repairing the problem all morning," Swasey said. "It was an unanticipated, unplanned outage, and we apologize to our customers."

Site outages are typically not a big deal, and any company can suffer one. But a blackout that lasts for more than an hour is rare, and one spanning several hours is rarer still.

Netflix, which has 7 million subscribers, said that customers needn't worry about their stored movie picks. None of their information will be lost.

[diluvia]

Netflix outage

I thought I was having a bad day today. Left work early (5:42 pm instead of my usual 7:00 pm workaholic minimum day ... I know you work longer hours :-)) ... tried to get onto netflix to watch the final part of HOUSE OF CARDS ... got the dreaded unscheduled maintenance screen. Poor guy at Netflix CS said his day started with a dead car battery. I only want to watch a movie ... their whole business has been kaput for an entire day ... say a prayer for their IT team!!!!

Oh well ... I love it when it works and wouldn't even ever consider cancelling ...

Hang in there NETFLIX !!!

Diluvia

[johnbirkhead]

Prayer

I am praying for them, but I AM canceling. This is the 3rd month in a row where I have received miserable service!!

[Dead Soulman]

It's back

It's 10:39pm and Netflix's website is back.
Make sure to update the article.

[Digisail]

It's One Day, Get Over It.

If people are really thinking about dropping their Netflix subscriptions because the website was down for a few hours, get a life.

If you're so hooked on Netflix that 12 hours ruined your life, what will your life look like WITHOUT Netflix all together?

Give the IT guys a break.

[ittesi259]

Seriously

I don't see anyone giving them credit for being honest about a problem they had (stuff happens, get over it) when they easily could have said nothing and let you assume it was delayed by our wonderful joke of a postal system.

[BtmnHatesRbn]

They had an outage?

Seriously, I have a life. Who cares if they had an outage or not. And
I strongly doubt the uncited "market" punished Netflix last time.

Oh, CNET, you, too, need a life. This is worthless reporting.

[Bill_I]

Netflix outage

I guess whoever blasts NF for going down has never had cable TV... The reason NF is such a hit is very simple, with a little patience, you can watch a huge selection, pause when the phone rings, etc. And if you have the right equipment, rip a copy for your library. Cable says they can do VOD (video on demand) but conventional cable does not have the bandwidth, maybe Verizon can do it with fiber?

[tmonday]

You must not have a life! You are reading this article, aren't you.

[RonPaulRules]

HDDVD is dead.

Seriously HDDVD is dead, get with the program.

[www.hdgreetings.com]

Permenant problem

The biggest problem is having to wait so long for the titles you want.

Yes it's convenient, but it will be even more so when all the pieces fall into place to make online rental on demand practical with good HD quality.

[WJeansonne]

OMG, Stop the Presses!!

Netflix customers will have delay by a day or two watching their favorite movie. God forbid!! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[delpane]

Member since 04 and still loving them

I've been a member since 04 and I have very few complaints.
(My only major one being when they no longer have a disc in a
series and don't replace it). I generally see next day delivery and
I've never had a problem that couldn't be resolved through email
or their automated systems.

I love the fact they cross ship if you get a damaged disc. Also if
the disc is not coming from my local warehouse I get an email
letting me know so I can make other plans if needed.

In almost 4 years of being a customer I've maybe lost 2 days of
renting due to tech problems. Oh and I don't have cable or
satellite so I burn through my rentals. They've never slowed my
deliveries down to reduce their shipping cost. (I have that
problem with my audio-book rental place). I only wish my
phone & power were this reliable.

[jordan_peterson]

LIARS.

Since late yesterday, after the glitch was "fixed," Netflix has been pulling DVDs randomly from my queue (of over 100) and shipping them, rather than pulling from those next in order and listed as "available now."

In fact, they just mailed me the second disc in a TV series far down my queue...and I've not seen the first yet.

FUN.

[FO-FI_FO_454]

SUGGEST THIS VIEWING TRIFECTA - CAPOTE, THE QUEEN AND NOTES ON A SCANDAL.

The outage is squat to me, doesn't mean a thing. Just returned the 3 DVDs in the subject line - if you like threesomes, then I recommend "Capote" and "The Queen" and "Notes On A Scandal." Thanks to the US Postal Service and 800,000 employees in the work force for "DELIVERING ENTRAINMENT" from NetFlix overnight, without a hitch. I'm on the 3 per delivery plan, and I've got the system down pat with 9 DVDs coming my way each week,that's 36 DVDs per month, loaded with flicks, how to, shows, opera, sit-coms, sports, with so much more, and the delivery is always with pristine quality media. My bottom buck each month, the amount I pay NetFlix with tax included is $18.01. Can you dig how cheap this is? Cost for each DVD works out to $.50 and to be more of a nit-picker, just divide the total hours of viewing pleasure from 36 DVDs into $18.01, then, you'll see that NetFlix is practically paying YOU to enjoy entertainment. But never forget that without the US Postal Service, NetFlix may as well open retail stores. I wouldn't change my plan (maybe upgrade is cool) regardless of what competition may offer. I urge all current non-subscribers to visit NetFlix and accept the TRIAL SUBSCRIPTION. You won't be disappointed.

http://www.netflix.com/

Thanks for this opportunity to TALK BACK.

TTFN
From WW2 and our British Allies, meaning, TA TA FOR NOW.

[walwebster]

That's the thing about dsyexlia ...

Looks to me like somebody just got a bit over-stimulated when they thought they'd read something about a Netflix "outrage". Wouldn't have had the same impact if it had been about the Netflix "temporary inconvenience" or "storm in a teacup" ...