Netflix is shipping again

Netflix has fixed or patched whatever problem it had that shut down its 55 distribution centers this week, and has begun shipping DVDs again.

While the company has not disclosed the nature of the issue that prevented it from operating, it has announced its program to make up for its lapse of service. Netflix customers who were affected by the delay will get a 15 percent credit on the amount of their next monthly bill. New customers still in the free trial will get an additional week before their subscription becomes paid.

Fifteen percent is a token refund, but it seems to be mollifying most Netflix users. For some customers, though, a dashed stay-at-home date night or other event planned around movies by mail can't be fixed by a credit that will top out at $3.75. These users are making their frustrations known on the Neflix blog, in response to a post about the resumption of service, which says, "Millions of our members will receive DVDs on Saturday, in time (we hope) for some weekend movie enjoyment."

See also: Worst Web glitches of 2008, so far.