Comments on: Long waits for some Netflix Blu-ray customers

A combination of too few titles and Netflix's unwillingness to pay for more discs results in month-long shipping delays for some.

[ImJustSayin]

Ive been waiting for Hellboy 2 for almost 3 months now on bluray and have 9 others in my top 10 that ive been waiting for 1 to 2 months. I loved netflix but this is ridiculous. The only movies that show no wait are older movies or DVDs. Any relatively new BD movie is at -least- a month or two wait. Im pretty patient, but thats pretty extreme. Netflix needs to fix this asap or ill be another customer lost.

[ImJustSayin]

Oh, and to the guy that said the wait is BS? Heres a 'screenshot' of my wait list below. Mind you, I've had Hellboy 2 in queue since a week before its release and still shows Long Wait....So, no, theres no BS....


List Order Movie Title Instant Star Rating Genre Expected Availability Disc
Format Remove

Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
Average rating: 4.039
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Children & Family Long Wait

Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Average rating: 3.756
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Action & Adventure Long Wait

Hancock
Average rating: 3.684
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Action & Adventure Long Wait

Wanted
Average rating: 3.754
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Thrillers Long Wait

Tropic Thunder
Average rating: 3.277
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Comedy Short Wait

WALL-E
Average rating: 4.241
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Children & Family Long Wait

Get Smart
Average rating: 3.587
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Comedy Now

The X-Files: I Want to Believe
Average rating: 3.101
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Sci-Fi & Fantasy Short Wait

[BOLTROOPER]

I haven't had this problem really. I was a member of blockbuster though and it was MUCH worse. Nothing was easy to get on Blueray. I was really not happy with the service. Netflixs is much better.

[noahjwhite]

I currently subscribe to netflix after using blockbuster for 3 years. They both have they're perks but the biggest one on Netflix's side is streaming content. I used to get unlimited online rentals with unlimited instore swaps with blockbuster + 2 video game rentals a month for $17.99. When they cut the service dramatically netflix became a better deal. I don't rent that often. Maybe 6 movies a month at the most. And I usually get the blu-rays fairly quickly.

[Rigmaster]

My experience with Netflix has generally been very good. Occasionally, there are waits for new releases on Blu-ray or regular DVDs, but that just seems to track demand. Blu-rays and DVDs sell out in stores and do run out in rental stores so it's usually a product of demand and availability in a given market. As others have suggested, I believe Netflix tries to match demand by market, but it's not always possible to be a dead-on match. I hope Netflix continues to improve service and availability because the $1 surcharge only seems fair when Blu-ray discs are delivered regularly. That said if Netflix isn't good in a given market, the best option may be to stick with traditional store rentals. I'd rather Netflix begin offering the option of "first available" Blu-ray or DVD as an additional choice for those who really just want more speed in the deliveries.

[moviegeek65]

The only Blu Ray disc I've had a problem getting is The Dark Knight,other than that Netflix has sent my DVD's on time.The main reason I'm sticking with Netflix is the instant streaming,if Blockbuster had a similar feature I might switch.

[mgarc1125]

This is why I quit netflix for regular DVDs and why I won't rejoin for blu-ray either. No movie streaming to the PS3 either? Netflix really was an incredibly disappointing experience for me and it seems like they are continuing their ways.

[robvme]

The issue is simple, 1 Blu-Ray adoption rates are dismal so the market of viewers does not warrant the stock piling of Blu Ray Discs on Netflix' part, the second, is that the library of Blu Ray discs has not yet matured to create a large library, and lastly, there are some legitimate doubts as to whether Blu Ray will survive being supplanted by pure digital content. It is not a question as to whether Blu Ray is good, its a question of what the market forces and comnpetitors to Blu Ray will dictate. Most people have "Regular DVD is good enough" attitude. These same people don't have 42 in or larger TVs and don't subscribe to HD content from their cable operator. It just hasn't caught on yet. Will it? Probably, but not like DVD did to VHS, that's a dream that won't come true.

[freemarket--2008]

What makes you think Netflix has any control of streaming on the PS3. Sony wants to gouge customers for a while like iTunes. When they realize nobody wants to pay that much maybe they'll sign a deal with Netflix.

[dirty55409]

Hmmm C'mon Netflix! You didn't think there'd be a HUGE, GInormous demand for Dark Knight on Blu-Ray? Are you that dumb? I'm sure there were enough discs to purchase from Warner Bros. You just dropped the ball. Lets be honest here.

[r13k1]

I wrote in and talked about all the bad discs I received from netflix and that was why I left. After seeing a dollar more for blu-ray, I am glad I left. I added Dark Knight to my queue on Sunday and blockbuster sent me an email, it will be here tomorrow. Oh and no extra dollar because it's blu-ray. Oh and I can take it back to the store tomorrow after watching it and get another movie. Sweeeeeeeeeeeet!!!!!

[SteelGeek55Atl]

To each his own. I work 2nd shift & I'm a Netflix & XB360 user. My Netflix distribution center is in Duluth, Ga. I live in Lawrenceville, Ga. I get my movies in one day & I rent a mix of new releases & older titles. I had WANTED on the Tues it was released. I also enjoy the ability to stream movies via my XB360 and I've watched a few in HD. Blockbuster doesn't have the variety I enjoy & the fact that I may have to pickup/ return a rental via one of their stores......sorry my mailbox is closer. Also on my "streaming que" I have 170 movies/tv shows. 90% I've never seen before like the 1st season of HEROS & 30 ROCK..both in HD. I'm 53yrs. old and my teenage son is thrilled when we watch a movie / show that I liked but he's never viewed. We watched John Carpenter's THE THING, one Saturday, in HD and now he can't wait to watch a "classic"..with his "old man..lol. Blu-ray..Blockbuster..NO Thanks!!! NETFLIX....XBOX360..Thank You Very Much!! (NO..I don't work for either company but they do work for me...lol.) Yes.."It's works for me!"

[lukenuke]

It's simple economics... Netflix always tries to interest and cater to their newest customers first. The longer you are a member and the more movies you rent the slower it takes to get your movies and the longer you have to wait for your place in the queue. They like new customers and those who don't return their movies as often. Every time you rent a movie it costs netflix .41 cents for shipping. The more frequently you return movies the more they have to pay for shipping. It makes sense that Netflix caters to the lazy customer who do not return movies everyday or every other day because those are the ones they make the most money off of. I had to chuckle when the Netflix spokes person said they send customers movies quikcer who don't rent as often because they aren't getting a good experience but failed to mention it's because the customers who do return dvd's and blu-ray's quickly cost them more money and they are banking on the fact that the slower customers will hold onto the discs for a long time.

When I first joined netflix I always got my movies quickly sent from the same state I lived in and always from the same facility. The more I rented the slower the waiting got, especially for newer releases and at least one of the movies would not be available from a facility in my state so the ship time would take much longer.

And of course discs are going to break since they don't use any kind of padded envelopes. They send them like this because it cuts downs on shipping costs. If the packaging was bulkier and heavier it would cost more. Anyone who has been a member for more then two years and returns movie within a few days all the time and says they don't have a long wait for new blu-ray and dvd releases are flat out lying to you. I've read that if you rent more then nine movies a month they slow down everything for you. Netflix is still a good deal if you are patient and know what you are getting into but be warned the longer you stick around and the more you rent you will be pushed to the end of the line for new customers and lazy customers.

[lukenuke]

I'm actually replying to my own comment but it actually costs netflix .89 cents per envelope not .41 cents. There are some good websites that talk about what "throttling" is and why many people have long wait times.

[freemarket--2008]

"Netflix caters to the lazy customer who do not return movies everyday".

That's rich. Maybe they expect people to get their fat butts off the couch and do something else once in a while. Those 'lazy' people probably have better things to do.

Those new releases will still be there next week or next month even with fewer people competing for them. It's not the end of the world.

Maybe you should try some classics, foreign films, or documentaries and broaden your interests occasionally instead of the blockbuster pablum.

[jutell]

That's why I cancelled Netflix. Poor service over the course of use.

[Donz0r]

I have not had this problem. I get all my blurays the next day. Including Dark Knight, the day after it was released!

[lukenuke]

"Netflix caters to the lazy customer who do not return movies everyday".

That's rich. Maybe they expect people to get their fat butts off the couch and do something else once in a while. Those 'lazy' people probably have better things to do.

Those new releases will still be there next week or next month even with fewer people competing for them. It's not the end of the world.

Maybe you should try some classics, foreign films, or documentaries and broaden your interests occasionally instead of the blockbuster pablum. "

Maybe I should rephrase the lazy part. THEY DO cater to those who return there movies less frequently. And I order mostly classic and foregin films but that dose not mean that they aren't considered new releases when they are RE-ISSUED (ever heard of that word???) I had Salo or 120 Days of Sodom on my queue for over two months before I recieved that one. That's hardly a "blockbuster pablum." By that way, do you work for netflix? You seem a little defensive.

[cardfan1212]

Not sure what the problem is. I get blu-rays next day.

[keepitsimpleengr1]

Since the dollar bump for BD, I have seen shipments based on queue order deteriorate markedly. It's becoming remarkable.

I have BDs from October and November stuck in queue. Often queue positions greater than thirty are the ones Netflix will ship. Netflix is becoming archival.

I've been an active customer since '99, and have seen service vary considerably, but this is as unpleasant as it has ever been.

It's embarrassing to be asked about a movie somebody saw on cable that's still flagged "Long Wait" in my queue.

With seven BDs at the top of my queue, Netflix is sending today (Monday) five DVDs, none of which are BD. So Much for queue timing.

Found out about Redbox. Seems I can reserve for pickup locally (in my small town) today four of the above seven BDs at the top of my queue. $1 each.

Now the question is: Who's going to change first? Netflix or me?

[workiscool]

Haven't had this problem and we only use netflix for new releases. One thing that seems to help, and I don't know why, is that we keep our queue empty except for the 1 or 2 movies we want at the time. They get there fast.

My guess is if you don't have any other options in your queue, they can't send you anything. And that's not good for customer service...and I'm thinking they gotta measure they're performance by the time in queue vs. actual delivery. That or my dist center has more Blu-ray than other.

[kenrickw]

I waited long enough... I simply put a hold on the account. Not getting what I want to watch, why should I pay for the service.

[Rohou]

BTW, if you ever have a big hankering to see a movie, and don't want to pay 5 dollars for it, check if there is a RedBox nearby and get it from there. They usually carry the most popular movies, and then a lot of really bad ones, so it is a medley, but you can't beat the price of one dollar.