it was fun while it lasted ...

[veronica_rich]

Anyone else get the distinct feeling Netflix is trying to go out of business, and as fast as possible?

Outside the Bush administration, I haven't seen this kind of chain of stupid business decisions in a long time. My only question is WHY the execs are trying to wreck the ship. Bad investments to cover? Twenty-year-olds are running it? Time Beetles attached to their backs told them to turn right, not left?

Comments

[day221b.livejournal.com]

Yes, and oh God, what are they doing *now*? Heading to Google...


I am on the verge of canceling my membership as it is...

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

I understand Amazon is offering the same streaming service now, maybe? And possibly other platforms will be doing so too?

I don't think they had a chance against the old Netflix; this was, after all, the service that helped drive Blockbuster's coffin nails in. But then somebody at Netflix had a lobotomy or it changed hands, and the thinking went south.

[zagzagael.livejournal.com]

I'm NOT happy about my increased membership. What have they done now?

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

Well, the way it's been is that two people could access one account at one time - so, if you and a friend in another state wanted to watch the same streaming movie and perhaps, say, discuss it in chat or on the phone, you could. Now they're going to change that so only one person can watch one movie at one time on one machine.

The price hike was just the beginning. If they wanted to jack up their prices for mail-rentals, there is a way to do it gradually that doesn't leave customers feeling the way they do at the gas pump. Last night, my sister read to me that Starz is pulling its licensed content from Netflix as of February. So, between less content, higher prices (because you'll have to keep the 1-disc option with less streaming content, right?), and restricting their paying customers' access - you see the point of my post.

[zagzagael.livejournal.com]

Interesting and damned depressing. We have four outlets for netflix and I can't imagine them limiting that? What then, we would need four different accounts?

I thought you COULD subscribe to streaming only?

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

You CAN do streaming-only, but damn my luck, there's a lot that isn't on streaming that I'd like to see. A lot of television shows, for example.

If I read it right, and I may not have, the "one per user" streaming limit is only for movies; I guess TV shows can still be viewed by two simultaneous users? You may want to Google it for yourself; I can't find the link immediately.

[zagzagael.livejournal.com]

Ah, looks like it was a big mistake -

http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/09/07/7647976-netflix-our-bad-you-can-stream-to-more-than-one-device

I'm with you about streaming only. We have to have both.

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

I haven't canceled my subscription; the $6 hike wasn't enough to do that. But interfering with the ability for more than one person to access the account would make me strongly think about it.

[xenafox.livejournal.com]

WOW that better not be true or I'm dropping that shit. My bf and I have comps in different rooms and sometimes we're watching different things on Netflix at the same time...

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

That's a lot more annoying than the price hike. I mean, I haven't canceled my 1-disc subscription yet, but shit like that would push me into it.

[kms726.livejournal.com]

I was wondering the same thing. That was a bad move for Netflix to have separate charges for streaming and DVD ordering. As soon as I heard I'd be paying $15/month, I went online and canceled my DVD orders by family vote. Streaming won.

In my experience, two different shows can be viewed at once. I've been watching something on the computer and my dad was in the next room watching something else on Netflix. But once I was in a different room and we tried to watch the same TV show and it wouldn't let us.

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

It's the jack-up of 60 percent all at once. If they wanted to raise their prices, they could've done it over a period of time, a couple of dollars at a time, and it would've been justified. But the streaming thing - if true - would be bollocks. Someone else provided a link to an article explaining it's not true (posted elsewhere in this comment thread).

[malakhai.livejournal.com]

Everyone is overreacting, Netflix is still fucking cheap and I am happy to pay for it based on the amount of entertainment I get for my money.

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

Considering it's a service that's not necessary, I suppose I'm allowed to react to it any fucking way I want. :-)

[pir8fancier.livejournal.com]

I heard on the news last night that they've now opened it up to TWO streams, but anymore than that and you're fucked. I do NOT get this. Seriously, amazon is making a big push into streaming and I heard that WalMart is about to do the same. Are they crazy?