For those of you that haven’t already gotten the notice in your email, or haven’t seen the ranting/raving posts of upset people around the internet today, Netflix is raising their rates again.  :P

This time they are specifically changing the structure of their pricing plans and forcing you to decide if you want to pay for streaming video (the future of entertainment programming IMO) or unlimited DVD’s sent to you.

After September 1st, you’ll be billed separately for streaming video at $7.99 on top of the cost of whatever plan you have for your number unlimited of DVD’s (+ $2 for Blue Ray) at a time per month.

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For example, you have a one at a time unlimited DVD’s a month plan w/unlimited streaming video at $9.99? Well that goes to $15.98 now, as the cost of unlimited one DVD at a time per month along is now $7.99, and unlimited steaming video is separately $7.99.

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For me that blows, and around the internet there are rants and p’d off people complaining, but I understand Neflix’s position…sorta.

In order for them to have the buying power to better their steaming video selection (which is lacking) they need the revenue to get the licensing rights to stream from the big TV/movie studios (that would much rather them not stream anything at all). Plus, most people like me and you (admit it) hang on to the DVD’s for up to, at least, two weeks at a time before sending it back, so are we really even taking advantage of the unlimited DVD plans?

A 60% increase is a big one to try and swallow, and they just raised their rates for unlimited one DVD at a time back in Jan of this year (12% increase over what it was previously).

And you’re really over a barrel, as most of the really good stuff that is available is on DVD (if you don’t mind waiting for it for a month or so after the DVD is released). The streaming stuff is lacking in selection (at least now) but oh so much more convenient to use and I don’t want to lose that “right now when you want it” option.
Me, I dropped cable a few years back just because of the streaming options I found on the internet. So I’m going to dip a bit into my tight wallet and pay the increase, don’t really have any choice.

Problem is, this is a slippery slope, and don’t see this being the last increase we’ll have to take.

What will you do, unlimited DVD’s or unlimited streaming (+$7.99), or take the price hit and do both?

I'm going to forget the streaming. 

Mine isn't 6o%.  Mine goes up about $4 for unlimited streaming and 3 dvd's. 

I'm really torn (and rather upset) about this.  Initially, we had the unlimited streaming and the 3 DVDs at a time, but I had to knock it down because we're poor (and this is really like our only entertainment :D).  So last month I changed it to one DVD and unlimited streaming.  Then I got the email.

I really like the convenience of streaming, especially because it's the summertime and they have tons of good cartoons on there for the kiddo.  On the other hand, as was mentioned, a lot of their selection isn't available for streaming, hence the need for DVDs.  I don't fault Netflix for the lack of streaming stuff, since I know the studios can be asshats about this thing if they don't get a coffer of money for the rights, and I know they are demanding more money since streaming has become so popular.

I'll probably opt to knock it to streaming for now, but if they keep hiking the prices, we might have to let it go.  I love Netflix, I've been with them for years (ever since they started out, actually), but we can't afford much more than what I'm paying now.

This news might raise the number of movie torrents that are downloaded.  If it gets too expensive to rent movies, people will just download them, which will ultimately destroy the movie industry :(

For us, our price is going to go down. We get 2 DVDs and never once used the streaming-so when they announced this, it was a no brainer for us. So instead of paying $14.99 (that we do now), we will be paying $11.99. So, this is a good deal for us. Though, I understand why people who use the streaming are extremely upset about this.



Cat

I used to get the $11.99 1 per month streaming plus blu ray, then I dropped to the streaming which is $7.99 but the streaming selection isn't all that great. Now considering the price increase I don't think I would go back to the discs, I'll just live with the mediocre streaming selection.

Sixteen bucks a month is still pretty darn cheap for unlimited.  It's double what it used to be, but still cheap compared to what the video stores used to charge.  If you only rent eight videos a month, that's still just two bucks a flick.  

Netflix claims they're getting gouged by the distributors.  I don't doubt it.  I don't doubt Netflix is making money hand over fist either.  Coincidentally, the last independent video store in my area is going out of business this month.  So long Pleasant Street Video.  They had a great selection of foreign films, independents, documentaries, and cult movies.  I admit I was part of the problem for Pleasant Street.  As soon as Netflix came along, I ditched them.  Netflix had all the stuff Pleasant Street had and more for a fraction of the price, plus no late fees and they delivered straight to my mailbox.  I felt guilty because I know they guys who run (ran) Pleasant Street, but their service was totally uncompetitive.  I'm not a wealthy man...screw the euphemisms, I'm poor.  I gotta watch my wallet.  If I had more disposable cash I might've patronized Pleasant Street as a favor to my friends.

The thing is, I plowed through Netflix' entire catalog until I exhausted my viewing interests.  I let my membership lapse.  I was going to renew my membership but now I'm giving it a second thought.  If Netflix wants to double their prices, I'll shop around.  Maybe Torrent.  I dunno.  I might just do Netflix streaming.
:-\\

What gets me is all these people who complain over the price increase ... they still do have the option of going back to renting movies from a video store at $5.99 each.

Obviously, the reaction to the price increase is not being met with just casual responses...

Top 24 Most Outrageous Netflix Price Increase Reactions

There is something more going on here, DVD and streaming video now make up more than TV and rental DVD's did in the past and the public is very protective of their entertainment budget nowadays...money is tight and people do not like anyone messing with their entertainment dollar.

Myself, like a growing number of people don't have any other source of entertainment, a lot can't afford going to a regular movie theater anymore (who can, with the average price for a movie by itself at $10-$15 for one person, not including popcorn and the other movie accessories). Many have already dropped cable, and streaming/DVD online rental is their savior.

Maybe shouldn't be really surprised of the response to rising rates for online entertainment considering that.

Obviously, the reaction to the price increase is not being met with just casual responses...

Top 24 Most Outrageous Netflix Price Increase Reactions

There is something more going on here, DVD and streaming video now make up more than TV and rental DVD's did in the past and the public is very protective of their entertainment budget nowadays...money is tight and people do not like anyone messing with their entertainment dollar.

Myself, like a growing number of people don't have any other source of entertainment, a lot can't afford going to a regular movie theater anymore (who can, with the average price for a movie by itself at $10-$15 for one person, not including popcorn and the other movie accessories). Many have already dropped cable, and streaming/DVD online rental is their savior.

Maybe shouldn't be really surprised of the response to rising rates for online entertainment considering that.


This (except for the link.  That just made me LOL. ;D).

We went to see "Green Lantern" in the theaters when it came out (a BIG concession that I had to work into our budget months in advance).  It was $15 for tickets (matinee, baby!), but then we spent about the same amount on a small bag of popcorn, two Icees, and a pretzel. :o  Needless to say we won't be going to another movie until the new Batman flick comes out.  Well, unless you count any free movies I get because I participate in that Swagbucks thing online and get Fandango discount cards with my bucks.

If we hadn't moved our asses out of bed to hit that matinee in Indiana, tickets would have been about $25 for all of us, even more if we had opted to hit the River North theater in Chicago (when we saw "Star Trek", it cost $30!)

So them raising the prices does hurt a lot of people who depend on them for cheap entertainment.

I'm not that irritated, because I have the 3 at a time plan, and the price used to be what it's going to be again.  I used the streaming a lot for TV shows, but I'm starting to run out of things I want to stream, so I might just drop it. With the added headache of my cable company's bandwidth caps (which I hit once back in January in a spectacular fashion) I'm also wondering why I should run that risk and pay for the privilege. Especially when I know they're not even paying a penny for every time I view a movie.  It's actually less than that, so I know they're not losing any money currently with the streaming.

I tried Blockbuster a few months ago.  It's ok, but the selection is way too limited for my tastes. I can't really see having a rental plan with them in "protest" or anything.

This news might raise the number of movie torrents that are downloaded.  If it gets too expensive to rent movies, people will just download them, which will ultimately destroy the movie industry :(


AND NOT A SINGLE FU...

Ahem.

Actually, it won't.  With 150GB/mo download caps on AT&T DSL, and 250GB/mo download caps on Comcast, the future's pretty clear: you either stream your video content through AT&T's or Comcast's licensed video service (which won't count against the cap), or you get cut off.  Doesn't matter whether you're downloading from Hulu, Netflix, Youtube, or .torrents.

If the bandwidth-limited model catches on, what we presently know of as the "internet" will ultimately be abandoned for a P2P mesh network with distributed storage, but we're still a few years away from that.

AND NOT A SINGLE FU...

Ahem.

Actually, it won't.  With 150GB/mo download caps on AT&T DSL, and 250GB/mo download caps on Comcast, the future's pretty clear: you either stream your video content through AT&T's or Comcast's licensed video service (which won't count against the cap), or you get cut off.  Doesn't matter whether you're downloading from Hulu, Netflix, Youtube, or .torrents.

If the bandwidth-limited model catches on, what we presently know of as the "internet" will ultimately be abandoned for a P2P mesh network with distributed storage, but we're still a few years away from that.


I don't do P2P 'cos I don't trust my peers!
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