"Very Long Wait", "Long Wait" - The New Release New Norm

[Waba]

How many others are getting caught in Netflix's cost cutting measures and seeing new releases with "Very Long Wait" and "Long Wait" as their status? Outside of 'Speed Racer' and 'Journey to the Center of the Earth' I haven't received any popular (subject to interpretation). Currently I have:

'Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian'
'Wanted'
'WALL-E'
'Kung Fu Panda'
'The Happening'
'Tropic Thunder'
'Hancock'

I have a friend I converted to a Netflix fan who has pushed his discs down to just one "for old movies" since he can't get new releases in a timely manner.

I called customer service about the issue and they said they suspect this is because they have closed their used disc store.

Netflix loses much of its appeal if you can't get the movies you want is a timely fashion. Should they not have enough copies to satisfy their customers within a month? ('Kung Fu Panda' & 'Tropic Thunder') Isn't two months too long? ('The Happening').

I've giving this until after the holidays before I found my friend - if I don't just suspend my account all together.

[Spindaddydad]

Nope; she wears a black diamond ring.

Good cuz I like 'em married!

[HouPerson]

I have to agree. Houston must have had an explosion of BluRay players bought in the last two months. 30 of the 60 movies in my queue are on "wait". I have had only "one" movie released from "wait" since December 1st.

At the increasing rate of "waits" - it looks like all 60 movies will be on "wait" by Feb 6 thru 10?

[Dorothy Valens]

I added a few of these to my queue (Hancock, Wall-E, Tropic Thunder) just to see if they were available, then promptly removed them— my queue showed a "now" availability for all of them. Your experience with availabilities may have something to do with where you're located (?). I'm on the West Coast (Portland, Oregon), and I rarely see any availability but "now" in my queue. Also, we get next day deliveries without exception.

[Knaldskalle]

This method may not be all that reliable, since it appears their system doesn't update live and since the most "reliable" availability seems to occur when they're placed near the top of the queue (i.e. it may show "now" until you move it up to #3 and then becomes "very long wait").

The problem is, that the best way to test whether or not it's true is to actually "compete" with the other customers - which'll only make it worse. And you may end up with movies you have no interest in watching. :-)

[ColdOne]

This method may not be all that reliable, since it appears their system doesn't update live and since the most "reliable" availability seems to occur when they're placed near the top of the queue (i.e. it may show "now" until you move it up to #3 and then becomes "very long wait").

I don't think there is much evidence to support that Netflix systematically understates the lack of availability. Except in rare cases, if it says available "Now" anywhere in your queue they expect to be able to ship it to you the next day.

The problem is, that the best way to test whether or not it's true is to actually "compete" with the other customers - which'll only make it worse. And you may end up with movies you have no interest in watching.

Actually, this is already a significant cause for delays. Rather than putting the movie they want to see most at the top of their queue, many people move a highly demanded disc to the top just so they can get it before everyone else. Kind of like loading up your plate with shrimp at the buffet with the thought: I don't know if I really want to eat all these, but they often run out and I don't want to take the chance.

[Knaldskalle]

I don't think there is much evidence to support that Netflix systematically understates the lack of availability. Except in rare cases, if it says available "Now" anywhere in your queue they expect to be able to ship it to you the next day.

You may well be right. I have no personal experience with this, but others have reported that movies they moved up in their queue changed status when it entered the top 10. Whether that's due to the new position in the queue or a real change in availability is probably impossible to say.

Actually, this is already a significant cause for delays. Rather than putting the movie they want to see most at the top of their queue, many people move a highly demanded disc to the top just so they can get it before everyone else.

Most likely true. And if people receive a movie in the mail they only ordered because it's a "hot" title, how long do you think it'll be before they get around to seeing and returning it vs. how long it would take if it was a movie they actually wanted?

[Dorothy Valens]

I moved each of the films in question to position one when I added them; I guess I should have noted that.

I think it must have quite a lot to do with the number of Netflix users in a given area, the number of local distribution centers, and a given flixer's nearness to said centers. Anyway, it's too bad that some people are having trouble getting the films they'd like to see.

[Knaldskalle]

Thanks for the clarification.

[Waba]

Hey Dorothy -

I just tried adding the same three movies and got the following results:

Hancock - "Now"
Wall-E - "Long Wait"
Tropic Thunder - "Short Wait"

I'm in Chicago, IL (you know, the Land of Great Governors).

[ColdOne]

Hancock, Wall-E and Tropic Thunder have no wait for me (blu-ray). Burn After Reading is the first on my list that has a Long Wait and Appaloosa is the first with a Very Long Wait. I consider myself to be a medium turnover customer.

[Cheryl]

Hey, I'm in Chicago too.

[Spindaddydad]

I put those at the top of my queue and here's what it says. As Knald says above, maybe it takes time to update, but this is after a few hours: