"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.

[ColdOne]

The algorithm that Netflix uses is proprietary and they will only give you vague answers about how they prioritize members, but we can use common sense and the meager data we have to make a reasonable stab at it.

By my reckoning, your parents are probably low-turnover customers and they probably are in one of the top tiers for prioritization. Probably not at the very top, because the algorithm should take into consideration total desirability (i.e. profitability) and a customer on a 5 out plan turning discs over once a week is more valuable to them than your parents. They also will likely prioritize newer customers slightly higher.

So they should be (and probably are) getting those new releases more quickly than most others, but that might mean 3 weeks from the release date instead of 6 weeks (and they're more likely to get lucky and get it in the first week).

They just need to reset their expectations as to what Netflix can reasonably provide and reconsider what they're getting out of Netflix. If they only want 4 movies a month and they just want spanking new releases then something like Redbox is probably a better option. If they're already paying for HBO, and HBO has all the slightly new releases they want, and they are happy with watching them on HBOs schedule, and their happy with the quality, then they should just drop Netflix altogether.

At their age you would expect them to have learned a little patience and impulse control. I don't believe for a second that they have seen every "old" movie they would enjoy, but let's assume that's true for a second. Instead of being continually frustrated over not having the "new release" that comes out that week, how about taking a 4 week break from watching movies? With that 4 week lag, every movie they see will be a new release (to them) and they will get every movie with no wait. I know most people can't do that, but I have little to no sympathy for them (especially when they're old enough to have learned that lesson many times over).

[ocontraire]

I guess you would call me a "senior citizen" (over 60), but truth be told, I've had very
little problem getting new rel. from NF. Granted, I'm not a big fan of fantasy super hero films
or fantasy, but I notice I'm getting "Traitor" shipped today and generally have NOT had major
problems getting new rel. on the day they're rel.
By surfing many film sites, one can find out in advance when the films are scheduled
to be released and just make sure those desired films are at the very top of your queue
before the release date AND NF receives your returned film that AM. of the rel. date.
Granted, I was the one that posted about missing new rel. for the past 2 wks,
thinking there was a policy change, but it was just bad luck.
I am on the 3 at a time plan and see about 3 films weekly ( approx.12/mo.) and have been a NF member
for a couple of yrs.

[Mikey]

Yeah, this is a common gripe. Is this because of cost cutting measures?

[Slappy]

No it is because they have 8.1 million customers and they aren't going to buy a copy so that every customer that wants one on Tues, or even within a week or two of new releases. They buy what is projected to be a good investment for the company with minimal loss plus to leave enough money to buy all the non-mainstream selections they have. Also on top of that the studios do a fair amount of controlling how many copies they can rent, why well because then you may go out and buy their copy of it for 10-15 dollars for DVD or even better 15-30 for BR instead of waiting on rental.

[Waba]

The point is not to get the new releases when they first come out, the point is getting the new release in a 'reasonable' timeframe - a couple of weeks? My original post listed 7 "new releases" 12 days ago (the original released dates of those movies are were from 6 to 61 days old at that time). Since that original post, I have received 6 movies and not one of them is was one of the original "new releases". Ironically, 'The Happening's availability status is 'Now' (insert your M. Night Shyamalan jokes in this tag: ).

This topic obviously struck a nerve here. NF can't believe people will use their service only for older movies AND rent movies from blockbuster. Only the insiders have the answers - how does NF rank us on our requests or is it random? When you put the title in your queue affect your Queue Rank? Does your monthly subscription rate help your Queue Rank? Does your Disc Turnover Rate hurt your Queue Rank? Does anyone have answers to these questions or is this proprietary information?

[Spindaddydad]

is it random?
Yes, it's random

When you put the title in your queue affect your Queue Rank?
No. There is no priority to given to length in queue

Does your monthly subscription rate help your Queue Rank?
No.

Does your Disc Turnover Rate hurt your Queue Rank?
Yes, High volume users will be slotted below low volume renters.

[JD]

I have to agree 1000%. I have had some movies on very long wait or long wait for 2 months. TWO MONTHS!

Seriously. This has got to end. Netflix is really starting to loose its appeal. When I do get a new release I am good about sending it back the next day so someone else can enjoy it. But this is just too much right now. I am really not happy at all.

[jeldobar]

go to a rental company that mainly deals with new releases ... like blockbuster in a town near you or redbox ... they aren't forcing you to just use them

[ewd76]

I have had some movies on very long wait or long wait for 2 months. TWO MONTHS!


Which ones? I have one or two like that, but these are not ones I would expect them to have very many copies of.

[Phaedrusnyc]

It's not every day that people who are paying for a service justify the diminishing returns of said service by saying that the people who pay for the service should exercise "patience and impulse control." Thanks for the laugh. But yes, you're absolutely right- Netflix is no longer doing what Netflix advertises, so I will suggest to my parents- and everyone else to whom I promoted the company to over the last few years- that they should drop it. Thanks for your very constructive advice.

[ColdOne]

You're right in that few people are actually going to bother with informing you of the realities and practicalities of the world. They'd rather lie to you and profit off your ignorance - and you love it.

Your parents have apparently passed on their bad habits along to you, but don't worry you can tell from the current state of our economy that you have plenty of company.

[ewd76]

so I will suggest to my parents- and everyone else to whom I promoted the company to over the last few years- that they should drop it.

Why would you bother? Seems more trouble than it's worth. Especially if it works for them, and then they will probably drop it without your input.