"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.

[Evil Herbivore]

i know, but i enjoy beating my head against a brick wall repeatedly - it feels so good!

[lisag]

Really interesting topic actually, some of you have done a great job of trying to explain. Not that it's all that important but here's how I handle my queue.... We are movie nuts here, we use the 3 at a time plan and turn them over really quickly. Granted some are kids shows or tv series and that makes mailing back go more quickly, also with the house to myself all day I get to watch some during the day. ( no housewife cracks please :) )
As soon as something moves off the save list I move it to the top of my list, I keep the top in order by release date. Under the NRs I put everything that has a wait on it with very long at the top and short at the bottom. Then I have everything else, my list is huge so I shift the Now movies around a lot depending on what I'm in the mood for.
I use the lists made by other members and follow the little pop-up-box-thingies, search by actor etc to find movies that look good so I always have lots of choices. I've seen some great movies that I never would have seen if I only watched the popular new releases, and I've seen some new releases that are real stinkers.... Dragon Wars comes to mind.
We waited months for Kung Fu Panda and even my four year old didn't complain, it was worth the wait.
I always mail back on Saturday, and have only had 2 or 3 weeks when I didn't get what I wanted on Monday. And like the others said, there's always Redbox if you really can't wait.

[HouPerson]

Well at least in my location they are shipping out movies again. But with a new twist.

Prior to Christmas out of a list of 70 in my queue, there were about 6 movies total on "wait". In the last week that has now changed to about 28 movies on "wait". Even plain DVDs are going to wait. Even odd ones like "Chop Shop" after being "available" on the queue for a couple of months, just popped to "wait" 3 days ago.

I think a lot of peeps in Houston must have gotten players, and they simply do not have enough movies to send out. Everyone is staying home for entertainment.

Two on my wait list have been at he top of the list for 3 months now. That is not a big deal for me, as long as they keep sending some movie. Right now there are 8 "waits" at the top and growing, so the keep digging deeper; but at the rate of change to "wait" there may not be any to send within a month? So soon all 70 movies will be on "wait"?

We never did see the so-called extra disc for a movie on your "wait" list here (shipped from another location). In fact we had the opposite result, they just stopped sending movies. It now seems that bad spell is over (I hope).

[lisag]

What it really comes down to for me is I don't have to go out to rent a movie or worry about getting it back on time. The whole house looks forward to movie delivery day, especially at times like these when it's 18 below zero. :(

[Christopher]

as of this moment I have 45 titles on either a shot wait long wait or very long wait. Almost all of my new releases on my queue have a wait witch is only about 7 out of the 45 and the other dvd's on wait are obscure ones like Peter Noone in concert, Louis Jordin: films & Soundies just to name a couple of them. I never had this many on a wait before. Could it be that netflix is growing to big for it britches & now are running low on dvd's to rent? Thank god I got my roku to keep me going while I wait for my dvd's. I just wish they had more music titles to watch instantly though.

[KeepItSimpleEngineer]

I rent a lot of movies and have been a Netflix customer for over eight years. I opted in for the Blu-Ray buck hoping to break the Blu-Ray logjam.

Although new releases are a small part of the DVD's I rent, the top nine in my queue are all new or near new Blu-Ray releases in some "wait" status.

Often it takes two months to get one. I have been sent DVD's from as far down as in the thirties in my queue.

Although as long as I have something entertaining to watch, the newness isn't so important, except when local teenage movie fans ask me about movies they've seen on cable or satellite. I just say I'm a Netflix user and they sigh and nod their heads. (At my age, I'll take sympathy from anybody.)

In eight years of Netflix, this is about as bad as it's ever been. I've been mulling over reducing my rental plan, kicking the Blu-Ray buck and using RedBox for the new releases. It'll cost about the same and I really should get out more.

Other than this noisome Netflix feature, web-site, selection, rental turn-around and customer service are excellent.

[Jason]

I've been a netflix customer for many years now and this is the worst it's been with waits for new releases. I have to say, if they don't do something about this soon i will have to cancel my membership because it's not worth it. The only other thing they could do to keep me is to add a truckload of new movies to Watch Instantly. Their selection, even with the Starz movies, is piss poor. Also, i've noticed that when streaming a WI movie during peak hours (around 10 or 11PM when both east and west coasts are hitting them up) there is a HUGE drop in performance and image quality. I suggest they increase their bandwidth and number of servers or this will piss a lot of folks off.

Bascially, Netflix has either been unwilling or unable to keep up with the demand of their increasing customer base. SPEND SOME OF THAT MONEY YOU'RE MAKING AND IMPROVE YOUR SERVICES!

[Spindaddydad]

this is the worst it's been with waits for new releases
You hoping for unrestricted access to new releases is a problem. Too many people want to see them.

I have to say, if they don't do something about this soon i will have to cancel my membership because it's not worth it.
If you want to only see new releases, then I'm afraid NF will not get any better for you. Pretty sure redbox will be a better option.

The only other thing they could do to keep me is to add a truckload of new movies to Watch Instantly. Their selection, even with the Starz movies, is piss poor.
They can only add what the studios/distributors allow them to add. And the studios don't want their top new releases to be streamed.

Also, i've noticed that when streaming a WI movie during peak hours (around 10 or 11PM when both east and west coasts are hitting them up) there is a HUGE drop in performance and image quality.
Pretty sure that has more to do with your service provider than with Netflix. Your provider may be throttling your connection.

Bascially, Netflix has either been unwilling or unable to keep up with the demand of their increasing customer base.
There is no way to buy a copy of Dark Knight for every member.

[Jason]

You hoping for unrestricted access to new releases is a problem. Too many people want to see them.
Nope, not hoping for unrestricted access...just less wait time. I don't believe i'm being unrealistic here.

If you want to only see new releases, then I'm afraid NF will not get any better for you. Pretty sure redbox will be a better option.
That may be the case right now, but i remember not that long ago that my hunger for new releases was no different and I had little to no problems getting popular new releases.

They can only add what the studios/distributors allow them to add. And the studios don't want their top new releases to be streamed.
I do understand this, but investing some more money to obtain some licenses to add better movies to the streaming collection would be worth it. What about TV shows that I can watch on Hulu? Spend some money to obtain rights to get those shows...

Pretty sure that has more to do with your service provider than with Netflix. Your provider may be throttling your connection.
No, i've looked into this as i thought that this was the case at first but it is definitely not. I think the new influx of Xbox Live viewers has put a strain on their system. They should have predicted this and been ready for it.

There is no way to buy a copy of Dark Knight for every member.
I know that, but when demand increases then supply needs to. I think Netflix is falling behind and not keeping up with the amount of customers and their increased demand. Right now they can get away with this due to the lack of competition, however with new technology and increased market demand they risk losing customers and market share in the future.

It seems that their business focus right now is to further expand their streaming market, for instance, partnering with LG to have their new TVs pre-equipped with hardware to stream Netflix. This is important, as this market is very competitive right now and still very new. However, they aren't backing it up with the resources to support the increased demand. Also, in their tunnel vision with expanding their streaming market, they have forgotten how important the Blu-Ray market is and how it is growing rapidly with cheaper Blu-Ray players and the elimination of HD-DVD. Streaming HD and HDTV are great, but they do not compare to the quality of a Blu-Ray disc.

Being the market leader in this industry without much competition is enabling them to neglect their customers increasing demand while they focus on expanding and obtaining more and more customers. Which really will only make their problems worse. They would be smart to deal with the supply/demand issue now before it bites them in the ass. The money is pouring in for them, so we know that isn't the problem.

[Spindaddydad]

Nope, not hoping for unrestricted access...just less wait time. I don't believe i'm being unrealistic here.
You ARE being realistic, but you're NOT being reasonable.

my hunger for new releases was no different and I had little to no problems getting popular new releases.
But NOW you realize that redbox might be better for your new release hunger.

but investing some more money to obtain some licenses to add better movies to the streaming collection would be worth it
They are investing their money and new titles are being added to the streaming collection each week. If by BETTER you mean NEWER, then it won't happen until the studios change their distribution models.

What about TV shows that I can watch on Hulu? Spend some money to obtain rights to get those shows...
So, you are wanting them to get the same shows that are on hulu.com? I'd like them to get titles that aren't on hulu. That way I have access to more shows and movies.

I think the new influx of Xbox Live viewers has put a strain on their system. They should have predicted this and been ready for it.
Then how does that explain the fact that some of us can watch movies uninterrupted in prime time evenings. I never get interruptions. I have a very fast conenction.

I know that, but when demand increases then supply needs to.
I'm certain their supply has increased. I personally hope that they have decided to not chase the "new release" dragon and to focus on broader endeavors.

however with new technology and increased market demand they risk losing customers and market share in the future
Yet since they are one of the big players in the new technology, they continue to grow by leaps and bounds.

It seems that their business focus right now is to further expand their streaming market... This is important, as this market is very competitive right now and still very new. However, they aren't backing it up with the resources to support the increased demand.
What do you mean they aren't backing it up with resources to support the increased demand? It works like a charm for most. Those with slower connections experience the most problems.

Also, in their tunnel vision with expanding their streaming market, they have forgotten how important the Blu-Ray market is
I get blu-rays all the time

Being the market leader in this industry without much competition is enabling them to neglect their customers
Who's being neglected?

The money is pouring in for them, so we know that isn't the problem.
if they weren't providing a great service, no one would join.

[lisag]

I really don't mean to be a bitch but, this really seems like a whole lot of whining to me now.
Every now and then we miss a new release, but not very often. And as I said before even my four year old didn't complain about waiting for Kung-Fu Panda. There are millions of movies out there to be seen, pick something else, read a book, talk to your family, you'll get the new ones eventually.

[Jason]

Well, i can't explain why this doesn't happen to everyone, because we all have different movies in our queue, different subscriptions, and different turnover rates. They probably use many different variables to see how gets that next new release sent to them when it becomes available. Perhaps you have been more fortunate than me?

All I know is that i am dissatisfied with my decline in service and with the way the economy is right now, many people, myself included can probably find better use of their $15/month. I hate blockbuster, and i've never tried Red Box but those are starting too look more and more appealing lately.

I have every right to bitch about the service i am paying for and will continue to do so until i am ready to cancel my membership.