How do you feel about Netflix raising their rates 60%?

I feel a little bit as if I’d been tricked. I’m a pretty heavy user of Netflix DVDs and very rarely use the instant-view feature, but I like having the option as an included feature. Now that they’re separating these services under two rates, I won’t have instant-view any more because I’m not going to pay that much extra for something I might use two or three times in a year. So for me it’s a take-away, and nobody likes those.

It’s ok. I just canceled my HULU account to accommodate the Netflix increase. I paid HULU for the simple reason of watching The Family Guy and they ran out of new episodes a long time ago. I’m not happy with the Netflix increase but I support them and their business model. I love movies of every sort and the only reason I haven’t seen more is the time factor. I also use their instant play a lot and haven’t stopped DVD deliveries for years now.
I would like to think they could use the money really to improve and innovate and expand their services…all without any increase in the next what, 3 or 4 years? Maybe, huh.

I feel neutral about it. It’s a business, they have to (try to) make a profit.

I do not use it.

I’m pretty miffed. I think it’s a very high increase. I think the thing that bugs me is that Netflix hasn’t really improved any aspect in a long time. The streaming-only is mostly just old stuff. The DVDs by mail can be slow.

I do wish Netflix would grandfather in old customers into the old rates, while making new sign-ups get the new prices. They are just alienating people by forcing them into much higher prices.

Depending I would just go with the instant-view if they spit up the service, it is the one I get the most use out of anyhow.

I never get DVDs from them. They’re dropping my rates 20%.

I rarely get DVD’s from them so I will drop that option but keep my account. Netflix has been wonderful!

Not a fan, especially since their instant service sucks as it doesn’t have a whole lot of options. So it’s crazy to think that I’d pay for that service when it didn’t even do what I needed it to do when it was bundled and cheaper. Too rich for my blood.

But wasn’t this Netflix’s business model from the start? Just decimate all of the main DVD rental operations (blockbuster..etc) which they have done. Then corner the market pretty much on instant/mailed DVD’s and then they can charge whatever price they choose. I personally believe that this will not be the last price hike in the near future!

@Schroedes13 :: I was reading on ARS that they just had to renegotiate the licensing deals with the studios. What I gathered is that the old deal was 145 million and the new deal is closer to two billion. I’m not so sure Netflix is the right people to be blaming for the increase.

And I just get the streaming so I don’t really care about the increase.

I hadn’t noticed. I also just checked my plan and nothing has changed. Is this only for the plans that include DVDs by mail?

@ANef_is_Enuf :: Yes. Now it is 8 bucks to get them in the mail instead of two dollars if you buy the streaming service. I spend more a month on lubricant so it is hard to find any outrage.

I may consider staying with them if they have more streaming shows.

New plan is effective September 1st.

I have heard rumors of it, but have not read the official on it.
I have been a member for 3 years and use it for streaming and DVD. The current rate is a steal for the product.
60% sounds like a lot, but its about the price of a good coffee these days. If my auto insurance or health insurance went up 60%, that would be a different story.
I will review it and determine how it fits.
The market is changing a bit to on-demand and this is really the beginning of many of these type of price structure changes to come.
I am not sure if it is justifyable as the next one will be the internet charges that Netflix rides its streaming on. Most providers have put download caps on their pricing models, and as you stream more, ,,,,well, you get the idea.
The cost of this like stamp price increases do not bother me too much.
I suppose my Satellite Radio is the next one to ask for more.
I am sure I will balance my budget and figure out what discretionary spending I want more.

I use blockbuster.. They also have a free mailing program plus they receive new releases several weeks before either netflix or redbox.. (right now I have ‘battle los angeles’).. No, it doesn’t have streaming video, but who’s interested in watching old releases and limited TV series re-runs? It does have download potential though but I don’t use it. I’m happy where I am (until they eventually raise their rent of course).

I already switched my plan upon hearing the news. I was on 3 dvds a month but instead I switched to 2.

Right now I don’t mind the increase because it’ll probably be a while before they do it again. I have been a faithful Netflix user for a couple of years now.

So far Netflix has been good to me, although I did have a minor setback with them over a broken dvd. I told them about it but yet they still sent me a broken dvd as a replacement. So I just let the issue go.

If Netflix continues raising their rates in this manner (which I think that’s what eventually will happen) I’m going to have to terminate my account and just redbox it.

I’m with others who say that existing acc holders should be grandfathered in!
Let’s all write them and log our protest!?

I recently read an article about how movie companies now see the potential for streaming and will charge significantly more for Netflix to stream their movies once their current contracts are up. That’s probably why the rate increase is happening, and unfortunately not because Netflix is adding new features or newer content.

Right now we are on the one DVD at a time plus instant viewing through our Wii. The kids use the instant viewing, and we use the DVDs for things we don’t want to see badly enough to rent from our cable “on demand.” The DVD we have at home right now is My Fair Lady, which my daughter asked to see.

I’ll have to look at the new rates and decide if we want to keep it. We probably will, at least until school starts again.

From a personal point of view, I don’t like it because I like to watch movies and have my money stay with me.
That being said, I’ve always felt like Netflix was a total bargain. I can’t blame them at all for wanting to make more money providing a service many people use and are loyal to. There’s no outrage from me, just an “aw, bummer.”

As @johnpowell mentioned above, CNN Money recently reported:

“Netflix’s streaming content licensing costs will rise from $180 million in 2010 to a whopping $1.98 billion in 2012.”

That’s a huge order of magnitude jump! And it’s especially eye-catching when you compare it to Netflix’s 2010 fiscal year total revenue at just $2.2B.

Now, the article doesn’t really explain what goes into those numbers. For one thing, Netflix is steadily increasing the number of streaming users and those users are viewing more and more streaming content. So, it’s not just the rate price in there, but also the volume of content Netflix is serving up.

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I don’t like paying substantially more for the same service I already enjoy. But in this case, it really seems like Netflix is just the messenger. They simply tack their overhead on top of the price of the content that the studios are charging.

And like any good unscrupulous drug dealer, it seems the movie industry has figured out how to hook us with a (nearly) free taste of their best drug, and now that we’re hooked, they’re ratcheting up the price mercilessly.

I am irked. Although I understand that a company’s increased expenses are usually passsed on to the customer, they could have raised the price gradually. Also, I am irritated that even though there will be a large price increase, the service is not improving. I stream content from Netflix and have noticed that a lot of times, entire seasons of a show that I watching will disappear without warning. If my SO wasn’t such a TV hound, I would honestly probably just cancel the service and learn to live without it. But since he needs his TV fix, we’ll probably just discontinue the DVD delivery.

I have Amazon Prime. I recently started streaming through them more than I do through Netflix. I also recently told my husband to put our Netflix account down to a stream only account because we hardly ever have time to watch movies.

It won’t affect me. It’s still less than us shelling out dough to buy the DVDs. It’s still a much better system than wathing VHS after renting them from your local Blockbuster. ;)