Netflix - good deal or not?

brussellbrussell
Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
I recently got one of those free trials at Netflix. I'm not sure if I'll stick with it past the free trial, but it is pretty slick. You put DVDs in your rental queue on their web site, and they mail you your first 3. I got mine in 2 days. It comes in just a slim envelope, not a regular jewel case, presumably to save money. You mail it back in a "no postage necessary" envelope that they provide. You can keep them as long as you want - there aren't any date deadlines or late fees. When they get one back from you, they immediately send out the next one.



Of course, there's a $20/month charge, so it doesn't make much sense to keep them for very long when you could just buy them.



Is this a good deal? My guess is that if you keep the DVDs for a few days, you could probably rent about 10 in a month, maybe more. So that's $2 per rental, which is a little cheaper than most rental places. On the other hand, you'd have to keep up a pretty constant rental pace to make it cheaper than going to a local Blockbuster. If you only rent one movie per month, it doesn't make much sense.



But there's also a pretty good selection - probably better than most local Blockbusters. And it's pretty nice to browse and search online.



Anyone else do this?
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 31
    fishdocfishdoc Posts: 189member
    I am a big fan - it has been great (and I often travel, so I like the flexibility of bringing DVDs with me on the road and watching them on my iBook).



    I think there are other benefits besides the monetary - like you said, the selection is fantastic (far, far better than Blockuster's), the versions you get are "real" (e.g., "Y Tu Mama Tambien", rented from Blockbuster, was an edited (censored) version, while the one from Netflix is unedited), and the convenience issue is important to me (I would ALWAYS forget the name of that movie I wanted to rent when at the store, or it would be rented, but on Netflix, as soon as I think of it, I add it to my queue).



    In all, I think that if yu have the disposable income for it, and you watch 4 or more movie or so a month, it is worthwhile.





    Fish



    ps the other good point - when you are paying a flat fee, you tend to take more chances on obscure movies - cause if you hate it, you turn it off, send it back and (in my case) get the next one in 2 days.
  • Reply 2 of 31
    mcqmcq Posts: 1,543member
    Yeah, it's a nice service... it used to be that there was only a couple distribution centers, but now there's 10 or 11 of them, so turnaround time is pretty good. I have a $14 plan that's 2 movies/month, but I don't think they have it anymore (or they may have set a max on that plan for 4 movies a month, can't remember), and it's perfect for me. Some months you might rent like crazy, some months you might not, so it usually evens out. No late fees, and the selection is pretty good.
  • Reply 3 of 31
    alcimedesalcimedes Posts: 5,486member
    i keep meaning to try it, seems like a great idea to me.



    lots of movies i'd watch this way that i wouldn't otherwise, especially on the obscure side.
  • Reply 4 of 31
    keyboardf12keyboardf12 Posts: 1,379member
    I like it.
  • Reply 5 of 31
    burningwheelburningwheel Posts: 1,827member
    my wife and i just joined. i think it's a great deal especially in the summer when there isn't anything on tv really. we have the 5 dvd plan but will switch to the 3 dvd plan in the fall



    best of all no more money going to the evil empire, blockbuster



    plus you get such more variety than blockbuster could ever hope for, they have so many movies it's silly
  • Reply 6 of 31
    brussellbrussell Posts: 9,812member
    One thing I've noticed is that you don't seem to get the full set of DVDs - like if the bonus features are on separate DVDs. They seem to only send the movie disc.
  • Reply 7 of 31
    mcqmcq Posts: 1,543member
    Yep... second discs such as bonus features are not shipped, it's a separate rental if you want to add it onto your queue.
  • Reply 8 of 31
    paulpaul Posts: 5,278member
    been using netflix since I went to college... it is GREAT



    me and my roommate(s) watch at least 2 a weekend so it is a great deal compared to blockbuster...



    I also settled for the 2 movie at a time limitation to pay less per month... I have yet to run into the 4 movies/month limitation... but I have rented more then 4 movies a month... I think they just say that and don't really enforce it...
  • Reply 9 of 31
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,425member
    I don't have Cable TV so Netflix is like my main source of TV Entertainment. With that in mind I have watched 48 DVDs in the last month @ a cost of 1.36 per movie. It's by far cheaper and easier than Ballbuster Video.



    I find Netflix shipping in Seattle to be very quick. They have a Distribution center in Tacoma which means I have 3 day turnaround at the most. Currently I'm on 3 Disc rental but I will probably boost that sometime in the future to 5. Just finished watching the 1st season of "24". I'm lovin' it. Now if I can just get a decent Cable Connection without being a** raped by Comcast I can squeeze in a PVR(Apple where are you???).
  • Reply 10 of 31
    baumanbauman Posts: 1,248member
    What are the costs of the 2 DVD-at-a-time plan? I went to their website, but all they list is the 3 DVD-at-a-time for 20 bucks.
  • Reply 11 of 31
    mcqmcq Posts: 1,543member
    Bauman: If you're signed up w/Netflix, in "Your Account" there probably should be some link to see different service levels that you can upgrade/downgrade to.



    hmurchison: You were able to rent 48 DVDs in one month on the 3-out plan? Wow.
  • Reply 12 of 31
    burningwheelburningwheel Posts: 1,827member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by bauman

    What are the costs of the 2 DVD-at-a-time plan? I went to their website, but all they list is the 3 DVD-at-a-time for 20 bucks.



    they have other plans. we get 5 at a time for $30. you can even do 8 at a time
  • Reply 13 of 31
    burningwheelburningwheel Posts: 1,827member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by MCQ

    Yep... second discs such as bonus features are not shipped, it's a separate rental if you want to add it onto your queue.



    i was wondering about that. that's BS imo
  • Reply 14 of 31
    wrong robotwrong robot Posts: 3,907member
    hmm....What about discs getting scratched and stuff. Seems like any movie you rent has likely seen a few other homes, as with BLockbuster, I'm sure it couldn't be any better, I could only imagine the shipping aspect making it worse.



    anyone care to fill me in.





    Also, it would be neat if, like Blockbuster, they also did this for video games.
  • Reply 15 of 31
    mcqmcq Posts: 1,543member
    I remember reading in the past that there were some other services trying the video game thing out, you could probably try to search for it.



    Regarding disc scratches, it's not any better or worse IMO, almost all DVDs I've played from them haven't had any noticeable skips or anything unusual. Also, if you get a messed up disc (broken, scratched causing problems playing, etc.) I think you can note it on Netflix and have them send another one out to you (while you send back your disc).
  • Reply 16 of 31
    willoughbywilloughby Posts: 1,457member
    Video Game Rental
  • Reply 17 of 31
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,425member
    Quote:

    hmurchison: You were able to rent 48 DVDs in one month on the 3-out plan? Wow



    Oops that's 48 DVD in 3 months. Sorry.
  • Reply 18 of 31
    osxaddictosxaddict Posts: 131member
    I've had this service since January and love it. I have the 5 discs plan.



    This way I can watch the shows that I heard of but missed due to either work (The Shield, which kicks MAJOR ass!) or not having the channel (HBO...for Sopranos)
  • Reply 19 of 31
    bungebunge Posts: 7,329member
    Warning to those that like to rent a lot of films from Netfix....



    They don't put you in a queue when you 'sign up' for a particular flim. That means if on Monday I ask for Casablanca, and on Tuesday John Doe asks for Casablanca, then on Wednesday it comes in I don't necessarily get that film before John Doe does.



    Instead, if you rent a lot, Netflix purposely passes said film to a newbie, presumably to impress them with quick turnaround. Old school 'abusers', that is, people who rent alot, are already addicted and no longer get priority.
  • Reply 20 of 31
    badtzbadtz Posts: 949member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Willoughby

    Video Game Rental



    has anyone tried this service?
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