The Changing Face of Netflix

In late summer Netflix announced a bold and surprising move. Despite these difficult economic times, they were going to raise their rates effective September 1.

Instead of paying a flat fee of approximately $10 for unlimited streaming over your computer or XBox game system and one DVD-at-a-time mailing plan, they separated out these services at a cost of $7.99 each.

If you wanted 2 or more DVD's (plans include up to 4) mailed out at a time, the price increased by $4 per additional DVD. With this new, more expensive plan came the option to drop the unlimited streaming or the mailing service. You were no longer required to have both.

It's fair to say that customers were outraged and made their dissension known. The company expects to lose about 1 million customers, with their stocks dropping about 19 percent in the next quarter.

Far be it from me to try to understand the minds of the men and women behind this strategic business move. I am ill-equipped to relay why they felt this to be a positive step forward; especially since Blockbuster offers a similar service--and the Redbox kiosk is available around every corner in St. Louis (Movie Cube was a similar kiosk, but failed to thrive in St. Louis).  When you see 'price dropping' at nearly every local franchise, it is fascinating to me that Netflix went the opposite direction. 

Still, I like Netflix and I never batted an eye when they raised their rates. I still see it as a good value for the money. Definitely falling into the minority, my family does not subscribe to cable TV, Satellite, or ATT U-Verse.

It was not until we became a Netflix customer did I watch my first episodes of Jon and Kate Plus 8, Toddlers & Tiaras, and Say Yes to the Dress. It also gave me the opportunity to rent the Oscar nominated movies from years past.

On average, with mail turn around time, I receive two to three movies per week. The time I have for watching unlimited streaming is much more erratic. I'll clip coupons, flip through some magazines or mail, cut out school projects or other mind-less tasks as I watch the equally mindless shows such as old episodes of Rosanne through our computer.

But among the best part of Netflix is watching the old episodes of shows I grew up watching. At a painfully slow rate of one disk at a time, I have been working my way through the ER series. But even more recently, I've rented the first disk of Seasons 1 of One Day at a Time, Facts of Life, Gimme a Break, and Kate & Allie.

While many of these shows were probably better left in the '80s, I have enjoyed the nostalgia of these shows from long ago.

The best part of being part of the Netflix subscribing family is that I have watched truly inspiring movies and documentaries like Taking Chance and Paper Clips, which otherwise would never have been on my radar.

I've enjoyed other documentaries about birth, obesity in America, the way food is processed in the U.S. and several Holocaust films.

Whether or not you agree or disagree with the decision Netflix made this fall to raise prices, I still enjoy my subscription. I appreciate their efforts to make programs available that I would not otherwise be able to view.