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Netflix's New DVD Shipping Policy

post #1 of 26
12/30/08 at 4:06pm
Thread Starter 
My account has been on hold since March, but will finally be re-activated in 2009. Anyway, I just read this online today and wasn't sure if they emailed members about it or not.

Quote:
Netflix recently changed the DVD shipping process when your first choice movie is not available at the shipping center nearest you.

We have 55 shipping centers throughout the U.S., including Anchorage, Alaska and Honolulu, Hawaii. Previously, if the movie you wanted was not in stock locally, we sent it from another shipping center. Since this DVD was shipped from farther away, it took longer to arrive and you could end up without a DVD for a few days. This was especially inconvenient for our members on 1-disc plans.

Now, if your first choice is not available in your local shipping center, we immediately send the next locally available movie in your Queue, and whenever possible, we also send your first choice from another part of the country.

We want you to receive DVDs as quickly as possible, so we’re taking this extra step to ensure you have another movie to enjoy as a complimentary extra DVD rental if your first choice will be delayed.

This change took effect Dec 11, 2008 and applies to all Netflix members.
Source: http://blog.netflix.com/
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post #2 of 26
12/30/08 at 4:46pm
I've noticed that their long and short wait titles have diminished quite a bit. This might be one reason.

Overall, I think Netflix has excellent customer service due to their focus on operations.
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post #3 of 26
12/30/08 at 4:47pm
This sounds like a new way to keep new releases outta my hands.
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post #4 of 26
12/30/08 at 4:57pm
New releases have mostly been the least of my worries on Netflix. They usually have an overabundance. It's the older, more obscure titles that would take forever to receive.
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post #5 of 26
12/30/08 at 5:15pm
This sounds like a new way to keep older, more obscure titles outta my hands.
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post #6 of 26
12/30/08 at 6:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin Matchstick View Post
This sounds like a new way to keep older, more obscure titles outta my hands.
Flip-flopper.

I've stopped getting new releases from Netflix. The one or two a month that I don't see in theaters I get from the video store around the corner. I rarely if ever have a DVD shipped from another center either so I won't worry about this.
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post #7 of 26
12/30/08 at 6:13pm
Well they still are terrible with their blu-ray shipping. I pay an extra dollar and still waiting?
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post #8 of 26
12/30/08 at 7:11pm
Weird. I had both The Dark Knight and Horton Hears a Who (sue me, I have kids) on short wait and they immediately shipped the next 2 in line without shipping those movies from other locations. They both released that week too, if I remember correctly.
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post #9 of 26
12/30/08 at 8:28pm
Well that explains why my order for Mishima: a Life in 4 Chapters has been delayed for close to a year! "Very long wait' Indeed!

I've started watching a lot of the "Instant Quene" stuff, mostly TV (Like the new remasted Star Trek!) while more "Serious" films I prefer to get the DVD.

Are any Chewers using their PC to TV tech? How is it?
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post #10 of 26
12/30/08 at 9:53pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cylon Baby View Post
Well that explains why my order for Mishima: a Life in 4 Chapters has been delayed for close to a year! "Very long wait' Indeed!

I've started watching a lot of the "Instant Quene" stuff, mostly TV (Like the new remasted Star Trek!) while more "Serious" films I prefer to get the DVD.

Are any Chewers using their PC to TV tech? How is it?
I got my girlfriend a Roku, and we're slightly addicted to it. Before, she would watch TV series I wasn't interested in on PC while I was playing video games. The small laptop screen never interested me much, though. Now all the movies I never seemed to get around to watching because some new flashy release bumped them from the top of my queue are at my fingertips. Video quality is remarkable enough for the convenience it provides. In fact, the resolution proferred when watching horror movies late at night on Roku is eerily similar to broadcast rabbit-ear television. If you've got a hundred bucks laying around and no Xbox, it's more than worth it.
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post #11 of 26
12/31/08 at 1:35am
I bought the full version of the "PlayOn" software and am using it with my PS3. We watched our first movie last night, and surprisingly, there were no hiccups, glitches, etc. The only crappy part was the actual picture. It looked VCR quality. However, it was a small movie from 2000, which probably had an even smaller DVD release. I grabbed a look at "War, Inc.", which looked borderline Super VHS (remember that?) quality (and was more recent). I also sneaked a peek at that Justice League: Final Frontier, or whatever it's called, and it looked really good.

It took about 30 seconds for the film to start, and from then on, no problems. I also watched a few things on Hulu and ESPN. It was really easy to set up and you don't need Nero or another Media Server software on your PC for it.
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post #12 of 26
1/6/09 at 2:43pm
Again I'll call bullshit on this supposed policy change. I had Pineapple Express sitting at #1 on my queue, purposely mailed a movie back yesterday so that they'd get it today, and #2 on my queue is in the mail with "Very Long Wait" listed for Pineapple Express. I'm 0/3 with getting an extra movie when #1 isn't available locally when I want it.
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post #13 of 26
1/6/09 at 2:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by A-Pathetic View Post
Again I'll call bullshit on this supposed policy change. I had Pineapple Express sitting at #1 on my queue, purposely mailed a movie back yesterday so that they'd get it today, and #2 on my queue is in the mail with "Very Long Wait" listed for Pineapple Express. I'm 0/3 with getting an extra movie when #1 isn't available locally when I want it.
I'm in the same boat with White Dog.
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post #14 of 26
1/6/09 at 2:46pm
I'm sure White Squall is available.
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post #15 of 26
1/6/09 at 2:53pm
I'm sure that G.I. Jane is available too, it doesn't mean I'm going to watch it.
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post #16 of 26
1/6/09 at 3:29pm
Has anyone else received the email surveys about wait times? I honestly lie and say I receive everything a day later, just to see if they improve wait times.
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post #17 of 26
1/6/09 at 3:45pm
Yet another reason why living in a big city is awesome. I pretty much get everything immediately with one day turn around. So much so that I recently dropped my account to the one at a time option because I can watch as many movies as I did with two at a time and save money.
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post #18 of 26
1/6/09 at 3:50pm
I live in a city with a hub, but they still manage to fuck around on newer titles.
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post #19 of 26
1/6/09 at 3:55pm
How long have you been a member? It's pretty much known that Netflix reserves newer titles for new Netflix members. That's how they suck you in. Once you're established, they push you down the list. I pretty much never rent new titles anyways because I've just seen them a few months before in the theater. I primarily use Netflix to catch up on stuff that I should have seen years ago but haven't.
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post #20 of 26
1/6/09 at 3:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Diva View Post
How long have you been a member? It's pretty much known that Netflix reserves newer titles for new Netflix members. That's how they suck you in. Once you're established, they push you down the list. I pretty much never rent new titles anyways because I've just seen them a few months before in the theater. I primarily use Netflix to catch up on stuff that I should have seen years ago but haven't.
I've been a member off and on for about three years now. I try to slip through a new release here or there. But, what they fuck me on is the Criterion stuff and older animation titles of all things.
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post #21 of 26
1/6/09 at 4:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Diva View Post
How long have you been a member? It's pretty much known that Netflix reserves newer titles for new Netflix members. That's how they suck you in. Once you're established, they push you down the list. I pretty much never rent new titles anyways because I've just seen them a few months before in the theater. I primarily use Netflix to catch up on stuff that I should have seen years ago but haven't.
I'm in a city with a hub and I've been a member less than a year. Your theory sounds more urban legend than fact. I always have movies 2 days after I mail a movie back to them, I just rarely get new releases when I request them.
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post #22 of 26
1/6/09 at 4:05pm
I've been a member for a few years now and have gotten lucky twice. I got Indiana Jones and Eagle Eye, both on bluray and both in the first week of release. The Dark Knight never came, also Wanted and Hancock. They were on very long wait. I ended up buying TDK and renting the other two from blockbuster.

My top four in my queue right now are bluray and long wait. I'll see how they handle it. What I do to try to cheat is keep them all at the top of the list and sometimes I might get lucky to get something.
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post #23 of 26
1/6/09 at 4:54pm
They used to mail new releases on Monday, which was tricky. If I sent a movie in on Friday, they'd process it on Monday and mail me a new release. I tried that with Pineapple Express and it didn't work (it worked like clockwork for months). They did send me The Last Emporer, which was a new release at number 2, so I can't complain too much.
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post #24 of 26
1/6/09 at 5:21pm
I was on their bad list a couple years back (you know-- the ones that turned movies around so fast I was costing them money), but since that situation cleared up, I haven't noticed any difference. But since I live near the original location, I presume most of what I'm looking for tends to be handy.
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post #25 of 26
1/6/09 at 5:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by BillyG View Post
Has anyone else received the email surveys about wait times? I honestly lie and say I receive everything a day later, just to see if they improve wait times.
I get them all the time, but they give me three dates to choose from when I mailed the movie back, and by then I usually can't remember.
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post #26 of 26
1/6/09 at 5:37pm
I always ignore those e-mails, as I'm a suspicious motherfucker who assumes they'll use it to screw me.
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