NetFlix Review
NetFlix, the originator of the online movie rentals concept, is still going strong.
Overall Service: Excellent
Customer Support: Good
Price: $17.99 per month for 3 DVD plan
Special: NetFlix 2-WeekFree Trial
NetFlix is the originator of the online movie rental concept, first introducing the concept of "movies by mail" back in 1999. For a time, NetFlix was the only choice available, and it built up an significant lead by the time newcomers such as Blockbuster Online joined the scene. Although competitors have chipped away at NetFlix’s market share, NetFlix remains a solid choice when it comes to online movie rentals.
NetFlix carries over 75,000 titles, which is more than ten times the number of rentals on display at the average video rental store. NetFlix may particularly appeal to those who frequently rent older or hard-to-find titles, as it seems to carry a good selection of these types of films.
Using the service is straightforward. Once you are a member, you just need to select all the titles you plan on watching and place them into a queued wishlist. The movies will be shipped out to you in the same order that you have arranged your wishlist, pending availability.
Delivery
You are not charged any shipping fees for delivery. NetFlix delivery is generally speedy; you can expect to receive the next DVD on your wishlist within a couple business days.
For greater efficiency, NetFlix will attempt to send you movies from your nearest NetFlix shipping center, minimizing shipping time.
Returns
You are not charged any shipping fees for returns. You are not charged any late fees as well, so you can keep a movie on hand as long as you wish until you actually have the time to watch it. Once you’re done, you simply need to place the viewed DVD in an included return envelope and put it in your mailbox.
When NetFlix receives the DVD back at it shipping center, the next DVD in your queue is shipped to you. Since each movie must actually be received before the next is set out, getting new movies may take slightly longer when compared to Blockbuster Online, which sends out a new movie as soon as the postal service scans the returning DVD.
Concerns and Benefits
Recently, a minority of customers have reported a somewhat higher-than-average incidence of defective or broken DVDs being delivered to their homes. Although a replacement will quickly be sent out for any defective DVD, it still means a hassle and lost time. To be fair, the majority of NetFlix customers have never reported such problems.
As another concern, in contrast to Blockbuster Online, you may experience some "throttling" of DVD’s. Throttling refers to the practice of slowing down the speed and/or frequency of DVDs shipments to those users who rent movies very frequently.
NetFlix does not admit to this practice explicitly, but instead refers to it as "giving a higher priority" for members who rent fewer DVDs. In any case, the end result is that if you rent movies very frequently, you may find the speed of your DVD shipments decreasing over the month. The rationale is that NetFlix could possibly lose money if your monthly shipping costs exceed your monthly membership fee.
On the plus side, most users have given the NetFlix website interface very high marks. From what we’ve seen and experienced, we agree that it is the easiest to use among the web interfaces of all online movie rental services, including Blockbuster Online.
Price
Service plans begin as low as $4.99 per month for a 1-DVD plan (with a 1 DVD monthly rental cap). Most users seem to choose the 3-DVD plan, which allows you to have 3 DVDs rented out at a time (with an unlimited monthly rental cap) for a monthly fee of $17.99. If you are a truly prolific movie renter, there are even plans that allow you to have eight DVDs out at one time. Refer to the official NetFlix site for full pricing details.
You can cancel your account at anytime for any reason. Just log in and choose the cancellation option, making sure to return any movies you still have at your home.
Conclusion
NetFlix offers a free 2-week trial so you can see for yourself whether the service is right for you. Simply cancel your account at any time day or night if you decide not to continue. Otherwise, do nothing; your credit card will be billed and your subscription will officially begin upon completion of your trial.
Overall, we give NetFlix very solid marks, as it offers a robust online movie renting experience. NetFlix a proven company with a long, established track record, and you really can’t go wrong with this service. As mentioned before, if you’re a fan of hard-to-find or older titles, NetFlix is probably right up your alley. But if you typically rent the latest hit titles, Blockbuster Online may be the better choice because of its numerous additional benefits.
Technorati Tags: movies by mail, net flix, netflix, netflix online, netflix rentals, netflix review, netflix reviewed, netflix reviews
Related Tags: No Tags
Possible Related Posts
May 15th, 2007 at 11:11 pm
[…] Buyers Guide Articles NetFlix Review NetFlix vs Blockbuster Online Comparison Online Movie Rentals Blockbuster Online Review The Directv HDTV SatelliteExperience […]