The April Fool Award 2009; Littleton, Colorado
Hollywood Video axes MVP Program in favor of a 'points' system that alienates customers.
It was a great offering as people held on until Hollywood Video released a video streaming service. Sadly this was spoken about but more of a fib than reality. Blowing smoke....
Video Rental Competition is Steep
In light of the fact that Hollywood Video recently emerged from a Chapter 11 bankruptcy and the economic downturn we can't understand the slap in the face to loyal customers with the poor Power Play transition.The Power Play is a feeble effort in light of other competitive video offers that include videos on demand, TIVO, DVR, Hulu etc.
Sadly that edge has dissolved and it's time to Switch to Blockbuster?
According to un-named sources, Hollywood Video Employees are secretly empathetic to the thousands of loyal customers dis-satisfied with the new offerings and the elimination of the Hollywood Video MVP Program. They say 'customers are pissed' and walking away. Combined with reduced hours of operation being hard on HV employees, many are jumping ship as the end is near.
Maybe a combo of Red Box and NetFlix...
On a side note: NetFlix could face a service down-grade if the US Postal Service cancels Saturday mail deliveries.
Since their MVP Program is DOA maybe a new business would benefit from a great MVP Business Name and domain name combo with web savvy branding that will make the phone ring.
Netflix Raises Blu-ray Rates: Time to Switch to Blockbuster?
JR Raphael, PC World
Mar 30, 2009 3:30 pm
Buying a new movie on Blu-ray may be getting cheaper these days, but renting one is actually getting more expensive. Netflix has announced it's raising its Blu-ray surcharges, replacing the $1-a-month flat rate introduced last fall with a new tiered alternative. Translation: Your bill will go up by anywhere from $1 to $8 per month, depending on which plan you've chosen.
Thinking of jumping ship and switching over to Blockbuster? Read on to see if it'd be worth your while.
Netflix's New Blu-ray Plans
Artwork: Chip TaylorFirst, how the Netflix Blu-ray change will affect you: Basically, the higher your monthly bill, the higher your Blu-ray fee will soon be. If you pay $13.99 a month for the two DVDs at a time plan, for example, you'll have to pay $3 a month extra for access to Blu-ray titles under the new system. On the other end of the spectrum, if you pay $47.99 for the eight DVDs at a time plan, your Blu-ray surcharge will jump to $9 a month. (You can find a full list of all the Netflix rate plans and how they'll be affected here.)As for the reason driving the change, about 10 percent of Netflix users now rent Blu-ray discs, the company says, compared to what was described as a "very, very small, single-digit percentage" this time last year.
Customer Reaction
The equations may make sense, but that doesn't mean customers are happy with adjustment. The announcement on the official Netflix blog is already filled with irritated comments.
"I've been holding off investigating alternatives, but now that this price hike is going in, it's time to look at what else is out there," one user says. "Will my extra money guarantee that I won't wait days/weeks for a new release Blu-ray like I do now?" asks another.
Other commenters suggest the amount of titles available isn't high enough to warrant the change, noting that they often receive DVD even when requesting Blu-ray due to limited stock.
Should You Switch?
So, the big question: How do the adjusted costs stack up with Netflix's main competitor, Blockbuster? The simple answer is that it depends on how much you're renting. Blockbuster does automatically include Blu-ray access within its base prices. Still, in some cases, Netflix will remain cheaper -- even with the upcoming change.
Here's how the plans stack up. Note that Blockbuster has fewer plans than Netflix, so your specific Netflix plan may or may not have a direct comparison.
• 1 DVD at a time, limited to two per month, with Blu-ray
Netflix: $5.99
Blockbuster: $9.99
• 1 DVD at a time, unlimited per month, with Blu-ray
Netflix: $10.99
Blockbuster: $11.99
• 2 DVDs at a time, unlimited per month, with Blu-ray
Netflix: $16.99
BBV: $16.99
• 3 DVDs at a time, unlimited per month, with Blu-ray
Netflix: $20.99
BBV: $19.99
To sum it up, if you rent one or two DVDs at a time, you'll end up paying either the same or more by switching to Blockbuster. If you're renting three DVDs at a time, though, Blockbuster will end up costing slightly less. Of course, this isn't taking into account the perks each company offers -- namely, online streaming from Netflix and free in-store exchanges with Blockbuster -- so be sure to consider those in your decision, too.
Netflix's new rates go into effect starting April 27. If you don't want to pay them, you'll need to go into your account settings and disable Blu-ray access before that date.
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