Enraging the consumer
Greed Hastings? The furor over Netflix's price hike is still streaming strong
Like many others, I recently awoke to an email from the Netflix Gods, informing me of upcoming price increases for Netflix users.
Instead of continuing the all-inclusive plan that most take advantage of, Netflix is now forcing customers to choose between physical discs and online streaming or pay the price.
Needless to say, the announcement has left more than a few customers perturbed.
Sometimes you want the higher quality of a DVD, but sometimes you also just want to lay in bed and watch three seasons of The Hills on a whim. No one should have to make that decision.
Customers can now pay $7.99 for streaming capabilities alone, and anywhere from $7.99 upwards (depending on how many discs you want in your hands at one time) for DVD service. Not to mention the extra $2 per month if you're fancy and prefer Blu-ray.
This means that many customers will be seeing as much as a 60-percent hike in their monthly fees, which isn't making anyone happy. The current streaming plus one-disc-at-a-time plan costs watchers $9.99, but as of Sept. 1, it will cost $15.98 per month.
A multitude of fans went to both the Entertainment Weekly and The Hollywood Reporter to express their dissatisfaction, with some even noting that they had already canceled their accounts.
The main complaint? Most customers want access to both.
Although some movie watchers are content with just the DVD selection or just the streaming library, there are gaping holes in each. Sometimes you want the higher quality of a DVD, but sometimes you also just want to lay in bed and watch three seasons of The Hills on a whim. No one should have to make that decision.
Another pervasive complaint was the lack of transparency of the Netflix higher ups. There was no explanation as to why the hikes were happening and many now feel betrayed, referring to CEO Reed Hastings as "Greed Hastings."
Will you abandon Netflix for the good old Redbox? Or will you stick with it?
