Netflix DVD Rentals Consumer Reviews

PARK HIILLS, MISSOURI -- What the hell has become of Netflix DVD?? We quit them last year when they jacked their prices up, then when they started losing customers and brought prices back down, we joined back up. But what a disappointment they've become!! First thing I noticed was that the new and new(er) films that I put at the top of my list were overlooked, and I'd get something 4 or 5 down the list first. And it has continued as such for 6 months. Just got "Everything, Everywhere All At Once" in today, after posting it at the top 3 weeks ago. And that was after I deleted everything else they had passed over to send me old movies.

We use to send them in, get notification of receiving the DVD within a day, and have the next movie within 2 days. I use to ask my wife, "I wonder where this Netflix warehouse is??" It's got to be local! It only takes a couple of days after we mail the previous one back! Well, that place must have burned down, because now it takes 2 or 3 days to just get notification they've received them, and another week- or two- or three, to get the next one on the list. No wonder they're bleeding subscribers and going out of business!

Then I read the other complaints on this site and hear about Netflix sending DVDs cross country instead of using "local" warehouses, and the many other paying customers not getting new movies even thought they are at the top of the choice list. I had my suspicions that maybe Netflix was cheaping out on buying/owning enough copies of anything to supply the demand. Guess that answers that question.

I know the DVD rentals are ending this fall. But that is still a poor excuse to not live up to the company's former self and the great service it provided. Now that, at least around here in the rural world of southeast Missouri, there is no place to rent a DVD since Blockbuster and Family Video are defunct, it's really sad that Netflix feels it's ok to rest on its laurels and squeeze its customers for the same bucks to maintain profits while ejecting its former principles (taking care of its customers). I now long for the days of those little Mom & Pop video stores. Even the grocery stores had rentals! Anybody else remember those days?? Hello? Netflix??

SELF, CALIFORNIA -- Netflix DVD service is in the drainpipes. They recently hiked the prices for all levels of DVD service and the turnaround time for DVDs is now 6-8 calendar days. You cannot blame everything bad that happens on the postal service. Most of my DVD arrivals are shipped from CA, and I live in TX, which also has DVD distribution centers. This service is now a big Rip Off!!

I have been a customer of Netflix DVD since its inception. Customer service was excellent. DVD turnaround would average 3 to 4 days with titles received within my top 5 in my list. Since the virus has hit customer service has slid drastically. All DVD's received were selected at the bottom of my list consisting of older movies. After reducing my list to current titles I have not received a DVD in 8 days. It appears my options are continue to pay for older titles only or cancel. It is time for the movie industry to move to streaming of their current titles.

LOS GATOS, CALIFORNIA -- I have the 2 at a time plan. The latest thing Netflix pulls is only acknowledging 1 return, even though 2 DVDs are mailed at the same time and from the same post office. So, since only 1 return is acknowledged, only 1 new DVD is sent out. Add this to the other complaints about new releases being impossible to get and changing distribution centers. Netflix, instead of degrading your product, why not raise the price and maintain decent customer service? The DVD plan is superior to the streaming, as the latter is mostly bad TV from around the world.

LOS GATOS, TEXAS -- Netflix DVD is now shipping the next DVD to a customer from across the country relative to where the customer lives. Slows down DVD turnover & decreases postage. So, for a given subscription cost, DVD access is now CUT by about 25-30%. There is NO customer service dept or customer service address. If you want customer service, you call the number & get a "call taker' with ZERO authority to do anything or refer to anyone up the ladder. Plus, the web portal keeps saying to "update E-mail address" even though I can still get E-mail from Netlix - huh??

ELKINS PARK -- Since NetFlix is the only game in town, customer service is simply a title given to a department that cares nothing for the customer and provides no service. Too many discs on marked "short wait." Delivery time was once 24 hours. It can now take 3 days. I recently called after a 2-day wait for my discs and reached one of their tough cookies in Customer Service(less), whose attitude was "SO WHAT." Her supervisor was not better, and I was told that I could cancel if I wanted. Obviously, the only way to rent DVDs without driving to the library or one of those kiosk places is to use this poor excuse of a company. NetFlix has gone downhill to a money-grubbing, no-service, big company where no one cares for the customer any longer. They are a monopoly, pure and simple.

KATY, TEXAS -- I have been renting DVDs from Netflix almost as long as they have been in business and can confidently say they have reached a new low in service and honesty. They have figured out every way possible to avoid shipping DVD's on time, saving them money at the customer's expense, of course. Talking to their representatives is an exercise in futility because they have only one mission - to exonerate Netflix from any wrong doing by blaming someone or something else, usually the postal service.

Additionally, I receive far too many unplayable (worn out) DVD's for which I am never reimbursed for time lost when the DVD is in transit to me then returned to Netflix. I had an unreal (by any standards) situation happen to me with Netflix a couple years ago: they actually sent me damaged DVD's with the same title 5 TIMES IN A ROW. The 6th DVD finally worked as advertised. I could go on and on about their poor service but, to do so would be to no avail.

INTERNET, FLORIDA -- I have used both Netflix for both DVD and live streaming. I never had both streaming and DVD service at the same time. However, when I cancelled DVD service in August 2013, my account was billed for streaming through the end of November. I called customer service and they told me they would only refund me for one month of service ($8.62). I told "Bill" in customer service that I haven't streamed anything from August '13 through the end of Nov. '13. He said, we don't keep track of streaming. So, I am out $25.86! Watch your bank statements! They, Netflix, will continue to charge your account, WITHOUT your consent!

GARDEN GROVE, CALIFORNIA -- NETFLIX Re-Defines "Unlimited": I have the "3" at a time DVD Mail Plan. I'm close to a distribution center and used to get my DVD's within a day. I started noticing a pattern of delayed mailings. It appears as if they are trying to prevent me from receiving more than 3 DVDs in any given week. When I researched their current terms and conditions for DVDs, I saw a clause that states that processing for frequent users may be delayed by postponing the processing/mailing of DVDs from your local center, or mailing from a more distant distribution center.

I called Customer Service and the person I spoke to didn't even know where to find the Terms and Conditions. I ended up speaking with a supervisor who wouldn't admit that they throttle customers. His only admission was that they are limiting the frequency of newer releases that are mailed out to a given customer. They need to remove any reference to "UNLIMITED" on their DVD Plans. What angers me the most is that they aren't honest about it. Either you have limits or you don't. They obviously have limits, so just be honest about it!

LOS GATOS, CALIFORNIA -- I had a queue of 8 movies that could be shipped. One was an accidental reship of a movie we already saw. None of the others were sent. Neither the CS Rep nor her Manager could tell me when all of the following were in my queue: Therese Raquin, Doctor in the House, Hell Is a City, Martin Scorsese: Pt.1&2, The Patriot, Tiger Bay, Wanted for Murder. Not one of them shipped on 2/21 even though when my returned DVDs were received three of these were listed as next in my Queue.

They also could not tell me how many copies Netflix has of each of the above movies or how many of those were rented. They could not explain why, when I placed these movies in my queue that, with one exception, there was NO indication of a wait to get the movies, neither "short wait" or "long wait". When I put as many as 7 movies in my queue and, at the time they are added, there is no indication there will be any wait then I expect to get some of those movies when I return what I have. If not, I do not expect to pay. The manager suggested a vacation hold. Of course, once I removed the hold I would be charged with no guarantee that ANY of the movies would show up.

In effect, I would be paying for nothing. I asked that my billing be suspended until these movies could be sent. This suggestion was refused. I asked that I be credited for the prior month. This also was refused unless I canceled. So I did, even though I would have been willing to retain Netflix streaming. Let's compare this to an ordinary video rental store. You pay only when you actually receive movies. Even a Gym, at which you purchase a membership, though it will charge you even if you don't use their facilities, cannot charge you for any period of time the place is closed for repairs and cannot be used.

Netflix is unique in this respect. You can be charged even when they do not honor the good faith aspect of their contract by sending you a movie when you have many in your queue. I know that Netflix would prefer not to be in the business of sending out DVDs my mail at all but would rather concentrate on streaming. To me, my most recent experience shows that they will go to any lengths to assure this happens including failing to honor their contract. Netflix should not treat its DVD rental customers as I was treated. It is such a serious breach of ethics that I am inclined to publicize this as widely as possible.

If I ever use Netflix again it will only be if I can get satisfactory service from BOTH the DVD rental and streaming portion of the company. To me, satisfactory service is simply defined as follows: If movies in your queue, when placed there, did not show an associated wait time, and you have two to three times as many movies in the queue as required for the next shipment, but receive none; then you will not be charged for the interval of time you wait until those movies can be shipped.

The concept is very simple: You must not charge for a service you do not provide and which the customer had every right to expect. As a business practice it should be unnecessary for me to point out exactly how unethical and possibly illegal this is.