Netflix: The Big Tease

I want to take a moment to talk about Netflix. For those of you who don't know what it is, Netflix is a movie and television distributing company that provides a long list of on demand titles to the patron though either their mailbox, or internet connected device. For only eight dollars a month, both current and classic movies can be shipped right to your door OR they can be streamed on your computer, phone, tablet, game console, internet connected DVD or Blu-ray player. It's the "or" with which I have a problem.


You see, the company advertises "...ONLY 8 BUCKS A MONTH," but, in reality, you have to pay $16 dollars a month if you want access to their streaming service and the mail in service. Each of those plans cost $8. Don't you think in this day and age a smart company would begin to dissolve the MAIL-IN DVD part of the company? The worst part of it is, most of the good movies are only available though the mail. they have a very poor ratio of good to bad movies on the online streaming service. every once in a while they put up a very highly rated title and keep everyone excited. but it REALLY annoying paying month after month for a service that only give me a minimum selection. Their goal is to make everyone pay for both of them. Yes, I admit I still use the service but I'm not 100% happy about it.

I have to say, I wouldn't mind it a bit if they raised the price of online streaming to $10, $12, or even $16 and moved ALL of their content to an online format. Then, at least, I wouldn't have to wait for DVDs in the "snail mail." It was a good system before the internet was invented and applied, now it's just obsolete.

 To give Netflix some credit, I LOVE how they don't interrupt the content with ads. They would make billions if they allowed even 1 advertisement into each view but they don't. I also like the full series runs of TV shows that are already off the air.

Bottom line, I'm going to give Netflix good marks. As much frustration as it gives me, I understand that it's hard to keep a company afloat nowadays. For a business that started through a medium that is on it's way out like the U.S. mail, it has adapted quite well to the changing times. I just wish it would adapt a little bit faster.