... the hell?

[sholio]

So in addition to splitting its streaming and DVD packages, Netflix is renaming the DVD service "Qwikster".

I can't even say that name with a straight face. And what makes this seem like even more of a stupid marketing decision ... who are the people who are going to be having to deal with the name change? Probably people who don't do a lot on the Internet, so ... people like my parents and my grandmother. I don't want to put my grandmother down here, because she actually deals with change pretty well for someone who's 80, but THINK, NETFLIX, THINK.

Also, the two websites (Netflix and Qwikster) will be separate, so if you want to know what your viewing options are for a given movie, you have to search in both places. Nrgh.

I can see why Netflix wants to boost its streaming side, but as a customer I'm mostly just frustrated. I would love to do streaming-only (I really prefer that to the DVDs), but of the movies and TV shows in our queue, probably less than a third of them are available streaming. It just makes more sense to take the DVD option; why sign up for streaming if I'm not going to be able to watch most of what I want to watch?

ETA: Although bironic offered this link which kinda ... makes sense out of it. Sort of. It's fascinating reading, anyway.

ETA2: Another useful link (with a different but also quite sensible explanation) supplied by kanata.

This entry is also posted at http://friendshipper.dreamwidth.org/375566.html with comments.

Comments

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

...that just seems like a host of bad choices all around? Considering Netflix started out as a DVD mail service, doesn't make sense not to keep that name for that service, and change the name of the streaming service (which as you point out is going to the more tech-savvy customers anyway...)

...having just signed up for a streaming account myself, am hoping this will up their number of streaming options, but I'm disappointed by the search losing DVDs - even if I don't have that service myself, it's useful to know that the search is actually finding what I'm looking for but it's not available streaming (as opposed to just search-glitching...)

[sholio]

I know -- the whole thing is just really poorly thought out, it seems to me (or, heh, to quote Orion from an email he just sent me, "Netflix self-destruct process enters phase 2!").

It also makes sense to me to keep the two services integrated for now, seeing how THEY ALREADY ARE ANYWAY, and if the point is to move customers from one to the other (or get them to sign up for both) wouldn't it make sense to have the search come up with both options? I mean, what's happening right now is we're giving up on streaming because they don't have enough options available, but if a year from now we notice that all of the DVDs in our queue now have streaming options, well, hey, that's a good incentive to switch to streaming only! But that's much less likely to happen if we have to go to a separate Netflix site and search for them just to find out, especially if we turn out to be happy with the DVD-only service. STUPID, NETFLIX, VERY STUPID.

[leesa_perrie]

Qwikster? Yeah, trying to say that with a straight face is a challenge!!! Plus it sounds like they're making things far more complicated than they need to be! I sometimes wonder what marketing people are thinking...!

[sholio]

I know, it just seems like a stupid decision all the way around ...

[bironic.livejournal.com]

The only thing I've read today that makes that decision look like it might be based on something resembling rationality was http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=9b83bc555ee0dbe65885043a8d9b9190

...Which isn't to say I'm not still irked at having to pay more for non-integrated services, because the list of movies I want to watch is split almost 50/50 between what's available on disc and what isn't.

[sholio]

Oh, that is interesting! Thank you for the link! That ... actually makes sense (in a very strange kind of way).

[black-raven135.livejournal.com]

**nods**
Heard this last night on the news and thought 'okay,I wonder how this will fly with the subscribers that have not already bailed out?'
I hear that a number have and I am sure this will just make more
unsure they want to deal with it..............
And it was all as a result of 'stremaing'?
Am I getting this right?
I don't subscribe to NETFLIX as I can get it all from the county
libraries.......I use three so if one doesn't have it, then the other does,
but most of the time Washington, where I live carries it all.
Sure it is NOT out IMMEDIATELY like Netflix but what's the rush?

[sholio]

It's really not the fault of streaming per se -- well, I suppose it depends on how you look at it. The DVD side of their operations is more expensive for them than streaming video, and demand for it is decreasing, so they're trying to push customers to use the streaming video more than the DVDs. But the way they're going about it is not the best.

I'm glad you mentioned the library, though! That is an excellent suggestion. Ours doesn't have the greatest selection, but I'll definitely keep it in mind in the future, since I'm down there regularly to restock my book supply.

[black-raven135.livejournal.com]

YES library is keyword here
Also if our county system does not hold it in their stacks they check other two counties, Clackamus and Multnomah and if that is a zero, they issue an interlibrary loan search
I have had DVDs from Ohio, PA, and even got a special medical book from John Hopkins Medical Library.........
Interlibrary loan
I found out about it when I wanted a copy of Dr. Epstein's book which addresses my medical issue..........
Clackamus research desk librarian told me she would order interlibrary
It came about a week later and I had three weeks to read it, not needed,
and then return to the library which ordered it.
Great stuff
I managed to get some great CDs also as well as DVDs and books

[sholio]

Yeah; we have a good library here, but we're fairly isolated, so there is not an extended library system to draw upon (though I've never tried; it's possible that they can borrow from farther away than just the Fairbanks area).

[black-raven135.livejournal.com]

It would seem to me that you are an excellent example of what interlibrary loan can do
I still remember receiving a DVD set from a small library in Ohio.......
It responded in a week which blew my mind.
The local librarians check a computer database to find out where the copies are and then put in a request.
I also got a book from a library system which had a 90 day use on it
The librarian at our local library said "apparently they thought you might be busy and need more than thirty days to read it"
:P

[madripoor-rose.livejournal.com]

Head desk. I've never had Netflix, but at least that's a name that makes sense. Net. Flicks. Internet movies. First glance at Qwikster and I thought it was a new brand of hot chocolate mix or something. Quick Stir.

[sholio]

A commenter on DW suggested instant oatmeal. OH NETFLIX WHYYYY.

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

My reaction is your subject line: ... the hell?

First, branding: Qwikster sounds like a bumbling Wiley Coyote type to me - trickster with a godawful QW because someone things those are are trendy or clever.

And WHYYYYYY won't my queues sync? That is the lamest, stupidest thing EVER. I want to SEE when something on my DVD queue becomes available in streaming and be able to move something TO my DVD queue if it becomes unavailable streaming. And it won't be able to recommend me things as accurately, because THAT's not going to be saved between queues, either. What a steaming pile.

We'll probably ditch the DVD option, personally... we watch very few and are not a 'must watch NOW' audience, so we're generally happy to wait a few seasons before catching up on a series we like.

I think what's bugging me the worst about all this latest stuff is how little they are communicating with their members. I never actually received notification of the price change; you'd think this stuff would be worth a temporary header at the page keeping you in the loop.

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

Also, I give you this:

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/netflix

[sholio]

HA! Oh, yes. What they said. Thanks for the link! :D

[sholio]

There is a lot that's frustrating to me about this, but separating the queues and ratings and so forth is just an extra heaping dose of aggravation on top of the increased price.

One advantage to the DVDs for us, aside from a generally better selection of older/more obscure movies, is that we kinda like having to slow down and wait for new DVDs to come -- it is awfully tempting with the streaming option to just marathon a show to the tune of several episodes in a row! But it was so nice being able to have both (without paying through the nose for it), because sometimes you want one and sometimes you want the other ... aargh.

And, yeah, the communication has been cruddy. It's weird because Netflix has always had very good customer service, in our experience. This whole thing is so strange and frustrating because up 'til now, Netflix has been one of the few big companies we've dealt with that runs really smoothly, rarely has problems and resolves them very quickly and courteously when things do come up.

[snarkydame.livejournal.com]

Yeah. . . I'm probably going to go ahead and cancel my DVD side. Like you said, a good portion of my queue is not available streaming (and some that are I would prefer in DVD format). But lately I've been hanging on to the DVDs for so long that the cost doesn't make sense.

I hope they know what they're doing, business-wise -- I really like Netflix, in general.

[sholio]

We're going to try the DVDs and see if we watch them enough to make it worth it. I guess in a way, having the streaming temptation removed will be a benefit. And maybe if they get a lot more selection on the streaming option, we'll switch over to that.

Like I said to one of the comments above, one of the most frustrating things about this is that Netflix is generally very good with their customer service and overall business operations. At least, I have always been very happy with them, and so have everyone I've talked to about it! Grar.

[cynatnite.livejournal.com]

We have Netflix streaming only and it works pretty well for us. If they plan on axing the DVD side, they should expand their streaming services, but it doesn't look like that will happen.

I must say that having two different websites for Netflix and Quickster (stupid name, btw), is really moronic.

This whole fiasco makes me glad we're streaming only.

[sholio]

If they plan on axing the DVD side, they should expand their streaming services, but it doesn't look like that will happen.

THIS. EXACTLY. We would prefer the streaming option, actually, but most of what we want to watch is on DVD only.