Netflix review

Our Rating:

User Rating:

Based on 6 reviews

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Package Name Cost Movies At Once
2 Movies Per Month $4.99
Per Month
1
1 At a Time $8.99
Per Month
1
2 At a Time $13.99
Per Month
2
3 At a Time $16.99
Per Month
3
4 At a Time $23.99
Per Month
4
5 At a Time $29.99
Per Month
5
6 At a Time $35.99
Per Month
6
7 At a Time $41.99
Per Month
7
8 At a Time $47.99
Per Month
8

Netflix Review

It's impossible to talk DVD rentals without talking about Netflix, the leader in online DVD rental services in the United States. Founded in 1997, they have built an industry from the ground up and revolutionized the way we rent movies. With millions of titles to choose from, fast shipping, and a refined system that has been perfected over the years, they are the clear cut winners in the race for DVD rental glory.

Netflix works by using flat monthly fees that allow you to rent a specified number of DVDs at any given time. There are no late fees or shipping charges, and you're free to keep the movies for as long as you are a member. You can rent unlimited movies over the course of the month and keep an updated queue of DVDs that will be shipped out upon return of old ones. They offer a free 2 week trial that allows you to try their service with no strings attached.

Inventory

Netflix has a movie inventory that is unprecedented in the industry. They have 80,000 titles to choose from that account for over 42 million discs in stock. Their selection features all the new releases on the same day that they are released to the stores, usually with little to no wait. Fans of older titles or more obscure movies will be pleased to find what you're looking for. If a movie is out on DVD, you will most likely be able to find it on Netflix.

Besides movies, they have a substantial inventory of both TV shows and documentaries. TV shows are typically split up into the number of discs they come with and each disc is counted separately (they don't do this for movies with multiple discs). This does make it a little difficult to watch a season in its entirety without sending a few of the discs back first. Still, the selection of TV shows is solid and always available, although they don't seem to get the new releases in stock as fast as the movies. Documentary and educational buffs will enjoy a large selection that features favorites from National Geographic and PBS to some of the smaller independent works that can't be found at your local video store.

Membership Features

With the addition of their streaming movies, Netflix jumps ahead of the pack in terms of features offered to members. Current members will be allowed to stream a specified number of hours of movies that currently top over 2,000. Most of your new releases and popular rentals are available along with some cult classics. The quality is superb and the speed is acceptable for anyone on a solid internet connection.

Netflix has spent a lot of effort into building a suggestion system that caters to each individual user. Based on your own ratings and those of members with similar interests, Netflix tries to suggest DVDs that you may enjoy. The system is good, not great, and can usually provide a few titles that you would have otherwise missed. It has its flaws though as the suggestions seem to actually get smaller with the more movies you rate, as well as their propensity to overdo the suggestions on a particular genre when you enjoy something. For instance, the rating of Family Guy DVDs highly, I was given suggested virtually every cartoon comedy ever made. Or when rating a movie of a particular actor highly, they tend to throw all his movies at you.

The "Friends" feature is a nice addition that allows you to add some of your friends to your account and see what movies they are interested in. Besides the ability to recommend DVDs to them, you'll also be given suggestions on similar interests you may have. Be warned that adding friends allows them to see what movies you have rented and plan to rent, which can be a problem if you don't want your poker buddies finding out your deep interest in romantic comedies.

There are other impressive features inside the members area of Netflix that add value. The search for movies is effortless and broken down conveniently into categories. For more savvy movie buffs, a critics' picks, award winners section, and guide to easter eggs in movies are available. Movies can be added to the queue with one click and a clumsy AJAX based page helps move movies up and down your priority list. Fans of movie trailers will love the previews section which give users the ability to watch theatrical trailers of movies currently in stock. If you happen to come across a broken DVD, there is an area to report that and they'll ship out a replacement disc immediately.

Movies Information

With over 80,000 titles to choose from, you're bound to come across many that you just don't have a clue about. The folks at Netflix try to step in by providing information needed to make a wise decision. Each movie comes with a short description and in many cases an option to view the theatrical trailer. They list reviews from both critics and users who have similar interests to you. While the reviews are informative, we do wish they offered more general information on the movie such as what Blockbuster does on their movie page (longer synopsis and detailed cast listing).

Shipping

Netflix boasts the largest number of shipping centers which we estimate at over 90 (see our list of Netflix shipping centers). They are strategically placed throughout the country to ensure the speediest delivery times. We ran a variety of tests from multiple locations to test the speed at which they receive movies, process them, and send them back to us. Shipping typically was next day on each end, meaning sending a movie back on Monday meant you'd have a new one by Wednesday. The only exception to this was in some instances where the residence was in a very rural area. Netflix claims to reach 92% of their customers within the next day. Click here for a complete list of Netflix Shipping Centers.

In recent years there has been discussion on Netflix "throttling" accounts of those who rent too many movies. We can confirm that this does exist and has on our test accounts. Throttling does seem to affect high volume customers more, but we also saw it on some smaller volume accounts. The typical process is delaying a return by a couple days. While this is seen as a negative by us, we don't detract from their score seeing as all rental companies throttle in one way or another. Despite their occasional throttling, their shipment times still remain better than every other company over the course of a month.

Pricing

Good news recently came from the Netflix headquarters in Los Gatos, California when they announced that their prices would be dropping for both current and new members. This makes them the best value out there considering their vast selection and next day delivery. New members can get a fully functioning 2-week trial (credit card required) which automatically renews monthly until cancelled.

1 at-a-time (2 a month) for $4.99
1 at-a-time (Unlimited) for $8.99
2 at-a-time (Unlimited) for $13.99
3 at-a-time (Unlimited) for $16.99 (MoviesInHouse.com Recommended Plan)
4 at-a-time (Unlimited) for $23.99
5 at-a-time (Unlimited) for $29.99
6 at-a-time (Unlimited) for $35.99
7 at-a-time (Unlimited) for $41.99
8 at-a-time (Unlimited) for $47.99

Those who are interested in building a DVD library of their own can purchase previously viewed movies for substantial discounts within the members area. These DVDs come complete with hardcover case, free shipping, and money back guarantee for one year.

Summary

Netflix is simply the best online DVD rental service available today. They have the best selection, fastest shipping times, and fairest prices. Their 24 hour customer support is superior to competitors and their members area gets easier to use with each passing day. While competitors like Blockbuster have made a play at their throne, Netflix still holds an edge based on all the important factors we look for. With that said, whether you're a weekend DVD renter or a diehard movie buff, MoviesInHouse.com recommends everyone at least check out their 2-week risk free trial..

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User Reviews Of Netflix
Posted By Werty on January 12, 2010
Rating:    

Totally happy with netflix. The new online selection they have is the best around. It works great with my 360, and I bought a ROKU for my sister who loves it. Having Netflix and one of the online players eliminates my need to have cable. This saves me money every month.

Posted By Terry Z. on May 31, 2008
Rating:    

Being with Netflix awhile started off great. But I've noticed that my service was getting worse by movies arriving later and sometimes not at all. I contact Netflix to inform them about this matter and the next thing my account is put on hold. Netflix has no problem taking my money each month. I think their mailing service is getting poor or the workers are getting underpaid to do their job. Too make a long story short... I cancelled my subscription with Netflix for now, and I wouldn't recommend Netflix to anyone anymore. I got them alot of customers and they don't appreciate that. I don't want to hear them say their sorry about the way their mailing service is...they don't offer your money back to you, they just put your account on hold. I had not a one problem with BlockBusters getting movies and I highly recommend BlockBusters over Netflix 10 to 1.

Posted By John Hinkel on May 30, 2008
Rating:    

A couple years ago these guys would have gotten nothing higher than a 3 from me. They used to throttle the hell out of my account and DVDs would come lost or cracked. Now they are nearly perfect. I've gotten each movie within a day with one exception when it took a couple days after Memorial Day weekend to get my movies. They also must pickup movies at the post office on Sundays because I've had some get processed on that day (I live in New York btw). Just ordered that new Roku box which should be pretty cool.

Posted By Steve on May 16, 2008
Rating:    

Most services are very good HOWEVER, I've had Stargate season2 on "very long wait" for 3 months now, written them emails about it to no response, and have started looking for another company to use. With their increased customer base from the strike they should buy a few more discs now and then. It used to be new releases would pop out really fast, now it takes at least a couple of weeks to get the new stuff. Also, movies online doesn't work and their customer support couldn't figure it out. Blamed my (up to date) drivers for video. Great service is starting to fade... really too bad I use to rave about them. :(

Posted By Sean on May 06, 2008
Rating:    

I've been using Netflix steadily for over a year now and am very satisfied with their service. They have the biggest selection out of all the companies and the easiest member's area to use. I live in Chicago which has a shipping center and rarely ever see a DVD take more than a day to get to a shipping center or into my mailbox. I haven't used their streaming movie feature much but think it's a great addition and hope they continue to add new movies to it. They are by far the best rental company available at this time.

Posted By George on April 22, 2008
Rating:    

I have been happily using Netflix for the past 3 or so years. I have been happy with their service and prefer it to getting cable for just watching movies. I love the ability to watch movies on my computer, but I am looking forward to the day when it works with my xbox360. I also wish that it worked on a Mac, but that day will come too. Over the course of my membership I have experienced some throttling problems, but it seemed fine when I was renting less than 3 movies a week. Sometimes if I send 2 movies in at the same time they say they get one a few days after the other, which makes no sense, but lately that has not been a problem.

 
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