They've been doing this for awhile now, particularly w/ double sided DVDs (especially when they are part of TV sets). I can only assume it's still a licensing issue in that they are only allowed to make X number of copies in this fashion. I haven't really paid attention but aren't some still branded w/ the studio logo, as in the studio may have made the copies for them instead of Netflix doing it themselves?

Yeah not all of them are done by netflix. The Friends sets come to mind as ones Netflix didn't brand, but still have grey labels; no matter though they are still stamped DVDs with all the same content. I've verified this as Netflix is yet another excuse for me to go out and spend a small fortune on DVDs.

No, I'm saying that Netflix changed it so the return envelopes have the address of the center that shipped the DVD regardless of where that center is. It used to be that the return envelope listed the closest center for that customer regardless of where that movie came from.

It's obvious they expect customers to return the movies to the center that shipped them, even if it isn't the center local to that customer. A customer has to use a bit of ingenuity to avoid that (either by putting two in an envelope or by other means), and I would guess that the average customer just puts it in the envelope and sends it back to the address on the envelope.

EDIT: Reading your question again, I guess I am saying that yes, I am implying that it is the customer's responsibility to return the movie to the center that shipped it. Though there are ways around it (like I mentioned), the Netflix change from putting the local shipping center on every return (and presumably returning the disc to the appropriate center themselves) to putting the center a movie shipped from on each return envelope implies that Netflix expects the customers to now return the movies to the center that shipped them.

Oh, Really? Then why is it labelled "NEAREST" Netflix facility? From this I would think you are doing Netflix a favor by returning the dvd to the NEAREST distribution center.

I have discovered that my Netflix hub is obviously no longer working on Tuesdays, Thursdays or Saturdays. My account sits dead in the water on these days. I guess they pushed them to a Mon, Weds, Fri. schedule to save money.

Now the only activity I get is on these three days. They are logged as received & stuff is mailed out only on these days. It have severely cut into my turnaround time in both ways.

Now, no matter is I mail it back on Friday, nothing is done until Monday. If something is mailed on Friday or Saturday and they don't log it in on Monday then I am screwed until the mail it on Wednesday. If I am lucky I then receive the movie in the next day or two.

Anyone else notice this on their account?

Well, they've never worked on Saturdays that I've known.

But other than that, I've not seen that on my account.

Out of 3 checked back in today (Tueday) 1 was mailed out same day the other 2 are scheduled for Wed.

On a related topic, everyone should check their Netflix email accounts. There is a message regarding a class action lawsuit settlement for Netlfix's "false advertising". They're giving qualifying members a free level upgrade (from 3/month to 4/month, etc.) for 1 month.

It doesn't really make up for all the bullshit they've been pulling, but free is free. Be sure, however, that you read the fine print - after the free month of upgraded service they will charge you at the higher rate unless you downgrade back to your original plan.

Thanks for the useful information.

I've noticed that if I send back two DVD's at the same time one with the local address and the other with distant distributor's address, USPS returns both envelopes to the local address. I hadn't thought of using the sticker. I've got two mailed today, Wednesday, projected by Netflix to show up on Saturday. I'll try the local address sticker on them to see if I can shave two days off the return time.

I assume no one has run into any flack from Netflix from the sticker technique.

That's interesting that your post office apparently follows the "Nearest Netflix Facility" instruction rather than the address itself.

My Post Office just follows the address (if the length of time it takes for those movies to be checked in is anything to go by).

Of course, if this bar code scanning thing worked the way it was supposed to, the distance of the postal facility should never matter. I don't think my local post office even has bar code scanners, though. It's the sort of place where the little old lady postal clerk who runs the front counter knows everybody in town by name.

How does the post office know where the nearest Netflix facility is?

I doubt they do. JStoneRail's post office probably scans the bar codes, allowing Netflix to check the discs in before physically receiving them.

I haven't seen different addresses on my envelopes, but lately I have been seeing thing like a movie mailed on Wed and they give the estimated date of arrival on the following Monday. HUH? Either they sent it from the North Pole or they did not really send it on Wednesday. It does slow me down, though, which is their goal.

I live 40 miles from SJ and I usually get 1 day turnaround. For a while the never sent anything the same day they received a disc, but that seems to be improving overall.

Netflix is now shipping low stock DVDs from distant distribution centers. You can tell because Netflix gives them up to a three day projected arrival date. My last two came from Salem OR and Santa Anna CA. On the Santa Anna envelope I put a sticker for the local Gaithersburg, MD address and mailed both back Saturday. Next week I will see if the Post Office delivers one or both to the local center, if any are lost, or if Netflix hassles me for stickering the envelope.

Earlier, I found that two DVD's returned one with the local address and the other with distant distributor's address, USPS delivers both to the local distribution center. I randomly place the slip cover back into the envelope so the bar code is not always visible through the opening and they always arrive back at the same time. Does USPS open the envelopes and scan them for Netflix? I doubt this service is in the price of first class mailing. I assume Netflix went to this bar scan envelope so they can print address on the outer envelope rather than stickering the mailing address. One less manual step for their workers.

The DVD I mailed Wednesday didn’t arrive until Friday indicating that distribution centers are now closed Tuesday and Thursday. This will cut Netflix costs; right out of their workers’ paychecks.

One of the movies Netflix shipped me never arrived, so I notified them and asked for a replacement. I wanted to check the availability of the DVD, so I put it back into my queue, where it was reported as available now. On my queue page, it said the replacement would be shipping that same day. The next day, it still hadn't shipped and the status changed to "shipping today." By the end of that day, the status changed to "shipping tomorrow." When Netflix finally mailed out the DVD on 11/03 (this past Thursday), they put its estimated arrival date as 11/07 (this upcoming Monday).

Even when they ship movies from the furthest center from me, it only takes a total two days. Why does this need three days (not included Sunday, obviously). Seeing as how this was a replacement disc that was available immediately, it should have shipped immediately and arrived within a day or two. Instead I have to wait almost a week turnaround for one movie.

I have notice this also.

In addition, just today, two movies that have been in my queue for over a year now appear in the saved list with unknown release dates. The movies are On Her Majesty's Secret Service and Cook, the Thief, His Wife, Her Lover. I have notice that sometimes these two movies had short waits. Thus, I'm assuming that netflix had limited stock of these two and either through damage or theft now netflix has none with no plan of replacing them.

This has happened to me a few times. I believe it's always been with discs that have gone OOP. I don't know if people steal them, if they get dmaged over time, or if Netflix retires them. Now if I hear about something going OOP that I have any interest at all in I bump it to the top of my queue right away.

My Netflix service continues to be just fine, as it has been for quite a while now. If I drop a disk in the mail on a Mon. I get a new release (or whatever is next in my queue) in my home on Wed.
I wanted Star Wars last week so I mailed a disk on Sat. and had the Star Wars new release in my home on Tue.
I can't complain.
Maybe it's just my area (northeast NJ) dunno?

I've noticed a pretty big dropoff in service in the past two or three weeks. I used to get the great 1 day turnaround no matter the title. I would send back the title, they'd receive it the next day and send out the next movie on my queue, and I would receive it the day after that. Now, I send a disc back and they don't receive it for two days. If they do receive one the next day, they strangely don't receive the other disc I sent with it (same location on the envelope) for another two days. When they finally do receive them, it takes them an extra day to send out and it takes an extra day or even longer to arrive.

I'm getting the throttle big time now. Shipped two movies back on Monday. They didn't bother checking in until today, Thursday, and now the listed arrival time for the movies back to me is Saturday. It used to have been a one day turnaround. Too bad I only noticed they were throttling me earlier this week on the exact day they charged my credit card. So I'm stuck with the lousey service for another full month.

I have noticed that Netflix has changed their shipping policies ever since they dropped their prices. Here is how I used to rotate my movies during the $19.99 three out at a time plan.

Ship out three titles Saturday afternoon
They would receive them Monday morning
They would ship the next three Monday morning.
I would get them Tuesday, watch them and send them back Wednesday.
They would receive them Thursday, ship three more, and I would get them Saturday. Repeat

Now with the price drop ($17.99), here is how it goes

Ship the discs out Saturday morning, the discs that would go to my local center would be received Monday. If not local, sometimes it would take an extra day or two
Now here's what bothers me. They take an extra day to ship. If they receive the discs Monday, they ship Tuesday. If they receive the discs Tuesday, they ship Wednesday, however if they receive the discs Thursday or Friday, they'll ship the same day so that I get them on Saturday for the weekend. Awfully nice of them.

This is so frustrating. I'm searched high and low on their site for a customer service E-mail address but there isn't one...just that stupid questions/comments form that a robot probably reads. I just want them to know that I know what is going on. I'd rather spend an extra couple bucks a month if it means they ship the same day.

Sounds like you just got added to the "heavy user" list. Welcome to Movie-Watcher's Hell.

I'm about to cancel my Netflix subscription. I doubt it if my netflix dvds would come in at the time when I'm goin cancel it next week. How many days do they allow me the chance to return the dvd after the account cancellation?

i've been with Blockbuster for about a year now and haven't had any problems, turnaround time is always 2 days with a few exceptions where the dvd has to come from another state and i don't think they do the "heavy user" thing because i usually send back the movies the day after i get them.

Nevermind...I found the answer myself which is 7 days.