Paying more for the same service is always tough.
Streaming - or, disks - used to be a "value add" to the subscription. If you streamed, then the one disk a month is a bonus. If you had disks, then streaming every now and then (or not at all) was positioned as a bonus as well.
I'm like Corvin, I'm not a very heavy streamer, nor am I a heavy disk watcher - I use them both "sometimes", and got my money's worth.
I honestly don't know if I will get 16.00 worth out of it, when I previously paid 10. It does seem like they're going the opposite direction, with a penalty for bundling instead of an advantage for bundling.

And I love the tone they've taken - similar to Best Buy's "Because we like you, we're ruining our Reward Zone program." Or the cheese sticks I USED TO get from the store - they were 8 ounces for 1.00. Then they changed packaging and quantity - big old "50% more!" on the package. True, now it was 12 ounces. Great deal, right? Well - the price went to 1.59.
I haven't bought them since.

And yes, "it's only six dollars". Times however many months you have it. And six bucks this time, on top of the recent price increase. And almost EVERYTHING ELSE is, or has been, going up too, including necessities. DVD rental by mail and streaming kids cartoons is a luxury, not a necessity, and a luxury's value varies. Add to that the anti-consumer perception of their announcement, and I think a lot of people will either drop Netflix, or go to only one medium, disk or streaming.

Because I think paying $.60 more for Coke overnight is unreasonable. Going under the assumption that I'm buying that same Coke every day and nothing about it has changed paying 60% more for it just isn't worth it for me. I'll go to the soda machine (Redbox) where it costs less.

Piss on it. I'm out!

It's only an easy "no" if the prior price was already near the threshold of being considered a reasonable value. If the prior price was an extremely good value (and this is really up to each consumer to assess), then the answer isn't easy, because perhaps the $6 more simply brings it closer to the threshold.

That's a perfectly reasoned conclusion for your situation. Certainly more reasoned than equating the new prices to "ass rape" which I think we can all agree is slightly unbalanced.

I think we've already taken this analogy farther than intended, but if paying 60% more for it isn't worth it to you, is that because you were simply used to paying a lesser price or because the product truly isn't worth $1.60? Do you see my point? Ultimately, what matters is not the change in price, but the value of the product itself. This is what so many of those tens of thousands of complainers seem to be ignoring.

As for the whole soda machine/redbox thing - that's where the analogy really starts to break down. You simply don't get the same "Coke" from Redbox that you do from a Netflix disc-rental plan and the relative value is dependent on what kind of disc renter you are.

Or at least until they eventually raise the streaming price to $9.99 to cover all the people that go to streaming only. (Which I'm assuming will happen in the next 6 months at most.)

Unless they stream new releases, I will drop the streaming. I have all the old movies and tv series I ever wanted on disc already, so I don't need streaming. If there is not enough new stuff out, it may be cheaper just to go to Redbox for me.

They are clearly in the same ballpark. You just need to read between the lines more.

And as long as the studios never try to hike up the price for the next contract, everything will be fine and dandy. Studios would never do anything like that later on in the future. Nope, not at all.

What this guy said.

I'm surprised that so many people are going to cancel their mail service, but keep streaming. The Netflix Watch Instantly selection is still mediocre at best, and the same could be said of Amazon Instant Video, Redbox, and Blockbuster. On the other hand, I can rent just about any title I want using the Netflix mail service.

In my mind, Netflix Watch Instantly is still a supplement to the regular mail service.

Some of you people are out of your ever-loving minds. Netflix is not a right. Cancel, sure. But such anger and vitriol? Really?

Despite their nonsensical press release and subsequent spin, this price increase is motivated by two things: increased postal rates and studio greed. Sony pulled their content over money. NBC just renegotiated their streaming rights for $300 million a year, up from $25 million a year. For those who like percentages that's an 1100% increase annually, and every other studio will be following suit.

Direct your anger at the studios folks. They're behind every boneheaded move these companies end up making. 30 day lockout rental windows, outrageous rates for catalog product, etc.

So, if my account charges the 29th of every month, what exactly happens to me on 09/01? Will I still be under the old plan until the 29th? Anyone have any clues to that?

I just wish they would have sweetened the deal a little if they're going to make such a drastic increase. A discount if you subscribe to 2 accounts (even insurance & cable does that), how about throwing in BluRay for free? Streaming that includes WB or MGM MOD titles? Anything other than the clear middle finger that this is.
Makes me wonder how many people will drop everything just to spite them. How many discs will "get lost in the mail" coming to peoples houses before they quit?

Sweetened the deal? It's $17 for ANYTHING YOU WANT TO WATCH.

And there are lots of MOD titles on instant. Watched an MGM one today in fact.

Yes a bundle discount seems to be what most people want.

I have two accounts $9.99 accounts, 1 for my mom and mine. She watches a lot of streaming videos so I will keep only streaming for her. For me I will downgrade to the $4.99 (2 disc/month 1 disc at a time) plan. I usually only watch 2-3 DVDs anyway.

I do think it would had made a difference if netflix would have explain to its customers the reason behind the hike. I see a lot of people asking netflix to make their entire DVD catalog available for streaming. Most people obviously dont know how licensing works.

People just love to whine. I patiently await the day when Redbox starts to raise their prices.

I'll pass on the popcorn, as I fear I'll choke on it from laughing so much when it happens.

Seeing as Netflix's rental selection has declined and their streaming selection isn't anything to write home about, I'm better off going to the local video store anyway.

I beg to differ, the outcry and angry responses are totally justified... but this is ultimately a glass half full type of argument.

So for those of you who are going along to the slaughter blindly, we'll see how happy you are in a year or two when you're still justifying Netflix's rates when they're charging $25 for either 1 DVD at a time or streaming. At the rate that Netflix has been increasing their prices it will easily be at $20 within a years time. If you think these increases aren't going to continue you're only fooling yourself. True, rate increases are bound to happen and are a evil necessity and when done gradually it stings less, but a wholesale restructuring and increase like the one Netflix just announced is terrible. Look, I remember being able to buy a one day ticket to Disneyland for $15 back in the 1980's... and today it's $80. It took ten years (84-94) for a Disneyland ticket to double in price to $25. Mark my words, it will take less than five years for Netflix to double it's price from $15 to $30.

I'm sure Netflix is more than happy when they hear people that drink the kool-aid arguing "it's cheaper than going to a movie," or "blame the movie studios for the increase." Bullshit, this is entirely a money grab... an ironic one at that considering the tree hugger that runs Netflix is one of the most hardcore left wing ideologues. And for a lefty he sure acts like a righty, a real wolf in sheep's clothing. When people didn't blink an eye at the last $1 rate increase, they (Netflix), obviously decided to put the pedal to the metal knowing full well people will just bend over and take it. Further proof that greed is good. Go Netflix, go!

I'm actually glad Netflix is doing this, because I for one hate complacency and I have to admit I was comfortable just going along month after month. This is forcing me to explore the various other options out there, such as, Amazon, Redbox and Blockbuster. Hopefully these competitors can grow and offer cheaper alternatives to what has fast become a monopoly for Netflix (however long it may last).

Yeah, hopefully Blockbuster will grow.

Wait, what?

really? I have a list of over 30 titles that are listed as "saved" because netflix doesnt have them, on streaming or disc! Just try to get a code red title from netflix.

And when Netflix raises their price again, I'll reevaluate whether the service is still worth it to me at that time. At this point in time, the price is still a value to me. People who say the selection is mediocre obviously watch way more stuff than me. I can always find something new to watch on there.

$18 + tax ≠ $17

I avoid the Politics forum, but if this was a ironic tribute to a former afternoon FOX News host, you nailed it. If not...

Going along to the slaughter? Really? It's NETFLIX. Not tax increases or health care or gas prices or water/power... it's a totally unnecessary extra thing in peoples' lives. No one is being forced/duped into continuing their service. If the price increase is more than you can afford/pricing the service out of the window of what you think it's worth, then cancel it and move on.

Then you get into the whole left wing-right wing corporate conspiracy... ugh, really? Really?! You can't honestly believe that paragraph you wrote there, can you?

Look, my $7.99 plan is staying at $7.99, so I don't have anything to complain about. But our family uses the HELL out of Netflix Instant. I have over 400 titles in my queue alone, and we probably stream 100 hours of content a month, at least. That's a whopping 8 cents per hour of entertainment. Would I be mad if that doubled to 16 cents an hour? Nope. 30 cents an hour ($30 per month)? Nope, still worth it.

But if going from $10 to $17 is a deal breaker to you, then just cancel and move on. You've already listed other options, just give them your money instead. Netflix isn't raping you or your children. But to claim this is a global corporate conspiracy and nothing more than a money grab is silly.

Well that's understandable. Netflix has never been good about replacing the small label stuff that ends up lost/stolen. On the flip side though, I would argue that renting Code Red titles instead of buying them only ends up hurting Code Red anyway, and so they might not be eager to restock Netflix with their products either.

My take on this is that until now, DVD Netflix and Streaming Netflix complemented one another and I'm displeased at their creation of two "separate but equal" Netflixes. I understand and appreciate the situation they're in with the pressure from studios--without whom they would have nothing to rent or stream. There are really three things in this that rubbed me the wrong way.

1) Every other payment plan change I can recall has respected previous arrangements. This time, they're not grandfathering in anyone's plan. I realize they're under no obligation to do so, but it seems an awfully dramatic change of practice.

2) The press release wording, saying it "makes little financial sense" not to raise rates. In times past, a company would have said something like, "We regret that changes in the market make it necessary..." That they didn't even bother with that kind of charade just feels like they're taking us all for granted. It's a play out of the "I knew you'd be mad, but I knew you'd get over it" book.

3) No discount for combining plans. Even $1 would be a nice token gesture.

I won't brand Netflix the devil for this, but I'm not terribly thrilled with how they've handled it. I'm still debating what I'm going to do. I won't cancel my subscription but I confess I'm seriously considering suspending it pending a more palatable plan offering.