Users are unhappy with Netflix’s decision to raise prices and they’re letting the content delivery company know it.
Netflix’s customer service lines were full yesterday as customers called into express their feelings on the price hike. There were also 5000 comments on the company’s official blog about the price hike.
Richard Greenfield of BTIG Research told clients that he and his staff placed 35 calls to Netflix on Wednesday over the course of a couple hours and got through to a representative only 15 times after wait times of 9-15 minutes per successful call.
Greenfield’s report, which requires a password to read, even contains audio of a Netflix phone message that says, “We are experiencing higher than normal call volume. Please try your call again later.”
During one of the successful calls, a customer service representative said she was looking at 471 customers on hold, Greenfield said in his report.
Angry customers threatening to cancel are being persuaded by the customer service reps to stay the course because, while the price hike is already in effect for new subscribers, it won’t affect legacy subscribers until September.
“Netflix management had to anticipate an up tick in churn from this major step-up in pricing and the changes to subscription plan packaging. The question is simply whether or not consumer reaction is in-line with their expectations,” Greenfield wrote.
We will be canceling or streaming come September. We just don’t use it enough to justify the price hike. Netflix is starting to act like the cable companies when it comes to raising prices.
Definetly agree. Netflix is now starting to act like a cable company. Also goes with that they do not have much competition. The thing that angered me the most was the PR spin that this was a great value. Don’t freakin lie to me Netflix! If you are going to charge me more, at least have the balls to just come out and say it!
not much competition?!
*cough* free torrents *cough*
How about something that isn’t illegal? Piracy is not competition.
Content costs more than it did before. Content holders are raising their prices. It isn’t hard to figure out why Netflix has to raise their prices in response. The content holders have found a way of breaking Netflix through deals favoring Redbox and Blockbuster and playing hardball in negotiations. Just because Netflix doesn’t have a clear competitor doesn’t mean they don’t have to raise prices.
I am against Netflix raising prices. I’m just saying if they had a stronger competitor, someone who offered the same service as they did, people could easily switch.
people, seriously!!!!!!! i can’t get through on the phones and my streaming flat out isn’t working. i need a couple hundred people to hang up so i can get through!
Everyone just needs to calm down and think about this rationally. Netflix has to pay to use the rights for movies they stream online, so to be able to get more content, they may need more money. Six bucks a month is a small price to pay for that. Yeah, you can switch to redbox or whatever, but I’ll enjoy laying on my couch watching a movie every night for 7.99 a month for streaming. And quit calling them! They know something’s not right, they’ll fix it when they can. Remember PSN getting hacked? They didn’t come right out and say that did they? Relax, it’s not the end of the world.
My total bill will be $24 a month. It had been $21 month. When I signed up in 2004 it was around $15 a month.
I don’t get what the big deal is. You either like what they have to offer, and will pay for it, or you don’t, and you can walk away. I don’t get the whole “they can’t do that!” mentality.
For what you get, the cost is reasonable. I’m in the process of watching the newly streaming Star Trek series, and can check out tons of anime I had never heard of, independent movies, series I had missed when they were on, documentaries galore, classic movies I had not seen for 30+ years. All without commercials, all at the push of a button.
If the day comes when I no longer think it’s worth the money, I’ll cancel it. When I do, I won’t whine, kick, scream, or otherwise make a fuss about it. Then again, I’m not from the “I’m entitled” generation.