Netflix Cancels Qwikster Pretty Quick
- Posted on October 10, 2011 at 7:47am by
Liz Klimas
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Netflix DVD's will continue to be delivered in the traditional red envelope under the Netflix name.
Listening to members complaints and concerns, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings is putting the kibosh on Qwikster — the spin-off service the company had proposed to run its DVD business — before it even really came into being.
Hastings wrote on the Netflix blog (via Business Insider):
It is clear that for many of our members two websites would make things more difficult, so we are going to keep Netflix as one place to go for streaming and DVDs.
This means no change: one website, one account, one password… in other words, no Qwikster.
Hastings continued that although upping prices earlier this year was necessary, price hikes are done — at least for now.
Business Insider reports that last month Netflix stocks took a dive, which it attributes to Qwikster. Early this morning, however, stocks were up 7 percent, which some attributed to the new announcement.
The Blaze reported on Qwikster earlier this year when it was announced as the latest in a long line of Netflix changes upsetting customers. At the time of Qwikster’s announcement, it was also found that @Qwikster was an active Twitter account associated with a “foul-mouthed pothead.” At this time, the Twitter account is still held by Jason Castillo, who in later posts after Netflix’s announcement, apologized for his photo of Elmo smoking marijuana.
Even with this latest announcement to accommodate user opinion, Hastings’ post was still met with negative comments saying the company had essentially already dug its own grave.
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TomFerrari
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 9:59amI feel for Netflix.
Their patented business model of mailing DVD’s is already antiquated. People now stream their content.
So, they need to change with the times.
However, they don’t own a patent on streaming, so they have competition.
At the same time, the STUDIOS will not “give” them good content to stream, so, they will have to pay more for content. They are trying to find a way to raise more money to pay for better content, which I understand.
Perhaps a 2-Tier subscription? $5.00/month for their “old stuff” and $10/mo for the “new/good stuff”?
Report Post »Watchingtheweasels
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 9:31pmSounds to me like Netflix needs a new CEO. They hit their customers with a 100% price hike and the marketplace has punished them brutally in the form of cancelled subscriptions. So the CEO essentially tried to disguise the price hike with a spin off. When that didn’t fool customers, he’s announcing that the spinoff has been cancelled with no “new” price hikes…leaving the original 100% price hike in place. Ah well, you don’t necessarily have to be intelligent to be a CEO – merely charismatic and well connected.
Report Post »FireWolf
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 11:22pmI share similar sentiments. After Reed sent out his email essentially groveling for understanding, I replied with my own nasty-gram.
Netflix is a “was”.
Keeping Amazon Prime as my only online source for awesome media streaming. TYVM!
Report Post »independentvoteril
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:33pmwe canceled our Netflix account..the streaming movies were OLD.. always had to wait for new releases via DVD.. wasn’t worth it RED BOX and BLOCK BUSTER are available.. IF I get the urge to see a movie.. right now I have MANY things to catch up on like tonites GBTV show .. doubt if I will even miss it.. don‘t understand when things aren’t broke WHY they keep trying to fix it.. don’t they know people will just WALK away?
Report Post »Dabldo
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 8:14pmDuh! Netflix! You had a good thing! Don’t mess with it! Duh!
Report Post »Whyismynamealwaystaken
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 5:04pmIf you change netflix thats the day that I go away. Greed. Can’t get enough huh netflix?
Report Post »AmericanSage
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 4:49pmLess that an hour after I found out Netflix was going to allow me only one stream, I quit them and signed up for Amazon Prime. And yes I know they bumped that up to two streams, but I had already made the move. So far, so good.
Report Post »Bill_in_NH
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 4:08pmI don’t have and never had a Netflix subscription – so I don’t have a dog in the hunt. It‘s not hard to imagine significant subscription rate increases when one reads that Netflix’s licensing costs are going from $180 million in 2010 to to $1.98 billion in 2012.
Report Post »neverwrong
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 3:13pmNetflix tried to put one over on us and lost. I rent from RED BOX now!!! Screw netflix. you lost me and others I know of. Play the game and lost. HA HA!!!
Report Post »Truthmonster
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 2:48pmIt‘s George Bush’s fault.
Report Post »Chr1st14n
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 1:54pmtoo late i already canceled rofl
Report Post »MASTER YODA
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 2:20pmIs anybody as offended I am by the poor writing and speaking skills of youth of today? I’m so sick and tired of the “text writing” that I’m seeing pop up everywhere.
Report Post »greensteam
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 2:25pmi already cancelled my netflix dvd service. they might as well split up now. if it costs too much it wont do any good to keep them together. might as well split them up since you alienated all of those using both services.
Report Post »crazedbanshee
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 4:16pm@Master Yoda – Your placing all of us youth in the same category as the one in this post is offensive. Your ignorance about the youth is sad. With people like you, who should be our mentors, showing no faith in us, it is no wonder so many seek acceptance in things like riots. Thank God my parents are opposite of you.
Report Post »LIBERTYFADING
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 3:07amDear Master Yoda,
You have awful writing skills. Please don’t complain about our youth, when you sir are a prime example of a hypocrite. You’re either really ignorant, or an awesome troll. Have a great day!
Sincerely,
Report Post »LIBERTYFADING
EpsilonEridani
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 1:48pmDid Netflix just pull a “new Coke” scheme on the public?
Report Post »After the outcry regarding its new cost, Netflix then says we are going to radically change the system you know and love, then after a new outcry thats even worse before, they come out and say “hey we are going back to netflix (classic), and we wont be changing the price again, we are done with that…..
People once unhappy with netflix for just the cost increase are now happy that the service is at least staying the same.
Maybe im too cynical, but was this a manufactured crysis?
oldschoolgreen
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 3:46pmIf it was it was an expensive one.
Report Post »Fantastic Four
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 1:28pmCapitalism at it’s finest.
Report Post »Cutomers aka “WE THE PEOPLE” and not government decide what we want and need.
cobra two
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 1:12pmI must be the only person in this country that doesn’t give a crap what netflix does or does not do. I have never subscribed to them and NEVER will. Nor will I stand in line at a vending machine. I have
Report Post »better things to do than sit around watching movies! Like getting on here and bitching about it!
Have a nice day. and remember NObama2012
greensteam
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 2:27pmwhat a waste of time. dont comment on what you do not know anything about.
Report Post »tharpdevenport
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 12:42pmWell, that was Qwik.
Report Post »benahan davids
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 12:30pmNetflix is committing slow suicide. CEO needs to go, their entire PR department needs to go and they need to stick with the strategy that got them this far. they need to offer a one time rental fee for customers that just want to pay for each movie and not a monthly fee. That would keep existing customers from leaving them completely and give customers another avenue to get what they want. it is simple customers want a movie when they want it (now) at the fastest way possible and easiest way to return the movie. I personally hate redbox because i still have to drive somewhere to see if they even have what i want and i still have to physically drive to return it. And redbox is owned by McDonalds, that bothers me as well. Netflix pull your head out and fix the problem.
Report Post »jfarrellz
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 6:47pmWith Redbox you can reserve your movies online, no extra charge. I’ve tried both and in my opinion Redbox is better.
Report Post »Guy_From_Michigan
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 12:27pmSomething is going on at Netflix that is for sure, I canceled the DVD’s and just use the streaming. Now the streaming keeps having problems, in the last couple of weeks I get errors when I try and stream, sometimes it even says on the website that they are having problems and please try again later.
I like Netflix, they raised the price now big deal everything is going up (Obama is making our dollar worthless) but when they wanted to make me pay twice as much I just told them to keep the DVD’s if I really want to watch something new (and there is not much new stuff I really want to watch anymore) I will just visit the video store.
I will continue to pay for the streaming, I like the old movies and the old TV shows.
Report Post »salvawhoray
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 12:38pmRead more books.
Report Post »Right_on_the_Left_Coast
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 12:39pmReed Hastings needs to be let go. The man has built a strong business with Netflix, but he has become a loose cannon and is going to be the ruin of the company if he doesn’t get his act together. I can’t remember the last time I saw such poor judgment at work in such a high profile company.
Netflix can’t afford a leader like Hastings. I think it‘s time that Netfilx’s investors encouraged Hastings to take an early retirement.
Report Post »LinkedIn G
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 12:05pmStreaming content is the way of the future. Some people aren’t ready yet. Netflix will keep DVD support until it goes the way of the dinosaur. Physical media is on its way out, though. Netflix was trying to distance itself from physical media. They are listening to their customers by bringing it back. It’s already through , but for the customers benefit , they are keeping it around.
Report Post »proliance
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 3:23pmNetflix‘s catalog of streaming movies is still poor in comparison to what you can get from the DVD’s or Blu-Ray’s that are mailed to you. I pay $19.95 a month and get 16 or so movies delivered to my door and I’m happy with that. I use Netflix for streaming tv shows that I can’t watch on my own timeframe, older movies and Redbox for new releases.
Report Post »Chet Hempstead
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 3:30pmStreaming content is the way of the future in the sense that getting a new movie three months after the DVD is released is in the future compared to getting it the week it’s released.
Report Post »Stu D. Baker-Hawk
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 11:44amYou don’t need a crystal ball to know that Netflix CEO Reed Hastings will be gone this time next year. I cancelled by Netflix streaming video last week and am VERY close to cancelling the DVD mailer service, too. Netflix is the epitome of greed; they had a good thing going but botched it by trying to squeeze every last bit of blood from their loyal paying customers. More and more Red Box is looking like a better option to this fed-up American.
Report Post »tksocal
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 11:38amWho cares!
Report Post »DadCooks2
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 11:28amWe were longtime Netflix subscribers, but the Qwikster idioacy was the last straw so we cancelled.
Netflix must have lost a lot more customers than they were saying. Netflix CEO Reed Hastings needs to be fired with no golden parachute–free fall all the way baby.
IMHO Netflix is circling the bowl just waiting for the second flush.
Report Post »South Philly Boy
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 11:22amI CANCLED my netflex account
Report Post »marvlus
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 11:15amThe streaming/DVD plan will cost the same as when it was separated.
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 12:06pmMine hasn’t gone up yet, but the minute it does, I’m canceling. Right now (with taxes etc.) I pay $10.81 a month for unlimited streaming and 1 DVD out at a time. I wouldn’t have the DVD, but not all the movies I want to watch are available to stream.
Report Post »blazingaway
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 11:14amthe CEO should be fired … he’s an idiot
Report Post »Amy
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:30amInteresting. I had cancelled the DVD section of Netflix. Now what does this mean?
Report Post »120pages
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 11:10am…and I cancelled my streaming section of Netflix. What a mess!!
I may just cancel my DVD section until Netflix can figure out what they’re doing. I can live with Redbox for a while.
Report Post »Chet Hempstead
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 3:27pmIt means you get the one you didn’t cancel for the price they said you would. They already raised their prices, and they never changed their name, and they always offered one but not the other plans though nobody took them when they were only a couple dollars cheaper than both, so you will just continue with whatever plan you have now.
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