Netflix Forum

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Here's a question I was asking myself last night in the midst of the whole Netflix/Qwikster brouhaha. If Reed Hastings hadn't (perhaps rashly) promised that the companies were "done with" raising prices, I would've guessed that splitting the companies in two would've been a preemptive stab at disguising future price hikes. (And, despite Hastings' protestation, I'd guess that price hikes are still likely, especially if the USPS has to raise their prices or degrade their service much more.)

The question is, would that really be such a bad thing? After spending a good ten minutes browsing my Netflix Instant Queue looking for something I actually wanted to watch, I had to think: how much more would I be willing to pay for a much broader selection of films and television to watch? I cut off my cable recently, saving myself a good 70 or 80 bucks a month, but I'd gladly re-invest some of that cash into a more expensive streaming service, if the selection was much better.

Let's hypothesize. Assume that Netflix could acquire streaming rights to fully half of the Hollywood releases that come out each year, and let's say that they get the rights to those movies a month after they arrive on DVD, on top of their existing library, how much more would you pay for their streaming service? Would it be worth another ten bucks a month to you? Another twenty? Keep in mind that the cable/television window for modern releases doesn't start until a good year or two after a film has hit DVDs, which is why it's already difficult for Netflix to get current releases on their service with any timeliness. I'm not saying I don't get value for my money at eight bucks a month; the ability to stream all of Mad Men, by itself, is a pretty amazing value at that cost when you compare it to buying DVD sets, even if I don't permanently own anything.

I'm caused constant pain by this DVD being half-inserted in me! Help!

Which I guess is my point; I'd be happy to pay, say, $30 a month if it would allow Netflix to go after the rights to these current movies so that I wouldn't have to worry about getting them through Qwikstar (which is a word that is extremely awkward to type, for some reason). Currently they spend around $600 million out of something like $3.2 billion in yearly revenue on shipping costs, so being able to shift that cost towards content acquisitions that directly affect the strengths of their library is good for everyone, which is why people suspect that this split might be a bit of a red herring and that Netflix wouldn't entirely mind getting out of the DVD business entirely, even if they have to set Qwikstar up to intentionally fail to do so.

Regardless of Qwikstar, how do you see your future with Netflix playing out? Is eight bucks a month worth the current selection? Would they need to announce some drastically increased library before convincing you to pay more, or would you pay more right now if they promised that it would enable them to expand their offerings? What's your upper limit on Netflix, basically, and how much content would they have to offer on streaming to get you to pay it?

Obviously it depends on how much more content Netflix supplies, if they start to offer service similar to say Hulu and have newer content more frequently, I'd probably pay in the neighborhood of say $20-$25.

I've been streaming only since early this year. I'd probably pay up to $12 for it. $20 if they partnered up and got next day TV content without ads or if they started carrying new release movies.

20 bucks tops. For streaming next day TV stuff, current-ish movies (a month after DVD release maybe?), and even more old TV shows/movies. I would pay more if they promised to get what I just said. They don't have to show me first, but I think that would be the best way since many people don't seem to trust them anymore.

EDIT: Also, more Emma Stone.

It all depends on the content. If they could full support from half the studios, I'd pay up to double the price I'm currently paying. Keep in mind that I'd be able to reduce my DVD subscription (I still pay for both) in doing so.

$14.99 to have same week TV Shows and an expanded movie selection. Oh, and to keep it commercial free. I can't stand Hulu for just that reason.

Any time the word brouhaha is used, I am a happy camper.

I'm pretty sure tiered subscriptions are in Netflix's future - just like Starz wanted before they left. But I'm happy with the current, cheap, streaming service. No movie is worth more than that. $8/month is awesome. There are TONS of things on Netflix worth discovering - I'd rather discover movies for $8/month than pay twice that for a selection of current movies that include sh*t like Rio.

I would easily pay $20 a month, but it really depends on them actually getting those studios. If they get TV next day, like Hulu then I am in for $30-50 depending on how many networks they lock down.

For truly comprehensive movie and TV coverage - say within one month of broadcast / DVD release - I'd probably pay around $30 a month. The problem is that they can't guarantee that. At this point I've given up paying for Netflix Streaming because I don't like paying for something that unreliable when it comes to delivering what I actually want to watch. It's a great added bonus, but not a great independent purchase.

And I think this latest move is also going to get me to drop Netflix for DVDs because I don't want to go through the hassle of whatever this "Qwikster" crap is going to cause, and I have enough other sources to get movies on demand.

Though it also helps that I'm willing to shell out money for cable because of sports. Baseball / College Football / College Basketball / NFL, DVRed TV, and the occasional movie or video game pretty much cover what I'd want.

The name Qwikster is so hard to type that several times in this article it was spelled Qwikstar and no one noticed!

/notsureifjokeoractualmistake

$20. But the selection would have to be pretty freakin' spectacular to the point of making HBO look like a small-town library DVD section.

The Canadian Netflix content is pretty slim, its pretty much my Top Gear instant streaming service right now. I would be willing to pay for more stuff up to 15 bucks a month.

I'd be more inclined to shell additional money for a better selection of TV shows, with episodes becoming available shortly after they air, like Hulu.I guess I'd pay what I currently pay for Netflix streaming and Hulu plus, which is $16 per month.

It's hard to say how much I'd pay on top of that for a significantly better selection of new film releases. But probably not more than $25 a month.

I would pay $16 for just the streaming if the selection was what I wanted. I have no problem paying the $16 now for both. Even $20 for good streaming content would be fine. Maybe even $30. Moving the DVDs out of Netflix and over to Qwikster while reducing what's available on streaming and increasing prices is kinda lame though.

I am waiting for the final straw to drop Netflix. It is never going to get to this magical level that Rorie is talking about. Any service worth $20 to $30 will not be supported by the networks and companies that make the content Netflix streams.

I'd rather pay less and be given the option of a reduced service.

Netflix finances shot-for-shot remakes of every movie and TV show in their streaming library as of September 19, 2011, with all major characters being played by Emma Stone.

They then make this selection available as a separate streaming plan.

What would you pay for this plan?

I still love them Blu-rays, so not too much more. But a significantly expanded selection of newer releases and TV shows would be worth a price increase of some sort.