What Is Netflix®?
Netflix® is an online movie rental service offering flat-fee subscription plans for DVD and Blu-ray disc rentals. Individual discs are mailed to subscribers in prepaid envelopes that include a return mailer and postage. There are no late fees, but a customer must return a movie before receiving another, though depending on the subscription level, a subscriber can have up to three discs out at a time. Plan prices range from around $5 US Dollars (USD) to less than $20 USD.
In addition to disc rentals, Netflix® also provides online streaming directly to TV. Rather than waiting for a disc to be mailed, the “Watch Instantly” feature will get a near-DVD quality picture to your television in seconds. This service is free with every plan, notwithstanding the device required to use it that the customer must purchase out of pocket. Optionally, a subscriber can stream movies to a PC or MAC. Streaming video is unlimited for all but the most basic plan, which includes just two hours per month.
Netflix® boasts a growing catalog of over 100,000 titles that not only cover movies, but many television series, documentaries and anime. Titles available for streaming are limited to about 12% of the catalog, but growing. When a subscriber joins Netflix®, he or she creates a list of desired movies or programs. Netflix® mails the first 1-3 titles on the list, depending on the subscription plan, then as the client returns movies, subsequent titles are mailed in order. An account can have multiple profiles and lists, as in the case of a family where Mom and Dad might have one list, and the kids, another.
Due to the 100+ mailing points located across the United States, Netflix® claims most titles arrive at a subscriber’s address ‘about one business day’ after shipping. There are some complaints, however, that Netflix® engages in “throttling,” or servicing customers that rent fewer titles first, over more frequent renters. Whether for this or other reasons, at times titles on a subscriber’s list might be shipped out of order or delayed.
Netflix® offers a free two-week trial after which the subscriber will be charged for the selected plan unless action is taken to opt out. No long-term contracts are required and there are no cancellation fees. Subscriptions can be canceled 24/7 online at the Netflix® site, though there are no pro-rated refunds for monies already paid. Refer to Netflix® to confirm pricing and terms of service which might change over time, superceding information contained in this article.
Written by R. Kayne
