Netflix: disappearing movies

I read a brief blurb sometime back that said Netflix was getting rid of, or had to get rid of a considerable number of movies. Didn't care enough to check any deeper. But Netflix does pretty much what they do without a lot of consideration for their consumers. Unlike the way it was way back when.

fj12ryder wrote:
But Netflix does pretty much what they do without a lot of consideration for their consumers.

Sounds like that's the standard business practice for a lot of companies.

All of the streaming services have to pay license fees for the content (intellectual property) they provide. I suspect that if a particular movie or TV show isn't getting watched all that often, it may get cancelled the next time it's license is up for renewal. IMHO it has nothing to do with consideration for customers; it's simply a business decision.

Often when Netflix discontinues a show you may be able to find it on a competing service. My Roku can search by name for other places to find a show, or just to a Google search.

Movies might stay in the cue six months or longer
But they don't keep everything forever
You were unlucky enough to find it just before removal

MrWizard wrote:
You were unlucky enough to find it just before removal

Yes, with no warning. They don't know when these movies will be dumped?

2oldman wrote:

MrWizard wrote:
You were unlucky enough to find it just before removal

Yes, with no warning. They don't know when these movies will be dumped?

I doubt they have found it cost effective to add an "available through" date to every video on their service. Of all the movies you've watched on Netflix, how many times have you gone to re-watch or finish watching only to find it gone? Now is this one time of customer "displeasure" worth the cost and worktime to post expiration dates on every thing they have available for streaming?

Just look for it on a different service.

toedtoes wrote:
I doubt they have found it cost effective to add an "available through" date to every video on their service.

I wouldn't know what they find cost effective. But it sure would be customer effective.

2oldman wrote:

toedtoes wrote:
I doubt they have found it cost effective to add an "available through" date to every video on their service.

I wouldn't know what they find cost effective. But it sure would be customer effective.

And the real question is if you would be willing to pay more for that Thru Date?

2oldman wrote:

toedtoes wrote:
I doubt they have found it cost effective to add an "available through" date to every video on their service.

I wouldn't know what they find cost effective. But it sure would be customer effective.

That's part of cost effectiveness. And I can tell you that a movie "disappearing" before someone can finish watching it is a very very very uncommon event. So, it doesn't make sense to put all that effort into "fixing" something that in reality doesn't affect people in any real sort of way.

It's sad you missed the ending - but that is a one time occurrence in thousands and thousands of viewing experiences. It doesn't even make a blip.

AllegroD wrote:
And the real question is if you would be willing to pay more for that Thru Date?

I don't know. Does Netflix know about these dates? ('cause the guy on the phone didn't)