Netflix: disappearing movies

[2oldman]

I was looking forward to watching the last half-hour of "The Big Short", and when I went to NF to watch, I got an error message saying it wasn't available in the US. I had watched this movie just yesterday.

I like NF, but I hate when that happens. A call to support didn't help any.

[2oldman]

What is the 'source code' for streaming movies? I wouldn't think it's a dvd or something primitive like that. Are they just sitting on a hard drive, or some other kind of memory?

[toedtoes]

2oldman wrote:

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)

It's a contracted date for the movie. The guy on the phone will only know that the movie is no longer available for streaming - he's not going to know which movie expires when. That is hardwired into the system in batches and as a contract renews that batch gets updated. If the contract doesn't renew the system blocks the streaming.

[2oldman]

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)

[toedtoes]

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]

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]

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.

[toedtoes]

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.

[2oldman]

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?

[MrWizard]

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

[docj]

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.

[gbopp]

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.

[fj12ryder]

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.