SydLexia.com - The Forums :: View topic

Joined: Dec 06 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 11244

Summed up version:

Netflix is changing their business name for DVD Rentals.

DVD Rental company will be: Qwikster.com
Streaming movie company will be: Netflix.com

They will automatically move you to the correctly named service if you subscribe. Also, there will be no price or service changes other than Qwikster will rent video games.

The idea is that the streaming brand has the opportunity to grow, while the physical media brand is going to ultimately be phased out. When the time comes, they don't want to have the negative association of closing up shop with physical media.

Once this change occurs the services should be identical, however bills will be separate for the two services. It will be as though you have two places that you are doing business with.

http://blog.netflix.com/2011/09/explanation-and-some-reflections.html

Posted: Sep 19 2011 09:10 am

1) Qwikster is an AWFUL name.
2) The addition of video games should help keep Qwikster going for a bit.
3) The whole apology is dumb. People could give a fuck less about the apology. They want lower prices, which they won't get.
4) The reasoning behind the split is sound.

Posted: Sep 19 2011 09:32 am

i agree. qwikster is a stupid name

Title: Titlating Joined: Dec 17 2007 Posts: 5042

Syd Lexia wrote:

1) Qwikster is an AWFUL name.
2) The addition of video games should help keep Qwikster going for a bit.
3) The whole apology is dumb. People could give a fuck less about the apology. They want lower prices, which they won't get.
4) The reasoning behind the split is sound.

Sums up my feelings up completely. Also other places I go figure that eventually the split will be 100% and one of the two companies Exclamation

QUIKSTER

being sold.

Posted: Sep 19 2011 05:53 pm

If I were Netflix, I would have called the physical media company that is destined to go out of business "Blockbustingster".

Posted: Sep 19 2011 06:43 pm

Klimbatize wrote:

If I were Netflix, I would have called the physical media company that is destined to go out of business "Blockbustingster".

green-holly-blockbustering-video-box

Title: Alexz Aficionado Joined: May 21 2008 Posts: 2889

Rumor has it they want to buy the Twitter account @Qwikster

As luck would have it it's a pot smoking Elmo account. And by sheer coincidence exactly what I think of when I think of Netflix Surprised

Joined: Apr 09 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 3112

Dumb name, obviously hired a marketing firm staffed by middle-aged people who thought that only children care about them streamin' compooturs and vidja games.

Posted: Sep 19 2011 10:29 pm

I have to admit I never used the dvd part of Netflix just the streaming when it came to the PS3. I will not miss it.

Joined: Dec 06 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 11244

Gallery 2 · Posted: Sep 20 2011 01:30 pm

The only reason I got Netflix was because of the streaming service, since I get my DVDs from Redbox or a comic book nearby which rents imports.

Though to be fair, I understand why people feel swindled about the whole ordeal.

Posted: Sep 20 2011 04:57 pm

The fact of the matter is it costs money to put "New" movies on Netflix, which people fail to realize. "If they put new movies on the Streaming portion, this price wouldn't be as bad! But I'm cancelling til that happens!" Let's see Sony was giving Netflix the rights to stream their movies to customers for $9.99 for both physical and streaming. Instead of making that money in sales they took ridiculous contracts to test out the streaming market. The market expanded and now they (Sony, WB, etc..) want more money.

Sure Netflix made large profits, but that's what they are supposed to do as a company. And everyone complaining online about how they are gouging the customer for money to further line their pockets with gold is just stupid. When your costs are going to more than Quintuple you have to raise the price. It's called business.

Posted: Sep 20 2011 10:50 pm

Meh.....Qwikster is no dumber of a name than Ipad, Facebook or Wii.

Posted: Sep 21 2011 12:50 am

The problem with Qwikster is that there is nothing in the name that tells you what it is.

At least with netFLIX, you know that it's movies. the iPAD is a tablet or PAD, FaceBOOK is more vague, but is well-known enough and Wii can mean "we play"!

Qwikster sounds like a guido quick oil change facility.

Is Netflix losing loads of money on physical DVDs? Because that's the way it looks.

Posted: Sep 21 2011 04:06 am

The reasoning makes sense, adding video games is a good idea, and Qwikster is a dumb name., All in all, I can't fault them for what they're doing. It all makes perfect sense, and while the apology was dumb since they were only apologizing for not explaining it well enough, I think they're decisions are fine and should play well in the community once the initial "dumb name" hate wears off.

Joined: Dec 06 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 11244

Dr. Jeebus wrote:

The reasoning makes sense, adding video games is a good idea, and Qwikster is a dumb name., All in all, I can't fault them for what they're doing. It all makes perfect sense, and while the apology was dumb since they were only apologizing for not explaining it well enough, I think they're decisions are fine and should play well in the community once the initial "dumb name" hate wears off.

I agree with this. I think it will take about one full year for the name change to stop feeling odd and after that, it will just be the way it is. For those who actually get the DVDs it will happen quicker, it is mostly the people who don't get the DVDs who will be confused because they won't see the physical product association.

Also, Dorn, Netflix is not losing money on DVDs. They simply don't want to destroy their business when physical media goes away in the next 5-10 years.

Posted: Sep 21 2011 08:42 am

The first thought that pops in my head when I hear Qwikster is handjob.

Joined: Dec 06 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 11244

Meow indeed!

Posted: Sep 21 2011 01:50 pm

I heard about this...what I don't get is, why? Why can't they keep both services on one convenient site? It may sound petulant, but I really dislike having to put in yet another bookmark--not to mention yet another site I have to give my credit card too. Wtf Netflix?

Posted: Sep 21 2011 04:22 pm

SoldierHawk wrote:

I heard about this...what I don't get is, why? Why can't they keep both services on one convenient site? It may sound petulant, but I really dislike having to put in yet another bookmark--not to mention yet another site I have to give my credit card too. Wtf Netflix?

Simple, because they are two different companies now. Don't be surprised when Netflix offically removes qwikster from its Accounting books as they will most likely sell it. Think of it like Toyota and Lexus or Honda and Acura. Sure both are car dealerships, but you go to one for something different.

Posted: Sep 21 2011 06:36 pm

I know I know. But its soooooo inconVENient....

/whine

Title: Titlating Joined: Dec 17 2007 Posts: 5042

I would soon expect third party sites or smart phone apps that manage log in for both.

Posted: Oct 10 2011 10:58 am

Apparently Qwikster is no more:

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/business&id=8385607

Joined: May 22 2008 Location: Goshen, VA Posts: 6544

LOL, that was fast.

Posted: Oct 10 2011 01:11 pm

I'm actually surprised they killed it, generally companies fail to listen to their consumers until it is too late thinking they know best. Now I'm wondering what they plan to do next to distance themselves from the DVDs since this didn't work out. I'm expecting to see a couple of their DVD warehouses burn down shortly and them saying they don't want to replace everything so they are done with DVDs.