Is everyone's Hi-Def Netflix queue this backed up?
Never mind the fact that our HD movie Netflix queue is still called a DVD Queue -- we've had enough of this "Very Long Wait" business. It seems that just about every Blu-ray title we add isn't available, and while we're not sure how widespread this is, we do know we've received emails -- thanks Andy! -- complaining about the exact same thing; and with HD DVDs too. We understand that there are a lot of new HD movie player owners out there after the holidays and that with the WGA strike, there is more demand than ever for movie rentals. But still Netflix, get it together and increase your stock, so we don't have to wait forever to see a new release in HD.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
DeadPlasmaCell @ Jan 14th 2008 8:02PM
lol Sh*t I thought I was the only one! ALL of my HD-DVD & Blu-Ray movies have either "Long Wait" or "Very Long Wait" And the sh*t part is that the new releases automatically go to "Long Wait" Oy!
Robert @ Jan 14th 2008 9:57PM
This seems to be a pretty widespread problem. Even pre-releases queued up months in advance are listed as "Very Long Wait" by release day. Even more annoying - sometimes I will order a next-generation DVD only to receive the regular DVD instead! Get it together, Netflix! I am having to buy movies I want to see, then sell them on ebay or craigslist!
DeadPlasmaCell @ Jan 14th 2008 11:37PM
@ Robert:
I may have to resort to actually buying movies as well.. Something I don't really want to do. Call me cheap or what have you, but I don't watch a movie more than one time, literally. That's why I rent them. I'd hate to buy them, watch them once and try and take the hit on eBay.
rogressem @ Jan 15th 2008 6:47AM
Same here, thought it was just me.
steedums @ Jan 14th 2008 8:03PM
I have hd-dvd and pretty much every one in my queue has some sort of "wait"
Alf @ Jan 14th 2008 8:03PM
Looks like netflix is throttling everyone now... mine is also in a long wait... if they keep this up I'll cancel my subscription soon.
DeadPlasmaCell @ Jan 14th 2008 8:03PM
Oh yea I've also had my account on hold (not canceled) with them for a few weeks now.. no sense paying for something I'm not using... if some movies start to show a shorter wait I'll start it back up.
Kumar @ Jan 14th 2008 8:04PM
I've just got an HD DVD player right now, and mine is eerily similar. Been waiting months for HD DVD releases.
Rigged high def war, or perhaps both hd and blu were charging them too much, hoping to spur sales instead of rentals?
I'm leaning towards the latter, since neither side wants what most early adopters are doing, not buying movies and just renting them.
severian00 @ Jan 14th 2008 8:04PM
Mine looks exactly the same. Worse yet I have my preferences as Blu, then HD-DVD and then dvd and yet everything that's available in HDM is a very long wait, while all my dvd choices are available now. Come on guys, let's pick up a few more copies of movies. I hear they're having bogo sales on HDM, maybe you should look into that :)
Jimmy @ Jan 14th 2008 8:08PM
Of the first 10 in my queue 7 are either "long wait" or "very long wait".
Eric @ Jan 14th 2008 8:11PM
I have the same problem. I thought it was just me too. DVD's in the 11th and 12th positions continue to ship ahead of some Bluray movies that have been there for 2 months!
Geoff D. @ Jan 14th 2008 8:14PM
I have yet to receive a single HD version--I've taken to giving up and switching to the SD version just so I can see them...
Ben @ Jan 14th 2008 8:15PM
I've had the exact same problem. I recently reactivated my subscription so I could watch Blu-Ray movies, but I'm going to put my it back on hold until more Blu-Ray titles are released and Netflix actually stocks enough of them that I don't have to deal with "Long Wait" all the time.
tengen @ Jan 14th 2008 8:17PM
My list is just fine. The only long waits are the matrix and a clockwork orange. i am in texas and most of my movies ship outta Houston.
Jabbar @ Jan 15th 2008 10:42AM
i have the same luck shipping out of houston, none of the movies on my 50 movie queue have any wait whatsoever. the only problem is the lack of hd dvd choices that i would actually want to see.
Craig @ Jan 15th 2008 6:27PM
Same here. I'm in PHX area and only The Matrix HDDVD, and 3:10 to Yuma Blu-ray are in Very Long Wait. The other 12 (either HDDVD or Blu-ray) are all Now. Just returned Meet the Robinsons Blu-ray on Sat. Confirmed that The Simpsons Blu-ray is sitting in my mailbox today. Sounds like PHX is not a mecca for early adopters.
Big Sam @ Jan 14th 2008 8:17PM
Its been really bad since summer 2007. I often get movies 10-15 down in my queue (usually the first DVD listed). And I have both Blu-ray and HD DVD movies listed.
jeremy @ Jan 14th 2008 8:20PM
Is there this long of a wait on Blockbuster's site? If not, that's a pretty good reason to switch, and an even better reason for Netflix to get its act in gear.
FWIW, I'm a netflix subscriber but don't have an HDP.
chefdupont @ Jan 15th 2008 12:00AM
I have blockbuster and have both blu and hd on my list and my hd titles are about 29/64 available, 4/64 very long wait, 15/ 64 short wait, 16/64 long wait.
Since I have added hd and blu to my list it is all i have gotten
Paul @ Jan 14th 2008 8:23PM
i have tried both netflix and blockbuster and unfortunately its just as bad on blockbuster's online rental service. like others have said, i just end up moving the SD version of new releases (or even older movies) to the top of my queue just so i can see them. it is ridiculous on both of the sites which is why i'm currently not subscribing to either one of them. they have lost my business until they get more in stock......
Paul @ Jan 14th 2008 8:27PM
i forgot to add, if you total up my subscription time to both sites, i have had blockbuster for much longer than netflix. this is only because of the in-store return program where you can return a movie sent through the mail at your local blockbuster (mine is thankfully less than a mile away) and get a movie from the store. they do have blu-ray at alot of the blockbusters now and it seems like they have a lot more in stock in the store than on their online service. for those that want hd dvd's you are out of luck as they don't stock hd dvd's at any blockbuster......
therpham @ Jan 14th 2008 8:23PM
Yeah, our HD-DVDs on our Netflix queue are almost always long waits. What makes me sad is when I see them as "available" but the next day they're unavailable again by the time the last movie I sent back gets there.
shawnmos @ Jan 14th 2008 8:28PM
I am getting the same thing for both HD DVD and Blu-ray. I think it's because a bunch of people canceled their blockbuster online accounts when they increased their prices and switched to Netflix.
Rick @ Jan 14th 2008 8:29PM
Same problem here with Netflix. My top 6 movies are HD DVDs and they all say Long Wait or Very Long Wait. I switched from Blockbuster a month ago because of the same issue there. I didn't know you could place your account in Hold. I might have to try that. I've been waiting for Blade Runner since it was released.
boxmyth @ Jan 14th 2008 8:33PM
Same problem with all my Blu-Ray selections, although one shipped out to me today, so it's not hopeless.
jaymalya @ Jan 14th 2008 8:34PM
I called Netflix support today morning for the same reason & I was told they are actively working on increasing the stock . However, there are two different factors adding to these long waits. One is because of format war, they are not able to anticipate which ones to stock more. Also, apparently , users tend to hold on to these disks ( HDDVD or bluray) longer than plain old DVDs
JD_Flux @ Jan 14th 2008 8:34PM
No problems for me, my movies are coming out of San Jose in Cali. All of my requests I receive within 2 days of being in my queue, and I rent both HDDVD and BluRay.
Marc C. @ Jan 15th 2008 3:49PM
Yeah, it's been good for me to with HD-DVD's but I recently put my account on hold because there was nothing out that i wanted to see. I'll be getting a PS3 soon, so i'll open it back up for some BR movies. Hope the wait isnt bad for them since its looking like it might be Blu-Ray coming out on top.
mws192 @ Jan 14th 2008 8:41PM
Same problem here (White Plains and Long Island, NY distribution centers).
I actually called today and was told by a rep that Netflix has NO plans on increasing current HD movie (BD or HDDVD) inventory until the format war is over, but that they'll continue to stock new Hi-Def movies (at an insuffient number).
I said it sounded like I need to cancel my subscription and try again in a few months and she AGREED! Way to try and keep a paying customer.
Darayz @ Jan 14th 2008 8:49PM
I'm in the same boat. Every one of my HD DVD's in Netflix are in the Long Wait category. I switched from Blockbuster because every one of my HD DVD's were in the Very Long Wait category.
Eric V @ Jan 14th 2008 8:50PM
All available now except 1 says short wait. I have over 100 movies in my queue and that includes Blu-ray, HD DVD, and DVD; movies, tv shows, and documentaries.
Maybe they fixed the problem or are people still showing long waits?
Lance @ Jan 14th 2008 8:57PM
I've had the same problem as well. The only luck I've had is movies that haven't been released yet sitting at the top of my queue and having a disc shipping out on Tuesday of the week they are released. That seems to be the only time I get a BD disc.
Joe Ramirez @ Jan 14th 2008 8:58PM
Actually, on blockbuster online, it's not that bad.... little bit of wait, (like a week or two, at worst)
Paul @ Jan 14th 2008 9:35PM
that is good to hear. like i mentioned above i HAD blockbuster but i haven't had it in a couple of months. i'm glad its getting better because i had wait forever to get hd dvd's......
Todd @ Jan 14th 2008 9:13PM
I live in Georgia and have about 30 Blu-ray movies in my queue they are available now except two that are listed as short wait. Sucks to be you :)
Sam Winter @ Jan 15th 2008 4:43AM
Georgia? .... No, definitely sucks to be YOU.
longhairbilly @ Jan 14th 2008 9:16PM
I only have 3 HD DVD's out of 15 with any kind of wait. Granted, most of my HD movies are older, not new releases. Balls of Fury and Eastern Promises both have Very Long Waits
av8or @ Jan 14th 2008 9:28PM
my regular dvd blockbuster queue looks the same way.....
james @ Jan 14th 2008 9:28PM
I have the same problem w/Blu-Ray movies and I am using Blockbuster.
iphwin @ Jan 14th 2008 9:31PM
This is fairly fascinating. I'm in Northern Virginia and I've already received, watched, and returned "3:10 to Yuma" in Blu-ray while the screen cap shows a Very Long Wait. Sounds like you're getting throttled (which Netflix is known to do if you turn movies around too quickly).
ben @ Jan 14th 2008 9:36PM
I joined netflix for the blu ray selection. I have had a reasonable amount of blu ray disc shipped to me since joining. However, new releases have became increasingly more difficult to rent. I almost don't even try until two weeks after release. They definitely need to increase their supply. Don't think I will cancel...maybe just go out and buy the Blade Runner disc!
gregorykingston @ Jan 14th 2008 9:40PM
Same crap here. It has been that way for at least 2 or three months. I get a lot of my HD DVD's shipped from distant areas when they are in, adding to the wait time.
I would guess they are holding off until the format war dies down, they donn't want to be loaded up with discs nobody wants. I keep waiting for the used discs to show up for $5.99.
Still Waiting @ Jan 14th 2008 9:45PM
I have not had a movie from my top 10 in about three weeks, turning over 4-5 movies per week. Blu-ray AND HD-DVD in my case both are backed up badly. Thought it was just me . . . The crazy thing it increases my turn over since I will often times throw movies back in the mail I didn't really want now right away in a effort to get one my from higher in my queue. (right now first 12 titles are long wait or very long wait)
Patrick @ Jan 14th 2008 9:52PM
I have both HD DVD and Blu-ray in my queue, and I have them at the top since there's always a wait. Currently I have 16 movies in some sort of "long wait." I wish Netflix would increase their stock, but I'm bending over and taking this because it's still cheaper than renting from brick-and-mortar rental store.
Jake @ Jan 14th 2008 9:55PM
Nothing like that here (Wash. DC). All of my HDM titles (most the queue) say either "Now" or "Short wait" (mostly "now"). I had a "long wait" recently for "The Kingdom" on HD-DVD, but that's been reduced to short (and it's 10th on the list, so I don't care).
DeadPlasmaCell @ Jan 14th 2008 9:58PM
@ Patrick
Don't take anything, put your account on hold for a few months.. You won't get billed while it's on hold and you can check up on your Queue and restart it once there are movies available.. That's what I'm doing.. I'd go to Blockbuster but I don't think they rent out HD-DVD movies.. they used to but I don't see them any more.
joel @ Jan 14th 2008 10:01PM
Great posting. Netflix really needs to get it together. This is like it was to be a member back in 2000 when they had a couple wherehouses in the country and a limited stock on hand.
Robert @ Jan 14th 2008 10:01PM
This seems to be a pretty widespread problem. Even pre-releases queued up months in advance are listed as "Very Long Wait" by release day. Even more annoying - sometimes I will order a next-generation DVD only to receive the regular DVD instead! Get it together, Netflix! I am having to buy movies I want to see, then sell them on ebay or craigslist!
David S @ Jan 14th 2008 10:17PM
So what do we do?
ScuubyT @ Jan 14th 2008 10:23PM
I use Blockbuster rather than NetFlix, not because I think BB is superior or anything but I rent a fair amount of video games and the free rental each month is highly valuable to me since video games rentals are about $8 now. Anyways, I rent Blu-Ray discs from them rather DVDs when they exist and don't have too much of a problem. I do get some waits (short or long) but for the most part everything is readily available.