NETFLIX.com Is Awesome!

[Gary]

I don't really wax poetic about business service sites, but this one really should get a bit more attention - especially among movie buffs.

I've used Netflix for about three weeks now and I'm totally impressed with the speed of delivery, web site control panel, and overall service.

Netflix is a web-based business, like Blockbuster Video, that rents DVDs by mail.  I pay 24.00 a month and rent movies all week long (you can have three out at once - and then when you return one, they automatically send you another from your list within 24 hours).

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BREAKDOWN:

Blockbuster -
4 movies per week _at_ $4.75 ea. = $19.00
16 movies per month _at_ $4.75 ea. = $76.00

TOTAL SPENT (after discounts, coupons, etc.) = $65-$70 per month

Netflix -
4-6 movies per week - $24.00
16-24 movies per month - $24.00

SAVINGS (over Blockbuster) - $40-$45 per month

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The speed of delivery is phenomenal, too.  I'd say that I can send out a DVD for return on Monday and have the next one in my list arrive around Wednesday or Thursday.  The fastest they've gotten a movie to me is less than 48 hours.  

Extremely impressive - and if you time your rentals right, you can pretty much have a new movie to watch for six days out of a seven day week (since mail doesn't run on Sundays).

In a time where alot of business have tried to port "real world" business types onto the 'Net (with very little success) - Netflix is the single, most successful transition to an internet-based business model that I've ever seen in my life.

Blockbuster better watch out.  With Netflix (and another site called GameFly, where you can rent video games in a similar fashion with the option to buy at a hefty discount if you want to keep it), there's no need for me to ever even walk into another Blockbuster Video ever again.

Action, Sci-Fi, Horror, Drama, Comedy, TV Series', Anime, Foriegn Films, Specialty Films, How-To DVDs, Indie Flics, et al.

Oh... and did I mention yet that they are expanding to the UK in a couple of months?

If you live in the United Kingdom and love movies... get excited.