October 25, 2004

This has to be a first.

A company is actually *lowering* its prices. And not down to original levels - no, even *lower* than that.

Netflix sent me this email today:

Since our price increase in June, some of our members have expressed concerns about the new pricing. We've listened to this feedback and are pleased to inform you that we're lowering the price of your Netflix 3-at-a-time program from $21.99 per month to $17.99 per month.

You don't need to do anything. Your membership will automatically move to the lower 17.99 price. The lower price will appear on your next bill on or after November 1, 2004. You will still get the same great service and convenience, but now you will pay less for it. So please sit back, relax and enjoy your movies!

How about that?

Now I've been using Netflix since January 2002, and I have to say - I have ZERO complaints about them. The selection of movies is great, the no-late-fees feature rules (especially since I hate having to organize my evening around a movie rental just so I can avoid a late fee), and they always arrive fast and convenient in my mailbox.

The two times the post office lost a movie on its way to me, the process to give notice and receive a replacement was utterly painless. I also love that Netflix doesn't automatically assume you're trying to rip them off by keeping the movie and charge you for their loss - but understands that the mail sometimes screws up.

So the price increase last June didn't particularly bother me, because for the amount of movie I watch a month, it's utterly worth it for me.

But I never expected that they'd actually lower their price. So it's real nice to know that there are still unexpected and pleasant surprises in this world when it comes to subscription-based services (very much unlike DirecTV, who just keeps raising and raising those prices...).

Or - it wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that Netflix's stock price has plummeted from $40 to $9 since June... now, would it?