Netflix Ending Multiple Profiles Feature

Just got this e-mail:

Dear Kabukiman,

We wanted to let you know we will be eliminating Profiles, the feature that allowed you to set up separate DVD Queues under one account, effective September 1, 2008.

Each additional Profile Queue will be unavailable after September 1, 2008. Before then, we recommend you consolidate any of your Profile Queues to your main account Queue or print them out.

While it may be disappointing to see Profiles go away, this change will help us continue to improve the Netflix website for all our customers.

If you have any questions, please go to https://www.netflix.com/Help?p_faqid=3962 or call us anytime at 1 (888) 638-3549. We apologize for any inconvenience.

- The Netflix Team

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I called them to verify that it was true, and it is indeed true.

This majorly sucks for those of us with families or roomates. The way it works currently, you could set up a profile and queue for each individual person in your household. In my situation, I pay for 3 DVDs and have one sent from my queue, one from my wife's, and one from my son's. We have our queues set and don't have to do any rearranging or managing when DVDs get sent back. It just works.

Without profiles, I would have one queue and I would have to stagger the list to put me at top, then my wife's pick, then my son's and I would have to manage this on a daily basis because movies don't get sent back on a regular schedule, meaning the order would change frequently. My wife will send hers back the next day, it might take me up to a week to send mine, etc. So I can't just stagger the list and leave it be.

Also, if a title isn't available to ship, Netflix moves to the next in the list (which in this case, would be someone else's title!).

Lastly, this totally screws up recommendations. I don't want Netflix recommending "Chopper Chicks in Zombie Town" to my son just because I'm a Troma freak.

This is completely unacceptable. I really hope you think so too. If you are a subscriber and don't want this feature removed, please voice your concern on via the "Contact Us" page at Netflix. https://www.netflix.com/Suggest?type=2&lnkctr=cu_suggest

Sorry for the rant, but I hope enough people complain to get this changed. Netflix is such a great, easy-to-use services, and come September 1, it's suddenly going to become a pain in my ass and I'll have to cancel my subscription.

That frikin' sucks... I loved having my own queue. I wonder how that actually HELPS them improve the website?

i didn't even know they had that but now since i know i want to use it!

madden821 said:

I wonder how that actually HELPS them improve the website?

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When I talked to Netflix on the phone, the rep claimed it would. He said multiple profiles "wreaked havoc" on their computers would cause them to occasionally send the wrong title.

I think I had the wrong title sent once in 3 years time, so I'm not exactly buying that answer. Even if it is some widespread problem, they need to fix the computer problem without getting rid of the system entirely. There are lots of smart software engineers out there, I can't imagine that making a system with multiple profiles is impossible.

I never had the wrong title sent in about 3 years as well. Oh well.

I never had a wrong title sent to me either. But it does suck for those of you that use the profile feature. I'm the only one that Netflixes at my house so it really doesn't affect me.

i've never received the wrong disc either. i did receive an extra bluray disc...they sent me Rescue Dawn twice and they didn't even know it. i sent them both back though.

I hate it when a company takes something away from you and tells you that it will improve your service or satisfaction.

Whelp, the Mrs and I both sent nasty emails to them about it... probably won't do any good but what the heck.

I am wondering if in about 2 months they will say we can have seperate lists but it will be an extra $2 a month?

Vader AL said:

i didn't even know they had that but now since i know i want to use it!

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me neither... this would be a great feature for me and the GF to use. but not for long i guess. does Blockbuster Online have this feature??

madden821 said:

I am wondering if in about 2 months they will say we can have seperate lists but it will be an extra $2 a month?

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I'd pay it. It would suck if it came to that, but I would pay it. My wife's queue is insanely huge (like 100 titles!), mine has about 10 titles. I'd never be able to find my movies!

hairlesswookiee said:

does Blockbuster Online have this feature??

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I dunno, but I'm looking into it now. Come September 1, I'll have to find *some* alternative to Netflix.

Yes, this sucks for me too. My wife and I have entirely different tastes.

I think the reason is really to get people to set up multiple accounts so they rake in more money.

Holy crap, our whining actually did something! :chew

Just got this e-mail:

We Are Keeping Netflix Profiles

Dear Kabukiman,

You spoke, and we listened. We are keeping Profiles. Thank you for all the calls and emails telling us how important Profiles are.

We are sorry for any inconvenience we may have caused. We hope the next time you hear from us we will delight, and not disappoint, you.

-Your friends at Netflix

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Wow, it actually worked!
But for me Netflix still sucks, I cancelled my account due to their "throttling" policy.

That's fantastic news! Glad to hear they actually listened.

Sweet! good job Kman.

Where do i find this option?

Vader AL said:

Where do i find this option?

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https://www.netflix.com/ViewProfiles?lnkctr=yas_profiles

You can add and remove profiles as needed. It's a very handy feature! You can assign how many DVD's a profile gets with the "assign DVD's" button.

I think they've been losing quite a bit of customers lately to Blockbuster online. We switched to that one a while ago and it's a MUCH better deal. If you're of the impatient type and like instant satisfaction (like me), you can turn your movies into the store and get new ones immediately rather than waiting for them to ship, and their selection is pretty much on par with Netflix. I think we averaged it out and we get about 5 extra movies each month that way, and are paying less than Netflix.

Thus, enough people must have really complained and threatened to switch (and maybe even did cancel and switch) that they had no choice but to listen. The people have spoken!

Kabukiman said:

https://www.netflix.com/ViewProfiles?lnkctr=yas_profiles

You can add and remove profiles as needed. It's a very handy feature! You can assign how many DVD's a profile gets with the "assign DVD's" button.

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What do I click on? Maybe I don't have this option.

Doesn't bother me at all since I'm the only one who's on my Netflix account, but I wrote them anyway for those it does.