Netflix Has The Sternum Bush That I Love The Most
In the world of everyone fighting for my dime and my time, Netflix is a current winner.
For starters, I hate hate hate going to video stores. Hell, I used to manage one back in college and I loved the job, but it was a task to hire people who either didn’t steal from you or who actually took pride in their work and cared about the customers.
Yeah, that was me at college. I even worked my ass of 3-4 shifts a week so the Store Manager could take all the credit of keeping his store in order. Pathetic, but I digress.
Video Storeheads are also a bit elitist–they know all about the movies, they silently judge you as you check out (oooh, another Steven Segal for you, sir?) or they pretend to have so much more knowledge than you because they actually work “in the industry”–but, here’s a secret for you storehead: Everyone knows that everything comes out on Tuesday and you don’t get a SAG card for working at Blockbuster, okay? Okay. Now, shut up and hand me that Van Damme movie without giving me your better-than-me look because you get a handful of these rentals for free each week; it’s a guilty pleasure and I’m in the mood for staying up late, eating White Castle and enjoying some Van Damme-age while my wife and kid are out of town.
But, enter Netflix.
For my monthly fee, I get a couple of more movies, no late fees, no driving out at 11:50 on a week night to return that damn video and snotty little 23 year old store manager on a retail power trip.
And, honestly, that was enough for me. I’d sometimes supplement this $18 a month fee with a trip to the local store to find a video game or a handful of different movies if I knew I’d have nothing to do and could use the extra entertainment, but with the inclusion of the XBox 360 and Nintendo Wii into my life, well, I’d just as soon buy a single game and not have to deal AND I’ve got something to do when there’s nothing to watch–and let’s not forget that thanks to the DVR, I’ve got tons of television stuff that I’m missing. And don’t get me started on iPod Videos that make their way down from iTunes or other sources.
But, here comes Netflix with a PVT (Previously Viewed Tapes, at BBV (Blockbuster Video), so maybe it’s just PV) program. Not only are they kind enough to make recommendations (and Netflix, take this hint: Make it easier for me to find the stuff out on DVD this week, okay? Okay. Let’s keep my queue fat without much effort on my part), but they’ll even show you every single item with a little highlight noting when it’s available to purchase as “used”.
But wait. Waitwaitwait.
It gets better.
Easier, even.
Once you click to let them know you’re interested… this little Ajax-like div/popup lets you get right to the action and decide right then and there if you’re ready to have that Pirates of the Caribbean shipped to your home.
Not only that, but since you’re most likely already logged-in, they let you know that by pushing ONE MORE BUTTON Pirates will be shipped right to your doorstep where your subscription goes to and will be billed right to the card your subscription is billed to.
Take that, Amazon! I love Amazon and spend more money there than I ever probably should, but when you purchase a Prime membership, you find ways to make it worth your money–and it generally is. The problem with Amazon is that their checkout process–even when using that beloved 1-click–is TOO DAMN TEDIOUS and there’s too much for me to look at and review.
My ADHD does not like this.
My ADHD likes pushing one more button and being finished with the process, having a movie on its way and me back to browsing the next movie that is going to my queue when I should be designing screens for some online functionality for my bosses.
And if that wasn’t cool enough, Netflix has been adding 250,000 users per week of their “watch it now” service which gives, well, me, 18 hours a month of free, on-demand content to watch. Sure, just at my computer, but I’ve got dual monitors AND I’m on these computers far too much as it is. And if I’m travelling for work, it beats the hell out of porn per view, right? Sure, the selection isn’t great just yet, but they’re preparing for a future where this getting movies by mail just won’t cut it, which is something the Blockbusters of the world should have been doing while they’ve been raking in profits for years.
So, Netflix, keep those top couple of buttons open on that shirt of yours. The Sternum Bush is rocking my world.
And keeping me away from the Video Store Ninjas that I hate so much.