Complaint Review: Netflix - Internet

There is overhead for trying to get users to pay. Can you imagine what might happen if Netflix just kept providing the service and hope to get paid? Or turn the service on or off because someone can't keep $9 in their flipp'n account? Look around. is it that unreasonable for the service to be cut off? Perhaps everyone would be happier to pay an extra amount to cover the overhead so children who can't manage their finances don't get their feelings hurt?

I agree that it is cheating for Netflix to charge a full monthly fee for a month in which they denied service to the customer for half the month.  Netflix must either continue sending movies if it wants to charge for a full month, or stop sending movies and prorate the charge.  They can't have it both ways. 

You are not happy with their policies. However I see no fraud here at all. I will not post all of the Netflex policies here because no one would would read them all, or care. It is a just a movie rental for the love of Pete, it is not like they are taking food out of children's mouths.

Here is ONE policy that may apply to your situation...

I will man up. It is NOT fair for a company to take payment and then refuse service. BUT, it is also reasonable to expect a company that rents something and requires a valid credit card as collateral, to refuse service to anyone who pays with a card that is declined.

However,  there is a way around this...as per Netflex policy...

"It is a $10 monthy fee whether you use the service or not, it does not matter that you were not able to because the money was not there. If you decide not to stream any movies for a month are they suppose to give you that month for free? "

Umm..no.  Check your math. If they shut you off because the money wasn't there, then they shouldn't be charging you for that time, should they?  $10 from th 9th to the 9th of the following month, then no service until the 23rd, then $10 from the 23rd to the 9th and then another $10 from the 9th to the 9th looks like more than $10 a month to me.  That's $20 for a 6-week period (roughly). 

But you STILL haven't addressed why they can take three months' fee in the form of a gift card, REGISTER your card as a credit to the account, then refuse to provide service.  THAT'S my main complaint.  I was willing to tolerate the OTHER fraud because I know it's my responsibility to make sure the money is paid to get the service provided.

So is there ANYONE willing to man-up and admit that it's not fair to take payment and then refuse the service?

Sorry but your arguement about how many weeks you used this service does not fly.

You claim that If the money is in my account, say, on the 23rd, they charge the $10, resume service, and charge me $10 again on the 9th of the following month.  They charged me for 2 weeks I wasn't allowed to use their service.

It is a $10 monthy fee whether you use the service or not, it does not matter that you were not able to because the money was not there. If you decide not to stream any movies for a month are they suppose to give you that month for free?

"If anyone has a problem affording a luxury such as renting movies, then they can't blame the company renting the movies when their credit card can't cover it. They are not in the business of "lending" movies, but "renting" movies. "

Actually, they're in the business of STREAMING movies too.

 "can you really blame netflex for using this as a line of defense? "

 Yes, I can...that's why I filed this report.  In what universe is it ok to take someone's money for a gift card, and then simply refuse the service?

but in this case there is merit to his reply.

You claim you lived paycheck to paycheck or unemployed and you stated and I quote " If you live paycheck to paycheck (or are unemployed, which I was for a year and a half and until very recently)"...

..then you or anyone in that situation can do without renting movies.

I am by no means lecturing you, but perhaps you should have left that part out of the complaint if it was an issue.

If anyone has a problem affording a luxury such as renting movies, then they can't blame the company renting the movies when their credit card can't cover it.  They are not in the business of "lending" movies, but "renting" movies.

I understand your side that the gift card did not allow the account to work because the credit card was declined, but at the same time can you really blame netflex for using this as a line of defense? They simply want to get paid for the service they are providing. They are not in business to provide strategies to help those who wish to "beat" the system by using gift cards or any other means.

There was no fraud here as far as I can tell  from your report. It just seems to me that you are unhappy that you could not find a way around paying netflex what you owed them. Sorry if the truth hurts.

I can afford $9 a month, jack@ss.  Instead of lecturing me, perhaps you can address why they need a valid credit card when a prepaid gift card is used, and why, if they're going to freeze my account, they won't ALSO freeze the charging of that account to the pre-paid card?

I have been subscribed to Netflix since my daughter got me a trial subscription in 2004.  I have rented hundreds of movies and have NEVER had any problem of any sort except 2 DVD's that were too damaged to play correctly, these 2 movies were immediately cross shipped and I had replacements in 2 days.

If you are living pay check to pay check and your credit card is regularly declined, you may be better off canceling unnecessary things until you get back on your feet.  Honest, you can live without movies.