Thousands of Netflix subscribers have taken to social media sites to bash the streaming service’s characterization of its new price increase as a ‘price update.’
The TV Answer Man reported last Saturday that Netflix has alerted existing subscribers of the new monthly prices in an e-mail with the following subject header:
“We’re updating our prices — here’s why.”
Netflix does not mention anywhere in the e-mail that the subscriber’s monthly price will actually increase; it just says it will be ‘updated.’ The streaming service announced last month that it’s raising its monthly prices by $1-2, but it hadn’t informed subscribers of the increase until now.
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“We hope you’re enjoying everything Netflix has to offer. We’re updating our prices to bring you more great entertainment. Your monthly price will change to (new plan price) on March 12, 2022,” the e-mail says.
After publication of the article, online forums such as Reddit have been overflowing with comments from Netflix subscribers accusing the streamer of trying to hide the price hike. One Reddit board established to allow people to discuss the article now has more than 1,100 comments and many of the writers have resorted to humor to describe their anger.
“So I’m not canceling my subscription but I’m updating my subscription status?” writes RC-5.
“It’s not media piracy, it’s “alternate show sourcing,” quipped I_might_be_weasel.
“I have update my subscription status to: Canceled,” writes mike626.
“I’m not pirating- I’m updating my library,” says chrslp.
“It’s not a cancel of subscription, it’s a usage update,” writes sasu168.
“Thanks Netflix. I also updated my subscription setting to cancelled,” says reinking.
“Going to try this at work. It’s not a raise, it’s an income update,” said ‘lucidinceptor510.
“I love the idea that someone in corporate communications and/or public relations spent hours think tanking a way to respond to the anticipated backlash of the increase in price. And how they legitimately thought responding with “price update” would somehow make people go “ooooh. ok, then. We’re straight,” sneered orange_cuse.
Ah yes, this is where Netflix’s “price update” charges me an additional fee to my monthly rate to still only watch the small handful of shows that I watch on their service while they continue to pursue new content that I will never watch. BUT IT’S NOT A PRICE INCREASE! pic.twitter.com/EKlkZyJ6q7
— Packy (@packysmith) February 17, 2022
So if Netflix is not giving us a price increase, but a price "update", that means I'm not canceling my subscription but I'm updating my subscription status.
— Hogtrough (@Hogtrough) February 14, 2022
Netflix isn't telling their existing customers they're having a price "increase" instead, they're referring to it as an "update". At $15.50 per month, Netflix’s standard tier now slightly out-prices HBO Max ($15 per month) .@TheRiseGuys .@Paige933 https://t.co/sukxNGTl4n
— 933ThePlanetRocks (@933theplanet) February 15, 2022
The Netflix e-mail has also been a hot topic on radio stations and other social media sites including Facebook and Twitter. But it remains to be seen if the price increase, and the company’s ‘update’ e-mail, will result in a significant number of cancellations. Netflix has raised prices before without any serious blowback from subscribers.
Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvpredictions.com. Please include your first name and hometown in your message.
— Phillip Swann
@TVAnswerMan
I have been with Dish for many years, through all the blackouts, disputes. I have had America’s Everything package since the beginning. When channels were previously blacked out, my channels came back. Since the Blackout with Cinemax, HBO, and now I see my Epix channel has dwindled down to 1 channel. I contacted Dish during the Cinemax/HBO blackout and was told the same old excuse regarding blackout and hoped they came to an agreement soon. Meanwhile, customers still paid for the channels they had and could even view. Never once offering credit, customer would have to call and complain. Well When CINEMAX and HBO were brought back, my channels re-appeared for a whole week. Then they were gone again. I went to Dish chat to ask why … I was told that the channels had to be purchased separately due to the agreement they settled. Those channels had to be streamed only and I would have to purchase each channel separately. Which is Bs!! If channels are part of a package deal they shouldn’t be removed because the companies cant get along. These companies overcharge the hell out of us anyway! Im pissed off right now because I just looked up the current everything pack channels that DISH is offering and all the channels that Were including in my package are included in the Americas Everything Pack but at a higher price. My package has increased by $10, and the shit ton Of shopping channels and other BS channels has increased!
I also have Netflix and Prime. Im pretty sure that Prime is going up along with Netflix! Maybe its time to cut the cords from all these SCAMMING channels!!
“But it remains to be seen if the price increase, and the company’s ‘update’ e-mail, will result in a significant number of cancellations.”
Well, it appears the answer is about 200,000 cancellations.