We didn't need another reason to be more frosted at Netflix, which recently announced a 60 percent price hike, but many of us have one more anyway. After an outage Sunday night of its Instant View streaming service, the company sent an e-mail apology to customers and offered to give them a small credit of 3 percent for their troubles.
So far so good. The credit doesn't amount to much — about a quarter — depending the Netflix plan you have; still, it's a nice gesture. But you're going to have to work to get that credit; it won't just be applied to your account.
First, you need to pay attention to the e-mail you get from Netflix -- a major hitch in the process right there, with many of us who a) will simply delete the email that was sent Monday and b) if we do read it, won't make it past the apology to the part that says:
If you attempted and were unable to instantly watch TV episodes or movies yesterday, click on this account specific link in the next 7 days to a apply your 3 percent credit to your next billing statement. Credit can only be applied once.
So it's up to you to get your credit and you have (now less than) seven days to do it; Netflix won't just apply the credit to your account. We've asked Netflix to comment on this, and when we hear back, we will add what they have to say.
PC Magazine writer Julius Motal shared his frustration about the way the situation was handled:
That 3 percent, which will be applied to the next billing cycle, does not exactly translate into a major payday. I have the $7.99 monthly streaming-only plan, so a 3 percent credit will knock a mind-blowing 25 cents off of my bill. This reparation comes with a provision, though. I must decide in seven days if I want to redeem this credit.
Netflix offered similar credits twice in the last year, when there were service outages, and also took the same approach in offering them. The Hollywood Reporter said after a Netflix outage in March, if "all of Netflix's 20 million subscribers were affected, it would cost the company $4 million," if every customer put in for their credit.
So, while it makes "cents" for the company to take this approach, it make not make the other kind of "sense" — especially just days after the price hikes were announced.
Related stories:
- Netflix service goes down, Internet anger rises
- Outrage over Netflix rate hike continues
- Thousands threaten to quit Netflix
- Netflix sued by deaf groups over instant streaming captions
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