Though I love this company, I gotta tell you, it's a love hate relationship. Though I think the CEO is doing for the most part a great job, there's one or two things about the company which are really irking me.
First, their policy about adding titles to their inventory. 28,000 titles is a number they love to throw around, but the only real number I've seen is the 1,000 titles they started with in April. They've added since then, but how many? They only add to their inventory once enough customers have requested them through their queue. The problem, in my mind, is this. We're about to enter a huge growth period. It's probably safe to say that with 5,000 customers any title that is requested once or twice will be requested more once you have 20,000 titles. My concern is that many new customers will know they have reliable options with netflix and wal-mart. If we're lucky, they will choose to try gameznflix first, because of the advertising, the unique 'gamez' option, and the lower price. However, what will their INITIAL EXPERIENCE be? It's all about first impressions, and when you're in a trial period and it doesn't deliver what you want, you're not going to keep it.
If this company gets one big chance with advertising to get a flock of new customers, we better have the inventory to keep em. Otherwise, you've more than failed to get and keep new customers, you've blown a wad on advertising that failed due to a lack of follow-thru with service. I have about ten titles in my queue right now, and I've been waiting two weeks without having anything shipped. For this whole month, I think I've had two titles arrive. When I first signed up they were reliably - and quickly sending titles. Now, are new customers a higher priority and sent things first? Is it that there are now enough customers that the titles are simply being spread too thin (5000 customers, 2000[?] titles)? Is it that statistically, at my best estimate (can we get a number), that 10 out of 11 titles available to be put in your queue are sitting in a warehouse somewhere unpurchased?
I've mentioned this in a letter to the CEO, but while I think the principle of acquiring inventory upon request is a good idea, I feel that in an INITIAL GROWTH period it is important to anticipate demand. If the normal policy is to order once four people have requested a title, then instead order as soon as two people have made the request. Because you can be sure once the customer base triples or quadruples, the title will be requested again. As well, as customers go deeper into the inventory (longer into their service history with the company) they will explore more and more titles. Plus, there is the sheer fact that it is greatly misleading as an impression on new customers to show 28,000 titles and not have something to ship once they've added them to their queues.
Lastly, I've been experiencing some anomalies in the website and I'm wondering if anyone else can post a similar experience. Often, when a title will ship I won't receive an email until around the day it arrives. Usually, the website does not post that it has been shipped until about the day it arrives either - the funny part is this. Lets say the title arrives on June 2nd. If I check the website on June 1st, it might not show anything has been shipped. If I look again on June 2nd, it will show that it was shipped on May 28th. Often an email will never arrive, and sometimes the website will not post that I have a title until I've already had it at my house for a few days. This isn't the most reliable or accurate accounting I've ever seen, but I wasn't worried until tonight. Suddenly, a title I've never received is posted to the site as having been shipped to me on April 16th. Does that mean it will arrive on Monday? Or does that mean the company suddenly thinks it sent something to me a long time ago that I may be billed for If I am unable to return?
Believe me, I love this company and I love it's potential. Just some thoughts and questions and concerns. Responses?
Best,
E
AI
