My guess is not too much. If you don’t know what I am talking about Walmart, the nation’s largest retailer, is jumping into the movie game. Not talking about the movies they sell in the stores, but rather the streaming/renting arena. Announcing their new live streaming (on certain devices that are VUDU enabled) Walmart is wanting a piece of the live streaming pie. While I think this could be a game changer if you are a casual movie watcher because you only pay when you view I don’t think this will put a dent in Netflix’s live streaming.
*Side note, I am still PEEVED that Netflix is raising the price of that, I guess I will be canceling the dvd portion of my account. AHEM if any of you netflix people are reading this, doesn’t customer loyalty mean anything to you*
Walmart essentially has video on demand (which my cable company has already by the way right through my cable box, no other special equipment needed). Movies start at $2.00 for two nights and go up from there. The average price is $3.99 per movie from what I am seeing on the site. Though they do have a .99 movie of the day. I can stream through my macbook here, or one of the game systems we have that are VUDU capable. However, we are movie watchers so for a family like us who watches upwards of 15 movies a month this would be very cost UN-effective.
Netflix allows us to stream for 7.99 a month for unlimited streaming. Sure they probably don’t have the newest releases all the time but they have some great movies, t.v. series, kids shows and more that would cost us probably upwards of $100 a month to watch through Walmarts streaming service. If we are looking for some newer releases that aren’t available through Netflix’s streaming we can head down to the Redbox and pick it up for $1.00 a night.
So to me personally, Walmart’s live streaming is nothing impressive. It’s just another way the retail giant is trying to take over something that is probably taking away money from them. Don’t get me wrong I love shopping at Walmart for the savings but sometimes it seems they want to rule the world and this is just another way they are trying to make a buck off an idea someone else came up with. Just keeping it real folks.
What are your thoughts? Will you be using Walmart’s streaming or will you stick to Netflix & Redbox?
Toni Patton
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I’ll stick with Netflix for streaming, although we’re cancelling the DVD portion, too. We’ll keep using Redbox and Blockbuster Express, too. The prices you mentioned aren’t really that competitive. I will be sad if the Redboxes move out of my Walmart entrance, but I’m sure they’ll find a new home. Wherever they end up, that place will get my movie night soda/popcorn/chip purchases 🙂
I agree with you 100% about Netflix raising the price for 1-movie out at a time with streaming! They are doubling the cost and I know they probably have higher costs with those kind of programs, but why couldn’t they do it like most other companies and allow the vets to keep their programming the same price and new subscribers be given the newer prices. I know it makes me feel like an unvalued customer and that my loyalty means nothing to them. I, like you, are probably just going to go to streaming, although I can’t remember the last time I even watched something on there. I might just need to cancel the whole thing.
We’ll be staying with Netflix – although, right now I’m also peeved with them. I found out about their changes in service from all the blogs – they didn’t even have the decency to send an e-mail describing the changes to their subscribers.
My husband did a pretty thorough search for alternatives but didn’t find any that were as cost-effective & convenient as Netflix. We watch a ton of movies because network TV stinks.
There’s so many people jumping in right now – and with Netflix splitting up and then regretting it – and streaming movies! YIKES! I hope Walmart gets in and does it well – but SIMPLY! Please! 🙂