Comments on: Netflix, father Frankenstein. http://blog.spout.com/2005/11/23/netflix-father-frankenstein/ Daily coverage of what is truly interesting in the film world Tue, 06 Jan 2009 07:05:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: lauren http://blog.spout.com/2005/11/23/netflix-father-frankenstein/#comment-86 lauren Tue, 29 Nov 2005 17:51:23 +0000 http://blog.spoutblog.com/2005/11/23/netflix-father-frankenstein/#comment-86 As a Landmark Theatre employee, I am also pleased that they decided to reverse their poor decision to discontinue discount cards. I just wanted to mention one other thing that I feel further diminishes the movie going experience that is less obvious to customers - cutting down on employee hours. The Landmark Theatre I work at now routinely has one person running three positions (selling tickets, concessions and cleaning theaters) during weekdays and has cut down shifts on weekends. We now have longer, slower lines, messier theaters and less time to attend to patron concerns. The casual moviegoers (who are generally messier/louder/more cell-phone prone) don't really see the change, but the core audience complains routinely. I'd be surprised if the few bucks Landmark saves in wages makes up for the customer lose As a Landmark Theatre employee, I am also pleased that they decided to reverse their poor decision to discontinue discount cards. I just wanted to mention one other thing that I feel further diminishes the movie going experience that is less obvious to customers - cutting down on employee hours. The Landmark Theatre I work at now routinely has one person running three positions (selling tickets, concessions and cleaning theaters) during weekdays and has cut down shifts on weekends. We now have longer, slower lines, messier theaters and less time to attend to patron concerns. The casual moviegoers (who are generally messier/louder/more cell-phone prone) don’t really see the change, but the core audience complains routinely.

I’d be surprised if the few bucks Landmark saves in wages makes up for the customer lose

]]> By: Nat Dykeman http://blog.spout.com/2005/11/23/netflix-father-frankenstein/#comment-85 Nat Dykeman Mon, 28 Nov 2005 18:43:37 +0000 http://blog.spoutblog.com/2005/11/23/netflix-father-frankenstein/#comment-85 Netflix is being stupid. We run the subscription model at the store, and it's CLEAR that we do better with the Crackheads than the soccer moms. 1st off, it's always better to rent to people that return the movies right away. That frees the movie up for more people. Of course, I guess I don't have to pay to ship the discs around... Also, getting more QUANTITIES of new releases is an expensive proposition, that usually isn't worth it. I will lose money on War Of The Worlds. I will make money on The Edukators...because I didn't have to buy 20 copies to suppy the initial demand. And, in three weeks, when everyone has seen WOTW, people will still be renting the Edukators. So, granted, I our business model is a LITTLE different than Netflix, but it's almost the opposite here. If I run out of a giant release, it's like...oh well....try out a smaller flick. Netflix is being stupid. We run the subscription model at the store, and it’s CLEAR that we do better with the Crackheads than the soccer moms. 1st off, it’s always better to rent to people that return the movies right away. That frees the movie up for more people. Of course, I guess I don’t have to pay to ship the discs around…

Also, getting more QUANTITIES of new releases is an expensive proposition, that usually isn’t worth it. I will lose money on War Of The Worlds. I will make money on The Edukators…because I didn’t have to buy 20 copies to suppy the initial demand. And, in three weeks, when everyone has seen WOTW, people will still be renting the Edukators.

So, granted, I our business model is a LITTLE different than Netflix, but it’s almost the opposite here. If I run out of a giant release, it’s like…oh well….try out a smaller flick.

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