10 Day Wait for Roku's Netflix Player

If you're thinking about buying a Netflix Player, Roku is telling customers that it could be a 10-day wait before they can ship your order.

It's been a fantastic couple of days for us here at Roku. The Netflix Player by Roku has proven to be a tremendously popular product -- so much so that we're getting behind in fulfilling orders.

Right now we're looking at about 10 days from order placement to shipping. We have plenty of product on the way, but they're on the proverbial "slow boat from China". A boat arrives every week, so sit tight and we'll get them too you as quickly as possible.

Thanks to Darren for sending this in.

Comments

[Josh]

I'm surprised how eager people are to give their credit card number and address to a company not at all affiliated with Netflix. Who knows how legit this company is? Just because a website has an encrypted SSL connection and has a Verisign seal doesn't protect its users from identity theft or other types of fraud. Is this corporation even endorsed by Netflix? I couldn't find any mention of this box or it's company within the Netflix website. I'd feel safer if Netflix themselves sold this box, not some random company with no bbb.org profile. Might as well be called "Joe-Blow's Set Top Box".

[Pusta]

Roku makes the Soundbridge, which is a somewhat highly regarded Network Music Player. Secondly, there is information on this product on the Netflix site, under Watch Instantly:

http://www.netflix.com/NetflixReadyDevices

[junkfood]

I ordered mine on Tuesday and paid $10 extra for 2-day shipping so that I would have it for the long holiday weekend. Well, I just got the FedEx shipping notification today. I was annoyed that I won't get the box until Tuesday, but I guess I should be grateful I'm going to get it this quickly.

[MikeK]

Josh,

I worked with people at Roku at my last job. Their products have been well reviewed and they have a good reputation.

It also helps that Netflix invested $6 million in the company. ;-)

- Mike / HackingNetflix

[tdischino]

"I'm surprised how eager people are to give their credit card number and address to a company not at all affiliated with Netflix....Is this corporation even endorsed by Netflix? I couldn't find any mention of this box or it's company within the Netflix website."

"It's right there in big bold letters... Get movies streamed instantly to your TV. Learn More."

The fact that you missed that (or didn't even bother to look) probably means you shouldn't even bother with this device.

"I'd feel safer if Netflix themselves sold this box, not some random company with no bbb.org profile."

I'd feel safer if you maybe read the post about it on this site and clicked a link or two to read more about the stuff ON THE NETFLIX.COM SITE. But I guess that's unsafe, clicking links and all.

[Rieanna]

I sure am happy I bought mine on Tuesday and got that 2-day shipping, mine is busy playing Newsradio Season 1 Episode 2 as we speak! Little box took like, 3 minutes to take out of the package and get it running, I'm flippin impressed!!!

[Matthew Watts]

I ordered mine May 20, early in the morning. I just got regular Fed Ex Ground, and the tracking expects it to arrive on Saturday the 24th. I'm guessing it will get pushed back till Monday, but we'll see. That's still reasonably fast.

[josh]

Did you guys know this website isn't even affiliated with Netflix?! I don't think its safe to be posting comments.

[Becky]

I'm so jealous of those of you with your box already!!!!!

[jimofoz]

I don't quite understand that first comment. Does he mean that the only company online that he would or does buy stuff from is Netflix? That would seem to narrow a person's online buying experience a bit.

[Galofree]

Josh,

They are affiliated. Are you just paranoid or a really dumb Blockbuster employee trying to sow consumer doubt? As people have already said, the company was well known in the industry for its previous product, SoundBridge, it was started by a successful tech startup guy, Netflix invested $6 mil in the company, and Netflix is advertising it on their website. If you're concerned and need reassurance, why don't you call Netflix customer service?

[D,]

I purchased mine on Tue, and got it yesterday (Thur) with ground shipping. I am so excited! It plays wonderfully, the picture quality is awesome with my HDMI. A great buy for 99 dollars. So good, I bought 2!

[Craig]

Actually, it is linked to via the Netflix site. From Netflix, click the "Browse Instant" tab, then in the top header bar click "NEW - Instantly to your TV". Wa-La.

[Josh]

Thanks for the corrections everyone, I appreciate the feedback -- especially of the snide sort. I didn't notice the "Learn More" link on Netflix's website. A simple "head's up" would have sufficed, as Craig mentioned.

As I said before, I have absolutely no need for this box as I already watch Netflix movies through my HTPC. However, I am excited to see the direction home entertainment is taking.

Again, while the bbb is not the be-all/end-all of websites, it certainily helps if a corporation has a listed profile. This day and age, you can't be too careful.

[SoonerLater]

My dream is that someone will hack the Roku Netflix box so that it is "Rhapsody Ready" like the Soundbridge. I've been a Netflix member and Rhapsody subscriber for many years. The Roku soundbridge is cool, but doesn't output the Rhapsody control app to a tv. Instead the soundbridge just has a two line LED display, which makes impossible using some of Rhapsody's advanced features on it. I've already bought (but not yet received) my Roku Netflix box. I'd have happily paid $300 for if it played and controlled Rhapsody too. Oh well, maybe someone will hack it.

[Aron]

I wager the total number of units sold after 1 year will be about 80k.

[CJ]

I believe 80k the first year is a really low guess - there are 8.4 million Netflix subscribers and Roku sold at least 4k units by Tuesday Noon, May 20, which is before most people even knew it existed...

I ordered mine at 11:40 AM Tuesday, May 20, and the current order status is that they expect to ship next week sometime.

I'd say Roku's demand forecast was way off.

[Ted Boyke]

Roku has already sold at least 40,000 boxes, going by the comments on their forums. The huge response is part of the reason for this 10-day wait.

[Aron]

40k units would put my 80k at risk, but I suspect this is a product who's sales numbers will decline with each passing month.

Consider that the pool of customers are necessarily subscribers, narrowed by those that use Watch Instantly probably 2 or more times a month (I suspect about 10% of the sub base), narrowed by those that aren't already perfectly happy using the PC\laptop\media pc solution or waiting for an alternative (e.g. Xbox) or more feature-rich version to arrive or just not interested at all in forking out 99$ for a minor convenience upgrade (another 10%). So that's about 80k..

Clearly more than 1% of the readers of a website dedicated to Netflix are gonna buy the box.

[George]

Cool device! And what a deal at $99. I took it apart and it is really simple. No fan, just a PCB. Amazing for $99. I love it and was waiting just for a device like this!

[Froggy]

Made in China? Screw that then. No big loss for me, my computer has a nicer setup than most peoples home theaters.

[Brian]

@Froggy

Unless you built the PC you are using yourself, it too was built in China. I learned from a Dell rep once that the little "delay" in the build-to-ship phase is actually the flight over from China -- a bunch of systems are built and than move to the DHL (in the case of Dell) hub. Or something like that. My MacBook Pro actually shipped (trackable) from China.

The only thing I would worry about now is that many of the high-tech factories are in the earthquake zone and many of them took a direct hit. That is probably another reason for the 10-Day notice.