"Move to Position #1" for New Releases?

Seth writes, "Has anyone pointed out that when you add a new release to your queue, you no longer get the 'move to the top of my queue' option? It's been that way for quite awhile, but if it's been mentioned, I missed it. That feature is still there for non-new releases. It doesn't take a genius to figure out why netflix would do this."

Here's the add to queue box for Wanted (available) and Dark Knight (available next week):

What do you think?

Comments

[John]

They probably do that because the movie hasn't been released yet. If you add the movie post release date it gives you the option to move it up.

[Tommy]

That's the point, John. They do it to avoid too many people having a new release in the #1 position, to curb immediate demand. But for me, it's just a pain in the butt, because most of the time, I DO want that movie at the top of my queue, so now I've got to go to my queue and manually move it up. And my queue moves pretty slow. This has actually been annoying me for quite some time.

[Patchouli Skies]

It really doesn't matter where I put it. It's a miracle if I get a new release until it's been out a couple of months. "The Strangers" has been on my list before it came out in October, and I'm still waiting for it.

I must be too old, and have seen too many movies. That screen shot show 398 movies in queue! I'm luck to find 25 to have in there.. Just about everything in my queue is at least a short wait. They make money on me.. Basically if I want a new release I have to go down to the video store and rent it.

[prozac]

It's getting tougher and tougher to get new releases from NF.

[Wulfsige]

I guess if you have to big of a queue this is a problem. But the moment I open mine I can find the new release movie and hit the little button next to the movie number and send it to the top. Guess I have a fast enough connection/computer.

Patchouli Skies, have you overlooked the TV selections? Getting disc after disc of great TV shows is a lot of fun, always anxious to get home to see what happens next in the series instead of being glued to the TV at a certain time each week to watch it on normal TV. I think I could fill my queue pretty quick with just TV shows that I have not seen that I would love to.

[Jeff R.]

@Patchouli Skies

Consider yourself lucky that they haven't sent you "The Strangers" yet.

My queue has been moving really slowly lately, but mainly because I just haven't had time to watch the movies. Speaking of which, I should probably downgrade again.

[Steven Hoober]

Hmm. I just tried this with a couple movies, on a couple of my queues. Not the behavior I get at all.

I get the "move to position #1" button for ANY movie on any queue that is active. I do not get it for ANY movie on inactive queues.

[CopaceticOpus]

Hiding the "Move to Position #1" button is a silly way to manage high demand.

Unlike others, I never have trouble getting a new release quickly. I think this is because I don't often ask for new releases, unless there is something I'm dying to see. My queue hovers around 500, so there are always other options.

[Dave]

I have to agree with Wulfsige.

I have about 15-20 new releases at the top of my queue at any given time, and the other 300 titles are mixed with TV shows I never caught when they aired, as well as older releases and classics I've missed out on. For starters, I discovered "The Wire" and "The Shield" while waiting for new releases to be delivered. What great discoveries!!!

When someone tells me, "There's nothing to see," it bothers me. For everyone, no matter your taste, there is ALWAYS something to watch.

So, when I don't my new release right away, that's fine -- I've got plenty of other titles to kill the time while I wait.

[Dave]

I have to agree with Wulfsige.

I have about 15-20 new releases at the top of my queue at any given time, and the other 300 titles are mixed with TV shows I never caught when they aired, as well as older releases and classics I've missed out on. For starters, I discovered "The Wire" and "The Shield" while waiting for new releases to be delivered. What great discoveries!!!

When someone tells me, "There's nothing to see," it bothers me. For everyone, no matter your taste, there is ALWAYS something to watch.

So, when I don't my new release right away, that's fine -- I've got plenty of other titles to kill the time while I wait.

[smgpugfaw]

I usually add new releases long before they're available. Once a release date is set, the DVD appears at the bottom of my queue and from there I manually move them to the top of the queue.

As far as getting new releases on their release date - Make sure your returns get there on Monday. I have Step Brothers, Fly ME To The Moon and Prince Caspian all coming today...three new releases. Just a little extra planning (keeping new releases listed chronologically at the top of your queue after their date is set and making sure your returns get to Netflix on Monday) will score you new releases every time.

Been working for me for almost 5 years now.

[Nick]

the only reason that they dont allow you to put new releases (before they have released mind you) at the top of your list is that they havnt been released yet ....

netflix is all about trying to get you the movies that are available at the top of your list quickly ...

Putting new releases that havnt come out yet on the top fo your queue is pointless b/c the computer systems at netflix will just have to pass over them anyways ...

Think about it people... if its not available ... how can they send it to you ...
and yes I do understand putting the movie on the top of your queue the night before it comes out to try and get it delivered to you (but then its available :) ) ... so ... there :) thats my .02 :)

[Discostu]

Why is two more mouse clicks a pain? You go to your queue, scroll to the bottom where the movie got added and push the Top button. Have we really gotten that lazy people, it's two mouse clicks.

[Kimberly]

People keep talking about having trouble getting new releases. My queue is 500 movies. The new X-Files was listed as Short Wait as of last night, but it shipped today. Granted, most of what I rent is movies from the 40s, but I still get new releases every so often. Sorry if I stole your slot....

Also, it's not too hard to manually move movies to the top as they become available. I have a number of movies still unavailable. You just have to keep an eye on your queue.

[adam]

It's way too much work to add a movie to a queue and change the number to the left of the title to 1 and click update dvd queue.

That's it! I'm done!

[Seth]

It's been that way for a long time.

It's not the kind of thing I would want to respond to if I was Netflix. As a customer it's also not a big deal.

That's how I saw it. I figure that's the way Reed Hastings saw it, too: keep it that way unless it becomes some kind of issue. If it does, then add the feature back for all movies, including new releases.

[Lorlei]

Frankly, it annoys the crap out of me. And NO, I'm not too lazy for "two mouse clicks"...I'm on dial-up and it takes my queue five minutes to load, and even then it's wonky. I'd LOOOVE to just be able to "move to top of queue" on New releases, and I could SWEAR I used to be able to!

[Throttled by Netflix]

Fine with me.
I almost never want something I just added to my queue to go to the top anyhow. I want one of the things that have been there for 2 months. Putting new releases there will get you throttled even more, anyways.

[Greg Sargent]

Hmmm, my titles are always mailed on Friday to arrive on Monday. This week, the only new title I had at the #1 position was Wanted, and with 3 titles arriving on Monday, did I get it sent to me? Why of course not. Plus they delayed shipping me three other titles on Tuesday rather than turn them around on Monday as they usually do. Here the last few weeks, I have not been able to get a single new title right away. Last week I had 24: Redemption as the only new title, and did I get it? Nope, and now is is on long wait. Wanted is now on long wait. I guess that means I am getting throttled again.

[GetReal]

I LOVE Netflix!..Okay, now that's out of the way. For all those peebs with loooong queues like mine, save yourself a bunch of grief and heartache and download Firefox. You don't have the lag time on the queue page..it is fantastic! Of course, you can't do instant watch from the Firefox browser, but you can install an IE tab that opens in it so that you can do WI.
Secondly, having to add and then move to the top of the queue will be a breeze using Firefox. Come on guys, its only a couple of clicks. They have to have some smart business practices in order to control inventory ,there are sooo many peebs renting and only sooo many copies they can purchase.Now, if they were to increase their monthly plans to buy more copies.....would you rather that? Course not, you'd be gripin' bout that too.
Third,what are you talking about hiding the Top button on inactive queues. Why would you want to be using a secondary profile that doesn't have dvds allocated to it?

[Kodai]

add the movie, then go to your queue and move it to #1 from there. what's the problem?

[Gir]

People don't like to feel they're being manipulated.

What they fail to realize is the downside of having the button there. Sure it saves them a few clicks, but it'd also increase demand for new releases. Spend the extra few clicks and appreciate your increased odds of getting first dibs.

[Kahn]

"People don't like to feel they're being manipulated."

Indeed.

[Tom]

You can still move it to the top of the queue with one click in the My Queue page, that's good enough for me. And I have definitely seen a longer wait for new releases. Too many new subscribers, or too few copies?

[Fiver]

I just- Saturday 5:25 pm -placed 'Dark Knight'
in my queue, position 83. When I visited my queue the MOVE TO TOP option was there. Maybe it has been changed. I have been a member for almost two years and have never noticed the link missing. Honestly, I never looked until I read this.