Netflix Testing "Closest" Return Address

David tipped me off to a new return address for Netflix movies, "Closest Netflix Distribution Center." How does the post office know? This must be a test because mine still go to White Plains, NY.

Has anyone else seen this?

Comments

[Becky]

I've seen that about four times. I think it's mostly for re-stocking titles. The title can be shipped from San Jose, but returned to the local distribution center. It saves them a step. They don't have to ship it to the DC, and then re-ship it to the customer.

"The title can be shipped from San Jose, but returned to the local distribution center. It saves them a step."

How is this different from normal? Why couldn't they ship it from SJ and have the label return it to my center anyway - Duluth? I would guess NF would know my center! :)

If they ship from a distant center, they return to your center now.

[Paul]

My guess is it's to save the step of printing and affixing the return label. I've also seen some envelopes that have my name and address printed directly on them when I receive, as opposed to a label. Every little bit helps when you're talking the kind of volume they do.

[Manda]

For the past week I've received nothing but these envelopes, all addressed to my distribution center (Louisville). They have also had the little window on the back that allows the bar code on the DVD sleeve to show through. I think it's just that each distribution center now has its own set of envelopes with its return address pre-printed on the inside. So either all DVDs will now go back to their originating center, or else they'll use 'old school' envelopes for those whose destination is outside of their region.

The one downside I see to these envelopes is that they no longer have the codes [ http://www.listology.com/netflix_tracker_reports.cfm?report=centers ] that identify which DC the disc came from. I suppose the codes are a luxury that most users never noticed, but it was nice to know, "Oh, this came from Salem. No wonder it took so long."

[MikeC]

I just put one in the mail today that had this new address on it. But as to the question "How does the post office know?", well mine had a PO Box number, and a city/state/zip on it as well as the phrase "Closest Netflix Distribution Center", and the window in the back.

[bholio]

Maybe they have renamed the buildings 'closest netflix distribution center'. If the address is correct, it doesn't matter. It will all get there.

I have successfully had things mailed to:

Eric Cartman,
South Park Elementary
my_real_street_address
my_real_city, my_real_state, my_real_zip

Even though my name is not Eric Cartman and I have a house, not a school. The rest of the address was accurate.

[Heather]

I live in Nebraska and received a return envelope with "Nearest Distribution Center" PO Box xxxx, Some town in FLORIDA... WHY would I want to ship my movie back to FLORIDA (it would take a week!) when I normally go through Kansas City or Des Moines?

How Will the Post Office Know?

Sorry you live in Nebraska......eh

Think about it folks. They are probably sending out and receiving over 400,000 DVDs a day. Netflix probably has a deal with the USPS to return the movies to the nearest DC, regardless of what the address actually says.

[Heather]

If that's true, then why bother with the address at all?

By the way, I love living in Nebraska... wouldn't have it any other way. :)

[Filcher]

"How will the post office know?" The same way they know where to send mail addressed to "White House", or "FBI Headquarters" or "Pentagon." It's easy for them to send mail to popular recipients, even if the address is wrong or incomplete. Stop asking dumb questions. Anybody that receives millions of letters a week, they can figure it out pretty easily. I would guess it slows down things a bit, having to look it up. But maybe the bar code tells them exactly where to send it.

[manuel]

"Stop asking dumb questions."

Is this a sensitive subject or what?

Or what! You just seem to dumb to understand. Generic labels say money for NF not having to print extra paper labels and slap them on a envelope.

Just like mail gets to "the White House", "NBC Headquarters" or even "Santa Claus"... the USPS knows where the closest NF center is and the mail goes there REGARDLESS of the addy printed.

[jal]

To the person who offered apologies for living in Nebraska: I'm sorry your an a**hole, but some things just can't be helped, apparently...

[wally]

"to dumb"?! HA!

[chazzzer]

The truth is that the Post Office delivers it to the actual address printed on the label, not the "closest Netflix distribution center." They've taken to shipping me DVDs from all over the country (to reduce my turn-around time), and when I return them they take two or three days to get back to the distant location printed on the envelope. When it has the local DC address printed on it, they only take one day.

There's an easy solution though...I affix my own address labels now, so they always go to my local DC and arrive the next day. It probably pisses them off, but it's not a violation of our contract.

don't affix you own label, place two or three dvd's in the one envelope that is truely local.

[George]

The reason you can address letters to Eric cartman, South Park Elementary, 123 mainstreet.... is because when the words on an envelope have to be read, they are read from the bottom to the top. "Rochester, Ny 16735" is the most general information (and inaccurate) and will be read first and used to route the piece of mail onto a plain headed for Rochester. All your local post office needs to see is "123 Main Street"...and they'll put it in your box, if its addressed to Sr. Martinez or Mrs. President.

[Walt D in LV]

I was putting my own labels on the return envelope also, and it worked! Netflix received my movies the next day, every time. THEN they started using the bar code on the back thing. Make sure your DVD sleeve shows the bar code through the return envelope, then it doesn't MATTER which distribution center it goes to, the post office scans it and notifies Netflix so you have one day returns no matter WHAT distribution center it was mailed to! What a beautiful system.

One note, however,is that if you put two DVDs in the same envelope, then they can only read one bar code, and you have to wait until the distribution center gets the actual envelope to review what DVDs are inside.

Walt D in LV

[RedStateGuy]

The post office doesn't scan anything, other than the POSTNET bar code on the =front= of the envelope, below the address. I live two days from any Netflix DC and I've never had anything shorter than a two-day check-in, unless I actually mail a return disc in the city in which my DC is located in. To clarify, a disk has to be -recieved- at a Netflix DC in order to be logged in as returned. The USPS doesn't do others' work for them, they expect others to do =their= work for them.

[Complaining Customer]

Why doesn't Netflix list their corporate address on their website? What kind of a company doesn't want customers to know that? Hmmm.
I had to go to the CA Secretary of State website to find it, after 2 Netflix CS reps couldn't provide it.
100 WINCHESTER CIR
LOS GATOS, CA 95032

[Bill]

Just tried NETFLIX so-called "free trial". Some companys will "test" your account to make sure it's legit by charging a $1 to your credit card. NETFLIX violated their Visa/Mastercard agreement by charging for the ENTIRE month at the beginning of the two week free trial! Plus they did it before any DVD shipment! This is a direct direct violation of Visa/Mastercard International agreement.

It resulted in a chain of overdrafts. Keep more money in the account? There was plenty just deposited but NETFLIX with their agreement violation beat out the deposit.

Good job NETFLIX. YOU'RE FIRED!

Bill

[Steve]

Bill, how do you overdraft a Visa Credit card? Do they automatically draw from your checking account??? Doesn't add up. Also, if you don't have 20 bucks to pay Netflix, you shouldn't have Netflix.

[Mike]

Fair comment, Steve.

[Pat Key]

I have a disc with a big crack in it ...
how do i get another one ? ..
I havent seen this yet..

[Jason Van]

I receive my movies from the Tampa Netflix, I happen to go on vacation and bring movies with me. When I got to PA, I was finished watching a movie and put it into a Post Office Box for return at around 3pm. About 7am the next morning I received an Email that they received the movie. The address was to Tampa, but I find it hard to believe that it actually went to Tampa in that time frame.

[Carlosmartinez366]

Are you all serious? I have had NF forever now and I have never,and I do mean never,had any of my returned discs take more than 24 hours to reach the DC. I have had discs shipped to me from other states and when I've returned those it only took 24 hours too. I don't know if it's different for people who live in the "sticks" or in a bayou somewhere, but I have never had a problem with NF up here in Boston,MA.