NETFLIX: How is it even remotely possible?

[Disney1fan2002]

For them to receive the movies I mail back so quickly?

Not only JUST receive them, but go through all the mail, open them, and process the returns?

I mailed back two movies YESTERDAY. The mail was picked up at 1:30PM from my mailbox. This morning, in an e-mail timed at 8:11AM, Netflix has informed me that they have received the movies.

If I mailed a letter to my friend who lives 4 streets over, she would not have received it this fast.

I am someone worked for the PO for 14 years, and I am scratching my head.

AMAZING.

 

[Charade]

It's quite possible. I dropped off 3 yesterday at the post office (around noon) and I'd be surprised if they weren't processed already. I get an email when they are. The key is living close to a distribution center.

Even when they are picked up from my mailbox, they still get processed quickly.

 

[Charade]

Just now got emails that they were received.

 

[DisneyBlonde]

Could it be that a tracking barcode on them was scanned at the post office, so that Netflix knows they are enroute?

 

[Lorix2]

I wonder if Nextflix has a pick up location at the PO and at the end of the day the DVD's are brought back to the video store and logged in right away?

I don't think the PO delivers them back to the video store.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

I wonder if Nextflix has a pick up location at the PO and at the end of the day the DVD's are brought back to the video store and logged in right away?

I don't think the PO delivers them back to the video store.

The PO wouldn't deliver them. Someone from Netflix most likely pick up TUBS of mail everyday.

My mail would not have been processed yesterday afternoon. Overnight, yes. So someone from NetFlix must be at the PO at 6AM picking up the mail.

 

[Vulcandream]

The answer is quite simple really. It is a little known fact that as we speak post offices across the nation are being installed with the MS:V-1 Transporter System that "beams" any package under 5 lbs. from the sending office to the receiving unit. Netflix, being the mega video congomerate that it is, has it's own receiving unit in the receiving dept. and receives an average of 64.7 DVDs per minute. As these units improve and are able to transport heavier, more complex "packages" the USPO will eventually put UPS, Fed-Ex, etc. out of business. Experts believe that it is only a matter of time before they take over airports as well, supplanting the airlines with Transporter Sending Stations around the globe, able to transport you and the kids to a WDW Resort hotel of your choice. Eventually that will put the oil-producing countries into economic tail-spin, etc. etc. etc. (I don't have time for this)... and it will ultimately mean the collapse of modern civilization as we know it. All so that your DVD could get back in record time and you could get your credits. Now, don't you feel ashamed?

 

[Disney1fan2002]

The answer is quite simple really. It is a little known fact that as we speak post offices across the nation are being installed with the MS:V-1 Transporter System that "beams" any package under 5 lbs. from the sending office to the receiving unit. Netflix, being the mega video congomerate that it is, has it's own receiving unit in the receiving dept. and receives an average of 64.7 DVDs per minute. As these units improve and are able to transport heavier, more complex "packages" the USPO will eventually put UPS, Fed-Ex, etc. out of business. Experts believe that it is only a matter of time before they take over airports as well, supplanting the airlines with Transporter Sending Stations around the globe, able to transport you and the kids to a WDW Resort hotel of your choice. Eventually that will put the oil-producing countries into economic tail-spin, etc. etc. etc. (I don't have time for this)... and it will ultimately mean the collapse of modern civilization as we know it. All so that your DVD could get back in record time and you could get your credits. Now, don't you feel ashamed?

 

[Binkrin]

Why question the magic of NETFLIX? Just enjoy it!!

 

[apirateslifeforme]

You guys are lucky. The Netflix distribution center for me is 15 minutes away. I mail my movies from the post office on Monday morning...they don't receive it until sometime on Wednesday afternoon.

Sometimes it takes a week for them to get it back...

 

[Makdyn]

I do blockbuster instead. They are also fast sometimes. I mail out two dvd yesterday probably at lunch time and I got the email this morning. Now I know they are only going to MA and I am in RI so that could help a bit. The past couple of movies were taking forever it seems two or three days. I was starting to think since my first month was over that they dont need to impress me anymore.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Consider yourself lucky! I have to mail mine AT the post office INSIDE, not the drop off outside just to get my movies once a week.

 

[hydster]

Mine go to a local PO box and I have an email the next day and a movie the day after. LOVE IT!

In the "old" days of Netflix you could report sending them back and they'd ship you a new disk then. Now it's better because it's actually faster *at least for us* to do it this way!

I thought I read an article that they have "home based" movie check in clerks who have a bar scanner and they scan them into Netflix and then the movies are mailed the next day BUT I could be wrong.

Whatever method they are using...I hope they keep up because I love getting a new movie so fast

 

[ckay87]

It is simply what they do. Moreover, it is all that they do. And the success of the business depends upon how well they do it. Because of that, they have, I am sure, refined every detail of their process to obtain the greatest possible efficiency.

I just took some kind of process improvement course last week. It was mostly painfully boring, but we did some enlightening hands-on stuff that demonstrated that some of the simpliest changes to processes can yield double and triple turnaround times.

Knowing nothing about the way the post office works, that's my answer. I do know that if I put something in the mail one day, it will pretty much reach a destination in maybe a 3 or 4 state area the next day.

EXCEPT FLORIDA! I don't want to change the subject, but WTH about mail going to Florida??? It took my sister a WEEK to receive a birthday card (from PA) I used to use an online DVD service based out of FL also and it took 4 or 5 days for them to receive my returns.

 

[Melissa M]

You guys are lucky. The Netflix distribution center for me is 15 minutes away. I mail my movies from the post office on Monday morning...they don't receive it until sometime on Wednesday afternoon.

Sometimes it takes a week for them to get it back...

Do you watch and return your movies rather quickly? When I used Netflix, they started to slow down their processing time so that I couldn't borrow as many movies a month. It's called "throttling". I quit them because of that.

 

[disneymama73]

Ahh, the magic of Netflix!

 

[apirateslifeforme]

Do you watch and return your movies rather quickly? When I used Netflix, they started to slow down their processing time so that I couldn't borrow as many movies a month. It's called "throttling". I quit them because of that.

Yep, and they've been doing it for over a year now. I know they're doing it on purpose, so now I'm trying to plow through the rest of my queue and then quit.