Once upon a time, getting a movie from Netflix meant waiting days by the mailbox until that signature red envelope arrived. You’d hurry to open the package containing, say, the third season of “Game of Thrones,” and the anticipation alone made watching your favorite series that much more exciting.
Today’s TV-watching desires can be almost instantly gratified, for the most part (for better or worse) via streaming, but despite these changes, some people have stood steadfast in their love of DVDs. Believe it or not, Netflix does still have an operation that mails physical DVDs to movie-lovers, but all of this will be changing come Sept. 29.
DVD.com is the branch of Netflix in charge of mailing DVDs to subscribers, and after 25 years, it announced that it will no longer be mailing movies starting next month.
On September 29th, 2023, we will send out the last red envelope. It has been a true pleasure and honor to deliver movie nights to our wonderful members for 25 years. Thank you for being part of this incredible journey, including this final season of red envelopes. pic.twitter.com/9lAntaL2ww
— DVD Netflix (@dvdnetflix) April 18, 2023
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In addition to the announcement that it would be ending its DVD service, the company said customers would be allowed to keep any DVDs that had not yet been returned.
Furthermore, the company stated that customers who are signed up before Aug. 29 will be able to request up to 10 additional DVDs while supplies last. Sounds like a great deal to us!
The company shared the news on social media, saying that users should “enjoy your final shipments for as long as you like!”
By the way, a happy clarification in response to all the news headlines out there:
We are not charging for any unreturned discs after 9/29. Please enjoy your final shipments for as long as you like!
https://t.co/lpSJHq29ZX
— DVD Netflix (@dvdnetflix) August 22, 2023
Netflix began mailing DVDs in 1998, and despite massive shifts in the movie rental market, has been able to maintain a loyal customer base for its DVD service.
Fees for the monthly delivery service are set at $9.99, and with that service, the company would ship out one DVD to users each month. A standard and premium service, allowing you to possess two or three DVDs at a time, are available for $14.99 and $19.99, respectively.
The number of DVD customers has declined over the years for obvious reasons, but movie fans have specifically stated that they’ve stood by DVDs simply because some movies simply aren’t available for streaming.
“There’s quite a few movies I’ve come across that I’m kind of shocked aren’t streaming,” DVD.com subscriber Michael Fusco told the New York Times.
Whether you’re a fan of streaming or still prefer the tactile sensation of popping in a good DVD, receiving free movies is always a win in our book. Sign up to get a few of your own!
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This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Check out Simplemost for additional stories.
