I must be doing something wrong because Netflix sure seems to have it in for me. Let’s review:
- Thousands of people are kind enough to download my podcast about movies on a weekly basis.
- I talk only about films available on DVD.
- I only talk about good films (IMHO) - thus the tag line “Films Worth Watching.”
- I get countless emails of people saying they add my suggestions to their Netflix Que.
- People who listen to Reel Reviews like to watch films on DVD.
What is any self respecting podcaster to do? Become a Netflix Affiliate right? Not so fast!
For the second time, Reel Reviews has been turned down by Netflix as an affiliate. They must think I am up to something devious here. I figured the first time it was just some snafu. Since I was moving my site to it’s new URL I figured I’d go ahead and apply again - let by-gones be by-gones and get on with promoting Netflix. Sure enough, I received a denial the second time around. Surely they have a good reason right - maybe they don’t like people who recommend DVDs? Are they worried Reel Reviews might be moving in on their territory? (They have an on staff reviewer - does he have it in for me?) Here is the email I received:
We regret to inform you that NetFlix has chosen not to accept your application for the NetFlix Affiliate Program at this time. This may be because:
- Your site is temporarily down or under construction — please apply again after 2 weeks.
- Your site infringes upon our trademark rights, or that of any third party.
- Your site contains extreme religious content.
- Your site promotes or contains gambling or is a lottery site.
- Your site could be considered a “cyber squatter”
- You have provided a wrong or misspelled URL given in the application — Please correct the problem and apply again.
- Your site contains hateful/violent/offensive content.Please feel free to re-apply to NetFlix whenever you feel you have been able to address the concern(s) listed above. We look forward to your re-application.
If you encounter any problems, or have any questions or concerns, please contact LinkShare at nfaffiliates@netflix.com.
Best regards,
The NetFlix Affiliate Team
http://www.netflix.com
Please correct the problem - what problem? None of those items apply. I think I said “damn” once, but that is as bad as it has ever gotten on this site.
Just to make sure it was not endemic among all DVD rental services I applied to the good people at Blockbuster (which I would have never thought to do until Netflix gave me the brush off.) Sure enough, Blockbuster welcomed me with open arms. See for yourself:
Now don’t get me wrong - I’m not loosing sleep over this, but I do find it facinating. If this is not the type of site Netflix deems affiliate worthy, then I am at a loss at to what it is they are looking for. As with all things there is a kicker - ready? Reel Reviews is not affiliate worthy, but guess whose ads have been popping up in the Google Adsense I just added. I’m sure you guessed it. They don’t want me as an affiliate, but those suckers feel just fine prancing in through the Adsense door at a cut rate.
Now I’m as big a free market believer as the next guy. It is Netflix’s prerogative to choose to do business with and without whomever they choose, but don’t tell me no then come advertise anyway. If my site is not up to your standards why in the world are your Google ads here? (Some analogies of never going on a proper date but feeling just fine stopping by my house late at night come to mind. 
)
Now I know some bloggers would be able to eloquently frame this in a bigger context about companies not “getting it” and the long tail and all that stuff. I’m just a guy who likes movies - I guess I could take it personally. I tried to make friends with Netflix and they said no.
Maybe I should solicit Netflix horror stories and append one to the end of each Reel Reviews podcast. The phone lines are open (206) 888-REEL.
Yeah, there was probably a little misplaced bravado with that last line. I let the keyboard get the better of me on that one. Frankly, listening to Netflix horror stories would be depressing.
More interesting are the mix of comments. All rather fair in their support or criticism. One question suggested, is it fair of me to criticize (or complain about) Netflix affiliate decisions before exhausting all potential avenues of recourse. That is an interesting question. My comments are not based on whether or not it would be possible to become an affiliate should I decide to devote the necessary time. Rather, the contrast of the two generic denials from Netflix with the relative ease with which Blockbuster accepted the site.
The Netflix emails clearly lead one to believe there is something to “fix”. That tells me someone must have looked at the site. (Though I know assumptions can be dangerous.) If that is the case, why not just be specific – I’m not suggesting they write a custom email to me, but have an email for each of the specific denial causes. The email they sent is so broad as to the scope of possible reasons that it requires even more time on my part to hunt down Netflix and get a reason from them. (It would also take more time on the part of Netflix.) No thanks.
The letter clearly states that they invite me to reapply. I did so, and got rejected a second time. This was actually weeks ago and was more of a topic of interest among my friends then anything else. It was when I put up Adsense and saw all the Netflix ads that it sparked my post. Is it fair? Sure, it is my site and I share what is going on with my readers and listeners here. I’ve been asked countless times why I am not a Netflix affiliate – so I put up a post with the story. Some people disagree – that is also fair.
Worse thign about the INternet? The whiners. Netflix no like me, whine!
If I were you I would add a filter in AdSense to prevent Netflix from coming up in the ads. IF they don’t want you (their loss) as an affiliate then they should not be allowed to come up as an advertiser.
Love the podcast! Keep it up.
PS great work on the Disney 50th podcasts!!! http://tinyurl.com/8uews
What did they say when you emailed the address given. I.E.:
“If you encounter any problems, or have any questions or concerns, please contact LinkShare at nfaffiliates@netflix.com.”
What did they say the first time? If you said that you didn’t email them (either time), then why complain? Surely they have a grievence process and you didn’t (assuming you didn’t) even give them a chance to see what the problem is.
I personally have no problem when someone makes a mistake. Its more important to see what they do about the mistake and how easy it is to get it put right.
If you did contact them and they still didn’t give you a good answer, then shoot it from the roof tops but if you haven’t (to me anyway), its whining and big noting (its the thing I really hate about blogging).
I have heard about the locks (forget there name) and the difference (from what you have said) is that the company was told about their problem and they blatantly ignored it. That was blogging for the greater good, this is whining. Such a pity from such a good podcast.
JMTC
Molly
In response to the so called “whining” here. What’s the point in having the freedom of a blog or podcast if you can’t voice what’s on your mind or share a recent experience? I for one like to know what’s going on behind the scenes. So, with that said Congradulations on the Blockbuster deal Michael! Keep up the great show!
p.s. The Disney Podcasts were awesome!! Great coverage!
First, please don’t listen to anyone saying you’re whining, “stop whining” is usually code for “I’m a fanboy of product X and it rules, don’t bad mouth them.” Oddly enough the same types of people usually have long rants on their blogs devoid of anything but their own personal and highly subjective opinions on the way the world should work.
The post in question is well written, views the subject objectively without letting emotion turn the facts into a rant and brings up a very good question: what is NetFlix criteria and why would they reject something like Reel Reviews? It’s also interesting since most people consider BlockBuster “bad” because of its larger corporate roots and NetFlix “good” because of its web-origins and so you’d think NetFlix would want to embrace the more independent sites to help promote that image.
Hopefully this will gain some traction now that it’s being cross-linked by people like Scoble. I’m really curious why they would reject what seems a great product tie-in. The wildest theory I have is that they confused Reel Reviews as an off-shoot of RealPlayer and didn’t want to get in bed with one of the major media players. That is a long shot though.
Keep up the reviews, in a sea of information reviews from knowledgeable people are becoming ever more important.
Response:
Post
(was going to have this as a Trackback but seems to be a problem in one of the blog engines).
Molly
Netflix would be a perfect fit for the great work you do with Reel Reviews. Either they made an honest mistake (twice), they don’t get what you’re doing, or they’re stupid. They don’t strike me as being stupid…oh well. Keep up the good work!
I suggest you contact HackingNetflix.com to ask how he handled it. He seems to do pretty well with Netlfix.
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a man, not the man Says:
I suggest you contact HackingNetflix.com to ask how he handled it. He seems to do pretty well with Netlfix.
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I personally think it has very little to do with how well he does with Netflix as much as it does he got off his ass and chased it up to find out the reason for the rejection through the companies compliant mechinism!
I made this point here: post
Molly
By the way, seems Michael after giving a bit of a spray to Netflix has gone awfully quite on the whole subject!
Would love to see his comments.
Molly
Molly,
I notice both here and on your site you have commented that I have gone quiet. I think you said it was “unlikely” I would comment. I’ll point you to the update I posted last night which I wrote with what I saw as your main issue in mind. You’ll also notice that both last night and tonight I’ve cleaned up the long URL in your comment with a cleaner link entitled “post” so that the comment formats correctly. Just trying to help.
I think Mike at HackingNetflix had fair criticism of my post. (I sent him a personal email this morning to that effect.) I disagree, but I thought it was more than fair. Interestingly, he proffers a possible reason they turned me down - because there are downloads on the site. Sounds plausible, but again goes to my main issue, the generic turn down letter that makes no mention of downloads. As I said in the update, why waste everyone’s time, just name the specific issue. I see that you work in technical support, so I can more than understand your sense of frustration with comments like mine. If I had paid for something from Netflix I would have been more then happy to sit on the phone and hold for technical support in order to get what I had paid for. As it is, I have more time invested in applying to Netflix then they do in sending two identical generic rejections letters that do me no good - as they give no specific reason. Why is it incumbent upon me to devote even more time to try to “fix” the issue with Netflix so that I can then help them sell more memberships? Albeit I’d earn a few dollars, but at this point it is more trouble then it is worth. So can I only comment on the story if I waste more time? I think not. I’ll deal with Blockbuster who made it nice and easy and go about my business.
I think it also comes down to how you view a site like mine. I see that both you and Michael have a sense of the “bigger purpose of blogs”. I commend you on this. I know that many people use their blogs as a sort of personal journalism – some even hope to induce change as a result of their writing. I however am a podcaster who talk about good film. I have a blog only as a result of wanting to podcast about good film. I much prefer to speak then to write. You’ll notice this is posted in my Asides category which is where I comment on movies I’ve seen, places I’m going etc. This is where I communicate with my listeners and readers. I sense it is more a conversation among friends. I have told this story to friends of mine, and saw no reason not to post it as I mentioned in the update. I get countless questions about Netflix so I felt it appropriate to post. Yes I even had a little fire in me when I posted it as I saw all those Netflix Adsense ads popping up. Rather ironic I thought.
Finally is there some bigger goal here? No. I’m not hoping Netflix will come by and no I haven’t devoted more time to Netflix in order to help then sell memberships. If they do clue into the fact that their generic denial letters are less then effective then that would be great. Am I going to take it on as my responsibility? No.
Hi Michael,
Fair point, I missed the fact that you updated the post as thats not how I was expecting any response to come.
I can accept that you weren’t looking at anything other then to vent some frustration and tell a story but this is what I find funny.
In your Update you say:
“The letter clearly states that they invite me to reapply. I did so, and got rejected a second time.”
But the letter also clearly states:
“If you encounter any problems, or have any questions or concerns, please contact LinkShare at nfaffiliates@netflix.com”
Surely the later is the situation that you are in. One that you believe they have made a mistake. You also mention that you assume someone has looked at the site. To me (and perhaps its because I work in the software industry) thats a big assumption. To me it would be more likely that a computer has parsed the site and seen if you hit any of their tick boxes for rejection. My guess is that a quick email to the email above saying something like ” Hi guys, I got your returned email and am not sure which category I am being rejected on, could you let me know, thanks Michael” and they would have another look (probably a human this time), Probably relise what a quality site you run (cause lets face, its good. I personally haven’t listened to many of your shows as most of the ones you review aren’t ones that I would watch, but I know lots of people that do) and come back with applogies.
On your point of why should I waste my time? Well in my estimation (and its a guess) that post would have taken a lot longer to write then the email that I suggested (just now you send) (in fact, as an experiment, send that one off and see what you get, what do you have to lose?). So I guess the fire in the belly and the fact to highlight the BB deal would be some what the reason. Both fair reasons, but I think it might unfair to put all the blame on Netflix. Plus your entry doesn’t do anything to help future people who apply. If you had sent the entry as an email to netflix, maybe they would look at it and make changes to there process (perhaps, assuming I am right on the parsing, as simple as saying its a computer process that may make mistakes. Perhaps that would have changed your response).
Best of luck, and look forward to see more of your reviews on films I like or might be interested in watching (although to be fair, I am not a big movie watcher).
Molly
Just wondering what resaon Netflix gave when you contacted them?
TIA
Molly