Netflix Takes Over Wal-Mart in the DVD Rental Arena

No word on how much money the deal is worth, but Netflix will feature promotional Wal-Mart links for the 100K customers it gets from the retail chain. So, Wal-Mart's master plan to bankrupt Netflix didn't quite turn out…the world's largest retailer is now essentially surrendering to the much smaller internet startup and turning over their DVD rental business. The agreement specifies that Wal-Mart will offer its existing online rental customers the chance to continue their subscriptions under Netflix at their current price for the next year, and begin promoting the Netflix service in its website. In turn, Netflix will remind its customers that they can purchase DVDs from Walmart.com. Lovely, is it not? Of course, Netflix still has Blockbuster to contend with, but it is a major victory to have at least knocked Wal-Mart out of the running.

*Actual Bills

Promotional this and "for the limited time" that. How much are your actual bills?

•Netflix $15.99 a month plan for three movies actually costs me $19.52 with all the taxes and fees factored in.•Vonage $14.99 a month for 500 long-distance minutes actually costs me $16.94 with taxes and all.

*Is Netflix still worth it?

What started out as a good unlimited movie rental service may be turning into a cause of frustration. Many people call this a conspiracy theory, but Netflix throttle did swing into full effect on my account. There is only one Netflix distribution center in Georgia. It is in Duluth, GA. Unfortunately, the Atlanta Metropolitan area is huge. I am an hour going north, outside of the city in the opposite direction as Duluth. I live in Cartersville, GA. The Duluth, GA distribution center is well over an hour away from me. Should I expect the wait time to be longer for me than for everyone else that lives in Duluth, GA and closer? I suppose so.