Netflix notches 2 billionth delivery with a Blu-ray disc

2,000,000,000. That's how many movies Netflix has shipped out since coming on the scene in 1999. Lucky number two billion -- Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist on Blu-ray) snagged Clay Shannon a complimentary lifetime subscription (guess he's not too concerned about the new, higher Blu-ray rates.) It took the company eight years to cross the one billion milestone, and only two for the next billion. While there's little indication of a slowdown in the two million movies shipped out every day from 58 distribution centers, we wouldn't be surprised if number 3 billion were just as likely to come as a download than anything else.

NETFLIX DELIVERS 2 BILLIONTH MOVIE
SINCE SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE WAS LAUNCHED IN '99

LOS GATOS, Calif., April 2, 2009 – Netflix, Inc. (Nasdaq: NFLX), the world's largest online movie rental service, today said it has delivered the two billionth movie since the company's subscription service was launched in late 1999.

The milestone was reached yesterday when a Blu-ray version of the romantic comedy "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist" was delivered to Clay Shannon, a Netflix subscriber in Birmingham, Ala., from the company's distribution center in Atlanta. Netflix said it is giving Mr. Shannon a complimentary lifetime subscription to the Netflix service.

Netflix today serves more than 10 million subscribers and ships approximately two million of its iconic red mailers per day from 58 distribution centers spread geographically across the United States. The Netflix service is widely recognized as among the best and most reliable in Internet commerce and has for eight consecutive polls been named the number one Web site for customer satisfaction by the independent Ann Arbor, Mich., research firm ForeSee Results.

The two billion deliveries were generated from a DVD library that now spans more than 100,000 titles, including more than 1,300 that are available in high-definition on Blu-ray. When Netflix launched its subscription service on September 23, 1999 from a lone warehouse in San Jose, Calif., the title count was just over 2,000. It took the company eight years to achieve one billion shipments, a milestone it crossed in February 2007, and a bit more than two years to deliver the next billion.

About Netflix, Inc.
Netflix, Inc. is the world's largest online movie rental service, with more than 10 million subscribers. For one low monthly price, Netflix subscribers can get DVDs delivered to their homes and can instantly watch movies and TV episodes streamed to their TVs and computers, all in unlimited amounts. Subscribers can choose from over 100,000 DVD titles and a growing library of more than 12,000 choices that can be watched instantly. There are never any due dates or late fees. DVDs are delivered free to subscribers by first class mail, with a postage-paid return envelope, from 58 distribution centers. More than 97 percent of Netflix subscribers live in areas that generally receive shipments in one business day. Netflix has partnered with leading consumer electronics companies to offer a range of devices that can instantly stream movies and TV episodes to members' TVs from Netflix. For more information, visit http://www.netflix.com.

[Gavin S @ Apr 2nd 2009 3:06AM]

Looking at that room just makes me feel good about going into the field of automation. Plenty of work to be done.

[Spiraling Shape @ Apr 2nd 2009 3:10AM]

yeah it's a little surprising that they pack all the mailings by hand

[jesseswang @ Apr 2nd 2009 3:12AM]

...they're not really packing all the DVD's by hand ... are they? o_O

[loocas @ Apr 2nd 2009 5:16AM]

People are cheaper than machines... :/

[Carl @ Apr 2nd 2009 8:37AM]

That does not look like alot of fun.

I did some medial assembly line type work for a friends boyfriend trying to get a home brew product launched and got tired of it after about 5 mins.

[OneLove @ Apr 2nd 2009 10:42AM]

....so you are going into the field of putting people out of jobs.

[neal.lucas @ Apr 2nd 2009 11:09AM]

RedBox has to be affecting their sales...

[Ian @ Apr 2nd 2009 1:42PM]

as boring as that is at lest they have a job and are getting money. yes a machine could probably do it faster but then hundreds of people would be losing jobs. which in this economy would suck. so leave them there until the economy recovers then let them find new jobs and then get the machine in there.

[GreezyG @ Apr 2nd 2009 3:07AM]

Wow! Got Netflix!

[OneLove @ Apr 2nd 2009 10:45AM]

Congrats netflix! I was with you when you first started, but I soon learned about another (free) type of "net" flix. :)

[Spiraling Shape @ Apr 2nd 2009 3:08AM]

How do they know that it's the 2 billionth? Do they halt shipping in the other warehouses to make sure that DVD is first?

[Filipino Cowboy @ Apr 2nd 2009 3:17AM]

I'm sure they went by what was logged in the computer system. Technically, that was the 2 billionth movie logged as going out most likely.

[Michael Scrip @ Apr 2nd 2009 3:22AM]

Netflix has a central database of all orders that come in... regardless of where the person lives or the distribution center. They figured out the 2 billionth Queue selection... and it just happened to be Clay Shannon, a Netflix subscriber in Birmingham, Ala.

[rube @ Apr 2nd 2009 3:11AM]

i feel old school still using regular dvds

[Michael Scrip @ Apr 2nd 2009 3:22AM]

Not me. There's plenty of life left in DVDs.

Especially for TV shows... most weren't shot in HD anyway.

[L.M.L.Y.P @ Apr 2nd 2009 3:29AM]

Film translates into HD doesnt it?
Anyways, im sticking to DVD's not a huge fan of HD movies :\

[Michael Scrip @ Apr 2nd 2009 3:36AM]

>> "Film translates into HD doesnt it?"

I know some TV shows were "filmed in front of a live studio audience" but I doubt they will go back and rescan the old film for an HD transfer.

And for shows that were shot on videotape... impossible.

[tcc3 @ Apr 2nd 2009 9:48AM]

Even if they were filmed, most were edited and produced for SD. So the original film is there, but no ones going to redo all that production work for HD

[Dan @ Apr 2nd 2009 3:31AM]

shoot..i was hoping for that lifetime subscription. I guess I'll have to wait for the big 3 billion

[Paul Harrison @ Apr 2nd 2009 4:24AM]

Please Please Please Netflix, we seriously need you here in the U.K, does anyone know if this is ever going to happen??

It would be amazing to have Netflix streaming over here,also we have helped Blu Ray sales a lot!

[poke @ Apr 2nd 2009 8:00AM]

to be honest LoveFilm is probably good enough and from what I have read the films on the netflix streaming service are not the latest films - generally oldies.

[tim @ Apr 2nd 2009 4:36AM]

mmmmm im still waiting for netflix in aus as well. We have quickflix, which is nice, but i have a limit of 8 dvds per month, and no streaming :(

[Gary @ Apr 2nd 2009 5:00AM]

I can just imagine this person opening up the package to see a 'CONGRATULATIONS YOU'RE OUR 2 BILLIONTH DELIVERY HERES YOUR PRIZE' leaflet and placing it straight in the bin as junk

[Dan @ Apr 2nd 2009 5:10AM]

Awsome

[gear @ Apr 2nd 2009 5:11AM]

The figure I'd be interested in seeing is the one that tells how many subscribers dropped Blue Ray as an option or Netflix all together after Netflix raised its' price on Blue Ray rentals.

[poke @ Apr 2nd 2009 8:02AM]

get over the price increase already - these things tend to happen - no one got hurt.

[tcc3 @ Apr 2nd 2009 9:50AM]

Mostly netflix reputation got hurt. They keep this anticustomer attittude up and they'll be the new Blockbuster.

[Chad @ Apr 2nd 2009 10:13AM]

Yup, make sure you protest by reducing your netflix account by one step. Give them a swift kick in the balls and maybe they'll reconsider the 200% price increase (200% on 2 at a time unlimited plan).

[Burt Reynolds @ Apr 2nd 2009 5:31AM]

I just wish the 2 billionth movie was something obscure and terrible.

"Congratulations! Your rental of 'Yor: Hunter from the Future' was the 2 Billionth rental and you win a lifetime subscription in addition to everyone knowing you have terrible taste in movies!"

[mizouse @ Apr 2nd 2009 1:22PM]

hahah yea that would be hilarious.

and why of all movies they have, it had to be THAT movie :-\

[Alex @ Apr 2nd 2009 6:51AM]

I love Netflix. I now use the online play as much as I order dvds.

[Jared @ Apr 2nd 2009 7:29AM]

I doubt the 3 billionth will be downloaded, rather it will be streamed.

[Shenanigans @ Apr 2nd 2009 8:56AM]

How do you ship a download or a streaming video?

They're at 2 billion SHIPMENTS not viewings.

[Paul Harrison @ Apr 2nd 2009 8:16AM]

Please Please, Lovefilm is rubbish! You get about 2 dvds a week because of how slow they are, they should bring out streaming media and possibly on consoles... we are quite behind in media streaming technology... there is nothing in the U.K that is promising and good value!

[Timmy @ Apr 2nd 2009 8:43AM]

Shhh..Look, there are all the Netflix Umpa Lumpas toiling away to serve you your Barney DVDs, don't scare them away

[Quentyn @ Apr 2nd 2009 9:13AM]

This article was not written very well.

[OneLove @ Apr 2nd 2009 10:50AM]

neither is your comment. (why?)

[culbeda @ Apr 2nd 2009 9:56AM]

I couldn't decide between:

A) "2 Billion!? Man, I'd hate to see that bedpost."
B) "Does notching make them double-sided?"
C) None of the above - this story is boring

[Shank @ Apr 2nd 2009 10:16AM]

Blu ray selection n availlability dates blow!!!!!

[*brotha @ Apr 2nd 2009 11:07AM]

lol, this looks like when i was in china

[gmastrx2689 @ Apr 2nd 2009 2:38PM]

I wonder how the employees feel when they have to handle a porn disc (or something similar)...

[FILA @ Apr 2nd 2009 6:12PM]

puts his tongue thru the dvd hole

[FILA @ Apr 2nd 2009 6:11PM]

now they gonna change all there commercials to say they sent out more then 2 billion dvds

[Jeff @ Apr 3rd 2009 8:56PM]

...so what was the first DVD they sent out?

[KHCloud @ Apr 4th 2009 3:05PM]

3 billion in 6 months?