That was the same mistake I made. I cancelled sometime at the beginning of last week. With a better part of the month ahead, it was very strange to see a message like that from Netflix (who have been very good in the past as far as customer service goes)
> Return outstanding DVDs within 7 days of cancelling to avoid charges to your credit card.
> Cancellation will be effective immediately - no refunds for partial months.
> Instant streaming on your computer or via any Netflix ready device will no longer be available.
I also went to cancel but Netflix placed the "No partial months" stipulation as the second sentence on the page. They did not bury the terms and they did nothing underhanded as your post implies.
That's horrible. This article did also remind me to cancel my streaming (but now I'll wait until the end of the month ;-). I'm going the surprising route of doubling down on DVDs now.
No surprise to me - I'd prefer the DVD route myself. The streaming service has a fraction of the content and is apparently destined to grow smaller, or more expensive, if the Starz news is any kind of bellwether.
My fear now is that the golden age of rental DVDs will come to an end before I have finished enjoying it. I want to be able to watch older or obscurer films, and the disks are better for that, probably because they don't require me or the rental company to acquire and maintain a stupid never-ending oft-renegotiated contract with a movie studio and its lawyers.
While I doubt that the market for older and obscure DVD rentals is going anywhere, most of the titles you seek are likely available in your library system. Ordering them on (free) loan from nearby branches would take about as long as Netflix would to postal mail it.
I canceled streaming (and kept DVDs) the other day and it takes effect at the next billing cycle. If they don't want to offer refunds, they could at least make cancellation effective at the end of the already-paid-for month.
When was the last time they gave partial refunds? I think this was the case even years ago. I agree with the tone of the wording though; it has that passive aggressiveness that we paying customers shouldn't have to endure.
"Cancellation will be effective immediately - no refunds for partial months."
... That made me even more determined to get out of there. I can't believe they think I'll be back if they have that attitude.