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Photo: Paul Sakuma / Associated Press Image 1 of / 8 Caption Close Image 2 of 8 Serene Silvester stacks DVDs as they are sorted by a scanner in preparation for being shipped out at a Netflix distribution center in the Humble area in March 2010. Serene Silvester stacks DVDs as they are sorted by a scanner in preparation for being shipped out at a Netflix distribution center in the Humble area in March 2010. Photo: Julio Cortez / Houston Chronicle Image 3 of 8 The Humble-area Netflix distribution center reportedly can sort 17,000 DVD envelopes by ZIP code per hour. March 2010 photo. The Humble-area Netflix distribution center reportedly can sort 17,000 DVD envelopes by ZIP code per hour. March 2010 photo. Photo: Julio Cortez / Houston Chronicle Image 4 of 8 Hoa Cong works on a machine that puts DVDs into envelopes at the Netflix distribution center in the Humble area in March 2010. Hoa Cong works on a machine that puts DVDs into envelopes at the Netflix distribution center in the Humble area in March 2010. Photo: Julio Cortez / Houston Chronicle Image 5 of 8 Image 6 of 8 A Netflix envelope containing a DVD to be returned by mail is clipped onto a mailbox, in Springfield, Ill. A Netflix envelope containing a DVD to be returned by mail is clipped onto a mailbox, in Springfield, Ill. Photo: Seth Perlman / Associated Press Image 7 of 8 In this Oct. 1, 2011 photo, a Netflix DVD envelope and Netflix on-screen television menu are shown in Surfside, Fla. In this Oct. 1, 2011 photo, a Netflix DVD envelope and Netflix on-screen television menu are shown in Surfside, Fla. Photo: Wilfredo Lee / Associated Press Image 8 of 8 Netflix drops Saturday DVD shipping 1 / 8 Back to Gallery

These days, Netflix is best known for its streaming video service and original content that wins it plenty of Emmy Award nominations. But the company’s original business – shipping Blu-ray discs and DVDs to customers via snail mail – is still alive and kicking.

Well, at least five days out of the week. In a clear sign of the times, Netflix isn’t shipping discs on Saturdays anymore, and it’s likely saving money as a result.

From Engadget:

Company spokesman Joris Evers tells Engadget that it’s been transitioning in that direction over the past year and ended Saturday processing (usually a low volume day) entirely in early June. Longtime subscribers may remember that originally Netflix was a five day operation, and it only shipped or received DVDs and Blu-ray discs on the weekend over the past five years.

The news first came to light in Movie Fans, a forum devoted to Netflix users. A member there reported that he’d been told of the change by a Netflix customer service rep. The company has not informed its by-mail customers in a formal way, which has some of them miffed:

Cutting Saturday deliveries is more than a 17% reduction in service since the majority of Postal Holidays fall on Mondays. That amounts to a very large price increase and I am disappointed not only that Netflix is cutting service but choice to do it very quietly.

It’s worth noting that, when the U.S. Postal Service was considering dropping Saturday delivery – a plan it later rejected – some analysts speculated such a move would be beneficial to Netflix’s bottom line. Of course, as the DVD business is further de-emphasized, the benefits of going back to five-day shipping lessen.

Although Netflix dropped Saturday shipping at the end of last month, many subscribers may not have noticed. Discs that would have been shipped Saturday now go out Mondays, arriving Tuesday or Wednesday. Monday Movie Night may be shot in some households, but I suspect those are few and far between.

The selection of latest movies is much better via Netflix’s by-mail service. But you could always just an Apple TV, Roku or Amazon Fire TV and start streaming the top movies you want.

Do you still receive DVDs from Netflix? If so, how do you feel about this change? Let us know in the comments.