A Sea Of Red

I know there are a few of us that use Blockbuster for home movie delivery because of the in-store exchange option. Well, I am going to be switching over to Netflix. Blockbuster has revised the way in-store exchanges work so that now you have to return your in-store exchange before they'll ship the next movie in your queue. The way it used to work (and the only reason I chose them over Netflix) was you would return a movie to the store and get a new movie to take home and they'd immediately ship out your next movie. This benefit let you always have a movie out. I'm sure this is going to have some serious backlash and may spell the end of Blockbuster. Blockbuster is acting as if they're doing the customer a favor by saying that this move is eliminating due dates for in-store exchanges when in fact they're eliminating the real benefit of going to the store in the first place.

Here's the email they sent out:

Hi Adam,

As of March 2, 2009, there will be no more due dates for your free in-store movie exchanges!

- In other words, as long as you are an active BLOCKBUSTER Total Access subscriber, you can keep your free in-store exchanges as long as you like from participating BLOCKBUSTER® stores.
- In order to eliminate due dates, the free in-store exchange will now count towards the number of DVDs you may have out at a time under your BLOCKBUSTER Total Access plan. Once you've returned your in-store exchange, we'll then ship you the next available movie in your queue.
- Your free in-store exchanges will now show up on your Queue page and in your Rental History, making it easy to keep track of the movies you've rented

MY RESPONSE:

I just got notice that you guys are going to hold off mailing out new movies when in-store exchanges are done until the in-store exchange is returned. The fact that I could return my movie and get another while I waited for the other to be mailed was the only reason I chose Blockbuster over Netflix in the first place. I will assume there will be a lot of customers switching over to Netflix now.

What you guys bill as a new feature - no due dates - actually takes away the one big benefit of going with Blockbuster in the first place. Oh well, I guess I'll be making the switch after March 2nd when the changes are made.

THEIR RESPONSE:

Hello Adam,

Thank you for contacting Blockbuster Customer Care.

I apologize for the inconvenience the changes in policy may have caused. We are improving our service by providing our valued customers more time to watch and take advantage of requested DVDs at the store because of the "No Due Date" changes. However, I appreciate you taking the time to write us with your feedback and suggestions about this new changes. Your comments are taken very seriously and we welcome them as a valuable tool needed to improve the quality of our service.


We use your queue to provide service and I suggest that you keep at least 15 or more "Available" titles at the top of it at all times to ensure that there are no delay in shipments. Your queue have "Very Long Wait" status near the top of it, you may want to drag it down your queue, to make way for the "Available" titles to be shipped easily. The availability of movies can change from day to day and we do not want you to have any disruption in service.

Please let me know if there is anything else that I can assist you with. I appreciate your patience and understanding.


Always here to help,

Sai
Blockbuster Customer Care

Sai?

Which middle eastern country is he emailing from?

I switched from blockbuster a long time ago....netflix will have your movies to you in 1 day...so much better not to mention the selection

While it sucks, can you hardly blame them? Although their in-store rentals do have due dates, I really don't think people return them on time, since they got rid of the stringent late fees. In doing this, it kind of motivates people to return the in-store rentals sooner. Makes sense to me, I know we always hang onto the rentals way past their due date. It just gives them a little leverage to keep better control of their inventory which will hopefully result in more rentals.

Hold My Own wrote:I switched from blockbuster a long time ago....netflix will have your movies to you in 1 day...so much better not to mention the selection

I would have done the same if it weren't for the in-store exchanges. There's a store less than 1/2 mile from my house so it's very convenient. The way we had it set up, I controlled the online queue and the wife did the in-store exchanges. This let us both get the movie we wanted (we have the 1 out at a time plan with unlimited in-store exchanges).

I love how they make it sound like a great new feature for your benefit. Good news Adam! You have been chosen to help keep us from going bankrupt! We'll be allowing you to pay our increased rates and in return we'll be throttling our mail times. You'll be able to brag to your friends about how you are personally helping keep our dinosaur business model afloat. There's no need to thank us, you can look forward to more rate increases until we get our stimulus check!

Netflix is awesome. I have the three-at-a-time policy, and that allows me to get free instant streaming to my computer or XBOX. The streaming selection isn't great (maybe 25% of the movies are available for instant watch on the computer, and maybe half of those you can watch on the XBOX)... but the convenience factor can't be beat.

It literally took me a minute between the time I added 'Spider-Man 3' to my queue to the time I was able to play it on the xbox... go with Netflix and you won't be disappointed!

LUconn wrote:I love how they make it sound like a great new feature for your benefit. Good news Adam! You have been chosen to help keep us from going bankrupt! We'll be allowing you to pay our increased rates and in return we'll be throttling our mail times. You'll be able to brag to your friends about how you are personally helping keep our dinosaur business model afloat. There's no need to thank us, you can look forward to more rate increases until we get our stimulus check!

That reminds me of a few years ago when Blockbuster announced that they were doing away with late fees... but if you kept a movie for seven days, they were going to institute a 'restocking fee'. Yeah....

Ed Dantes wrote:Netflix is awesome. I have the three-at-a-time policy, and that allows me to get free instant streaming to my computer or XBOX. The streaming selection isn't great (maybe 25% of the movies are available for instant watch on the computer, and maybe half of those you can watch on the XBOX)... but the convenience factor can't be beat.

It literally took me a minute between the time I added 'Spider-Man 3' to my queue to the time I was able to play it on the xbox... go with Netflix and you won't be disappointed!

I just signed up for the free trial of Netflix and downloaded a trial of a media server program for the PS3 called PlayOn which allows me to stream Netflix. If it works well, I'm going to pay the $39.99 for the license which never expires. I've been reading good things about PlayOn. As of now you can stream Hulu, Netflix and Youtube to your PS3.

Blockbuster is in major financial trouble. This is probably a cost-cutting maneuver on their part.

That said, I love Netflix.

I think the last video I rented (probably from West Coast video) was Beverly Hills Cop. Either that or Top Gun.

Guessing 1988 or 89.

I seriously cannot tell you how long its been. I cannot fathom a world in which my children allow me to watch videos.

anything over 15 minutes long and they're knocking down the walls or lighting things on fire. Or killing a pet.

PAmedic wrote:I think the last video I rented (probably from West Coast video) was Beverly Hills Cop. Either that or Top Gun.

Guessing 1988 or 89.

I seriously cannot tell you how long its been. I cannot fathom a world in which my children allow me to watch videos.

anything over 15 minutes long and they're knocking down the walls or lighting things on fire. Or killing a pet.

It's my fault.

I signed up for a Blockbuster affiliate program through a podcast network I'm part of (Blubrry, for those who care) right before Blockbuster's service became teh suk. I jinxed them.

Sorry.

PAmedic wrote: I cannot fathom a world in which my children allow me to watch videos.

anything over 15 minutes long and they're knocking down the walls or lighting things on fire. Or killing a pet.

Medic's family portrait:



If the kid turns you into a jack-in-the-box, it won't be b/c you weren't warned.

bittorrent is awesome....wait whats this thread about?

Didn't Blockbuster also distribute voodoo dolls of American soccer players in Mexico recently?

maybe TRBC should do that blockbuster series again to try and help a brother out

Ed Dantes wrote:Netflix is awesome. I have the three-at-a-time policy, and that allows me to get free instant streaming to my computer or XBOX. The streaming selection isn't great (maybe 25% of the movies are available for instant watch on the computer, and maybe half of those you can watch on the XBOX)... but the convenience factor can't be beat.

It literally took me a minute between the time I added 'Spider-Man 3' to my queue to the time I was able to play it on the xbox... go with Netflix and you won't be disappointed!

THIS

whole reason I have a Netflix subscription here at college. Now give me Arrested Development streaming!!!

RubberMallet wrote:bittorrent is awesome....wait whats this thread about?

shhh hear no evil see no evil speak no evil

JMUDukes wrote:Now give me Arrested Development streaming!!!

I believe the answer you're looking for is Hulu.com.

mrmacphisto wrote:

JMUDukes wrote:Now give me Arrested Development streaming!!!

I believe the answer you're looking for is Hulu.com.

Call me cheap (because I am) but I use the public library for free. Sure I have to wait a month or so after release but you can't beat the price. If I am seriously jonesing for a new flick it is 1 buck at Redbox.

And Medic, most of my DVDs are kid-oriented to keep Sly Jr. and the Slyettes occupied when Mrs. Sly & I need a break from the madness. Otherwise all of our grownup viewing is after they hit the sack.

Sly Fox wrote:Call me cheap (because I am) but I use the public library for free. Sure I have to wait a month or so after release but you can't beat the price. If I am seriously jonesing for a new flick it is 1 buck at Redbox.

And Medic, most of my DVDs are kid-oriented to keep Sly Jr. and the Slyettes occupied when Mrs. Sly & I need a break from the madness. Otherwise all of our grownup viewing is after they hit the sack.

Redbox gives out a code for a free rental every monday. You can only use it on mondays though. They're posted here: http://www.insideredbox.com/ and they also have a link to free codes that will work anytime but only once, and there's only a few of them. I've already used them all.