![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-342841-100x100.png\")
Thanks for posting my Tip ... I really hope they change the policy
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-1732-100x100.png\")
@jonthomasdesigns: I have Blockbuster Online, & I'm emailing them to express my displeasure with this change. hopefully, if enough other people do the same, it'll actually make a difference.
BBV needs customers so badly right now, it seems foolish of them to try & up their profit margin by alienating the few that they have.
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-843197-100x100.png\")
I don't know why anyone holds Blockbuster stock OR their rental cards. In Northport, NY an OLD movie costs you $5.75. I rented Dumbo for my son, and paid that much. I was floored.
Why, with RedBox and NetFlix does anyone go to Blockbuster? I don't know.
Can anyone tell me?
![\"user-pic\"](\"/css/images/default.gif\")
@CoarseLive: Redbox has a terrible selection and doesn't stock Blurays. And from what I've heard, even if they carry a title you want to watch, good luck trying to find it, they never have enough copies in the box.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-62793-100x100.png\")
@CoarseLive:
I'll answer why I'm still with Blockbuster.
I switched when Netflix was more expensive, and discovered a lot of positives. I'm in Lincoln, Nebraska. RedBox doesn't exist where I am. Grocery stores rent movies, but never have that much. When I switched, Blockbuster shipped their movies out of Kansas City and Netflix out of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The time difference was huge when weekends were considered. I don't know where Netflix would ship from now, but I know that my return mailer for Blockbuster is the same city I am in.
At the time of my switch, Netflix only allowed a queue of a few hundred movies. Right now, my blockbuster queue is over 700 (Or, essentially, every movie I'm interested in watching.
Being an older subscriber, I still get the choice of 2 free movie rentals or video game rentals in store. (That may not seem great, but it has allowed me to try a lot of different games without shelling out 50 bucks. Games fall into three categories. Don't like, like but no desire to play again, and want to own. There's a lot in the first two.)
As for the latest change...it's a mixed bag. On one hand, you can get a movie and let it sit on your shelf because you're no longer in the mood to watch it like you thought you were. On the other hand, it is nice freeing up the slots and getting the process started, without having nothing to watch.
Will Netflix eventually destroy Blockbuster? Maybe. But I dread that day. Because 10 seconds after Blockbuster folds, Netflix will jack their prices up because they'll be 'it'.
@catskyfire: Netflix existed for years before Blockbuster Total Access, and their prices weren't any higher than they are now.
@DarkKnightShyamalan: Netflix dropped their prices a few years ago. Can't remember if it was before or after the advent of Blockbuster's thing.
@catskyfire: I'm in Lincoln too - small world. Anyway, just wanted to share that Redbox is around if you're curious to try. It's at some of the Hy-Vees and also, I think, at the north Walmart. Oh, and Netflix ships out of Omaha now, so it's usually pretty quick.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-804913-100x100.png\")
@Joeb5: RedBox is -not- worth it.
The selection is terrible to begin with, and the only thing that is ever in stock is straight to Redbox junk and children's movies.
Around here, the Wal-marts and super markets have 2 or 3 machines chained together and you still can't rent anything unless you check it out at three or four pm or wait for months.
And I like Blockbuster because I can return scratched disks/bad movies to a brick and mortar store and get a different one -that- night. But this is a bad change, imo.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-570288-100x100.png\")
@Wombatish: You can reserve at Redbox by going to the website, or check the stock before heading over to one.. or even search for a movie in surrounding locations. I love it and there are free codes all over the internet.
@calquist: I reserve movies at my redbox all the time. I just wish they would have a better list of old movies.
@CoarseLive:
Here's why I switched from Netflix to BlockBuster a couple years ago: Flexibility in changing plans.
I subscribe to the 2-movies-at-a-time (with unlimited in-store exchanges--grandfathered in) plan. This allows me to keep a queue of movies I'd like to watch, but it also allows me flexibility. Here's how:
I often watch movies in the middle of the week. Rather than mail them in and hope that the crappy USPS will deliver the next ones by the weekend, I often hang on to them, knowing that I can trade them in at the store. That way, I can get a movie I'm in the mood for (drama vs. comedy vs. chick flick) or that my wife wants to see. If we decide \"Wanna see a movie tonight?\" we're not constrained by the two movies that were mailed to us--we have a whole store full of options. And our next movies get shipped just as quick.
Now, of course, our next movie isn't shipped 'just as quick,' so the advantage is diminished. Time to look at prices and see if Netflix is worth it again...
@CoarseLive: I don't use Blockbuster but rent movies from Hollywood Video 2-3 times a year. Older movies are $2.50, I believe, which is reasonable. I TIVO movies off HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, Independent Movie Channel, etc. Occasionally, I can't locate a movie on cable, so will head to Hollywood Video to rent it. I don't want to pay a monthly fee to Netflix when digital cable has a good selection of movies and I prefer to just use TIVO. I also occasionally use CafeDVD online for hard-to-find movies since they offer an a la carte rental service. Blockbuster stocks too many mainstream titles; I like to find smaller films and Hollywood Video still does an okay job of stocking those.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-110633-100x100.png\")
I quit blockbuster when they switched me to limit 3 in store swaps, ever since then Rebox has fulfilled most of my basic needs.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-255004-100x100.png\")
The punch line is \"No Late Fees\". Blockbuster lost/settled a class-action lawsuit some time ago for charging excessive late fees, and supposedly stopped charging them around 4-5 years ago. Instead, any movie not returned was \"sold\" to you for whatever its used price was, but you could \"return\" your \"purchase\" for a small \"restocking\" fee. My, that's a lot of quotes. Gotta love the corporate mentality for redefining modern English. Anyway, what that boils down to is that they kept charging late fees by changing the term they used to describe them.
And now, if they're saying that they're no longer charging late fees as of this new promotion, doesn't that constitute admission that they have been charging them until recently?
That means they're in breach of the original class-action settlement terms by continuing to charge them until today. Naughty, naughty!
@Ezra Ekman: As much as I don't want to defend Blockbuster, the current \"restocking fee\" is not at all the same as a late fee. Late fees were being charged at the full price of the rental, every day it was late. They were basically inferring that every day the movie was late was a lost rental, which was found to be unreasonable. The current fee is a $2 charge, applied one time only, and only if the movie is more than a week late. Much more reasonable. As for the \"sale\" of late movies, well, what are they supposed to do? They only consider them \"sold\" and charge the credit card on file if they're more than a month late. If they aren't allowed to charge late fees, and can't consider the movies sold after a certain amount of time, they're basically powerless to stop people from keeping their movies indefinitely. I'm all for consumer rights, but it's a rental, if you agree to bring it back in 3 days and keep it for 30, they should be able to assume you're not bringing it back at all and charge you for it. Remember, even if they do, you can still bring it back and be refunded all but $2.
@mizike: I had no issue wih the *concept* of what they were doing. What I took exception to was the fact that they labeled it as if it was something that it wasn't. Calling a $2 late charge on a rental a \"restocking fee\" doesn't change the fact that you were charged a fee for a late return of a rental. And no, they don't wait a month to charge you; I've been charged the fee just a few days late, after returning from a trip later than I anticipated.
It's legal because it works just as described: you're charged the full, used price of the rental unless you bring it back, at which point you're charged a restocking fee. But that doesn't make it any less deceptive. Furthermore, they don't (or didn't, anyway) charge \"restocking fees\" on other types of merchandise, including used rentals that were defective.
Also, the original headline of the story (As Chris Walters mentioned previously) referred to it as \"No more late fees\" when it should have said \"No more due dates\", which was the other reason for my post.
I don't take offense at the general idea of late fees. I think they're right; if someone doesn't bring it back, they owe something extra. The details of precisely *how* a late fee is charged aside, to claim that you don't charge late fees, but then to charge them anyway (and call them what you will...) is deceptive.
@Ezra Ekman: More recently there are tests in Florida (Orlando and Tampa) that review ways to get movies back into the store faster, so they are available for you to rent. At first glance, it looks like the late fees are back, but when you pay attention you see that that isn't the case at all.
It works like this:
You can rent a movie overnight (New Releases at $2.99 or Older Movies at $0.99) and they will be due tomorrow before the store closes. If you want to keep it an extra day or two, it's only $0.99 cents a day.
You can also rent it for 5 days at the regular rental price (New Releases at $4.99 and Older Movies at $2.99) and they are due on the sixth day by the time the store closes. Additional days work the same way as the above choice ($0.99 a day).
If you keep it for more than 10 days, the movie's price is charged to your account, and it's yours. You can bring it back and all you will owe is your additional daily fees (the $0.99 charge).
It works... and it is largely to our advantage! It was a pain in the behind to go into the store and all of the new releases are out for three weeks after they come out... with these new \"terms\" movies get back on the shelves, and they are there when I go in to get them. Since they started this test I haven't missed one single new release... and from talking to other customers and friends, everybody digs these new terms too.
Take it for what it's worth... but if you haven't been in a Blockbuster recently it is worth stopping by. I have six of them in my town, and they are all undergoing some pretty nice improvements both in inside / outside appearance and the attitude of the staff. I will be a member with Blockbuster as long as they are around... and when they are gone, I will buy movies to watch them before I will shell out cash to NetFlix, because just like one other person said... as soon as there is no competition, they are going to jack their prices up too!
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-21970-100x100.png\")
@Ezra Ekman: Unfortunately, that was a mistake on my part. They are saying \"No more due dates!\"
I've updated the headline to fix that.
Here is the exact Email i sent to them .. not like it will help (it was a rush job please excuse any grammar mistakes) :
I have been a LOYAL blockbuster subscriber for years and years .. i have posted my great experiences on any blog/website/friends that would listen and try to gain you more customers and sway people away from Netflix .. but after reading your new total access policy i am disgusted .. you had a great thing going with the in store AND web trade ins and now you are throwing that away with the new limits .. and you try to make it look like you are doing great customer service , your new \" NO MORE LATE FEE's \" on in store rentals is a scam , you are basically taking away rentals from customers .. because we could get BOTH in store and web retails at the SAME time . now we can only have 1/2 that .. and what \"Late fee\" are you talking about , blockbuster hasn't had late fees in years ... are you talking about the $1.99 restocking fee ? that is NOT worth the trade off ... in today's market you have to give MORE to get and keep customers , not take away a great service
I will remain a customer of Blockbuster total access hoping you will reverse this ANTI customer service , please rethink your new policy
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-384699-100x100.png\")
@jonthomasdesigns: I worked in the video rental industry for a couple years before swearing of retail completly, trust me BB the company doesn't deserve any praise whatsoever. There's some great people working for the company but every single one is hogtied by the companies arcane structure, mentality and shameless practices.
@jonthomasdesigns: And here is Blockuster reply to my Email :
Dear Jonathan,
Thank you for contacting Blockbuster Customer Care.
I understand that you want us to keep the old feature of Blockbuster Total Access.
Our goal with the new exchange process is to help simplify your terms and conditions. As long as you return your in-store exchange within a day or two you should be able to continue enjoying a similar if not the same number of movies each month as before. The No Due Dates benefit also allows the piece of mind that comes with being able to return the title to the store on your schedule. We hope that you will give this change a chance to continue to satisfy your entertainment needs, budget and schedule.
Lastly, please keep 15 or more \"Available\" titles at the top of your queue in order to prevent delays in shipping and to make the most out of your subscription with us.
Should you have further questions, please let us know.
Always here to help,
Stela
Blockbuster Customer Care
@jonthomasdesigns: Frankly, I'm even more pissed seeing their response. Here's my email and their reply:
I Have been a Blockbuster customer for years, and just became aware of your changes to the in-store use of mailers. As you may be able to guess, I am NOT pleased with the modifications regarding in-store exchanges counting towards my online queue.
In the current economy, and with competition from Netflix and Redbox, I cannot believe Blockbuster would do something that is going to cause so many negative reactions among it's loyal customer base.
I have always supported Blockbuster over Netflix, and have converted many friends from Netflix over the years.
I am going to have to consider whether to keep my business and money flowing to a company that treats their customers with such disregard.
Please take a moment to reconsider the changes.
Response:
Thank you for contacting Blockbuster Customer Care.
I am sorry about the confusion on your in store exchanges counting as an online rental.
We have updated our system and I would like to inform you that the in store exchange you made from your online rental has no due date. And that your \"should be\" next online shipment is replaced by an in store rental. Also keep in mind that we would ship the next title if you have returned your exchanged DVD rental.
I have also visited your queue and it seems that you have less than 15 titles in your queue and some are in waits/counted as one set. As a friendly reminder, may I suggest that you keep 15 or more \"Available\" titles on top of your queue at all times, for you to be able to receive movies faster.
Thank you for taking the time to write to us. Please let me know if there is anything else I can help you with.
Always here to help,
Camille,
Blockbuster Customer Care
i dont understand why they do these things, its like they hired a person to think of ideas to bring the company down, i rem. having bbonline about year n half ago and i had the 16.99 3moives at a time for unlimited instore and it was a dream come true, i dealt with the ok movie selection but the instore unlimited selection was great, but conveniently they changed the plans and how many movies you can rent in the store, that plan is i believe like almost 30 bucks now
@dsmitsu02: ditto. i was on the plan when they had 3 movies and one email coupon for a movie OR a game per month. 16.99
then they nixed the coupon
then they upped the price to 23.99
then they upped the price to 31.99
i netflixed from there, but this new \"deal\" is a joke
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-809020-100x100.png\")
Why does anyone even still use Brockbustah anyway?? That's so 1996. AppleTV FTW!
@sumgai: Because I'm broke. $20/month from Blockbuster gets me 3 Blurays out at a time, unlimited trade ins. I can go through 12-15 movies per month. $20 on Apple TV gets me 4 HD movies. The convenience is not worth the huge extra cost.
I remember when Total Access's value ran circles around NetFlix. Then they realized I was renting all of the movies they had and that I would cease to be a movie-renting customer and dropped the killer offering. NetFlix welcomed me with open arms and continues to amaze. I don't believe they have done anything to reduce their great value. Even the throttling seems to have eased up. Big ups if they move to shipping on Saturdays. Blockbuster can lick my bag.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-257467-100x100.png\")
@ct_price: It's not just that, for the volume that high users (who oddly were the ones paying more all of a sudden for a plan that was supposedly unlimited) could and frequently did get 60 movies a month - that's 33 cents a rental, give or take
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-352646-100x100.png\")
@ct_price: I haven't seen any throttling since Aug 30, 2008. And by throttling I mean \"The Hills Have Eyes\" was supposed to arrive on Aug 30 (a Saturday) and it arrived on Tuesday, Sept 2. And recently, on Monday, Jan 19 - MLK, Jr Day, which was a no mail service day, they 'received' 2 movies and shipped 2 movies to me that I received the next day.
So, yeah, Netflix has definitely improved. I noticed the other day that they show the new episodes of the 3 CSI's the next day. I haven't checked it out to see if there any commercials or on-screen cbs logos, but, I am hopeful there aren't any.
OTOH, if by throttling you mean new movies are classified as \"Very Long Wait\" for us existing customers, then yeah, they are still doing that. And I have no problem with it. I am a patient man.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-542520-100x100.png\")
For me renting games at Blockbuster is great, $9.99 for a week then after a week a late fee (yes a stocking fee is late fee regardless of what they call it) of $2 and I can keep it for a month; by then I'm usually completely done with the game and it gives me time to play it when I want as well. Much cheaper than buying games.
@KidU:
I go long stretches where I don't rent anything for months then I rent like crazy for 3 months depending on whats coming out so a subscription for me is not a good solution, and besides if I had this subscription I would feel I needed to get value out of it and I'd end up playing more games than I should.
@Telekinesis123: Why are you spending $9.99 to rent it for a week? Just take the 2 day rental for ~$5 (plus the $2 restocking fee). You can keep it the same amount of time and save a couple of bucks.
@mizike: The minimum charge on game rentals as far as I know is $9.99 here in Canada. All games are either 6 nights or 2 nights depending on how new they are so for the 2 night rentals I would just get charged the $2 late fee quicker (lol, I just say that hoping some BB rep is reading, yeah it is a late fee!).
I'm not sure if I'm following so your saying there is an option to only rent it for 2 nights if I want and pay less but in the end I can still end up keeping it for a month?
All you really have to do is go to your Queue and say that you returned your movie in-store. Then they will send the next one. Requires a manual input, but it's a pretty doable work-around if you're that anxious for a new movie.
I was a ballbuster customer a few years back until they blacklisted me. They blacklisted me because they said I made too many complaints about them not sending my movies sooner. I use to return the movie to the stores and they would not send me another movie until 1 or 2 weeks after. This was when I manually went into the queue and said I returned the movie.
Just sent an email to BBuster expressing my displeasure. Hopefully there's enough outcry to make them change their policy. Otherwise, lets all do RedBox!
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-562283-100x100.png\")
@TheRedSeven: I just did the same. I really liked the service the way it was and I was looking forward to being able to rent PS3 titles through the service in the future. If they don't wise up and change the service back I'm cancelling and finding another rental plan.
I'm so glad I got rid of Blockbuster a few months ago. I was there at the beginning and they kept changing everything. I see some things never change.
They are one slow sinking ship.
while this looks bad, it's actually really good imo. I hate having to return the free rentals I get because my franchise blockbuster has late fees. while it counts as a rental now, at least I don't have to be scared of the late fees. I realize most people don't have to deal with late fees at the corporate locations, but as I do have to, I'm glad .
The biggest reason I stick with Blockbuster are the monthly coupons for video game rentals. 1 Video game/month for 2 weeks is pretty sweet, on top of seeing movies. Especially when they're PS3/Wii games that cost $50. For me, it's like Gamefly + Netflix at a much cheaper rate, although admittedly the selection is pretty poor.
Family Video FTW! Prices are so much more reasonable with them.
I've been a Total Access subscriber for two and a half years now, because I got grandfathered in on the unlimited in store exchange plan. Last week I got charged a late fee for the first time in two and a half years, and that got me outraged. Then the next day I got this email from blockbuster. Needless to say, I've already started a Netflix free trial, since I have a TivoHD and can stream on there anyways.
I'll probably leave blockbuster soon. This is just ridiculous, because now the only leg up that BB has is that for three of my discs, I can exchange them instantly instead of waiting a day.
Well they had better hurry up and get game rentals as part of the plan!
For those wondering why people still rent from Blockbuster stores, one big reason is you can hit the store and get anything you want last minute. With Netflix that isn't possible, you'd have to wait for the mail. And no, not everything is available for download.
Just realized that this change took place and it's the last straw, they've been raising prices and making their plans worse for a while, it's time to meet up with Netflix.
This is why I canceled my BB last year. Every few months they changed the rules, usually w/o notification. I guess we as customers were obligated to pic up the photocopied scraps of paper on the counters next to their PS3 adverts explaining the changes.
Typical corporation. We are losing customers, raise the rates!
well i have been a blockbuster subcriber for a year and a half and i still pay 17$ a month for 2 dvd and unlimited in store exchange in place of 30$ and i never received any email that they were changing the plan
i'm not complaning but i dont understand why some people get the increased and not me
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-174344-100x100.png\")
I guess you can call it a \"service shrink ray\" giving you less services for the same price. You didn't really expect more did you?
Sounds like they got a computer upgrade and now they want to show off their real time inventory system.
Not a shock. I mean, we've all seen the 35 dollar \"value\" plan for the service that used to be half that (unless you were grandfathered in, in which case, lucky you - just don't use that service). They blacklist people for listening to employees about how to utilize the service. They don't have the ability to call people who decide about accounts (so they say).
Netflix may not have in store exchanges, but they have more value for their equivalently priced plan, and better service by a country mile
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-352008-100x100.png\")
All else being equal, they're still offering more than Netflix. You don't have the option of impulse renting with Netflix, although with Blockbuster you do have the option of nixing exchanges altogether and getting the same service as Netflix for the same price. Without in-store exchanges, you still get discounted rentals. What Netflix offers is, it looks like, downloading to your computer instead of waiting by mail. Sounds nice, but I don't know how or how well that works.
Blockbuster has been scaling back in-store exchanges because the idea is a failure. Last time they raised their rates (which are now equal to or cheaper than Netflix rates), they said it was because the exchange plans were killing their brick and mortar operation. The two services are really two separate animals.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-159466-100x100.png\")
You don't actually download anything, it streams instantly, like hulu or youtube. I use it with my Xbox almost every day. It's a pretty good deal and far more impulsive than Blockbuster in that respect. The selection is limited and filled with lots of garbage, but there is still a lot of good stuff in there.
@trujunglist: Well, a limited selection really defeats impulse renting--for instance, Hulu got old fast--but it being filled with garbage... Honestly, those are sometimes the best movies to get on a whim.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-717781-100x100.png\")
@chrisjames: Actually we do have the option of \"impulse renting\" with Netflix. It's called \"Watch Instantly.\" Unlike Blockbuster's new service plans, watching instantly streaming video content via the Netflix website does not interrupt my online queue. (Yay for me!) I also think it's awesome that even if I only have a minute left of my instant watching quota, Netflix will allow me to play a new movie and not interrupt my streaming video (AND will not try to charge me for the extra time used). I switched from Blockbuster total access when they started to get really price hike happy and haven't looked back since.
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-2352-100x100.png\")
I don't think Netflix has capped the 'watch instantly' feature for awhile now, so that would probably explain how you are able to watch past your 'quota'.
@Secret Agent Man: I have the cheapest Netflix plan:
$4.99 a month
1 DVD out at-a-time(Limit 2 per month)plus Instantly watch up to 5 hours
Every other plan has unlimited \"watch instantly\" access except for the one I'm enrolled in. I'm at peace with it though.
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-659687-100x100.png\")
@chrisjames:
Netflix watch instantly works very well, I hook my laptop up to my tv and the quality is really no different than watching a dvd. You don't actually download the movie, they are streamed realtime so you don't have to wait for a download. The amount of movies available online is constantly expanding, and they also have a good collection of tv shows. I just have the one at a time Netflix plan for $9/mo w/ unlimited online viewing, and probably watch just as many movies/shows online as I do on dvd. Pretty good value.
For anyone complaining that redbox movies are hard to get a hold of, just go online and rent them in the morning. Just make sure you can pick them up that day.
and the selection is small but they have pretty much any recently released movie worth watching.
Blockbuster's been quietly moving to throttle customers, even when they're not heavy users. It used to be that I could mail a disc and see it logged in the next day, and the next disc would be sent on the next business day, and arrive the following day.
Now I end up sending three back in over the weekend, having one disc sent out on Monday to arrive Wednesday, a second sent supposedly Monday to arrive Thursday, and the third sitting in limbo for anything up the three days (and others have reported stuck times of weeks.)
What this procedure does is effectively limit the customer to three discs in any given week, which of course saves them a little bit of postage.
According to one CSR on the phone, they also do limited processing on Monday and Friday.
Fulfilment can also be weird -- they'll list DVDs that turn out not to be available from the local center, often the first disc in a set.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-223835-100x100.png\")
I've sent screen shots of my queue to consumerist before, I have anywhere between 14-20 movies in my queue and none of them are available. I asked Blockbuster for an explanation and they said 'please keep up to 15 available movies in your queue'. Well, no kidding, the problem is finding them.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-403422-100x100.png\")
Looks like I'm going to be cancelling my Blockbuster subscription. That's the only reason why I've kept it, because of being able to have movies from the store and have the next ones on my qeue sent to me.
Oh well, Blockbuster just lost another customer.
Wow, we discovered yesterday that our Blockbuster store is closed. Done, gone, bye bye. And now this, double the reason to cancel and give netflix a try.
The store was on my way in/out to work and right next to our grocery store, so Total Access was fantastic. But every year during TV season we talk about canceling and this time I think we really will. We'll sign up for netflix after May.
Blockbuster lost me when they raised the prices and changed the terms of our agreement without my approval about 2 years ago.
I'm a Netflix guy now. I'm really into watching movies on my computer (Instant Watch) because I have my computer connected to my 42' HDTV. Also the Xbox and Netflix partnership helps.
I find the movies in the mail to be a bonus! :p.
Netflix prices are better for me. I feel bad for my dad though :-( This will be the 2nd time he's been screwed in about a year from Blockbuster.
@idip:
That's funny because ever since I got my Xbox, I've considered the streaming to be what I'm paying for and the mail discs to be the bonus feature!
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-529488-100x100.png\")
How is this any different from Netflix? It makes sense - you can only rent X movies at a time, they just offer two different venues from which to rent instead of exclusively by mail.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-87429-100x100.png\")
Blockbuster says \"what do we have to do to qualify for bankruptcy around here?\"
Yeah, I dropped them when they got rid of your free monthly game rental and then jacked up the price 2 months later. It seems every so many months they either a. reduce a benefit. b. jack up prices.
Now I am a happy Netflix customer, and can't see ever going back.
Yep, I just cancelled. Copied my list over and I'll be creating a netflix account tonight. It's sad really. I worked for Blockbuster a decade and a half ago (yeah yeah, when they were driving all the non-chain stores out of business) and have really fond memories and good friends from those days. Probably the main reason why I was still a loyal customer. But they screwed me when they got rid of my unlimited in store exchanges, and now again with this new policy. I'll go for the cheaper prices at Netflix and not driving out of my way to pick up and return in store movies.
@Craigers: be sure and rate as many movies as possible NF has the best reccomendation system period and the more movies you rate allows netflix to accurate rate movies based on movie syou liked. SO if you liked The princess bride but hated enchanted, netflix will change the stated average rating on movies you haven't seen to acknowledge what you will probably like more. NF's biggest weapon is their impressive selectoon and abundunce of older movies, I garuntee you'll find a bunch of new movies ot queue up once you get going.
I am recent convert...Originally, I had Total Access with Blockbuster, I loved it turn in a movie get a movie...constant rotation...In December they changed the policy to no longer allow up to a week before charging late fee. and I had a hard time getting used to it...Then last month they upped the rate...I moved over to Netflix...and I could not be happier, better selection, less expensive, and now I can stream movies straight to my PS3 from the Internets. I don't even have to leave the house for movies anymore.
D-
I want to change to netflix, or get rid of this all together, but my fiance` refuses too. This is actually a good thing for me because in December BB changed their policy so that the total access subscribers would get $1 late fee's per day for not returning the free in store movie on time. That would have cost me a lot of money but the store just kept crediting it off.
Well... Here's my response from BB about the policy change:
Hi Kevin,
Thank you for contacting Blockbuster Customer Care.
We appreciate your comments and feedbacks with regards to the new policy for in-store exchanges and I am sorry to hear that you would like to cancel your account because of this.
Our goal with the new exchange process is to help simplify your terms and conditions. As long as you return your in-store exchange within a day or two you should be able to continue enjoying a similar if not the same number of movies each month as before. The No Due Dates benefit also allows the piece of mind that comes with being able to return the title to the store on your schedule. We hope that you will give this change a chance to continue to satisfy your entertainment needs, budget and schedule.
If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us again.
Always here to help,
Imee
Blockbuster Customer Care
@CRCError1970: I got the same EXACT response i posted on the front page ... so they pay people to copy and paste responses ... Grrrrrrrreat !
I'm guessing they pay people to press a button or number combination and a script automatically sends off a letter. Or it's a robot that does keyword searches and sends out the best fit. Either way, it's lame.
Granted, I lose a feature. I still have 3 movies to watch at any given moment.
All it takes is one in-store movie to be late in order for me to appreciate that there will be no late fees.
I am anxiously waiting for them to provide the hard details for their upcoming video game inclusion to the Total Access program. Once that hits, it will more than make up for this.
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-356584-100x100.png\")
I had just sent an email to blockbuster yesterday morning complaining about the return time and check in/check out delays. For the first few months I had them I could send back a movie on Monday, it would check in on Tuesday and the next one would be sent out on Tuesday, then arrive on Wednesday. Now if I send one in on Monday, it gets checked in on Tuesday, the next one out gets shipped on Wednesday and arrives on Friday!
Their response was to have more than 15 movies in my queue, I have 43. They also gave me two \"free in store rental\" coupons which I plan to redeem this weekend.
My billing just took place a few days ago, so I'm going to make the best out of my last month, netflix will start after that.
@logicalnoise
Thanks for the info. I was really hoping that they had more older titles. I've been waiting on a couple of older movies from BB for months. Who would have thought it would take me most of a year to watch Davy Crockett?
Is there a way to protest this?
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-488475-100x100.png\")
I haven't tried the BB Total Access. I live very close to a BB store and can zip over there if I want a movie and don't want to wait for the mail.
Netflix is great. Sometimes I rent a movie and then don't have time to watch it so being able to keep it for a few extra days is golden. Also, I don't have to leave the house to get one.
This is a deathblow for BB's online service. Your next movie is held hostage until the store clerk decides to scan your returned movie? Then another couple days while your movie gets processed and labeled at the warehouse?
No thank you...switched from BB to Netflix 4 months ago and not looking back.
Sounds like BB is shooting themselves in the foot. Still, the game rental thing sounds pretty attractive to me. Gamefly needs A LOT of work to be any good. I don't have a problem with the turnaround time or anything, it's about 4 days from my outbox to my inbox. The problem I have is the queue system. What a pos! I have about 35 games in my queue. They rank the availability games by low (about 25% or less), medium (25-75% chance), and high (75% chance or greater). Often times, I will receive a game that is literally at the bottom of my queue because somehow, even though I usually have 1 or 2 highs and several mediums, fate has aligned against me and given me worse odds than winning the fucking lottery! I end up with some shit game that I didn't really want to play. Now, I've deleted all of the games that I absolutely have no intention of really playing and put only games that I really want to play in there. Let me guess, I'll probably receive a notice that says I need more games, even though it's still at 35!
FYI .. i don't know if they started there new program yet .. i returned some Mail rentals yesterday(before i submitted this) and they sent me my next 3 movies and i still have the 3 i got at the store .. i am hoping they are reconsidering this .. but something tells me it hasn't quite kicked in yet
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-874363-100x100.png\")
I was a Blockbuster subscriber from January 2005 until August 2007. I even paid extra for Total Access when it was not part of the normal plan, even though there is not a Blockbuster in my town. But Blockbuster changed my 5-disc subscription to a 4-disc subscription to a 3-disc subscription. They should just divest their interests...take what they can and run.
I'mn not 100% sure this applies to all subscribers. I dropped off two mail rentals to my local BB last night, got two Blu-Rays for free, and received two emails today stating that they had shipped my next two queued movies. Maybe it's because I am a subscriber from the beginning - I don't know. I'm one who believes your experience with Blockbuster totally depends on your local store. If the salespeople are knowledgeable and helpful, it goes a long way to keeping me loyal. Plus. the immediate gratification of getting a Blue-Ray any time is worth something.
@valor77:
Below you'll find the email I sent and response I received regarding this issue... I live in Phoenix, AZ.
Dear ######,
Thank you for contacting Blockbuster Customer Care.
I apologize for the confusion regarding the new in-store policy of Blockbuster.
Please be advised that this program is being implemented to some customers in Tucson, AZ only. Please be assured that your subscription will not be affected by the new hassle-free exchanges policy.
Always here to help,
####
Blockbuster Customer Care
Customer (#########) 02/26/2009 11:19 AM
I love movies.
When Netflix came about, I signed up with them, and continued to use my Rewards membership w/ Blockbuster when I wanted a movie immediately.
When Blockbuster started their online program I signed up immediately. I accepted the ever-decreasing number of monthly free rentals included with the plan. I applauded the option to exchange mail rentals for in-store rentals. This killed two birds with one stone. A.) It prevented me from making a trip to the post-office, and most importantly, B.) It meant there would no longer be a void without movies between sending/receiving my mail rentals. Since this became available, I've not returned my Netflix rentals since last September. In fact, I was finally about to cancel my Netflix membership.
Instead, I WILL cancel my Blockbuster membership if you change the policy such that new mail rentals will not be mailed until the in-store rentals are returned. This defeats the purpose of the in-store rentals - which, for those of your customers who don't cancel like me, will just result in less in-store traffic.
You cannot continue to make a product worse and expect people to stick with it.
Sincerely, very dissapointed,
-#########
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-702014-100x100.png\")
Who goes to the f'ing store anyway? Is this here just to make people feel better about themselves and their Netflix subscription? I use Blockbuster for rentals through the mail and I will never, ever switch to Netflix. I just mail my videos back, similar to Netflix.
Well, I was on the fence, thinking about going back to Netflix, but this pushes me over the edge! I used to have Netflix and when I returned a video, the next one would be in my mailbox 2 days later. I went to Blockbuster to use the in-store exchange (I have the UNLIMITED account grandfathered). It worked out well.
However occassionally a movie would be shipped 5 days after I dropped it off at the store, and usually it was shipped 1 or 2 days after. On top of that, it took TWO days for them to get it to me, not next day like netflix, but that was OK, because I had the in-store rentals to tide me over.
But now it'll take forever to exchange either way, so I'm going back to Netflix for their speedy turnaround and instant online download!
I just love how everyone bad mouths Blockbuster so much, yet Netflix customer service is horrible, and if the movies get lost in the mail it's your fault. Not to mention Redbox, try arguing late fee's with a machine and see how that works.
I was ok contempt with Blockbuster, never had any problems or anything, I used to have the game plan for over a year too. I've now been with the company for 8 months and have to admit that a big problem is the customers. (Not to say everyone).
I will tell you at least my theory for the in store exchange policy change:
Number 1: This policy has already been in effect in many other states, and there were no problems with it so far.
Number 2: You wouldn't believe the amount of complaints we recieve because people have to bring the movies back by a certain date, Blockbuster finally started listening to customers and now more people are complaining.
Number 3: The online selection isn't as big as the in store selection. Instead of waiting for 2 weeks to get something on your queue you can come to the store and get it in a day, you may not realize it, but it's helping a lot of people.
Ok, that's my rant, Im not saying Blockbuster is perfect, but ill tell you from retail experience it has one of the most difficult customer bases to deal with, people are obsessive liars and complainers, and trust me, I can tell BS'ers when I see them. And on a last note about the late fee's. I just want to clarify that you have an initial rental period for the movie, then we give you a TEN DAY grace period to bring it back before you are charged for it, and then you will have THIRTY days to bring it back to get your money back minus a restocking fee, maybe people should stop holding onto movies for more then 2 weeks and you wouldnt get charged for the movie.
@legolasfan411: The real reason for the policy change is that blockbuster is going bankrupt and they need to make more money. By giving you \"no late fees\" when you exchange in-store, they are essentially saving themselves some postage while funneling some business into their bricks and mortar stores.
Netflix customer service is bad? Blockbuster is worse. If you email someone, they don't understand your question because it is someone offshore. Then they ask you to fill out a survey. Then someone else tries to answer your question.
Problems I've had with Blockbuster-
(1)rented a dvd in-store and then was shipped the same dvd
(2) didn't send any dvd's for a week because the first few dvd's in my queue were long wait and apparently it can't look past the front of the queue
(3)Couldn't look at my queue because it had too many movies in it.
(4)Told people on facebook when I rented a movie
(5)Often could not log on to the service at all
(6)changed my plan without telling me in the middle of a billing period and refusing to refund my money
This latest nonsense is the most underhanded thing I have ever seen a company do. They are essentially downgrading everyone, and calling it something positive like \"no late fees.\" I just cancelled my subscription. The girl was telling me she would give me a free month. I told her I didn't want a free month, I just wanted to do business with a company that wasn't sketchy.
This is nonsense. I have no problem returning movies on time. Blockbuster gives you a grace period for God's sake. If somebody can't return a freaking movie in a week's time, then they don't need to be renting!
If Blockbuster doesn't want people complaining then they should offer this new \"service\" as an option. Let ME choose if I want to switch over to this crappy \"no more due dates\" horse dung, which is really a reduction in service.
They've lost me as a customer and I've been with them since the Erol's video days. They keep changing the rules and I have had enough.
Just spoke with a Blockbuster customer service rep (superviser) and it was like talking to a brick wall. She finally admitted that I would be receiving less on-line rental because of the new policy. She kept telling me that the policy change was a result of complaints about late fees on-line customers got for their in-store exchanges, but I explained I never return DVD's late, so no benifit to me. She did give me a free months rental for the month of April, so I will stay on-board till then.
I can't believe the rally of emails I'm having back and forth with blockbuster, I'm demanding a refund for this months service and to cease the service immediately, on the grounds that this isn't the service I signed into.
They keep trying to convince me i'm better off without the fees that I never got...
Why won't they admit that the rate at which I receive dvds will be diminished?
Somewhere a corporate fat cat just got a fat raise for making blockbuster more profitable... everywhere else the ranks of pissed off movie buffs grows again.
Next stop Netflix!
You miss the point, this isn't about the service in general.... purely implementation of a system that defeats the purpose of returning the dvd's in store, and they have the gall to say it's an improvement?
That's so offensive, blockbuster thinks we're stoopid!
Why even bother with the online rental program with the new terms. Now there is no benefit at all since you now have to return a movie to get a movie. Mind as well rent straight from the store. Being a member since the beginning it is sad to see them destroy the program. Perhaps they do not care and want to get out of the online rental as a whole.
I am infuriated over this. This is absolutely unacceptable with no notice. I just discovered this after I noticed that they had not shipped my DVDs in a few days. This kills any competitive advantage they had over Netflix. I will be switching if they don't reverse this.
The funny thing is they are trying to sell this as a \"benefit\" by saying they are eliminating due dates in the stores. The truth is that there were no late fees in the stores, which created a due date that was essentially \"soft.\" You could bring it back on time or not. Even if you got it back excessively late and they had converted to a \"purchase,\" you would get a refund minus a small fee when you brought it back.
Now, they are creating a much \"harder\" due date. Yes, there are no in store due dates, but you will no longer receive the next movies in your online queue until you bring those back. That sounds like a due date to me.
Sorry Blockbuster, I'm not stupid.
Actually, I think this is a substantial improvement from charging your card for the price of the movie after 7 days. I hate Blockbuster, but I like being able to get new movies whenever I want (I have 3 movies and unlimited in-store exchanges for $18 a month). I used to have Netflix, but they were so slow. It took two days for them to get the movie back and then another two to get a new one out. Maybe they had to change their policy because I (and I assume other people too) reported them to my bank for fraudulent charges every time they charged me for a movie. I never received any new terms of service, so as far as I am concerned these charges are indeed fraudulent.
I had a recent back and forth conversation with the Blockbuster customer service department. Here is my final posting.
Dear Michelle,
Again, thanks for your speedy response. You guys do a great job of customer service. Unfortunately, I have cancelled my Blockbuster subscription. This makes me sad because I enjoyed doing business with your company for quite some time. I will miss visiting my local store. There's nothing like physically going through video selections on a shelf. It was a weekend treat. However, the new policy is not logical. As a consumer, I have to spend my entertainment dollars wisely.
With Blockbuster I paid $34.99 per month for my unlimited subscription. That is an annual cost of $419. With this subscription I was able to view six movies per week whenever I decided to. Under the new unlimited policy, I am now only able to view three movies per week. This factors in my work schedule and time available to watch movies.
Today I researched other offers. Netflix seems to offer the best choice. For $16.99 per month I will be able to view three movies per week through the mail. This will cost $203.88 per year. Compared to Blockbuster's annual $419 per year, I will save $216 per year for the same service. For an additional one-time purchase of a digital video player, I will be able to use the wi-fi in my home to access more than 12,000 free movies and TV shows through the Netflix library. I will also have access to the Amazon video library. For an additional fee, I will be able to purchase and view newly released titles through Netflix or Amazon at my convenience. I won't even have to drive to a local video store. I will be able to view these new releases the day they are released to the public.
Blockbuster's new policy is not logical. Please forward my concerns to your company's decision makers. Meanwhile, I will continue this discussion with my friends and family through Twitter and other social networks.
Thanks for your consideration. I have enjoyed doing business with you.
I cancelled my Blockbuster account after the change in Total Access. Do they think we're stupid? No late fees?!! I could keep the damn video that I got in the store for more that a month without getting charged anyway!.. and I got the new ones in the mail a couple of days later. It was perfect. Now that they won't send the new ones until I return the ones I got at the store, it is a joke. I really enjoyed getting them in the mail and going in to the store... it was fun. But really... with a lousy search engine on their website and the new change to Total Access, I have moved to Netflix. Dumb move, Blockbuster.
CoarseLive, I would never pay $5.75 to rent a NEW movie, let alone an old one. At our Blockbuster, if it's not a new release, it's 99 cents.
Wow, that really stinks. I used to use Blockbuster Total Access until I got sick of their pitiful selection online as well as in-store. I'm a Netflix junkie and when they made their instant view mac compatible they earned a customer for life.
@b612markt: CommentsIs it possible they're grandfathering some people? I haven't received an email about this yet- but I'm also still grandfathered (slightly) from their earlier plans. I'm at 3-out unlimited, unlimited in-store exchanges for $19.95.
I was grandfathered in the first change at $17.99, and later at the second price change, I was upped to $19.95, while others were changed to $35 for the same plan.
Is it possible that they're only doing this for new sign-ups and current heavy-renters?
Or is it possible this is only for heavy renters? Blockbuster's new signup page says nothing about this change-over. It seems fishy that they'd leave their signup page devoid of this info, if they're really planning to convert everybody in less than a week...
Posted by: FredFredrickson | February 25, 2009 at 10:04 AM
This is just the latest ploy by Blockbuster to stick it to the customer. Blockbuster can put whatever spin on it they want to the bottom line is they took away the “free” exchanges from Total Access accounts. I am converting to a Blockbuster By Mail account. The current terms mean Blockbuster By Mail gives me the same value as my existing Total Access account for a lower monthly fee.
Blockbuster is a slimy company. Since I joined Blockbuster Online, Blockbuster almost doubled the price if I wanted to keep the same deal I signed up for. Then the raised my monthly fee anyway. Customer Service has tried to tell me numerous times the next business day after Saturday is Tuesday. Now Blockbuster has again degraded the value my account by a huge amount. No wonder Netflix is doing better.
A Blockbuster store employee told me the “end of late fees” feature will be going away next. Even Blockbuster employees are telling customers “Total Access” is not TOTAL ACCESS anymore. Blockbusters amateurish attempt to disguise the elimination of the “free” exchanges would be laughable if it were not so pathetic.
Posted by: Scammed_By_Blockbuster | March 03, 2009 at 11:48 PM
This is just the latest ploy by Blockbuster to stick it to the customer. Blockbuster can put whatever spin on it they want to the bottom line is they took away the “free” exchanges from Total Access accounts. I am converting to a Blockbuster By Mail account. The current terms mean Blockbuster By Mail gives me the same value as my existing Total Access account for a lower monthly fee.
Blockbuster is a slimy company. Since I joined Blockbuster Online, Blockbuster almost doubled the price if I wanted to keep the same deal I signed up for. Then the raised my monthly fee anyway. Customer Service has tried to tell me numerous times the next business day after Saturday is Tuesday. Now Blockbuster has again degraded the value my account by a huge amount. No wonder Netflix is doing better.
A Blockbuster store employee told me the “end of late fees” feature will be going away next. Even Blockbuster employees are telling customers “Total Access” is not TOTAL ACCESS anymore. Blockbusters amateurish attempt to disguise the elimination of the “free” exchanges would be laughable if it were not so pathetic.
@b612markt: I used to be a Hollywood video junkie (before they closed) just because their selection was phenomenal.
Blockbuster is shooting themselves in the foot.