What is Digg?143 Comments
- inactive, on 09/01/2008, -1/+117***** Blockbusters. They are getting what they deserve. They acted like an arrogant monopoly when they had the majority of the market share by bullying competitors and customers. It was outrageous that they started to charge as much for a new release movie as what it cost for a movie ticket. They treated their employees like crap and paid them nothing and no benefits and I'm not talking about the kids that worked the counter but the managers and other employees. I hope Blockbusters goes bankrupt because they are never going to get my business ever again.
- AmyVernon, on 09/01/2008, -0/+65Buh-bye, Blockbuster.
- lhbaker, on 09/01/2008, -0/+60I've always hated Blockbuster. Their profits were dirived from penalties, not customer satisfaction, which makes them no better than most banks. Honestly, once Netflix came along, I thought Blockbuster would vanish sooner. Good riddance.
- shyampoo, on 09/01/2008, -2/+45aXXo vs. Blockbuster
can't be saved now - twister17e, on 09/01/2008, -2/+41Back in the day, I rented two movies and was a couple days late (I think it was like 2-3 days) and the fee was over $20. The damage was done and I have never been back since. With the competition (Netflix), there's no way - Netflix is on the top of their game. Also, trying to combine forces with CompUSA (when they filed bankruptcy) shows how intelligent their upper management is. Another example is this quote from the article, "Blockbuster is exploring the possibility of installing kiosks in its stores to make downloading entertainment on mobile products available for those on the go". Yes, Blockbuster I want to drive to your store (remember I'm on the go and probably busy) to download entertainment; especially, with new powerful cellphones & other mobile products.
Goodbye, Blockbuster don't let the door hit you on the way out. There is a important lesson to be learned, Blockbuster. Adapt to new methods of doing business & technologies and never piss off your customers! - sjbdallas, on 09/01/2008, -0/+38It's the typical story of failure that we've seen over and over. These companies rise to the top, get rid of competition, then think they can screw their customers left and right. About 3 years ago, Blockbuster suddenly became irrelevant and they never realized it. If every Blockbuster in the country shut their doors tomorrow there would be zero impact on the ability of people to rent movies.
- str1fe, on 09/01/2008, -2/+40Short answer? No.
With the age of Netflix and various means of online movie distribution, the movie rental store in general is in a place where it can't stand up against the competition. If anything, it'll get to the point where Blockbuster (or some similar company - i haven't paid attention to any of them in years) is the last one left and it's still doing well, but then it'll drive itself into the ground with monopolistic business practices and such. - WickEd101, on 09/01/2008, -1/+24This pretty much sums up Netflix vs Blockbuster for me.
How does Blockbuster's Jim Keyes still have the job as CEO? Netflix is kicking his company’s ass and he thinks Netflix is the company that’s doing it wrong.
Equally bewildering to Mr. Keyes is the emphasis on catalog size. Why would anyone want to watch anything other than new releases, he wonders.
“I don’t care how many movies are available to me. As my personal taste as a customer, I want to watch the new stuff so whether we have 10,000 movies or 200 movies doesn’t matter if I don’t want to see any of the movies that we have … our assortment is heavily weighted toward newer releases and mainstream staple titles.” - pcgeek101, on 09/01/2008, -0/+17You won't be missed.
- twister17e, on 09/01/2008, -0/+14Correction: Sorry, the edit time expired. Blockbuster tried to buy out Circuit City not CompUSA.
- DrSnugglebunny, on 09/01/2008, -0/+13Why save a business that is irrelevant today?
- Idietired, on 09/01/2008, -1/+14What Keyes apparently doesn't understand is that nobody who LIKES movies is interested only the mainstream drivel.
I can list 10 B-flick comedy DVD's I've rented in the last few years that I'd rather see than "Step-Up 2: The Streets."
Hell, I'll do one better ... I can list 10 "National Lampoon" releases I'd rather watch than some of the mainstream stuff.
You're right, WickEd101 - that dude definitely doesn't get it. - leftysrevenge, on 09/01/2008, -0/+12Not true, if you keep it, they charge you for the movie (the exorbitant msrp value, not their regular sale price), but if it's returned they refund the charge minus a reallocation fee of $1.25 or so.
- YodaJones, on 09/01/2008, -3/+15One word: Redbox. http://www.redbox.com $1 per day rentals at many McDonald's and supermarkets. Check their web site for the locations in your zip. How can Blockbuster compete with Redbox or someone like Netflix. Just their location rent makes their business model impossible to compete. I personally think Netflix sucks and the class action lawsuit that they lost http://www.netflix.com/Settlement shows they are also not always on the level.
Many people think that downloading will replace the physical DVD rentals. I disagree. What those people do not understand is that there is too much compression being used and the quality is nowhere near the quality of the physical media, especially in America where we have such ***** broadband and especially now that companies like Comcast will be putting caps on your download volume (250 GB per month for Comcast).
This is why we do need some kind of services that are able to rent the physical DVD for the foreseeable future. - Darkaged, on 09/01/2008, -0/+11Holy *****, do you hate vowels?
- aussieNickuss, on 09/01/2008, -1/+12Your comment being buried just goes to show the mob mentality of digg. You post a perfectly good, positive comment regarding Blockbuster, but the sheep digg you down anyway.
- noahgelman, on 09/01/2008, -3/+12I haven't been to Blockbuster in years. I think in another 2 years, Blockbuster will be forced to close all their stores indefinitely.
- Idietired, on 09/01/2008, -3/+13Blockbuster needs to learn that hollow, nationally-driven marketing ploys WILL NOT WORK for a business model built around a local, community-based clientele. Lots of people still go to a video store, and nobody is interested in driving more than 10 minutes away, which means every store in every neighborhood is different, and global marketing is impossible.
I used to know everybody at my local Blockbuster, and knew who to ask for a recommendation depending on my mood. When the 5th "new hire" in as many weeks asked me if I'd "heard about their online rentals," or if I "wanted to pick up a magazine while I'm at it," I just stopped going.
Blockbuster execs should take note: NOBODY wants to rent from a cold, corporate entity!
Spend some time establishing yourselves as a community video store all the way down at the branch level, stop firing the minimum-wage kids every 20 minutes for being 3-minutes late back from lunch, and MAYBE you can bring back some estranged renters.
Of course, it could be too late ... - PainToad, on 09/01/2008, -3/+13It's easier for me to leech than drive down the road. You tell me where the future is.
- jbpico, on 09/01/2008, -0/+9100% false. Nothing is mailed from the stores. There are online distribution centers that have a way bigger selection than any of the stores. Not sure where you're getting your info from.
- simg, on 09/01/2008, -0/+8yes, that's why there still ARE movies ...
- alpharaptor, on 09/01/2008, -0/+8you'd need a lobotomy to accept that tripe
- 032483, on 09/01/2008, -12/+21I have to say, I have Blockbuster Online and it's great. Not only do I get to rent three movies from the website(just like Net-Flix), I can take them to my nearest Blockbuster and exchange them for three free movies there. As soon as they're scanned they're tagged as "mailed" so the next movies on your list are sent out automatically. Definitely worth the $21 bucks a month..
- 007isbond1, on 09/01/2008, -0/+7remember people, they ***** us over once.. they will continue to ***** us as hard as they possibly can.
- Typhoon2009, on 09/01/2008, -0/+6Rest in pieces. There used to be a Blockbuster nearby - not anymore. ***** 'em.
- lintmonkey, on 09/01/2008, -0/+6Down with banks!
- MillionsLivio, on 09/01/2008, -0/+6The author does have a legitimate argument about video games, the problem is they charge $8 to rent a game for five days, then you have the ridiculous fees if you are even a day late. Usually they are completely sold out of the games anyway for at least a month on release because they only get three or four copies of it. They expect you to pay about 1/6 the price of the game to rent it for five days, I like to enjoy my games, not speed run them. Their system is obsolete, my friend recently got Gamefly and loves it, so I think I'll be going with them. For $20 a month I get two games at a time and there aren't any late fees.
- saegiru, on 09/01/2008, -1/+7Kerasotes has a five buck club in certain areas for 2-week old movies in theaters, and in some smaller towns movies are around $5-$7 for new releases. Even if you assume most theaters charge $8-$11, $5 for a rental is stupidly expensive for something you have to go pick up, only can keep 1 or 2 days, and then have to return or pay an insane late fee. Brick & mortar rental stores worked when there wasn't an alternative, but as it stands they are completely archaic now.
- lukedamonkey, on 09/01/2008, -0/+6Why does everything come back to politics? I don't want to read this bullcrap.
- bengrg, on 09/01/2008, -3/+8die bitch.
- Tape99, on 09/01/2008, -1/+6Do we want Blockbuster to be saved?
NO - roodammy44, on 09/01/2008, -3/+8@Warhammer
I think you should be drug tested, with that attitude.
What are you on, some sort of legally prescribed upper?
I can't believe somewhere as petty as blockbusters drug tests.
Why don't they just put cameras inside our homes already. Nothing to hide, right???? - alpharaptor, on 09/01/2008, -0/+5unless it was just a one night stand
- Soulglow, on 09/01/2008, -0/+5I had a membership from 1999-2007. I rented several movies a month the whole time. One day I rented some movies, and when I came home I noticed one of the DVD cases was empty. I went back to the store and was accused of theft (they thought I was scamming the store out of a free dvd). They charged my card $20 against my will, and I never went back. I guess that's how they treat long time customers who have spent several hundred dollars a year there. Uh, great business decision, as I'll never step foot in a blockbuster again.
- ronaldinho, on 09/01/2008, -0/+5I have no sympathy for those who still own Blockbuster's shares. It's too late now. I would still do NetFlix over Blockbuster even if I'm in general not a movie-renter, and it's because 1) it's online so it's more convenient, and 2) Arstechnica hit the spot: why the ***** does Blockbuster not have enough movies on hand AND makes it difficult to find movies?
No human being can save Blockbuster. I won't be surprised if it declares bankruptcy in 5 years - mikemarino, on 09/01/2008, -0/+5RIP Ballbuster Video.
- leftysrevenge, on 09/01/2008, -0/+5Zero impact on the ability? yes. on their awareness of alternatives? barely no. People still relate BB to a night out. The more savvy will have caught on to the mail-in rentals and the "ability" to watch borrowed films. but there will be a lot of others simply lost in the woods, wondering where they should go, and since they're programmed to look for a cheap way to watch movies at home, they're looking for something tangible. good thing there's RedBox.
- MaxMWood, on 09/01/2008, -1/+5I thought blockbusters already went bankrupt?
- Merp08, on 09/01/2008, -0/+4I like BB online too. I was getting six movies a week at one point and um... making backups...
- jefree, on 09/01/2008, -0/+4No. Being a misleading, greedy, superficial and crooked business employing gotcha practices is what was the downfall of this company. I don't care what the company does. My aim is to never associate with Blockbuster again and I think I'm not alone.
- dfwlinuxguy, on 09/01/2008, -1/+5I'll tell you where they lost it with me. I was a happy long time customer of blockbuster. I don't have a netflix account and don't see ever getting one. I want to be able to run by and pickup a movie on impulse, but they did so many things to piss me off that I just never go to blockbuster anymore.
There first problem, which wasn't their fault, is the horrible movies that started coming out of hollywood. There was a time when I just started having a hard time finding anything worth renting.
The second problem was when they introduced the "no late fees ever" campaign. All of the sudden if there was something I wanted to rent, I would go in and it would be out of stock. I would inquire as to when they thought they might have it and of course the response was "we don't know" and how could they know since there was no deadline for anyone to return the movie?
The straw that broke the camel's back for me -
I had my blockbuster membership for years. Used it even when I moved to different addresses, even to a different state and back. I was always able to walk in to blockbuster and plop down my card and rent a movie. Then one day I walked in and they told me that since it had been more than a certain number of days since I had rented a video, that I would have to completely fill out a new application with all my private information. With stories all over the place like this one - http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/18095049.html about blockbuster throwing customer's private information directly into the dumpster, I wasn't about to leave that with them. I told them they could use the paper to input the information into their computer, but that I would be taking the written form with me. When they said they couldn't do that, I walked out with the form I filled out for them and have never returned. I don't want to rent a movie badly enough to risk identity theft.
After 15 years of never having any trouble using my blockbuster rental card, all of the sudden they decide I have to completely re-apply everytime I fail to rent a video within a specific time. Well screw them. - Lagstorm, on 09/01/2008, -0/+4http://www.somethingawful.com/flash/shmorky/babby. ...
- BradBrown, on 09/01/2008, -1/+5Wrong title. It should be "Who Wants to Push Blockbuster Over The Edge?"
- hiikeeba, on 09/01/2008, -1/+5I might miss it. A little. It was always a place to stop and pick a really crappy B movie. Now all we have is YouTube.
- waydee, on 09/01/2008, -0/+4The entire business model is pretty much obsolete these days, it's not quite there because there are still people not comfortable/aware they can use services like netflix, lovefilm etc. which are all far more convenient not to mention on-demand services through satellite/cable.
The younger generation however? very little reason to visit a physical video rental store. I see most of them around here are constantly moving premises into cheaper areas, closing stores and obviously struggling to get by. Cut your losses and embrace the new way of doing things if you want to stay profitable. A local chain here seem to have responded to this by installing tanning beds in their stores which I always find pretty funny, is this common? - completerobot, on 09/01/2008, -0/+4"Blockbuster opened its first store in Dallas, Texas on October 19, 1985. The founder of the company was David Cook. He grew the business and brought it public."
- JohnboiWaltune, on 09/01/2008, -0/+4The main advantage Blockbuster has over Netflix is immediate gratification. You don't have to wait 2 days to get your movie. The only other minor advantages I can think of is that they have locations everywhere, and strong brand name recognition.
They need to scale down the size of their stores, and burn the DVDs on-site at some sort of automated kiosk that's networked by a fat pipe to a movie server. The disks are etched with a barcode that gets scanned to prove you returned the movie.
Having 20 employees and 3000 sqft of rows of DVDs and VHS tapes won't work. - ibeetle, on 09/01/2008, -0/+4Dateline: Sept. 1st 2010 Blockbuster files for bankruptcy closes all stores. Mail order division to close soon after.
Dateline: Sept. 2nd 2010 Netflix now only game in town doubles prices. - cawfee, on 09/01/2008, -0/+3Future brilliant minds of our world, right there.
- bmdt2000, on 09/02/2008, -0/+3Count me as another happy user of Blockbuster's online rental service. I get my movies in about a day and I can swap them out at the store if I want something right away. On top of that, it comes with a free in store rental (game or movie) every month that doesn't require me to swap anything. I got in before they raised the prices, so I'm still locked into the lower rate. The only thing Blockbuster needs to add to keep in the game is free streaming to a PC or game system. Netflix still has some work to do from my understanding, but they are definitely ahead on this front.
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