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72 Comments
- micro23, on 04/15/2008, -3/+27Blockbuster still doesn't even have Blu-ray discs at any of the 5 locations nearby. As far as I'm concerned they have been past the times and useless for a while...
Netflix has Blu-Ray and streaming content.
R.I.P. Blockbuster. - TheVirus, on 04/15/2008, -0/+22I'm impressed Blockbuster has lasted this long in this day and age. Haven't used their 'service' in years, not because of piracy, but because of costs and availability as well as better, and cheaper, services (read: Netflix).
- inactive, on 04/15/2008, -1/+14I know what you mean. It's like that no late fees thing. They actually had me, I registered at blockbuster and rented a few movies for my cabin during christmas vacation. Two weeks later I drop them off. Then when I go back to rent another movie they ask me to pay a "restocking fee". I never went back.
- coachmcguirk, on 04/15/2008, -1/+12I feel bad for all the people who are losing jobs with Blockbuster struggling to stay afloat...
But it really does feel like sweet sweet revenge for all their ridiculous late fee's and bad business tactics.. - dpknc84, on 04/15/2008, -0/+9I don't know about you guys, but redbox is really taking off in my area (Raleigh, NC). They have these kiosks everywhere that you can basically just rent movies for $1. They are at pretty much any supermarket I've been to around here. Blockbuster is behind the times.
For reference to those who have no idea what I'm talking about:
http://www.redbox.com/ - inactive, on 04/15/2008, -0/+7Why must there be some correlation between diggs and comments? Will you people PLEASE shut the ***** up?
- notoneofus, on 04/15/2008, -0/+7If told there were no late fees, I would expect no late fees. Sounds like they just called the fee something else and still charged it. Why is it childish to stop patronizing a business that you feel rips you off?
- rexprime, on 04/15/2008, -0/+6blockbuster has more money than Circuit City?! i never see anyone in blockbuster
- Mast3rDigg3r, on 04/15/2008, -0/+6that only helped them, genius
- SillyRabbits, on 04/15/2008, -0/+6I don't feel bad at all. I wish Blockbuster would finally just fail completely. They should be held up as an example of what happens to a company when they begin to systematically abuse their customers - some other company comes along and takes all of your customers (Netflix, other local movie rental chains). I hope it eventually becomes a case-study in business schools. Now if only that would happen to Comcast.
- rhbama13, on 04/15/2008, -1/+7my blockbuster has a decent blu-ray selection, and blockbuster online has a full selection of blu-ray.
- chris4404, on 04/15/2008, -0/+5Not everyone is comfortable using a computer or waiting on shipping to see a movie. My parents still use the brick and mortar stores and I doubt their habits are going to change anytime soon.
- javvidal, on 04/15/2008, -0/+5I honestly want Blockbuster to die... I've been an employee for the past 3 years and I don't care if I lose my job, I just hate their terrible propositions and business schemes. I am ashamed... =/
- mnky9800n, on 04/15/2008, -1/+5The idea is that they told everyone they no longer had late fees. There were big signs everywhere saying "END OF LATE FEES" with no disclaimer saying "we just renamed it to restocking fee". What is even more sinister is that if you kept it for over a month then it was considered yours and the store was not allowed to take it back and you would have to pay full retail on the DVD. The entire idea of no late fees was asinine to begin with. Blockbuster made 30$ million a year just by charging irresponsible customers. When they decided to get rid of it, they also decided to spend considerable more money on starting a netflix-type service, which they then haphazardly tried to tie in to their brick and mortar store. The story goes on and on and you can take it all the way back to the beginning as well. Blockbuster has always had more idiots then smarts on the middle management and upper management levels.
- NATED066, on 04/15/2008, -3/+7Does yours count as one?
- inactive, on 04/15/2008, -0/+4So I take it you actually like hidden fees and being lied to?
- SillyRabbits, on 04/15/2008, -0/+4I think the model is to tie yourself to another company so it becomes harder for you to fail completely, thus prolong the misery as long as possible. I think this is a "grasping at straw" move.
- giant.robot, on 04/15/2008, -0/+4I don't know what Blockbuster you've ever been in but all the ones around here have a horrible selection. I got a Netflix account because no local rental places had a decent selection of foreign or indie films. They certainly have no anime rentals and very few if any television series.
- zaii7, on 04/15/2008, -0/+3*update* Blockbuster now only in baby boomer retirement homes
- lilianatota, on 04/15/2008, -0/+3I didn't know Blockbuster was still in business.
- chubbybubba, on 04/15/2008, -1/+4This is huge news... if we were in 1985.
- jugglingjon, on 04/15/2008, -0/+3I think you missed his point, that even the regular use of netflix, building your queue online and waiting a day for shipping, is not attractive to a lot of non-technical people. I have a netflix subscription, but my family still goes to blockbuster to get their movies; they don't like browsing online or waiting so long for their movies. A lot of people are like that.
- bgramer1, on 04/15/2008, -0/+2Blockbuster is definitely RIP but my store is slowly building up a Blu-Ray section.
- inactive, on 04/15/2008, -0/+2Im going to guess your mom wouldnt give you the credit card for the 25 dollar deposit.
- jcastillo81, on 04/15/2008, -0/+2I have no problems with circuit city (except there terrible music section) and I had no idea they were having problems. I see new stores quite often.
- punkcat, on 04/15/2008, -0/+2you go in, you buy a big screen TV and while you are there, you download a rental from a kiosk (presumably onto a dvd.)
its kind of like what you would do at home via other services but instead you drive to their store to do it. - tekrat, on 04/15/2008, -0/+2Blockbuster wants Circuit City two reasons:
- Parallel Goods: Every time you buy a TV or DVD player, get 5 free rentals. Evertytime you walk in the store you get a code for a free rental.
- A future VOD set top box: They can't afford to get onto Walmart shelves with something like this, but you could go on Curcuit City's shelves with virtually free distribution. Figure something like this to roll out at the end of the year to target the upcoming switch to HDTV and compete with Netflix's set-top-box.
The only thing keeping the current video stores alive is the number of art/foreign films they carry and the online video rental with free in-store rentals. Their prices are usually a buck more the Family Video but they also carry a lot of niche products. - MtheoryX, on 04/15/2008, -0/+2Godwin.
- punkcat, on 04/15/2008, -0/+2and you people probably thought the Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robins merger was a bad idea too.
- dvdchris, on 04/15/2008, -0/+2I think Blockbuster will continue to be relevant to outlying areas that are not broadband connected or that have significant populations of older people whose retail habits are ingrained and unlikely to change. One third of Americans still say they will never connect to the internet at home. Those are sustainable numbers to any business that wants to cater to them.
- RabidFurby, on 04/16/2008, -0/+1Unfortunately, Blockbuster is a very easy job, and highly desired among students where I live. I worked there and it was fantastic. Very easy job. We didn't have any PS3 games, low quantity of X360 games, and only a handful of Wii games.
Things went to ***** when we got a new store manager, and even though we complained to many people from corporate, nothing happened. Now they are venting revenue because me and 5 other very hard working and very honest employees quit. The only people working there now is a thieving retarded bitch, an old senile bitch, and other bitches that bitch!
I have great respect for women! - MtheoryX, on 04/15/2008, -0/+1Whoosh!
- habenneas, on 04/15/2008, -0/+1Text-only mirror: http://www.lynxcache.org/usr/1/_Blockbuster_unlike ...
- cleverboy, on 04/15/2008, -0/+1Apple -> Apple Retail Store -> AppleTV
Blockbuster -> Circuit City -> MovieBeam
Microsoft -> Microsoft Retail Store -> XBox 360
Sony -> Sony Style -> Playstation
Everybody needs a store that sells an "experience" consumers can touch. Even moreso as things go online. It's where all the cool kids are taking it. What next you say?
Netflix -> Red Box Deluxe -> LG set top box? Hm? Who knows.
From bricks to clicks. Blockbuster knows what they need to do. The ONLY question is can they pull it off. - inactive, on 04/24/2008, -0/+1You'd think they'd want to grasp at a company that was doing better than Circuit City. Of course they probably can't afford that.
- ryrysofly, on 04/15/2008, -2/+3OMG! I thought for a second that the author was Carrot-Top from glancing at the pic....
...you would of never of guessed it either, because the article was about at his level of humor. - EricAnderton, on 04/15/2008, -0/+1Blockbuster is on the way out. I think what we're seeing here is a sloppy and last-ditch move to build some buzz, and maybe hold some stock value for another few quarters while they attempt to "grow" horizontally. This is because the last thing they want is to have their stock fall due to their poor numbers in the face of rabid competition like NetFlix.
If they were to acquire Circuit City, they can tout having grown by $x Billion dollars in Q2 of 2008, regardless of how much Circuit City is getting hammered by Best Buy. This simply continues the "make the shareholder happy" cycle of business.
This way, they either continue to do business another day or simply have a fatter lamb for the slaughter. Either way it's a win. - habenneas, on 04/16/2008, -0/+1Fast, text-only mirror: http://www.lynxcache.org/usr/1/_Blockbuster_unlike ...
- habenneas, on 04/15/2008, -0/+1LynxCache mirror: http://www.lynxcache.org/usr/1/_Blockbuster_unlike ...
- RX9735, on 04/16/2008, -0/+1Fees or not the main issue is a due date. If you fail to return it you are ***** over the store, customers and yourself (by being charged). If something is due on the 10th don't keep it until whenever turn it in by the 10th.
- habenneas, on 04/15/2008, -0/+1Text-only mirror: http://www.lynxcache.org/usr/1/_Blockbuster_unlike ...
- kooftspc, on 04/15/2008, -0/+1***** the BLOCKBUSTER
circuit city with all of them goddamn mail in rebates....as much as i hate going to best buy, i would much rather buy something fully discounted at the register rather than wait 3 months for the possibility of getting my money back. honestly, i think mail in rebates are what really began to seperate the two 2 years ago - habenneas, on 04/16/2008, -0/+1Lynx mirror: http://www.lynxcache.org/usr/1/_Blockbuster_unlike ...
- EricAnderton, on 04/15/2008, -0/+1Dugg up for truth.
If you like the typical shlock produced for the masses, and don't mind the possibility of it not being there when you want it, Blockbuster is your store. For *everything* else, there's Netflix and Gamefly. - cjschmidt, on 04/15/2008, -0/+1I remember our local video store. The owner worked there most of the time and only hired movie buffs. You could ask them about movies and they'd give you answers. If they didn't have it, they'd order it for you. Had to walk to school up hill, both ways too. Sigh.
I'll take RedBox for new movies and NetFlix for the obscure stuff. I'd support a brick and mortar if they weren't evil and expensive. - ThaDRD, on 04/16/2008, -0/+1Where's my doughnut ice cream?
- RX9735, on 04/16/2008, -0/+1If you are to busy to return it, don't rent it. What about the people that are waiting for you to return it so they can watch it? ***** them? That what you are saying by keeping it. I work in a library and I am very much aware of some people's ethics when it comes to returning things they barrowed.
- YodaJones, on 04/15/2008, -0/+1I am so glad we have these great analysts to figure out these things for us.
Blockbuster killed by Redbox, among others.
http://www.redbox.com - habenneas, on 04/16/2008, -0/+1Text-only mirror: http://www.lynxcache.org/usr/1/_Blockbuster_unlike ...
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