Blockbuster To Test No-Late-Fee Model

[j1d10t]

I love Netflix. It's especially great when you have a small child - I used to go to the video store all the time, and they used to play either previews of inappropriate movies, or play the inappropriate movies themselves. I'm not talking about porn, or anything like that, but PG-13 and R rated stuff with a lot of language, and violence. And when you have a small child that likes to repeat things they hear, or pays a lot of attention to what is playing on the TVs all over the store, it can make going to the video store a real pain in the as*. Even complaining to the manager about their choice in movies to play didn't help because their answer was, "well, maybe you shouldn't bring your kid in here" (said a just-out-of-high-school snot, with a major attitude). I started with Netflix about 3 years ago, and I don't think I'll ever go back to Blockbuster/Hollywood Video - It's been 3 years since I set foot in a video rental place, and as long as Netflix is around, I won't. It only takes about 2 days for me to get my movies from Netflix, so I can't complain.

[jarin]

"Whether it is ethical or not to charge 10, 15, 20 times the movie's actual value is another question. "

Blockbuster pay more per movie becuase then they rent them out, they have an agreement with the movie studios and suppliers, hence they pay more per dvd then you or I would,

90 Bucks is probably pretty cheap, they pay more then that per DVD because of the revenue they make per DVD.

The ones they sell that is a different story, but they can not rent out the ones they have for sale at all.

Now even the rentals are DIFFERENT to the sold ones sometimes they lack special features or have ads in them they cost more to buy.

- Jarin[/i]

[vitualis]

Is that really that common in the US? (different rental vs. purchase versions of DVDs).

In Oz, except for the very few rare occurences, the rental version is almost always exactly the same as the standard retail version.

Regards.

[txpharoah]

Is that really that common in the US? (different rental vs. purchase versions of DVDs)..

No. Not at all.

I still know a general manager in charge of a Blockbluster distribution center. He told me how everything works after my little incident. The $90 was probably an error according to him, but the snot-nosed manager of the store refused to acknowledge it. And I'm not the only one that's had problems of this type, nor with that one particular manager who was probably in his late 20s. If he's old enough to dish it out, I'm good enough to feed it to him.

They buy in bulk. That's their contract. They don't pay more for the movies. Just MSRP-Bulk prices (not to be confused with normal MSRP). Even then, it's under $10 apiece most times. And no, legally, you cannot charge for "missed opportunities," as that's little more than extortion. That's what the late fees were for, but even then, Blockbuster's shady business practices have landed them in federal court facing class-action suits on more than one ocassion. They sent me free rental coupons after this last case some months back. I threw them in the trash.

Nowhere in their contract does it specify anything more than replacement costs (which cannot be charged in addition to late fees), and if they have a movie for $15 on their own shelves, that's the replacement cost: $15.

Their purchase agreements may have changed in the past few years, but I doubt it. I'd have to check with him, but seeing that we live in different areas codes, I don't really that much to pay long distance.

[yorkie98]

The store charged my credit card $90 (THAT'S NINETY DOLLARS, as in $10 less than $100) for it's replacement.

FYI, that IS the replacement cost of a RENTAL Dvd. All rental outlet's have to pay a premium rate for DVDs which are to be rented. This gives them a different licence than what you get with a retail DVD.
The movie companies want a cut of the revenue from rentals and they get it by charging high rates for rental DVDs as it's a much easier to run system. Imagine the paperwork if a percentage had to be paid from every rental to all kinds of companies.

This is common practice worldwide. Sometimes the DVD may be exactly the same in every way as the retail version of the DVD but the retailer will have still paid a higher price for the copies intended for rental as ONLY those copies are licenced for rental. This is not so common nowadays as the rental versions seem to contain less of the special features than the retail and also often contain adverts and trailers.

Personally, I don't undersatand why there is an argument about late/relpacement fees. In most BB stores, the late fees are clearly displayed and you sign a contract when you take out your membership that you will pay any fees if the movie is late and be charged to replace the movie if you lose/damage/keep it.
It's your mistake and certainly does not excuse violence against the people working the store. That is unexcuseable and anyone doing it should get banned from every store in town. My town has such a scheme. If you are caught stealing or being violent, your details and picture are circulated to all the stores in the town in the program (Which is most of them) and almost overnight, your as~ is banned from nearly every store in town.

Yorkie.

[BJ_M]

in the usa -- the moral police are everywhere -- just compare prime time usa networks to fox austrialia for example or canada television (or most places in EC for that mater)

i mean they still burn and ban books in many areas there (including such classics as:
"catcher in the rye" , THE CLAN OF THE CAVE BEAR, CARRIE, CATCH-22, A CLOCKWORK ORANGE, THE CRUCIBLE, THE DIARY OF A YOUNG GIRL (anne frank) (yes banned still in alabama schools) , EAST OF EDEN, A FAREWELL TO ARMS, FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC, FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC, THE GRAPES OF WRATH, HUCKLEBERRY FINN (yes banned in many states), LORD OF THE FLIES, NINETEEN EIGHTY-FOUR, OF MICE AND MEN, SLAUGHTERHOUSE-FIVE, UNCLE TOM'S CABIN and many many more ..

just look at this list : http://www.aclu-or.org/banned/50ban.html (and there are many more such lists) ....


so movies and films get the same treatment ... (in the usa) ... wack chop ban censor edit replace words .. on and on ..

honestly you dont know what all you are missing ...

[txpharoah]

FYI, that IS the replacement cost of a RENTAL Dvd. All rental outlet's have to pay a premium rate for DVDs which are to be rented.

No.

The Blockbuster corporate headquarters are in Dallas, Texas. Call them and ask... if they'll tell you... and assuming they're honest. I'd do it if I cared more, and I don't. I found out what I wanted at the time (as stated above).

If you are caught stealing or being violent, your details and picture are circulated to all the stores in the town in the program (Which is most of them) and almost overnight, your as~ is banned from nearly every store in town.

Oh, I'd LOVE for that to happen to me. I'd be a millionaire. Why, you ask? Because that's SLANDER (if spoken publicly) and/or LIBEL (if printed), at least in the United States. That kind of medieval BS doesn't work here. Sure, post my picture all over town. I could use a bigger bankroll.

[version20]

The fun thing about TXPharoah is that he makes up what he thinks is right and then sticks to it as if it were true (see other thread for lame reasons why he thinks dvd-r is a superior "professional" format vs. dvd+r).

It IS true that rental videos cost the facility more than consumer videos, I dont claim to know all of the particulars but it has always been this way even with VHS you could face up to a $75+ replacement fee. Just because they have it NOW in their used bin doesnt mean it was $15 when they paid for it. It is not right to have to pay a $90 replacement fee as far as logic is concerned, but logic does not dictate business practice in this country. Hence services like the one they are peddling on local TV where you call a special phone service who will call and make reservations for you at a restaurant for a fee. (wtf??)

Anyway, Blockbuster does rent edited versions of movies and they are not even labelled as such. Because of that I have refused to rent from them for years.

Netflix doesnt edit their movies, but their selection is limited by who knows what logic, you cant find Scarface, but you can rent Henry & June (nc-17). I dont get it.

Still, for standard rental fare, they are the way to go - except it can be quite a wait sometimes for the newest releases depending on your timing.

Their "recommendations" feature is also useless - "You rented The Muppets Take Manhattan, here are other movies with frogs.."

-v20

[txpharoah]

I dont claim to know all of the particulars -v20

Then quit pretending you do.

Call Blockbuster in Dallas, Texas. Ask for their purchasing department, find a manager or VP, and talk to him/her since you are so interested in finding out who's "right". As I said, this situation was some years ago, so it may be different TODAY, but I doubt it.

The company could NEVER make their money back if EVERY movie cost $90. You're just absence a few facts here, my friend.

Also, please review recent court cases against Blockbuster for their shoddy business practices as related to fees and the such.

[flaninacupboard]

rental titles certainly cost more than retail titles here in the UK. my brother worked in a shop about four years ago who did video rental and he did the ordering at £60 a pop, with rentals at £3. after about twelve months they got put on sale for £10 each, so it would only need to be rented out once every 3 and a bit weeks to make a profit.

i assume pricing for DVD's is similar these days. our local video/DVD store did in fact get busted a few weeks ago for renting retail discs. if you look on his discs they say "Not for rental or resale" at least they do under a layer of black pen.....

as for your ridiculous attitude TX, well, that's up to you i guess. but you surely a man such as yourself who consistently tells us how much you know about the law, and how you hate talking to people ignorant of the law, understand when you sign a contract you have to bide by it.....? no?

As for your weird idea about slander and libel...? what? We have the same scheme in this country, in our area. basically all of the shops in the town have cameras, and if the staff get abuse (probably from customers who are suprised when asked to pay for something they agreed to pay in a legally binding contract...?) or crimes are committed, images are distributed and those people are banned from service. every shop owner has the right to refuse service to anyone they want. of course you'd know all about that, because you know all about the law.

[Faustus]

Ok here is the low down as I know it about the super expensive movies, cause I wanted a movie a LONG while back that turned out to be that expensive. Why? Because it was a rental store only release, until some months later when the standard Store VHS release happened.

I also have a friend who worked at a video store in the area (that I hung out with way to much up there during high school) and I can say except for some big movies they do not charge that much more, and when they do its only because its being released to video store early in most curcumstances. They did seem to pay more on alot of movies though, but the few figures I saw were rarely much more then standard retail price.

I must also point out that I'm not sure if its still like this with DVD, but I know it was with VHS "back in the day"

[defense]

One thing noone seemed to mention is how Blockbuster changed their return policy "slightly" after some of these class action law suits. I remember about three years ago I rented a movie and a huge receipt came out from the register. I thought it was more rewards shit but it was actually information regarding a class action law suit VS BLOCKBUSTER. If I had incurred any late fees over such and such time I was eligible to be part of the class action suit..etc.

Didn't waste my time, but I did agree Blockbuster is very shady with their return policy. That's why I told myself about three years ago i'd never have a single late fee again because it got to be ridiculous in terms of what I was spending in late fees. I'm pleased to say since that time I have no gotten one single late fee. damn i'm good...lol...

anyway, Blockbuster ended up changin their return policy from what THEY CALL "two days" to "THREE DAYS"..which really is bullshit.

The movies used to have to be back by midnight on the second day, with the amended return policy, the movies can be back on the THIRD DAY BEFORE NOON. The problem here for many though is that if you rent a movie one evening...even up to 11:59 p.m on Monday for example..that movie is due back Wednesday before NOON...now I'm no Mathematician...but can someone who is explain how that's 3 days?

That's more like ONE AND A HALF DAYS...and if something comes up the evening you rent the movie, or the next day, and you gotta work that Wednesday, chances are you won't get a chance to see the movie without incurring a late fee. Not to mention if you get up late the next morning or if something happens the next morning and you can't stop by blockbuster to drop off movies do back by NOON, you are gonna incur late fees. It's absolutely ridiculous and that's why i've been using netflix myself for Several months.

Fortunately, I have a warehouse very close to me and I get MOST movies within ONE DAY lol..crazy shit....and my returns are within ONE DAY.....works out great, can have up to 6 movies per week like that ..if not more.....so it comes out to about $1 movie or so ...but i'd be interested in checking out the unlimited plan from Blockbuster for sure.... thirty bucks a month times three movies a day equals ninety movies for thirty dollars a month...again, no mathematician here but isn't that about thirty some odd cents per movie? Sounds damn good to me

and beats my Blockbuster rewards membership deal as well as any Netflix deals...have to check it out...was in Blockbuster weeks ago and they only had the Games deal going on..not th emovies deal..but it doesn't surprise me cuz the summertime is when they run all this shit because school is out.

[flaninacupboard]

hmm.
Our video shop works like this. rent movie, return next day before 6pm.
never once have a i returned an item late.
If you're too busy or can't plan well enough, that's your fault, not blockbusters.

[vitualis]

Hmm, must be a US thing...

At the local Video Ezy, as long as you return it before 10 pm the next day, it's okay.

Regards.

[Reaper88]

I wont even go to blockbuster anymore. I always seen to find a way to bring it back late. I now go to Hollywood Video. All movies ( even new releases ) are always 5 day rentals.

[handyguy]

"I'm not sure if you were aware of this, but blockbuster already has an instore unlimited rental programs for about $20 a month"

I dont think that came to our BB store yet but we have the game freedom thing for $20

[ephesus]

Netflix has a distribution area near me also and I have the 1 day turnarounds on DVD rentals. I have been with Netflix since 2000 so I get the special rate of having 4 movies out at once for what newcomers are now paying to have 3 out at once. I really have a lot of respect for their business model and their overall business practices. For the 3 years I've been with them, about 8 movies have ended up lost and Netflix hasn't charged me for them. Granted, movies can get lost in the mail and that's not the customer's fault but I'm surprised they don't have a more rigid policy. Mostly, I've been very happy with Netflix because they have such a large selection including foreign films, independent films older films. Honesty, I've think I've seen about 80% of all the movies at Blockbuster. Blockbuster reminds me of a Top 40 radio station in that they mostly only carry the popular stuff. Walmart also has the mail-in rental program, but they have an inferior selection and the movies take far longer to arrive. Also, I don't know how long they'll be around since Netflix won a patent for core parts of this particular business model of which Walmart is clearly in violation.

Oh, and I don't know how blockbuster works but I know that Netflix buys their DVD's at cost and pays the movie company a fee for every rental depending on what it is. For example, new releases will cost Netflix more. That's why you never see Netflix really pomoting new releases strongly, but instead promote older films or independent films that it thinks you'll like.

[tgpo]

What I hate most about Blockbuster is the 12pm return time. So if you rent a movie it's due back by noon of the second day. But they never tell you the 12pm thing, they only say the date of the second day. And I forget every stinkin' time about the noon return time. So I now go to my local Movie Gallery, and problem solved. All movies are 5 day rentals, including new releases. Plus Movie Gallery stocks Troma Team movies and independant releases, soon they may be stocking one of my movies.

[Supreme2k]

I suppose that I have to stress the facts AGAIN about the "Ours cost more" belief going on in this thread. I worked at Blockbuster about two years ago, and the videos are bought in bulk, therefore cheaper than retail. Their business is video rental. There aren't any "magic" videos that cost more. If that were the case, you could buy some of their "previously veiwed" videos and rent them yourself, since they are already "special."

The simple fact is that Blockbuster videos actually cost LESS, not more, than retail (especially not the ridiculous $90).

Also, the libel thing is true. If they don't want to rent to you, they cancel your account, or in the extreme cases, get a restraining order against you. Posting a picture of an unruly customer in their store will only land them in court.

[tgpo]

I can remember a few years back where videos were $100 per movie to buy. In fact if you look at some of the older movies later 80s/ early 90s they still bear these price tags. I can remember wanting to save up to buy a VHS movie from Video World at $98 used. Man, how times have changed.

[DeadLamb]

IMHO, that program is far superior to netflix, or any other online rental because you don't have to wait several days to get your movies.

yeah but the biggest downside, IMO of blockbuster is they really have a very limited amount of films they get in. They NEVER really get in older films that are just now on the way to DVD. Like Swamp Thing 2 or T2 Special Ed etc etc.. Like Fear of a Black Hat just came out on DVD last Tues, odds are blockbuster will never get that in..

I have a BB 5 blocks from my house and a Hollywood vid maybe 2 miles away.. Still love netflix more due to the range of films, plus I have a distro center in my town so I have quick turn arounds. Down side if netflix is sometimes the new and super hot movies take a long time to get if you don't score it the when it first comes out. The Ring was listed as "very long wait" for over a month after it was out. sigh

I see someone mentioned why Scarface is not at netflix, errr it's an out of print DVD.. if your local store has a copy you are just lucky

Anyways.. back to the topic of a rental / keep all you want thing at blockbuster. I would think that would hurt the store over all being they have no queue sort of set up as netflix has. So if someone walks in on Tuesday and picks up 3 of the newest films then sits on them for 2 weeks.. That is a lot of "weekend only" sort of rentals blockbuster will lose out on. Many might just show on Sat to look for a film, only to find the hottest films never in the store. Errrrr I guess this is not too big of a deal due to the "where else can you even rent" factor in most towns.

Still, don't see how the flat fee long term rental can work for a store with out the mail order / warehouse sort of movie thing netflix has. Maybe they guess most will rent midweek and that is a dead time anyways?

[Supreme2k]

I remember when T2 came out at $100. Good thing that times have changed Now we get people complaining if they have to pay $30-$40 for a whole season of a show on DVD

[txpharoah]

As for your weird idea about slander and libel...? what?

Nothing weird about it here in the United States. That's how it works. It goes against our Constitutional rights to privacy (or at least the Doctrine of privacy). There are exceptions, but not in this situation. Not at all. None. I'd be rich.

understand when you sign a contract you have to bide by it.....? no?

No. Charging 6x the retail price is not part of the contract. Go read one yourself. This was not covered. If I had not been in the right, my bank would not have refunded my credit card charge. But I was, and they did, and Blockbuster can ____ me. What's so hard about this?

And what's worse? I've seen national stories on situations like this before. Back before everybody flocked online, that is. Back when we really read printed pages. I'm no the only one.

And I don't know how things work in other parts of the world, or even the USA, but down here in Texas, the attitude in this state is the "customer is always right" (within reason). Again, if an employee feels good enough to dish it out to you, then you should feel good enough to feed it to them. This is why I hate traveling to California on business. Their employee attitudes suck. If ya'll like getting pushed around by some jerk employee, then that's your prerogative. It ain't mine. I'll get real redneck, real quick.

[Crash-n-Burn]

Heh i remember my friend and I walked into a Lion Video and we wanted to rent some movie so he game his card and the guy at the counter was in awe. MY friend has a 3000$ balance on his card. He rented lots and lots of movies from years back and never returned. From there on we ran..... Never went back there.

[defense]

in addition, not only does Blockbuster not carry a large erray of older movies, they also seeem to ONLY get "FULL SCREEN" for many of the new releases. I remember movies like ONE HOUR PHOTO AND BOURNE IDENTITY were filmed in I believe 2:35:1 ....and my local BlockBuster ONLY had those movies in FULL SCREEN! I beleive it even said "FF" or somethin on each of the boxes...meaning "FULL FRAME" I guess?


Anyway, I agree if you can't organize your lifestyle to when you rent movies...it isn't blockbuster's fault...but the point is that things happen....and Blockbuster has a whacky return policy..the Noon thing lulls people to thinking they'll get them back before work or something...but in reality..just causes them to screw up their schedule. They must be making much more on the noon thing in late fees then they are with their older Midnight return policy.

Either way, I don't get late fees...but it sucks that the policy is set up in a way which just kills customers with late fees.

[Faustus]

I have to vote for netflix also, there is a distro point here in the dallas area and the turn around time is great. BUT I feel the need to point out that I read somewhere that Blockbuster is very invested in Netflix.

Personally I rent from a place called Movie Trading Company locallly, they have a few stores in the area, they also rent box sets, thought they charge alot for them. Funny thing is for the last while their policies have gotten a little tighter, and their employees seem to care less, then I found out guess what? Blockbuster basicly bought them out also! Even their paychecks at one time said blockbuster. I really hate companies that can't stand a single bit of even local competition.

[jnk76]

I wonder if there will be or is a montly plan north of the border.

[rkr1958]

in the usa -- the moral police are everywhere -- ...
i mean they still burn and ban books in many areas there (including such classics as:
THE DIARY OF A YOUNG GIRL (anne frank) (yes banned still in alabama schools) ... just look at this list : http://www.aclu-or.org/banned/50ban.html (and there are many more such lists) ....
...

NOW HOLD ON JUST A SECOND! I've lived in Alabama all of my life except the 1.5 yrs I went to Ga. Tech to get my Masters. I now live and work in one the most High Tech Areas in the WORLD, must less in the U.S. I would dare say that the average eductional level where I live (Huntsville, AL) is greater than anywhere else in the world. I put my city and state up against yours any day as a better place to live and raise childern.

By the way, I have never heard of book burnings in Alabama. That's crazy. I'm not saying we don't have some closed minded people in the State like everyother state and every other nation has. It just frost me when people, who don't really have an idea what they're talking about, attacks my State or My Country.

As you can tell I took your post personally.

[txpharoah]

(yes banned still in alabama schools)
...

By the way, I have never heard of book burnings in Alabama. As you can tell I took your post personally.

BANNED. As in "not allowed".
Not BURNED, as in "set aflame".

And yes, even Texas, at several different times in my lifetime, various schools/districts in various places have banned books. Nobody is immune. Every place had a population of idiots. And yes, even good ol' Alabama (which is NOTHING at all like Sweet Home Alabama, though it'd be funny).

[mikeyled36]

I live in Florence, AL. I graduated from Sheffield High School across the Tennessee River in Sheffield, AL......The Diary of Anne Frank was not banned.....we read it in my High School English class as an assignment and even read parts of it out loud during class. The ACLU needs to update their web site. They also need to be investigated under RICO!!


Mikey from Alabama

P.S. I am an hour a way from Huntsville to the west.