Blockbuster returning from the Dead?

[usually_quiet]

The main reason BB stayed alive so long is because Hollywood was discounting discs to them because they were helping to keep the whole concept alive. Redbox is surviving off the last of the residual business, instead of BB, because BB failed to smell the coffee, like the cable companies.

AFA the Dish Network deal goes, I don't think there's room for two players in the vending machine market, so the value of BB must have been their relationship/contracts to/with Hollywood. But that's a puzzler because Dish is a broadcaster.

So my suspicion is that Netflix will have a new competitor soon.

Blockbuster currently has no vending machine operation and I doubt that is part of Dish's future plans for Blockbuster. Blockbuster Express is NOT owned by Blockbuster (or now Dish), they are owned by NCR Corporation, which only licenses the name and logo from Blockbuster.

[sum_guy]

Almost all the Dish Network boxes I know of have ethernet jacks, Blockbuster had/has streaming content, do I see a marriage of streaming content from Dish/Blockbusted? Competition for Netflix, Amazon VOD?? We shall see...

[jagabo]

I didn't realize Blockbuster had a streaming service. A quick look at their web site shows it's built on the $4 per movie streaming "rental" model. For the price of two streamed movies from Blockbuster you can watch as many movies and TV shows as you want from Netflix. For a few dollars more you can get about 8 DVDs by mail as well.

[sum_guy]

Dish just won the bankruptcy auction for Bloatbuster today, if I were Dish, I'd have a keen on eye on changing there business model pronto.

[budwzr]

Dish just won the bankruptcy auction for Bloatbuster today, if I were Dish, I'd have a keen on eye on changing there business model pronto.

Maybe Dish wants to open storefronts so they can sell microwave popcorn.

[sum_guy]

hahaha! Yeah, they have at least 8 stores still in operation in North America, nearly limitless expansion of the unpopped corn market to conquer!

[budwzr]

The flip side to this is that with BB not having much business, there's a good chance to get that new release you wanted. Maybe that's the way to go.

Just carry the top 10 new releases, charge $10 a night ($20 delivered), and cater just to those that HAVE to see it NOW.

[lowellriggsiam]

It's a failed business model. The name may go on, but I cannot see how the stores can continue to support themselves.

[fritzi93]

Since I last posted in this thread my local BB got closed. It was only 3 miles away.

I know the former owner somewhat and she told me the store was actually profitable. But corporate decided the area didn't have much prospect for growth (as in population) in the near future. Well...YEAH, like most of the Rustbelt.

Anyway, the owner (or franchisee, dunno the details) was pissed about it and was encouraging folks to cancel their online service, then sign up for the free trial. After that, there's always NetFlix or RedBox, whatever. She was REALLY pissed about it.

Oh well, I've just about run out of old movies I want to rent. If I like something after a rental, I buy it, and have built a fair collection now of Blu-Rays. When my queue runs out I'll cancel. I get HD movies on cable too, and occasionally see something good I had missed, and end up ordering it from Amazon. Personally, it suits me better to capture with my HD-PVR for later viewing rather than subscribe to a streaming service.

Oh well, too bad.

[edDV]

Since I last posted in this thread my local BB got closed. It was only 3 miles away.

I know the former owner somewhat and she told me the store was actually profitable. But corporate decided the area didn't have much prospect for growth (as in population) in the near future. Well...YEAH, like most of the Rustbelt.

Anyway, the owner (or franchisee, dunno the details) was pissed about it and was encouraging folks to cancel their online service, then sign up for the free trial. After that, there's always NetFlix or RedBox, whatever. She was REALLY pissed about it.

Oh well, I've just about run out of old movies I want to rent. If I like something after a rental, I buy it, and have built a fair collection now of Blu-Rays. When my queue runs out I'll cancel. I get HD movies on cable too, and occasionally see something good I had missed, and end up ordering it from Amazon. Personally, it suits me better to capture with my HD-PVR for later viewing rather than subscribe to a streaming service.

Oh well, too bad.

Signs of a new strategy. BB here closed months ago and is semi-rural upper scale limited cable access, sat confused. There is a group of standed.

[16mmJunkie]

There isn't a website at this time for BB http://www.blockbuster.com/

[budwzr]

Adios then BB. Oh, and don't let the door.....

[yoda313]

There isn't a website at this time for BB http://www.blockbuster.com/

There is when I clicked on it.

[louv68]

I haven't stepped in a BB in a few years, only because I haven't needed to. I bought so many DVD's years ago, that I'm still watching those. I still have some that I never even opened! I occasionally use Redbox and get loaners from friends and my library. I must admit that I will miss BB stores if they all close down. I have one not more than 2 miles from my house. I do hope that Dish Network turns them around though. It's best to have more competition. Keeps everybody else in check, and prices low.

[16mmJunkie]

There isn't a website at this time for BB http://www.blockbuster.com/

There is when I clicked on it.

yes it was down it seems last night(haven't been to BB in 10 years but with the thread I started spurring new comments I checked) and then I checked this morning and it is up. Kind of like BB up one min, down the next

[yoda313]

I was a little disappointed that one local blockbuster didn't have any 3d dvds or blurays in stock for rent (read they didn't have any at all - not that they were all checked out). I'm gonna check out another one thats nearby to see if they have any. I'm looking to rent ice age 3 or another movie on dvd or bluray.

[TreeTops]

Our local video rental store run by a individual has several shelves of blurays. $3.00 for three nights.

[lacywest]

Well ... to add my 2 cents ... When I heard BB was in trouble I expected BB to close up ... our Hollywood Video store did ... a year ago. But BB is still there doing business ... its located in a busy area of Hanford CA.

At ... Save Mart on the ... well to do side of Hanford ... I see a Red Box kiosk there and people using it. I never have.

Net Flix is the company we switched over too ... we were using BB ... but after switching over to Netflix ... we were keeping the dvds for more than a month and so we switched off the ... DVDs in the mail option ... and now just have the streaming option.

But ... my wife and I are thinking about bumping up the option again because my wife has been interested in some movies that are not available on Directv. So we may pay a fex extra bucks ... monthly ... to get some dvds in the mail.

[edDV]

Netflix only works economically if you turn the discs at least weekly. But their selection is best of any.

I guess my tastes are obscure because some discs get shipped from LA or even back east.

[lacywest]

There isn't a website at this time for BB http://www.blockbuster.com/

There is when I clicked on it.

I clicked on your link and it opened with all kinds of Blockbuster stuff appearing

[16mmJunkie]

yes see comment # 45 above

[Nitemare]

Blockbuster is still overcharging even in their death throes. The local store here is going out of business and touts that everything is on sale. Yeah ... unwanted, ancient DVD discs in a clear sleeve (not a box, mind you) are going for $4.00. Wow! Just die already.

[TreeTops]

I predict that DISH will close more Blockbuster stores.

[edDV]

I predict that DISH will close more Blockbuster stores.

The business press is saying DISH is doing this for the streaming end of the business, not rental stores. But they may retain some stores in rural areas with less broadband access.

Most cable and sat providers are looking to supplement fixed point access with mobile streaming options.