PJsig08

How does this work? I rented a game for $7.99 and it says own it for $2 more on 7/27. I want to own this game for only $2 more (why not, eh) so do I have to tell Blockbuster, or just not return it? How is this extra $2 charged to me?

Xbox69

After the date indicated on the receipt, you will have a $2 +tax balance on your Blockbuster membership. I thought they would charge the card on file with them but in my case they charged me the "buy it" price the next time I rented. Not sure if this has changed. I still owe a "buy it" fee for a movie I kept back in January but I haven't rented since -- I assume they will charge me on my next rental transaction.

fujishig

Don't you risk having them hit you with late fees (or restocking fees or whatever they call them now) on top of your buy-it price? Just to be sure, I'd go into the store and settle the transaction... at the very least call them to see if it's ok. Oftentimes, you'll be able to get the box (the one on the shelf if it's the last one) and maybe even a manual if you're really lucky.

Xbox69

They have mailed me a postcard notice in the mail. It shows the amount I owe which is the buy-it price + sales tax. Not sure why they haven't charged my card on file (of course, now it's a different card -- since May) but the balance should reflect on my account during my next in-store rental.

calhoun07

You don't have to wait for it to sell to the account, either. They can type in "keep it" before it sells and they scan the bar code on the rental, and it sells it for the price on your recepit.

And how can a 1.25 restocking fee ever be compared to a late fee (which was the rental fee added again and again per rental period, and per DAY back in the day) is beyond me. People whine about anything. If you pay your credit card bill late, there is a fee. If you over draw your account at the bank, there is a fee. If you return a rental car late, there is a fee. And yet people hardly ever whine online about those things, but Blockbuster is forever villified because they did away with late fees and calls a 1.25 fee a restocking fee???? Geez, they are not the only store in the world with restocking fees.

Sorry, but whiny customers over trivial issues bother me.

fujishig

I agree with your main point... that BB customers should have read the fine print and known that they couldn't keep things indefinitely. However, the "restocking fee" is definitely a late fee, even if it isn't as harsh as Blockbuster's previous late fees. It's a fee for returning something late. They changed the wording to stay true to their advertising slogan. And I honestly don't know if they still call it a restocking fee, or if they went back to "late fee" because they were forced to drop the ad campaign a while ago.

Xbox69

You are only charged this restocking "fee" when you return the movie after you kept it past the "own it" date AND it's within 30 days of that date. The OP's situation has nothing to do with it.

PJsig08

Yeah my situation has nothing to do with late fees. So I can just keep it (the game) and get charged $2 next time I go rent from Blockbuster? Or I have to call them/go in?

Xbox69

Yes, you can just keep it. The movie I rented already included the case but aren't the games still rented with the BB labeled case? They should let you swap the BB case for the display case but don't wait too long past 7/27.

calhoun07

So? Somebody brought it up and I replied with a comment. That's the nature of message boards. I would be willing to wager that the number of threads containing replies ONLY to the OP's post are far and few between. So again I ask....SO???

DJ_Longfellow

Yeah, just go in and say you want to keep it....I think they will give you a case and manual, not sure though. I still have FREE Game Rental coupons from Blockbuster.com, so I see this all teh time. I can technically get the game for $52 for a 360 game. A small little discount.

Never did it though

Xbox69

Are you including rental fees? The way I see it they apply rental fees to the total purchase price which is why a "buy it" price would seem a few dollars less.