Blockbuster Closing For Good Final Bargain Thread 2013/2014
 

Final Thread to post Closing Store info, Blu Ray/Dvd Deals and your final goodbyes.

Blockbuster to close U.S. retail stores, mail DVD operation

Roger Yu, USA TODAY 6:29 p.m. EST November 6, 2013


AP Dish Blockbuster Store Closings

(Photo: Scott Anderson AP)

Story Highlights
Stores will close by early January next year
Mail DVD operation to close by mid-December
Parent company Dish Network hopes to "leverage the brand"


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It's the last picture show for Blockbuster.

The retail company that introduced millions of Americans to stay-home movie nights said Wednesday it will close its 300 remaining U.S. stores by early January next year. Its DVD-by-mail business, introduced as a competitor to Netflix, also will be shut down by mid-December.

"This is not an easy decision, yet consumer demand is clearly moving to digital distribution of video entertainment," said Joseph Clayton, CEO of Dish Network, Blockbuster's parent company. "Despite our closing of the physical distribution elements of the business, we continue to see value in the Blockbuster brand, and we expect to leverage that brand as we continue to expand our digital offerings."

Dish Network, which offers satellite pay-TV service, said it will retain licensing rights to the Blockbuster brand and, for now, its vast video library.

"Blockbuster has no brand," said Dan Rayburn, an analyst at StreamingMedia.com. "Consumers stopped thinking about the brand a long time ago. Why did they take so long to close?"

Dish plans to focus on its Blockbuster @Home business, a streaming service available to Dish pay-TV customers for an extra fee.

Blockbuster On Demand, its streaming service for the general public, also will continue to operate. "The quantity of movies (for Blockbuster On Demand) is so limited," Rayburn said. "Some of them are not even on (high-definition). It's not even a real service. You can't put it up there with Vudu or Netflix or Hulu."

Dish Network bought Blockbuster in April, 2011 in an auction for $320 million as Blockbuster was emerging from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Dish's plan at the time was to leverage its more than 1,700 store locations to offer in-store rentals that would complement Dish's other video offerings. "Cross-marketing and service-extension opportunities" were mentioned by Dish.

But competitive pressures and adapting to the rapidly changing streaming technology proved to be too daunting for Blockbuster's management, as video lovers continue to flock to Netflix, YouTube and other start-up streaming sites. Cheaper kiosk rental locations, such as Redbox, undercut its prices.

Dish continued to close stores throughout the country. Its rental library was cut in half in the last year, down to 41.5 million units of DVDs and games as of June from 81.9 million a year earlier.

Blockbuster's revenue fell to $120 million in the second quarter, less than half the $253.3 million it generated in the year-ago period.

"It's an interesting footnote to business history. (Dish) thought (Blockbuster) had a longer tail than it did. But digital distribution happened faster than people may have thought," said Matthew Harrigan, a media analyst at Wunderlich Securities.

Re: Blockbuster Closing For Good Final Bargain Thread 2013/2014
 

:lol:

Re: Blockbuster Closing For Good Final Bargain Thread 2013/2014
 

In other words, management probably still owned VHS players and swore VHS was going to be the reigning format.

Re: Blockbuster Closing For Good Final Bargain Thread 2013/2014
 

Inability to adapt is always certain death. Looking forward to some great deals!

Re: Blockbuster Closing For Good Final Bargain Thread 2013/2014
 

When is this going to start?

Unlike previous BB store closings, this is all of them and I assume they are going to sell everything. In the last few BB store closings I went to (and none have happened since 2012 in my area), more than a couple times I was told that excess titles were going to be sent to other BB stores to sell, so they didn't seem anywhere as aggressive as Hollywood Video was in their final week where what was left (DVDs or BDs) were in the 25 - 50 cent range.

The big problem with this is we know the pricing game. They'll probably start with 20% off used BDs and slowly work their way to 50% which is the point at which I might start considering a few titles and finally when they hit 80%/90% in the last couple weeks all of the good stuff will be gone. Unfortunately there are enough people out there who will think that a used BD of Oblivion at $15 is a good deal, so by the time the discount reaches 50-80% off so the prices are acceptable to cheapskates/dealhunters like me, all of the top tier titles are long gone. That will once again leave us with the "dregs".

So I don't expect to find much because I have most of the old stuff and the new releases will be gone long before they get into my price range. I won't pay more than $3-$5 for a used catalog BD and maybe up to $7 for a used new release BD, and in the final weeks when we get down to what's left for <= $3 it'll be the same stuff that has been at every Blockbuster store closing... Blitz, Bunraku, Buried, City Island, Death Race 2 and 3, An Education, Grace, The Ministers, Six Wives of Henry Lefay, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Witless Protection, Youth in Revolt just to name a few random examples of the typical type of titles left at the end). You know the drill.

But please post any and all deals here (titles and prices) so we can get an idea if there's anything new and when it might be worth going. Also, besides listing the prices, if any title is a stripped-down RENTAL edition please note that so those of us who care about extras can avoid it. One must be careful these days as some are STEALTH RENTAL titles meaning it doesn't say RENTAL anywhere but the extras are missing (3 examples: A Thousand Words, Trouble with the Curve, and Thunderstruck). It would be cool if this time around the stores' percentage-off discounts are synchronized.

Re: Blockbuster Closing For Good Final Bargain Thread 2013/2014
 

Screw you, Blockbuster, and good riddance! Die knowing that you will never get the $85 in late fees you claim I owe you for Dante's Peak!

Re: Blockbuster Closing For Good Final Bargain Thread 2013/2014
 

Remembering when Blockbuster's troubles first started years ago, and someone on here joked "How long til we see a thread called 'What I scored at the Blockbuster going out of business sale'". That glorious day has finally come! But there seems to be little left to score at this point.

Re: Blockbuster Closing For Good Final Bargain Thread 2013/2014
 

I worked at a BBV for 8 years. Met a bunch of really nice people. Had a lot of fun.

The jerk customers were few, the great customers were many.

Really loved the job until Dish took over and changed the procedures and made us upsell
just about everything we sold to each customer.

Re: Blockbuster Closing For Good Final Bargain Thread 2013/2014
 

I listened to a story about this on NPR a few days ago. Apparently not all Blockbuster stores will be closing. The locations in Texas and Alaska are handled differently, and it sounded like those stores will be staying open and will be try to cater to the regional demands of those stores. It was interesting to hear that Blockbuster stores still do really well in Alaska because Internet speeds aren't as fast and the cost is higher. This means there is still a greater dependence on B&M rentals.

Re: Blockbuster Closing For Good Final Bargain Thread 2013/2014
 

I don't know of a single location still open in Texas.

Re: Blockbuster Closing For Good Final Bargain Thread 2013/2014
 

The various articles I read indicated that franchised locations are staying open. The corporate-owned locations are shuttering their doors.

This is what Bennigan's did 5 years ago. There's still a location in the Bay Area although there's only like 10 left in the country.

Re: Blockbuster Closing For Good Final Bargain Thread 2013/2014
 

I live in Texas and there is one that is almost across the street from me. (Every other location that I know of is closed though)

Re: Blockbuster Closing For Good Final Bargain Thread 2013/2014
 

Corpus Christi, Baytown, Kingwood, and Atascocita to name a few. Also 3 still open in Austin.

Re: Blockbuster Closing For Good Final Bargain Thread 2013/2014
 

Some of the only Blockbusters that will survive this are in Texas and Alaska. They're owned by a franchise and Will keep going.

So the Blockbuster name lives on!

Re: Blockbuster Closing For Good Final Bargain Thread 2013/2014
 

Really? I know of 1 in Austin, and they folded a couple of months ago. I know there's probably a handful left in the state, just funny that they may "live on". Probably for a few more months...

Re: Blockbuster Closing For Good Final Bargain Thread 2013/2014
 

I tried stopping at one of the two in my area and it was already long gone, judging from how far along Advance Auto Parts looks set up in the space. Looting opportunity denied!

The store locator shows the other one is gone, too. Dammit!

Re: Blockbuster Closing For Good Final Bargain Thread 2013/2014
 

The BBV around the corner from in San Antonio put the signs up today "EVERYTHING MUST GO!"... might stop by later this week.

Re: Blockbuster Closing For Good Final Bargain Thread 2013/2014
 

There's one within walking distance from my place. They also sell a ton of video games, so hopefully there'll be some good deals there.

Re: Blockbuster Closing For Good Final Bargain Thread 2013/2014
 

Kinda envious Sarah Palin can still hit a BB at Wasila but I can't in SoCal

Re: Blockbuster Closing For Good Final Bargain Thread 2013/2014
 

Anyone owning the names Blockbuster or Sarah Palin would probably want to start using a different name soon.

Re: Blockbuster Closing For Good Final Bargain Thread 2013/2014
 

Closest one is around 60 miles away (we used to have about 10 within 25 miles among 3 cities). At least, I think that one is still open. Then the next ones that might still be open (I believe they were down to 3 locations) are 100 miles away.

Can't decide if it's worth the time & gas trying to find out-of-print titles or hard-to-find or more expensive titles, especially given the BF ads with some of the usual outstanding bargains. Leave it to Blockbuster to close just when the competition are having their biggest price cuts of the year.

Also, I'm wondering if they're going to do the usual closing thing and start with a low % discount and then increase the discount every week or if they'll just do a standard price for SD, BD, and sets. Given that they're going to liquidate and want to be done by the end of the year, will they just do blow-out prices or try to milk the sale by getting higher prices for the more in-demand titles initially?

Re: Blockbuster Closing For Good Final Bargain Thread 2013/2014
 

Here is the word from CAG:

Re: Blockbuster Closing For Good Final Bargain Thread 2013/2014
 

Local Hillsboro Oregon location stopped rentals on Saturday. Today they reopen for clearance. As usual, I suspect that during the first two weeks deals will be rare but selection high. Local staff reported based on what they knew prices on used and new DVDs and Blu-rays would go up initially -- confirming the usual dealio with these closing store sales. As they tick up the discount to do those last couple of pushes, that's where the deal pop.

I won't even bother until the second or third uptick in discounts, if at all.

These sales do nothing for me as I generally am looking for specific movies only. Hunting for specific titles at thiese clearance things requires you to visit frequently. On top of simply having the movie available when the price is good, studios put out too many "Rental" edition of movies to make it easy to get in and be assured you are getting a deal. Every freakin' purchase of a mainstream movie will require research (and forget anything from Universal or Warner). It's not like I'm gonna just take anything, even for $2-$5. Personally, if I'm willing to take any old edition of a movie in terms of commentaries, special features, and lossless/lossy soundtrack... I probably don't need to own it. Regardless of the price, a movie I never watch is a not a bargain it is just a waste of money.

Re: Blockbuster Closing For Good Final Bargain Thread 2013/2014
 

Passed by BB on the way to the grocery store and the parking lot was full, so I had to stop ;)

9.99 for all BDs and DVDs w/o a price. There was a soccer Mom with WM dump bin titles that she was paying 9.99 for used. I almost wanted to warn her, but I kept my mouth shut. I understand that not everyone is privy to the information we are, but I would hope most of them would at least not be so gullible to buy scratched up stuff at 2x the price of it new.-screwy-

Re: Blockbuster Closing For Good Final Bargain Thread 2013/2014
 

So the first halfway-decent discounts MAY start showing up during the height of Black Friday...when hundreds of brand-new BD titles will be offered elsewhere from $3.99-$7.99?

Wow...wonder why BBV is going out of business?

btw...thanks for posting the discount schedules. Makes the decision not to drive 50+ miles in hopes of finding a bargain much easier.

If anybody lives close to a store that's still open, hope you find some amazing out-of-print stuff.