Blockbuster Online: Queue/Wait Status? [vs. Netflix]
 

I'm betting a lot of folks who are Netflix subscribers are also trying out Blockbuster online.
I'm about 1/2 way through my 4 free weeks. With Netflix, I'm on the legacy 2-out, no-max plan, so with BB, for the same price, I get one more disk, 2 instore rentals, and they have that thing where they'll send you the next disk when the USPS processes the current one, I'm not sure how they're doing that, but it seems to be working. So with one add'l disk, and not having to wait till my return is checked in, even if BBO's shipping time is a little longer, I'm still ahead over Netflix.
Anyway--I haven't transferred my entire queue to BBO yet, so there's only 11 titles in it [most anime or 'cult'].
6 Available Now
2 Short Wait
1 Long Wait
2 Very Long Wait.
My netflix queue, with 152 titles, including the 11 that are on my BBO queue, has all "Now."
Assuming NF isn't lying, this is a huge discrepancy. And while if BBO has a disk in stock, and they ship it to me quickly, obviously if they don't have any inventory, it doesn't matter how quick they ship it if they don't have it to ship.
Has anyone else seen a lot of 'wait' statuses on your BBO queue, especially as compared to NF? Obviously if we stick with BBO, we'll add more stuff to the queue, but 5 out of 11 is not real good odds.

I noticed more waits on Blockbuster online when I was trying out both services. More recently, I've gotten more waits on Netflix than I did originally, but Blockbuster still had more with waits.

The weird thing about Blockbuster waits, though, is that I was often shipped movies that were listed as having a wait status, so I don't know how accurate their wait estimates are.

And I was able to get a few new releases immediately from Blockbuster that I was unable to get through Netflix due to wait status.

Trying the 2 week trial on Blockbuster for which I signed up last night. My discs (3) have already shipped. Will let you know...

I've been very impressed with Blockbuster so far. I signed up when they did the "Shrek 2" free for signing up offer. My ship times are just a tad slower than netflix, but not really noticeable. I'm paying roughly .99 cents a month for the movies because I've been using the free rentals for games which cost 6.99 to rent without the coupons. They also send other coupons (20% off a used movie or game, cheap popcorn, etc) and have said they plan to start shipping from the local stores sometime in March/April.

I'm on another free 4 wk trial (moved recently, so i did the trial again:) )...more than half of my list has at least "short wait", with many at "long wait". The shipping is about a day or two longer than Netflix, but i do like the coupons i get emailed.
Not sure if i'll keep it or not, new releases do seem to be easier to get than on Netflix.

I switched all my business to Blockbuster. They are faster then Netflix in my area. I've never had an issue, and I believe that Blockbuster uses the arrival scan from the Post Office to trigger the next movie in your Q to go out. This works well. Very fast turnaround.

Received my 3 dvds today from Denver. Harold & Kumar, Village & Starship Troopers Superbit. Took only 3 days! :) So far so good.

They charged you for it?
Had you tried them before?
Did you only get a 2 week trial, or 4 week?
I'd definitely complain about that.

The USPS arrival scan is pretty neat, that does expedite things. I think we'll stick with them, and cancel Netflix when my anniversary date rolls around. With three titles instead of just two, and the USPS scan, that should outweigh any slightly slower shipping [my NF's are shipping from Greensboro, in-state, most of my BBO's are going back to either OH or MD.]

Does anyone know if BBO will either show you or send you your entire rental history, like NF does?

In checking my confirmation email, it appears I am wrong. I could have sworn I signed up for the free trial (and I wondered why in the confirmation email it stated 9.99 <--stupid me). Oh well. At least the two free rentals will make up for my mistake and I get a $50 best buy card for free anyway.

And as far as the USPS scan goes, not the case on my end. 3 days and still not return to the Denver facility and still awaiting my next batch to even be processed.

So....given that I have been with Nextflix previously.... Netflix still has the edge so far.

so far bb online has been berry berry good to me. 12 online rentals in Jan. plus 4 coupons for in store DVD/Games 2 for Jan, 2 for Feb.

they are shipping from about 30 miles away. turnaround has been about three days most of the time. never had netflix, but I see myself not going to B&M rental places anymore.

i think the dvd status might be bull, in a few ways. when BBV first opened their online rental i wanted to see if they would carry dvds that i know due to "policy" BBV B&M wouldn't carry. first search, Salo. it came up... very long wait. very long wait seems code for never gonna happen. to avoid confusion, if Salo were commonly available, i think they would rent it, the very long wait refers to it being out of print.

for regular movies, something on short wait changes to Now very quickly. it's been pretty easy to get new release, esp with the 2 rental coupons in some cases.


been really pleased with BBVO. when i first joined return address was NC, then NY, and now PA. however, the USPS scanning thing seems iffy. on occasion i've got shipping confirmation emails the next day, but often it takes 2 or 3 days. seems to be kinks in the system.

Yeah, the USPS thing isn't 100% consistent, but I've noticed it work most of the time.
One other thing I like, which NF used to do but doesn't anymore, is that if the 'Should Arrive By' date is passed and you haven't rec'd the disk yet, you can report it as late and get them to send the next title. Certainly that is ripe for abuse, and that policy will probably change before too long, but it's a nice little feature as long as it lasts.

I have seen various promotions; 2 weeks free, 4 weeks free, 9.99 first month, and in-store free dvd with signup, etc. I missed the 50$ Best Buy gift card, that would have been nice, how'd you get that?

A couple places for improvement: Their website isn't totally stable. More than once I've run a normal search and gotten 'Error', rather than a 404 or 'Title does not exist'.

Also, I wish the 'series' function was a little more complete. I've got a lot of anime series on my queue, and while some of them are not obvious, others are [if they say Vol 1 Vol 2, that's a good sign.] But they're not recognized as a 'series', so I have to search and add each title individually.

They were responsive to my 'Please get this title' email; I believe they got the titles that I requested, but I don't recall for sure. But at least they heard and responded to the email.

They may have changed it, Salo doesn't come up on my search at all.

you're right. it nolonger comes up through search. i checked and it's still in my queue.

http://www.blockbuster.com/catalog/D...layBoxArt=true

there's the direct link, however no option to add it atm.

So there used to be an option to add it ass to mouth? :whofart:

I had a dvd listed on my queue as "Very Long Wait" and I put it at the top of my Queue and it shipped out the next day as they received a returned dvd.

I like BB a whole lot better as they actually get to me faster and when I return them, they only have to go about 100 miles (usually received next day and taken off my account if I send in the morning).

I had 47 Ronin, which has been OOP for a few years, in my queue, and it shipped after a few weeks.

I decided to switch over, full time, to Blockbuster due to what Netflix has been doing to me the last month. I had three boxsets in my queue at Blockbuster, all released tomorrow. They all went from "Coming Soon" to "Very Long Wait" between yesterday and this morning. I'm used to checking in titles with Netflix on Mondays to get the new releases. When are you supposed to with Blockbuster if the status changes while it's not even a business day? :(

It's funny about Blockbuster Queue. I ordered Bride of Re-Animator in early January and it jumps from "Very Long Wait" to "Available Now" and then back to "Very Long Wait" (now it's at "Long Wait"). The bad part is, when it was "Available Now", I had a DVD already sent (but I never got it). I never received "Ready To Wear" (just out of curiosity because it's a Robert Altman film) so I had to file a complaint that I never received it (they did send the next DVD on the list after almost 1 week).

When I did the whole Netflix vs. Blockbuster vs. Walmart online trial thing, I found that Netflix sent me 12 DVDs in 2 weeks, Blockbuster sent me 14 (plus the free in-store coupon rental) in two weeks, and Walmart sent me 12 DVDs in one month (obviously, the slowest). I'm located in Brooklyn and Netflix and Blockbuster has shipping located in Flushing, Queens. Walmart has a shipping area in upstate New York somewhere so it takes slower for me.

I went with Blockbuster starting early January and I'm disappointed (so far). Things slowed down to 10 DVDs this month (12 if I include the in-store rental). I'm thinking of going with the other online rental places if I don't see at least 3 more DVDs coming in the next few days (before I cancel the paid membership). Somehow, I think after you go with a paid membership, they slack off (sometimes my Queue of "Available Now" never moves for 2 or 3 days and they only send 1 DVD out).

Anyone who has a Netflix paid membership: Do they also slack off after you decide to continue with their service? Just want to know. Thanks in advance!

I had Ray in my queue and it went to "Available Now" yesterday (last night). I had returned a disc on Saturday and I got on the site just a little while ago and it has been shipped to me. It comes out Tuesday.

I have had it in my queue ever since I could search for it and put it in there. I guess they do have some sort of list that tells them which people put it in the queue first, but I am sure they received more copies of say RAY over copies of a tv box set.

I have already done BBO's 2 week free, so when I started again on the 22nd I couldn't receive the 2 weeks free again, so I just went ahead and did the whole month. Since the 22nd, I have had seven rental come to my house. That's seven dvds in 8 days. Once they sent a title to me and I already had three in my shipped queue. Hopefully they do that more often.

Here's an update on Bride of Re-Animator:

I received in the mail today, the common Artisan Pan & Scan version. Damn! Blockbuster really screwed up as bad as Walmart! There's two versions and I, of course, wanted the rare version with the extras (not the one you can get from the store for $5). I, of course, filled out the complaint and the status to get the real version is back to "Very Long Wait"!!!

I have until February 3rd to drop their service so I'll cancel BB tomorrow.
I received a heck of a lot more DVDs during their 2 week free trial than actually paying $14.99 for their one month membership!

Btw, has anyone noticed on DVD box sets, Netflix has more per rental? For example, the Battlestar Galactica Complete Saga set, Netflix has 10 DVDs while Blockbusters has 6 DVDs (the actual # of DVDs in the set is 6 -double sided). Does Netflix have some sets specially made for rental just so that you have to rent more DVDs in order to complete the series?

I don't know the true reason behind it, but most flippers seem to be this way. If nothing else, I'm sure it's done so that those who check in returns can verify the correct disc is in there quickly without having to read the small print on the ring.

As for Blockbuster screwing up: I requested das Boot Superbit. In the four attempts to send it to me (I reported "wrong disc" and they sent a replacement), I never got Superbit disc 2. Two copies of Standard edition disc 2 and six copies of Superbit disc 1. -ohbfrank-

This was discussed on the other thread, but netflix admits that they give priority to those people that rent fewer movies. They say this is to provide equal service to the infrequent renter with those that get a lot of movies, but the real reason is they are trying to save on postage. They do this by holding you next movie a day or two before they send it if you are a high volume renter. After I complained in a couple of emails, my last 8 movies have shipped on the same day that they got my previous rental. So to specifically answer your question, their service likely will go down for you if you rent a lot of movies.

Can you be a little more specific what you mean here?

After reading all these posts here, Netflix is really starting to piss me off. Don't announce "unlimited dvds" and then enact a policy that attempts to limit the amount of dvds someone can rent. That's fucking bullshit.

I guess I'm not a high rate renter because I've never had them hold a dvd from shipping. New disks have always shipped out the same day returns have been checked in. However, I'm starting to become convinced that returns are held before they are listed as returns. Otherwise, the mail route to Netflix is slower than the mail route to anywhere else. If you think about it, it's the perfect ploy. All they have to say (which they do say) is that they have no control over the mail service.

For example, last two weeks ago (January 17th), my Queue was full of movies that are "Available Now". I sent back all 3 rentals the Saturday before and it arrived on January 17th (I, of course, received emails saying that they received it and it shows on my rental history). No movies were sent that Monday or Tuesday (January 17 and 18th). On Wednesday, they say they sent Alien Vs. Predator. No other rentals were sent out that week (I have the 3 at a time membership). I received AVP on Monday, the 24th and mailed it directly at the Post Office (which is 5 blocks away). They emailed me on Tuesday January 25th saying they received it and claimed to have sent Ready To Wear. I, of course, didn't receive it and filed a complaint to BB (on the 29th) and told them to send the next one on the list. No other rentals (except for the wrong version of Bride of Re-Animator I received today) was sent.

So to recap, out of the last two weeks, I only received TWO rental from Blockbuster. My Queue is all full of movies listed as "Available Now" and only TWO was sent during the past two weeks.

It's a shame because they were somewhat competant during the first two weeks of my paid membership. Anyways, I'm dropping it tomorrow because my next billing period starts February 03.

Maybe Blockbuster Online is doing the same thing Netflix is. Or maybe the people working in the Flushing, Queens Blockbuster distribution center is getting a bit lazy.

That's what I thought you were saying but couldn't believe it b/c I thought there was no way their service could be that bad. I guess netflix is starting to look better all the time.

Any coupons going on right now for BB online? Like free trials or a free DVD (Shrek 2, Bourne)?

I believe they have the two week free trial going on right now. No free dvd that I am aware of at this time.

If you have already signed up for the online service before, you won't get the free trial (unless you have a different address/credit card).

Also you get the two free dvd/game rentals next day after sign up.

Ive tried the 2 free week trial link but it keeps saying invalid.

Hmmm. Interesting. Is this through their homepage or something through DVDTalk? (i.e. "link").

So you haven't done the two week before, i'm guessing?

I just signed up for the online 2 week Blockbuster trial and have a quick question. How do you tell it to ship more than one at a time? Do they automatically ship 3 if you have them available? I have about 25 in my queue that are available now, but so far they have only emailed me that one has shipped. Is this normal? Or do you have to tell it to ship 3 at a time or something? Thanks.

http://www.blockbuster.com/acctmgmt/...n?planID=25027
This link should give you 2 weeks free, if you haven't used it yet.

Try code COOPER for 4 weeks free.

Danicus07--They will send you the next available disks on your queue, until you have 3 disks checked out. Sometimes it takes a day or so for them to find the disk [they come from different distro centers] and send it out, also, when I first signed up, it took them a day or two for them to 'activate' my account and send all three disks. The best way to run it is to probably to get on a cycle, so that you've got one at home, they're sending you one, and you just sent one back, that way you've always got something to watch and always got something processing/in transit.

Thanks! I just received emails for the other two. So now I have three on the way. I'll try and work the cycle after these three.

For about a week and a half, I had a problem with Blockbuster rentals not arriving. I was told by the customer service rep that if a film doesn't arrive within three days to report it lost. I would repor the discs, and another one was sent out. After about ten days, I received nine discs over two days. I don't know if the post office/worker was holding them, but I found it odd that they all came at the same time.

You must have been renting some stuff the postal people wanted to see :)

I'm just kidding, odds are they got stuck in a bin somewhere. Happens sometimes, usually not to that great an extent, but it does.

BlockBuster Online - NetFlix (I've had them both)
 

I was using NetFlix for about a year and then switched to BB Online about 3 months ago. NetFlix was expensive compared to BB Online when I switched, that's why I made the change. Well guess what? I just re-signed up for NetFlix because of what BB Online is doing.

I live in Cleveland. During my trial membership, BB Online shipped my DVDs from Lansing, MI and I received them in 1 day. When I shipped them back, they received them the next day, immediately shipped out the new ones, and I got the new ones the day after that.

Now I'm a paid member of BB Online. Their local shipping center is right here in Cleveland. I can literally see the post office from my house and the BB Online PO Box is right inside the front door. I ship back movies to them and they don't "receive" them for 4 days. Then they immediately mark my next 3 movies as "shipped", but it takes 4-5 days for me to receive them.

Their customer service is non-existant and their phone numbers are not able to be found. However, I did a WHOIS on blockbuster.com, received their legal department and they forwarded me to a customer support center somewhere in Dallas. Their support people (not specifically for BB Online) actually hung up on me after I told the one guy that he should do some work. I told him as follows:

"Hey, why don't you put me on hold, call up the Cleveland Distribution Center, look up my account, get me my DVDs, and then credit me for a month of service for all the lost DVD rentals that I could have gotten." He Said, "What can I do to make this better?" I told him, "Didn't I just tell you? Is your head hollow? Maybe you should NOT put me on hold, but instead pick up your cell phone and put it up to your left ear, keep me on your right ear and as I talk, the person on the other end of the cell phone will pick it up as it travels through your hollow head."

He didn't seem to like that and hung up on me.

Bottom line... BB Online is unreliable, only 30-40% of my movies are available now while at NetFlix I had 95% or more available. Read below for a cost comparison:

People rationalize keeping the BB Online account because they say, "Hey, I get 2 free rentals a month which is about $9.00. Well that's nice, but if I can get about 23-25 DVDs per month from NetFlix, but only get about 8-9 DVDs per month from BB Online, those 2 lousy in store rentals mean nothing. I'd rather have the additional 14 rentals that I'm paying for.

They're horrible, and anybody that is thinking of leaving NetFlix for some reason should jump on WalMart well before giving BB Online a chance.

Brian

:lol:

Now that you mention that, the copies of The Piano Teacher Unrated and Pink Flamingos NC-17 (horrible overrated movie, btw) that I received had the preferated (is that spelled right?) part already opened.

If the post office could actually see what movie you were getting, I wouldn't be skeptical that they are watching them. :) (but that preferated(?) part helps).

The customer service number for Blockbuster can be easily found on their webpage. Clock on Contact Us, and then click on Online rentals. It's near the bottom of the page.

WTF?
Okay..

125+ things in queue.
Items 1-3 are Short, Short, Long wait. Item 4 is Available, then items 5-10 are disks of a tv series, a couple Waits, a couple Availables.
They just shipped...something that wasn't even in my top 15 of the queue! And it's vol 2 of a tv series, where vol 1 is also in the queue. This doesn't even make any sense!