Something Funny About Blockbuster
08-04-08, 12:25 PM
#26
DVD Talk Hero
Originally Posted by dtcarson
Are people (consumers) really *complaining* about the "no late fees"? Apart from the impact on BB's inventory, I think it's a really good deal for the consumer. Keep it more than X days, you own it and will get charged for it. That's not a late fee, that's a purchase, and if a customer calls it a late fee, they should be slapped in the head.
And even if they do argue that that 1.25 stocking fee is a "late fee", well, it's only ONE late fee, not a late fee for each day it was late; so "no late feeS" is technically correct.
And even if they do argue that that 1.25 stocking fee is a "late fee", well, it's only ONE late fee, not a late fee for each day it was late; so "no late feeS" is technically correct.
As to your second point... are you really arguing that the "no late feeS" is in regards to a single transaction, and not the disappearance of late fees for everyone?
Stupid marketing plan, and while people would be dumb to believe they could just rent out movies as long as they want forever, I still place the blame on the marketing.
08-04-08, 05:35 PM
#27
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
I know, I remember this thread 'back when'.
I just don't see the big hubbub. Admittedly it's been a while since I've rented from BBV, but IIRC, the receipt made it painfully clear that the disk is due back such-and-such, can be kept till such-and-such, and if you kept it past then you would buy it, but it could be returned with the restock fee. Hell, if I buy a DVD from Best Buy or DD and open it, I can't return it at *all* (unless defective).
The receipts were long, but not *that* long, and any dumbass who doesnt' read or check his receipt deserves what he gets. Plus when the store goes from "late fees up your a$$" to "no late fees!", anyone with a brain should read the not-so-fine print.
My point as to no late feeS is that if previously if I kept a movie past the due date, I'm charge a late fee either for every night it's overdue, or for every rental period (I forget which). Ding ding ding, there's thirty bucks. (I'm not sure if they capped it.) Under this new policy, there are only three possible payments--the original rental fee, the purchase price, or the 1.25 stocking fee.
I'm trying to proactively counter the "Well, I was charged a 1.25 "late fee" for keeping the movie 29 days or 44 days or however long it can be kept!" I know people want things for free, but come on.
I know it's easy and fun to hate on Blockbuster, and I'm no huge fan of them (check out one of the original BBO threads for my constant bitching on a huge percentage of titles in my queue on Wait status), but I am actually amazed at how pro-consumer this policy is (unless they've changed it since I've experienced it), and as willing as I am to slam a company for screwing its consumers, I am twice as willing to praise them when they do something "good"; this program fits that definition, imho.
I just don't see the big hubbub. Admittedly it's been a while since I've rented from BBV, but IIRC, the receipt made it painfully clear that the disk is due back such-and-such, can be kept till such-and-such, and if you kept it past then you would buy it, but it could be returned with the restock fee. Hell, if I buy a DVD from Best Buy or DD and open it, I can't return it at *all* (unless defective).
The receipts were long, but not *that* long, and any dumbass who doesnt' read or check his receipt deserves what he gets. Plus when the store goes from "late fees up your a$$" to "no late fees!", anyone with a brain should read the not-so-fine print.
My point as to no late feeS is that if previously if I kept a movie past the due date, I'm charge a late fee either for every night it's overdue, or for every rental period (I forget which). Ding ding ding, there's thirty bucks. (I'm not sure if they capped it.) Under this new policy, there are only three possible payments--the original rental fee, the purchase price, or the 1.25 stocking fee.
I'm trying to proactively counter the "Well, I was charged a 1.25 "late fee" for keeping the movie 29 days or 44 days or however long it can be kept!" I know people want things for free, but come on.
I know it's easy and fun to hate on Blockbuster, and I'm no huge fan of them (check out one of the original BBO threads for my constant bitching on a huge percentage of titles in my queue on Wait status), but I am actually amazed at how pro-consumer this policy is (unless they've changed it since I've experienced it), and as willing as I am to slam a company for screwing its consumers, I am twice as willing to praise them when they do something "good"; this program fits that definition, imho.
08-05-08, 12:46 PM
#28
DVD Talk Hero
Right, I agree, this benefits the consumer (well, the ones who actually get the movies... everyone else suffers because there are less movies in stock, with people holding onto movies for longer). They should have come up with a better marketing campaign. I still see no reason why they still have this buffer... it just confuses people. Why not just say "you can rent this movie for this many days, and if you don't return it by then you have to buy it" instead of saying "rentals are for XX days, but you can really keep it for YY more days, after which you buy it."
I mean, you have to consider the people that go into the local Blockbuster regularly to rent movies... I don't mean to stereotype, but it's usually not rocket scientists paying 4 bucks to rent a movie for a couple of days. This is who they took advantage of for so long with the late fees... if they couldn't even get the movie back to Blockbuster on time, how are they going to understand the "new" policy?
I mean, you have to consider the people that go into the local Blockbuster regularly to rent movies... I don't mean to stereotype, but it's usually not rocket scientists paying 4 bucks to rent a movie for a couple of days. This is who they took advantage of for so long with the late fees... if they couldn't even get the movie back to Blockbuster on time, how are they going to understand the "new" policy?
08-21-08, 10:10 PM
#29
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I didn't realize Blockbuster still had the no late fees thing going. My store has long since changed their policy to all 3 day rentals and a .99 cent fee per day after. They lowered the prices on new releases to $4 instead of $5 and older titles are $1.99 I think.
08-23-08, 09:38 AM
#31
Must be a franchise store. The franchise stores can charge late fees if they want. Corporate stores have to adhere to the no late fee policy.
08-23-08, 09:50 AM
#32
I know, I remember this thread 'back when'.
I just don't see the big hubbub. Admittedly it's been a while since I've rented from BBV, but IIRC, the receipt made it painfully clear that the disk is due back such-and-such, can be kept till such-and-such, and if you kept it past then you would buy it, but it could be returned with the restock fee. Hell, if I buy a DVD from Best Buy or DD and open it, I can't return it at *all* (unless defective).
The receipts were long, but not *that* long, and any dumbass who doesnt' read or check his receipt deserves what he gets. Plus when the store goes from "late fees up your a$$" to "no late fees!", anyone with a brain should read the not-so-fine print.
My point as to no late feeS is that if previously if I kept a movie past the due date, I'm charge a late fee either for every night it's overdue, or for every rental period (I forget which). Ding ding ding, there's thirty bucks. (I'm not sure if they capped it.) Under this new policy, there are only three possible payments--the original rental fee, the purchase price, or the 1.25 stocking fee.
I just don't see the big hubbub. Admittedly it's been a while since I've rented from BBV, but IIRC, the receipt made it painfully clear that the disk is due back such-and-such, can be kept till such-and-such, and if you kept it past then you would buy it, but it could be returned with the restock fee. Hell, if I buy a DVD from Best Buy or DD and open it, I can't return it at *all* (unless defective).
The receipts were long, but not *that* long, and any dumbass who doesnt' read or check his receipt deserves what he gets. Plus when the store goes from "late fees up your a$$" to "no late fees!", anyone with a brain should read the not-so-fine print.
My point as to no late feeS is that if previously if I kept a movie past the due date, I'm charge a late fee either for every night it's overdue, or for every rental period (I forget which). Ding ding ding, there's thirty bucks. (I'm not sure if they capped it.) Under this new policy, there are only three possible payments--the original rental fee, the purchase price, or the 1.25 stocking fee.
Reading the fine print: I agree there. Any moron who rented thinking they could just keep the DVD as long as they wanted were just asking for problems later on. The thing about that is the store has ALWAYS charged you for the full price of the movie after 10 days (and yes, it's 10 days, not the 7 days it says on your receipt. They have never changed their 10 day policy.) That has never changed, and everybody who filled out for a membership at Blockbuster signed a contract with the store that stated they would adhere to that policy. Why would they have to remind customers of an old policy when a new one changed. Just because customers thought the late fees and the sale price before was just one massive late fee isn't the store's fault.
There really is only so much the clerk at the register should have to explain to the customer. There comes a time where the customer has to accept personal responsibility for what they pay for and take out of the store into their own care and belonging.
As far as how they used to charge late fees it used to be: rental price PER DAY until 10 days when it sold to the account. So a 3.99 rental turned into 39.99 on the tenth day then the sale of the item was accessed to the account, and back in the day of VHS, that meant another hundred bucks added to the total. Sometime during the DVD days, not too long before they did away with late fees all together, they charged per rental period. Which for a two day rental means you got charged every two days for the rental which would add up to a chunk of change by the time it sold on the 10th day, but not that huge of a shock on the 7 day titles.
I think the new policy has been consistently fair and reasonable. Just because some jackasses can't grasp the concept doesn't mean it's a bad idea. There are always moron customers who just don't get it, no matter how customer friendly the policy is.
