jpb07

Glad BB "expelled" my account last spring...sounds like it's done nothing but get worse Anyone else who was a "heavy user" (avg 6 in mail/6 in store per week) get the boot in the past year?

ds6161

Psst. don't let BB online know... But I just reactivated my Netflix account & on Jan 1st or 2nd will be my last time in their store.

mrflix

Cancelled. 2nd change in my plan in the past 3 months. My business will be appreciated elsewhere. On principle alone I find there practices to be awful towards customers.

A-aron

I contacted BB and asked for a response regarding the change. Here is their answer.


Thanks for contacting BLOCKBUSTER Online Customer Care.

Our goal is to strike the right balance between providing great value to our subscribers and getting a fair return for the company and our shareholders. We want to provide a variety of subscription plans to meet the needs of all our customers, both in-store and online. It's important for us to give consumers the most convenient access to media entertainment, whether that’s through our stores or by mail, and are dedicated to doing that with flexible plans and pricing.

We've reviewed our pricing structure and have found that to get a better balance of providing great value for Total Access subscribers while still making it affordable for us, as of December 27, 2007, we have restructured the prices of our Total Access subscription plans.

Please note that we're not changing any plan benefits; you'll continue to get all the same great benefits and value from Total Access. Of course, you're always free to change your plan.


... not changing plan benefits? oh they most certainly are. I lost my in-store coupon. That, to me, is a change of benefits.

Moezilla

I've not received a coupon in a long time either. This is the second rate hike in the past couple months and mine's jumping to $34.99 a month, so I'm jumping to Netflix. There will be a pretty big exodus I'm sure, Netflix will sure love the business. BB is kidding themselves if they think this rate increase is going to help them get people in store. Their in store rental prices are as high as matinee movie rates are, regardless of the age of the movie. This will do more damage than good for them.

fujishig

Weird... I just checked my queue, and a ton of titles that I know they used to have are now set to "Coming Soon." Anyone else experience this? I was wondering why they were sending titles so far down my queue.

Moezilla

Yea, they've been doing that for a while now.

DaveWadding

same here.

BrentLW

Well, they just screwed themselves out of a new subscriber. i was going to ask my parents to pay for a month of service for me as a birthday present. Of course, Dec 27th happens to be that precise day. Guess I'll just ask for a couple of DVDs instead. Or maybe some cheap PC game

68ShelbyGT500KR

You can try to use a 1 month trial code, if it is still active.

A-aron

Here is an interesting quote from BB (comes from a FW thread)

"Spokeswoman Karen Raskopf also declined to disclose which current customers will see price increases other than saying, 'We are taking into account the profitability of individual subscribers.'"

So, it seems that only SOME of the Total Rewards members are being hit with the change. How is this legal? Didn't they get into trouble before for throttling (and keeping new releases from some member due to higher program use)?

thomkai

I thought that was Netflix?

Also, keep in mind when comparing to Netflix plans, Blockbuster by mail only is as cheap or cheaper (1 is $8.99, 2 $13.99, and 3 is $15.99 ($1 cheaper than NF)). And you can still drop those at a store to be checked in so a new one goes out quick. It's not the huge advantage of exchanging that there was before, and since many report that NF site and selection is superior, this isn't the best for everyone, but a dollar is a dollar, and quick turn around by dropping at a store.

A-aron

But how is Blockbuster's "picking and choosing" who gets charge more and who doesn't any different in the end? My 3 at-a-time (unlimited exchanges) netted me 9 movies this cycle. And only 8 the cycle before that. How does that red-flag me for a rate increase?

My calls and emails to BB only get the same respose - "we don't know the method they are using to determine who gets a rate increase only, and who gets a rate increase with a reduction of benefits."

fujishig

Hmm... if they are indeed picking and choosing who gets favorable rates based on profitability, then I think I am indeed done with them, regardless of whether I'm affected. If they're just saying that different price tiers had different price increases, then I'm ok with that.

Phod

I'm debating between Netflix and Blockbuster Online for my 2008 movie experience. Obviously reading this thread isn't steeering me toward Blockbuster The only benefit to me is the in-store exchanges because there are a few Blockbusters near me but since I have Blu-Ray and HD-DVD, their selection is pretty poor.

How does the in-store exchange work, basically you can just, for instance, exchange 5 times in-store per month.. so it's basically 5 store rentals per month for the monthly fee plus unlimited by mail as long as you only have 3 out a time.

I'm having a hard time debating whether that's worth a bit extra cost (Blockbuster: 3 out at a time, 5 in store exchanges for $19.99 a month, Netflix 3 out at a time $16.99 a month).

Any thoughts from users of both? Sorry for the thread hi-jack but I didn't want to start a new thread and get yelled at I also fear Blockbuster raising rates AGAIN, heh. Has Netflix raised prices any time recently?

ds6161

Phod,
I have (had-- I going back to Netflix) online 3 out at a time & in-store return got me a free rental unlimited was $21.99 plus tax -- going to $29.99.
I was getting TV series shows & anime from online. I would return them on Tuesdays for new releases. So I was getting 6 rentals a week. When I returned them in store it took 1-2 days to clear queue & another 2-3 days for me to get my new ones in the mail.
I noticed last month that they carry HD-DVD titles online. HD movies took 3 full days to clear queue & another 3-4 days to recieve them in mail.
I don't blame them for the HD delay its new & not many copies to start.

Netflix 3 out at a time is $16.99 + tax. I just re-started 12/21 and had 3 movies 12/22 mailed them back 1 on 12/23 2 on 12/24. They got'em 12/26 & had 3 more out to me the same day. I received them on 12/27. So thats 6 in a week for $13 less.

My only concern is the new release issues they sometimes have. but they just put War & shoot'em up in the mail 12/31.

So I got 1 more week of BB online & their history

Phod

Thanks for the reply.. sounds like Netflix is certainly more efficient.

thomkai

(In the interest of full disclosure: I do work at a Blockbuster B&M; perhaps this biases me, but I try to keep things in perspective.)

I recently had another 2 week trial of Total Access (about a month ago), and I only ordered HD-DVD's, and they seemed to ship as fast as DVD's. They were all older ones though, so can't speak for new releases.

Everyone always looks at the Total Access prices and compares them to Netflix, but that's not really fair. If the extra in store rentals aren't worth it to you, then the by mail only plans are as cheap (for 1 and 2 at a time) or cheaper (by $1 for 3 at a time), and if you return to the store, they are checked in and new movies shipped ASAP (don't have to exchange to check them in, remember).

There are other things to consider of course; some people have worse turn around time with BB and selections may differ. In my experience I've been treated pretty well except for the price increases, but the by mail only have decreased in price and would still have better (theoretical) turn-around time. If I ever go back to online renting I'll probably give by mail only blockbuster another shot, because to me $1 cheaper is the biggest difference I've seen between the two.

My two cents.

ds6161

I did have very good service from BB instore & online. I never had the big problems that are talked about in other threads.
I took the earlier price increase with no problem. But another $8 price hike is just to much for me.
With Netflix I might not get as many disc's a month but $13+tax makes up for it in my book.
Of course now that I switched Netflix will raise their rates to so it will be even again...