Re: Blockbuster online problems
 

How many movies do you end up with each week, not including the in-store exchanges? I use to be able to get 5.

Re: Blockbuster online problems
 

More downgrading of service from Blockbusters.

So now, instead of sending you the next selection in queue, they'll hold off until the exchanged selection is returned :down:

Re: Blockbuster online problems
 

I got the same email above today. I understand their mentality behind the switch, but if you can't get the in-store exchanges and have your next title shipped at the same time, what is the benefit of doing the in-store exchanges?!

I suspect that a lot of heavy users will drop Blockbuster after this latest switcheroo. The whole benefit of having the in-store exchanges is having extra movies out in addition to what's in your queue.

Re: Blockbuster online problems
 

I received the same email. I like how they try and make it sound like you're benefiting from the change. They really think their customers are dumb don't they?

Re: Blockbuster online problems
 

Well, the majority of people are dumb...

Re: Blockbuster online problems
 

I didn't get the email by noticed a big banner about the No late fee and clicked on it. Said pretty much the same time.

Since I'm on the 3 out with 5 in store exchange, I guess that will affect the 5 instore exchange.

I was wondering how that would work if you did an exchange. Sounds like the movie returned at the store will show up on your rental history and the in store exchange will show up at the new aptly named "AT HOME" instead of SHIPPED QUEUE.

So I guess when you return or check in your in store rental, it'll drop from your AT HOME queue.

I also was wondering when that starts. I guess March 2.

I'm also wondering when the store return your online movies. A few weeks ago the manager said they now only return movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. But I think that changed again to save on postage. Returned a movie last Tuesday and they just got checked in today at the return center.

Re: Blockbuster online problems
 

So, to restate the obvious:
Past: I received 3 BB Mailers, watched them, took them to the locak BB and (with the pass) checked out 5 movies and by the time I took them back (every Tuesday and, yes, I know that is two days over) the next shipment from my queue would be here (when the auto-next would work).

Now: I will receive 3 BB mailers, watch them, take them to the local BB and then have to take THEM back and hope that they clear the ONLINE queue in a timely manner.

This means that I will now loose two weeks of movies per month (six movies) because of the extended turn-around. Thought the whole reason of In-Store exchange was to let you have movies to watch WHILE you waited for the next shipment (because they were taking longer than when they began and were reacting to complaints in that area)? So much for that now.

Cost per movie before: 3-at-a-time @ 4 weeks = 12 mailings per month (optimum) + the 12 instore free = 24 movies a month giving me a less than $1.50 per movie

Cost per movie after: 3-at-a-time @ 2 weeks = 6 + 6 instore free = 12 giving me just under $3.00 per movie cost. This is now no longer a bargain and will totally detract from the value of their movie plan.

Guess they thought we would not think of this angle?

So now, to get the max value of your On-Line rentals, you will have to take the mailers to the Local BB, get your exchanges, WATCH THEM and then take them back the very next day!!! This is not feasable in most cases because who can sit and dedicate 6 to 8 hours of movie watching in a single night twice in one week (once for the mailers and then again for the exchanges) EVERY week of the year? Leisurely enjoyment?

As stated before, my old way was to take the whole week to watch 6 movies. Plenty of enjoyment.

And now, to throw another wrench in: Guess what will happen to the those Short-Wait, Long-Wait and Very Long-Wait queue times??? Since the turn-around is now going to take longer per customer, those times will also double. I have been waiting for about seven and a half months for Farscape series (season 3 or 4?) to become available but it is STILL at "Very Long Wait" so now I guess I will have to pray that I will have it shipped to me sometime in my lifetime?

A little quick calculation: $35 a month for the 3-at-a-time x 12 = $420. Average cost of movies on Amazon (for non-New movies/TV Series) = $15. So I could OWN 28 movies a Year vice watching 144 once. OK, so it still looks like the Online is better than owning but they are trying VERY HARD to close that gap.

Netflix price for the six-at-a-time price is just a tiny bit over the BB's 3-at-a-time price (running under the $1.50 per movie cost) and with their faster turn-around, you might even get one extra shipment a month (giving you a MAX of 30 movies a month and thereby approaching the $1.00 per movie mark).

Seems to me that someone within Blockbuster has been bought off by the competition to have them come up with these GREED-Based plans that will hurt their business rather than help it.

There are enough internet savy customers out there that will quickly see the Cost-Per-Movie reality and choose the one that has more value (I will not say which - As if I haven't already).

With their store's struggling to survive and the competition providing better service/turn-around, this just seems to be insane. Well, since I did not major in Business but did my major in Computer Science, maybe I just don't get it??? Guess we will have to see what BB is like in 5 years??? Maybe they will become Netbuster or Blockflix? Or just maybe they will go quietly into the night without a whimper?

Just my dime's worth of thought (inflation).

Lance

Re: Blockbuster online problems
 

I did finally cancel my BB membership. All the Walgreen's in my area just got Redbox kiosks, which is hugely more convenient for me than the McDonald's ones (which are still there). We have a Walgreen's at every major intersection. Their selection is not as good, but for new release movies, I think it's definitely the way to go. If I want to get a TV series or and older or more obscure movie, I'll still use Blockbuster or Hollywood, but as phtomgamer illustrated above, the movies-by-mail clubs don't seem economical.

Re: Blockbuster online problems
 

I never got this email... just happened upon this change today when I noticed that my in-store exchange was listed in my queue. Promptly cancelled my membership.

Re: Blockbuster online problems
 

Well, since 60% of my queue is VERY LONG WAIT and has been for ages (they simply don't repurchase lost or damaged titles) I had been considering a switch to Netflix. The instore exchange was the only thing keeping me as a customer. But really, I can just do my new releases at a Redbox. Cancelled just now. It felt good.

Thanks Blockbuster, you made breaking up easy to do.

Re: Blockbuster online problems
 

I'm seriously about to as well. I have about 60 titles left on my queue, and they have been LONG-VERY LONG WAIT since i joined in August. Like you, the only thing keeping me a member is because my local Blockbuster is a franchise and they break street date all the time, so I get the new releases the Friday before they launch everywhere else.

But is it worth it? For a cheaper price I get the same amount of movies from Netflix, as well as streaming movies on my PC or Xbox 360. I think i'm going to jump before my next billing cycle starts.

Re: Blockbuster online problems
 

This new policy completely eliminates Blockbuster's advantage over Netflix. Really bad decision on their part.

Re: Blockbuster online problems
 

OK, I gave them a shot.

I took the movies I rented back and watched the online queue.
Took them back Sunday. Queue showed them returned Monday Night!
One shipped Tuesday. My queue is STILL sitting at ONE sent. No others are even listed as being in the process of being reserved for sending. I am suppose to have three at a time so why haven't the other two shipped??? I have availables at the top of the queue.

So not only is the benefit of having in-store movies to watch while you wait gone, they are STILL throttline the send time which detracts even more from the value of their on-line plan.

It now takes OVER two weeks to turn their on-lines around so I will be dropping BB On-Line. I am NOT going to be paying over $33 a month for less than 6 from then which in turn means less than 6 rentals making each movies close to $4.00 each (including the rentals). This is completely insane on their part.

Everyone needs to send them a message that this is unacceptable by the customers by cancelling their accounts AND leaving posts in the forums letting others know WHY they cancelled BB On-Line.

Lance.

Re: Blockbuster online problems
 

I’ll throw my two cents in,

I’ve had my Blockbuster online membership for over 3 years now. When I first started I think it was like $13 a month for 2 or 3 out at a time plus 2 free game/movie rental coupons. Well that has definitely changed, so I changed my membership too. I now have the 1 out at a time and mainly use it to rent blu rays. I get between 8-10 movies a month and figure it’s worth it for $9. And I only get movies that I can’t get at the library or with the red box coupons. But if Blockbuster ever starts charging more for blu rays, I’m out.

Re: Blockbuster online problems
 

Unfortunately, I'm not sure Blockbuster cares. Seems like at this point in time, they're just trying to stay afloat. I've said it for some time, but the online rentals have to be a huge drain. Not only the operating costs, but the fact that users could come in and rent movies for free. I know that they were counting on some of us buying overpriced candy and other stuff, and I'm not sure how sustainable that is in this economy. Does Blockbuster corporate have to pay all the franchises for these online rentals, since the stores aren't getting money for them?

I know that the only time I set foot in a Blockbuster store in the past few years was to either get my free rentals, or to buy a game that I heard was on sale.

Re: Blockbuster online problems
 

They did a really poor job of communicating the in-store exchange policy (perhaps intentionally?).

My account still says:
#
BLOCKBUSTER Total Access
#
$19.99 / month (plus taxes)
3 at-a-time, Unlimited mailings
5 in-store movie exchanges/month

and tracks the number of in store rentals I've done this month (3 out of 5). Of course, those three rentals are taking up my queue. If not for this forum, I don't think I would've realized the change until my next set of movies didn't ship for a few days.

Canceling time.

edited to add: Just canceled, and chose "Other" as reason, and put the change in terms in the provided text box.

Re: Blockbuster online problems
 

I'm switching back to Netflix. I normally use Blockbuster most of the time. I'm only on a 1 at a time plan, however I think they're throttling me for some reason. The last 2 dvds I've mailed back have taken 3 days for them to acknowledge the return. Hmmm, I live in Raleigh. DVDs get mailed to Charlotte, a whopping 3 hours distance. No way in hell it takes 3 days to get there. Bye, bye Blockbuster!

Re: Blockbuster online problems
 

Alright, I found another reason why I hate BB online now. I decided to try the in store exchanges (2 per month) to add on my one out at a time for a couple more bucks a month. And found out that they don’t ship out your next online movie until you return your in store movie. How fucking stupid is that! I could see them doing that if you kept it more than a week, but still. It’s like they are intentionally trying to lose customers at this point.

Re: Blockbuster online problems
 

Blockbuster Online had been consistently good (at least for me). Return a movie to the store and next day the next movie goes out.

However this week, returned a movie to the store Tuesday evening. Nothing was shipped on Wednesday. So emailed them and it looked like there was a system upgrade at the distribution center. So nothing still shipped today. Email did say if nothing ships within 3 to 5 business days to let them know. Issue had been passed to their IT department. Got a free coupon to make up for the delay though.

Anyone had nothing shipped due to system upgrade?

P.S. Learned something new about your settings. You can choose SPEED vs QUEUE. If set at SPEED, system will choose next available movie to go out within 24 hours. If set at QUEUE, movie will be chosen from QUEUE order. You can set the number of days you want to wait for the movie from 1 to 5. The longer the days, the better chances of getting your movie.

I think this is new. Never noticed it before and email mentioned to check this. Mine's is set at SPEED. Wondering if this is why nothing shipped because the bugs are not ironed out.

Also the funny thing is that the old days, make sure you have 30 availalbe titles. Then later, have 15 available titles. Now, the email said have 10 available titles.