Posted on 12/20/2008 1:32:47 AM PST by Las Vegas Dave
We just returned a movie to BB and found out that the “late fees” have been reinstated. We had to buy the DVD, not just pay the fees. Paid $10 for a DVD we didn’t want.
It would be refreshing if these people would show the same outrage toward their government, which does the same thing writ large. But hey, at least you can pick a different DVD rental company to do business with.
Full disclosure: Netflix customer, not a Blu-Ray subscriber (though I did do the HD-DVD thing with them for awhile).
It would be refreshing if these people would show the same outrage toward their government, which does the same thing writ large. But hey, at least you can pick a different DVD rental company to do business with.
Full disclosure: Netflix customer, not a Blu-Ray subscriber (though I did do the HD-DVD thing with them for awhile).
Sorry for the double-post. I hate that.
>>>>found out that the “late fees” have been reinstated.<<<<<
Yes. You’re right, and I forgot about that.
They definitely have short rental periods and stiff late fees on those “premium” DVDs in the stores (”Hot Picks”???, something like that).
But at my local store they’ve been pretty loosy-goosie about charging those late fees if it’s only a day or two. In fact they don’t charge at all. That seems to be their policy.
It’s entirely possible that Netflix have started to move the goalposts now that they are a market leader themselves but Blockbuster dug almost to China so they have a long ways to go.
>>>>>Blockbuster dug almost to China so they have a long ways to go.<<<<<
Yep, I think they’d come to rely on late fees as their business model.
So basically their business model was premised on ***shaming and pissing off their own customers*****!!!!
I guess you can do that when you have a de facto monopoly.
It got so out of control that they once dinged me for late fees AND a lost video which I definitely returned, and returned on time (this was from a store that was in process of moving to another location, so it was pretty obvious that *they* misplaced the vids).
Anyway it took weeks for the franchisee/management to refund all those charges.
And that’s when I switched to Netflix. Around 2000 or 2001.
So this is a perfect example of capitalism in action, and why de facto monopolies are only temporary (in a market economy) and why Blockbuster struggles against PO’d former customers to this very day.
Can you imagine if Blockbuster were to get a Federal Bailout from Henry Paulson? They’d still be providing the “valuable market service” of insulting and victimizing their captive customer base.
I never bothered to take advantage of Blockbuster's "return them to the store" policy. If I wanted to return them to the store I wouldn't have rented online. I do not have a Blu-ray yet, so I am fine with Netflix. Judging by Netflix's response to slow delivery of Blu-rays, I guess I'm not the only one who thinks Blu-ray is too expensive right now.
Netflix should charge a premium for bluray. It only makes sense. And pressure should be put on the industry to lower the price tag for a bluray movie.
When is Lord of the Rings coming out in bluray?
When a new release comes out, though, I sometimes rent it at the brick and mortar store if I'm anxious to see it.
Netflix is great for those who watch older TV series, and you cannot beat their incredibly large library.
Blu-Ray owners are now “high maintenance?”
Pretty much. Just make sure if you buy DVDs, to buy widescreen versions. I've been doing that since they first came out in anticipation of WS displays in the future. And really, unless they're really old DVDs from a crappy print, an upconverted SD WS DVD looks just fine on a HDTV. And as they start to "remaster" movies for HD (even old films can be remastered for HD) those SD discs should look even better.
I didn't say that but anyone that publishes multiple opinion pieces about an extra buck a month is probably a customer they are better off sending to the competition. I just wish we could charge a buck on election day to vote. Conservatives would win every time.
Okay, an information on upscaling DVD players would be welcome. I have a 60” plasma and 22” LCD HD and with over a thousand DVDs don’t plan on repacing my libary.
His bone of contention is more “Blu-Ray movies take forever to rent,” less “one stinking dollar!”
Well, it isn't YOUR $1 anymore since you gave it to them. So, they CAN do whatever they want with it. Just as you could have done anything YOU wanted to do with it. You chose to give it the them.
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