Oh, they already have one?
No, not that I can tell in Canada. It's certainly not on their website, and I haven't seen mention of it in stores.
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Rumor has it Blockbuster may be closing down...
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Oh, they already have one?
No, not that I can tell in Canada. It's certainly not on their website, and I haven't seen mention of it in stores.
I haven't tried Netflix yet, but it is interesting that you mention the attitude. When I did go to BB, I remember not only not liking the prices, but also how they could care less if you were there or not. FV on the other hand are super nice, have good deals on older movies, and gives you options for how long to keep a movie and you pay accordingly.
I don't find too many movies worth buying
I haven't setup any home multimedia network, so iTunes movies are not really an option yet.
I switched over to Netflix about a few months back and I think its great just for the convenience of it. You never have to worry about running to return a DVD back to BB before they close when its 10 degrees out. I simply drop it in the mailbox on my way to work.
Oh, they already have one?
No, not that I can tell in Canada. It's certainly not on their website, and I haven't seen mention of it in stores.
I use neither it nor Netflix so I'm not sure of the differences, but they've had one in the US for a couple of years now.
It was way behind Netflix when it started, but I think they've been bridging the selection gap as time's gone by. I've heard Netflix is better for indie films and out of print titles, and Blockbuster is better for more mass-market stuff and availability.
One thing they do to differentiate themselves from Netflix is tie the service into their stores, so you can return things at a retail location and your next film gets shipped right out instead of waiting for it to get back to them in the mail. I think they also offer a select number of in-store rentals, depending on which plan you have.
(Funny, looking through this thread again, it seems like a lot of people - even in the US - aren't aware they offer a Netflix-like rentals-by-mail option. I wonder if that's part of their trouble?)
Wow, are you still on dialup or something? My broadband is reasonably quick (6Mbps) and when I rent a movie from iTunes on my ATV it is ready to watch in under a minute for SD. HD can take a little longer but for casual watching I don't bother since the SD rentals look pretty good and only use 1/3rd of the bandwidth and I'm on a 20GB capped plan.
As for browsing, it is easier IMHO to find stuff on iTunes than to find them in Blockbuster.
I still go to blockbuster, because as others have mentioned, when I'm in the mood to rent a video, I want to watch it NOW. I can get that level of service by going to a physical store. Netflix's delivery times simply just cannot compete.
Also, Not everyone has an ATV or HTPC to take advantage of iTunes' video rentals. One can rent a hell of a lot of videos from BBV for the same price as an ATV.
william sire
macrumors regular
I thought this Onion video got it right.
I liked Blockbuster before they got rid of late fees. I never had a too much of a problem finding the films I wanted before this, but now no one returns videos for days, and it's only after that shift in policy that I had trouble finding things I wanted. (in both Canada and the US). That was the end for me, and now I'll buy a DVD or rent from an online store instead.
I liked Blockbuster before they got rid of late fees. I never had a too much of a problem finding the films I wanted before this, but now no one returns videos for days, and it's only after that shift in policy that I had trouble finding things I wanted. (in both Canada and the US). That was the end for me, and now I'll buy a DVD or rent from an online store instead.
I don't rent movies on iTunes, I like to buy them. Last night, I bought the Changeling. This movie is almost 2GB in file size. It took me 19 minutes to download it. I started watching it after only downloading 30 seconds of it.
What is killing Blockbuster is the combination of NetFlix rental service and the fact you can see both TV shows and movies online if you have a faster broadband connection.
Indeed, in the adult video world, broadband is the way to go--a lot of new adult video releases are now available in video on demand form.
Indeed, in the adult video world, broadband is the way to go--a lot of new adult video releases are now available in video on demand form.
The only time I go to BB is when I am at my house in Rhode Island.
It costs like $4.50 or $5.00 to rent a movie . I don't care that you can keep it for 5 days or whatever, I am just going to watch it the day I am buying it. It also pisses me off how they never have the real movie boxes, just those stupid blockbuster ones with no pictures.
It costs like $4.50 or $5.00 to rent a movie . I don't care that you can keep it for 5 days or whatever, I am just going to watch it the day I am buying it. It also pisses me off how they never have the real movie boxes, just those stupid blockbuster ones with no pictures.
My sister returned a DVD late, Blockbuster wanted my family to buy it, my parents refused, they sent collections after us. My mom went to the store and threw the membership card at them. I hope the company fails. That is not how you treat people who have been your customer since the beginning.
i feel bad for any employees, but for the company, not really. it's not like i wish ill upon them, but if they can't adapt to changing technology, then it's their fault.
personally, i stopped going to bb a long time ago when I found out they edit certain movies by removing content.
for me, i'll visit the closest Rogers or dload from itunes. I love the convenience of choosing a movie and letting it dload while I do something else around the house. saves on gas, saves on time driving back and forth and allows me to do more at the same time.
I do wish there was a greater selection, but i'm not at a stage in life where i HAVE to watch a certain flick and if i do, there is the physical store to visit.
plus, the parking at the local rogers is an absolute b*tch b/c some idiot developer poorly planned a Timmy's so of course, there are tons of morons lining up for $1 coffee and donuts.
That is one thing I'll never figure out, but that is an entirely different topic
Cheers,
Keebler
personally, i stopped going to bb a long time ago when I found out they edit certain movies by removing content.
for me, i'll visit the closest Rogers or dload from itunes. I love the convenience of choosing a movie and letting it dload while I do something else around the house. saves on gas, saves on time driving back and forth and allows me to do more at the same time.
I do wish there was a greater selection, but i'm not at a stage in life where i HAVE to watch a certain flick and if i do, there is the physical store to visit.
plus, the parking at the local rogers is an absolute b*tch b/c some idiot developer poorly planned a Timmy's so of course, there are tons of morons lining up for $1 coffee and donuts.
That is one thing I'll never figure out, but that is an entirely different topic
Cheers,
Keebler
Switched to Blockbuster Online after getting fed up with the local BB stores never having any new titles in stock.
I eventually dropped BB and got Netflix due to the larger selection of Blu-Ray movies and will never turn back. So much less of a hassle to just drop it in the mailbox and two days later I have 3 new movies. Netflix turn around time for me was also much quicker than BB.
I eventually dropped BB and got Netflix due to the larger selection of Blu-Ray movies and will never turn back. So much less of a hassle to just drop it in the mailbox and two days later I have 3 new movies. Netflix turn around time for me was also much quicker than BB.
We're probably not talking about the same company then. Blockbuster, in the US at least, offers movies for rental in every possible way: Physical DVD/Blu-ray at the store, Mail Service DVD/Blu-ray, Online download. Join the online/mail-order service and you get access to everything. You can't get that with any other company (that I know of).
Physical rental stores are important and should stay around (I'm not just talking about Blockbuster but any physical store rental service). It's simply impossible to match the service, speed and human movie knowledge and suggestions that you get with retail rental stores. All of that is impossible online....unless Netflix, Blockbuster Online or any similar service has live people online that you can chat with instantly and create visual pop-ups on your computer showing you movies and pictures as they chat with you.
Netflix, Blockbuster Online and iTunes rental are great if you know what you already want....but not so good for browsing. No company has yet developed a way to browse movies as quickly, easily and as thorough as you can at a physical rental store.
I wonder what would happen if you rent a movie and they close down before you return it? I like how they call Late Fees = Extended viewing fee. That wording sounds so much better.
I use Netflix. Had BB for a while, and while it was nice being able to go to the store to drop off yer vids and pick up new ones, I don't like the snippy, pushy & condescending salespeople. And not to mention in the cold weather I can rent just about any movie I want w/o wasting gas, bundling up, and driving 5 miles to the BB. Saves time, too.
Any movie I don't go see at the theatre I get from Netflix a couple weeks after it's out on DVD.
BB may be on the way down... now I wish this would happen to Walmart. Main St. dies whenever Wally World opens up.
Any movie I don't go see at the theatre I get from Netflix a couple weeks after it's out on DVD.
BB may be on the way down... now I wish this would happen to Walmart. Main St. dies whenever Wally World opens up.
Methinks you're confusing 'fad' with 'runaway success' - However I agree Twitter may end up being a fad.. time will tell. iPhone and Netflix aren't exactly fads. Being hugely popular isn't the defining element of faddishness.
Does Netflix have any process patents that would prevent Blockbuster from using a similar distribution model?
As others have said, they already run a similar business.
Plus there's even other companies doing the same type of thing with video games.
I don't think you can patent home delivery, even if it's specifically rentals.
I end up buying the discs used/on sale for slightly more than the cost of renting.
Netflix for as far as renting.
Plus, the service at all the area Blockbusters are horrible...
I kept getting calls on the house phone that the videos were overdue, and I don't rent from them. The local Blockbuster said to call Customer Service. I tried calling Blockbuster Customer Service, which is in India, and the rep really didn't care and he said to call the local one. I called the local one back and he got upset.
I did too and told him he had to correct it or I'll file harassment. He managed to but said it wasn't his job...
What happens is that people, when they open a Blockbuster account, give a fictitious phone number, that may be someone else's, so that they don't get the overdue phone calls.
Blockbuster doesn't bother to confirm the number.
If they go out - they deserve too...
Netflix for as far as renting.
Plus, the service at all the area Blockbusters are horrible...
I kept getting calls on the house phone that the videos were overdue, and I don't rent from them. The local Blockbuster said to call Customer Service. I tried calling Blockbuster Customer Service, which is in India, and the rep really didn't care and he said to call the local one. I called the local one back and he got upset.
I did too and told him he had to correct it or I'll file harassment. He managed to but said it wasn't his job...
What happens is that people, when they open a Blockbuster account, give a fictitious phone number, that may be someone else's, so that they don't get the overdue phone calls.
Blockbuster doesn't bother to confirm the number.
If they go out - they deserve too...
I'm kind of like half andf half when it comes to movie rentals...i go to b.buster and i use netflix...redbox is good but they need more blu-ray and more movies on their menu...the only problem i have with b.buster is the stupid late fees and they should increase the days for game rentals to 7 days instead of 5
This has been coming for some time now. They never managed to successfully address the change in customer demand.
Not to mention they are closing stores left and right (in my area all three are now gone and went within a month of each other). They are no longer being traded on the Stock Exchange. Good riddance and I hope they do crumble. Sucks for the people who are employed by thou.