Blockbuster frustrations

RyanCai · 04-28-2004, 08:06 PM

Ok i just got finish arguing with a blockbuster manager...

Here's what happened. I have one of those freedom pass which allows me to rent out unlimited movies for 1 month. Anyway, i was told when renting out a movie/game you should bring your returns with you to the counter so you can rent out your items faster. Ok i did that for two weeks, all is smooth. Anyway, i got a call today saying that while they were trying to rent out a movie, they found out there was no movie, it was an empty box & that i was the last person to rent it. They told me check around the house to see if its there. I do that for almost an hour & i can't find it. I return the call back saying i can't find it. I tell them i always make sure i have everything before returning my rentals. I told them that i went to the counter and returned my items & i rented out 2 more movies. She then tells me that, maybe the employee didn't check inside the box when they checked it in & returned it back to the shelf. I then told them, i returned the movie, you guys checked it in, its been a few days already, i don't see how i'm responsible for it now. She then says that i'm responsible cause i was the last one to rent it out. They say they are going to check the "Security tape" & if it shows that the employee did not check that i will have to pay for the DVD. Am i really responsible for this? I don't feel i should pay for something i don't have.

Anyway, i'm pretty frustrated right now. I mean the movie is freaken Timeline who would want to keep that? Anyone else have problems with blockbuster?

Craig · 04-28-2004, 08:13 PM

One word: Netflix!

Bob clamer · 04-28-2004, 09:27 PM

I've run into this with "Video Update". Called me a week later and said they didn't receive a return. Like you, racking my brain and turning the house upside down and not finding it, I called the manager back and was told "oh, we found it, employee never checked it in". Gee, after all that you'd think they'd offer a free rental? Yea, right!

Bryan Ri · 04-28-2004, 09:49 PM

I've had nothing but poor experiences at Blockbuster; mysterious late fees that pop up that they never mention occurs frequently

ChrisBEA · 04-28-2004, 10:25 PM

It's reasons like this that I don't rent. I haven't rented anything since I started my DVD addiction.
I used to work for a rental chain and remember things like these happening. On the other side, I remember a guy returning a few movies a few months late. He then said he returned them on time, when I watched him drop them in the box and drive away. late fees were something like $700. don't know what happened though....

**HTF Ads**

Harold Wazzu · 04-28-2004, 11:38 PM

I have never had a problem with BB in the 5+ years I have rented from them but lately I haven't rented that much from them. Hoping they will keep sending those 99 cent coupons out.

john mcfadden · 04-28-2004, 11:46 PM

NETFLIX !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lev-S · 04-29-2004, 12:55 AM

this exact situation happened with a copy of Project Gotham Racing that I rented. The only difference was that we used the drop off box. We checked back often to see if it had turned up and eventually they just let it go. probably some punk employee!

JohnRice · 04-29-2004, 03:09 AM

Ryan, that has absolutely nothing to do with renting and it really doesn't have anything to do with Blockbuster either. That is definitely not their policy and it's pretty absurd for people to take an incident like this and use it as a reason not to rent. I'll never understand that logic.

Do you live in the US? If you do, there is absolutely no way they can hold you responsible for their employees' incompetence. I mean, get real. If they could get away with this they could just claim movies that were returned actually weren't returned. Once an employee logs in that movie, you are relieved. If they disagree, call your State Attorney General's office. I am absolutely serious about that. Things like this are exactly what State Attorney Generals are here for. You could also contact some TV consumer advocate, if there is one in the area. That manager needs to be fired, so you might also try to get ahold of the Blockbuster District manager.

Glenn Overholt · 04-29-2004, 03:16 AM

I am sure that it would be noticed right away if anyone just picked up an empty case, including yourself. Think about it, how could you pick up an empty case and think that it weighed the same as one with a tape in it?

The same would go for them. They would notice it immediately, if not before that!

Glenn

Ben_@ · 04-29-2004, 04:07 AM

Though you may feel that you aren't responsible for this error in their records of transactions, it is still probably your responsibility under your rental agreement with BB. With movie rentals, you're generally guilty until proven innocent.

A similar thing happened to me, only I used the drop box. BB forgot to scan the box. They called telling me that it was a month late. They didn't bother to check their own shelves. Even though I told them over the phone that I had returned it promptly, it still took another trip to the store for them to actually check their shelves. Would have been nice if they offered a little apology deal. I've rented less from them since then.