No more late fees at Blockbuster!, could be worse (1 Viewer)

[TonyD]

chris atkins said:
also a good point, and is happening.
while, for the first week or so of this new policy, we were getting extra copies of most movies.
but apparently something between bbv and some of the studios is going on, because now we are getting less copies of big release titles.

this week we only got 55 copies of RAY for rent.
something is going on.

 

[John Alderson]

My wife tried to get a straight answer out of the clerk about *specifically* what their policy was... at first he toted the company line about "no late fees, none, zip!" So my wife said, sarcastically, "So I can just keep it as long as I want then?"

Clerk: "Well... you can keep it for a couple extra days."
Wife: "So you just extended the late fee deadline?"
Clerk: "No, there are no late fees."
Wife: "So how long can I keep it?"
Clerk: "Well... an extra week."
Wife: "Then what happens?"
Clerk: "There's a $1.50 re-stocking fee... after 30 days you own it."
Wife: "Was that so hard?"

This is an abbreviated version of their conversation. I think they WANT people to think it's a netflix like plan, then get a nice little surprise when they have to pay MSRP for Baby Geniuses II after keeping it for a month.

TonyD: Good luck to your Eagles, they're a great team. As a long time and until recently long suffering Pats fan, I know your pain. I just want it to last at least one more season, if that's ok Seriously though, I think it'll be a good game; I give Philly more of a chance than the media seems to.

 

[Allen>B]

I can't beleive this:

I've been reading about the Blockbuster deal for weeks, checking out peoples opinions on it, etc.

So today I decide to try it out after being away from their store for months. (because I hate rushing back in a few days to return something)

So I get 2 movies and pay. As they give me the receipt they say I have to have them back in 2 days!

I say "how long can I have them before any late fees?"

And I get an answer something like this:

"We are not a corporate store. We did the no late fee thing only in January. Now we just lowered the late fees to $0.99 a day."

I was in total shock. I simply said "this is the last time I'm renting from here" and left.

The cashier just gave me a simple "sorry".

Can they do this? I've seen the tv ads and read every word of their website.

Can they pull this "we're blockbuster but not the one on the website and tv!" crap?????

Opinions please!

That will be the last time I ever go to their store (after I return my movies in 2 days)

I will do Netflix or the cable on demand stuff. I really prefer the cable on demand EXCEPT that it is usually full screen movies. The hi-def on demand selection is very poor and overpriced : (

So it's full frame on-demand or Netflix.

I was interested in Netflix but am VERY worried about them selling my home address and phone number to other companies. I don't want their service if it means getting cold called from companies and putting another pound of junk in my mailbox every day.

Any opinions on my Netflix concern?

Thank you.

 

[TravisR]

If it's not a corporate run store, they can run the store anyway they want. That sucks though, I would say that they may change the policy at some point in the near future because I'm sure plenty of people were asking (or complaining) the same question about the 'no late fees'. Call them up every few weeks and ask them if they still charge late fees.

 

[BrianB]

Of course they can do that - they're an independent franchise, not part of the main corporate chain.

You were perfectly happy to give your address/info to Blockbuster, but not Netflix?

 

[Allen>B]

How in the world am I supposed to know what a corporate blockbuster looks like compared to a non-corporate?

Before today I didn't know there was a different version of the store. How do I tell? Do the corporate stores have poka-dots on the floors or something?

I also don't recall reading anything about "only at participating stores" on their web site or the tv ads.

They certainly benefited from the ads and website seeing as it brought me in after a long time of not caring about them.

And no Brain, my family had a blockbuster card long before Netflix was even a business plans gleam in some guys eye.

I could be wrong but maybe we've been members for over a decade if that's possible. I really can't remember.

So still, can anyone give opinion on my netflix concern? Thank you.

 

[BrianB]

I don't think you've anything to worry about. Netflix's privacy policy is available on their website, and I've had no problems with them in the time I've been a member. My point about your BB membership is you worry about Netflix having your address, but appear to have no concerns about other big companies having it, i.e. Blockbuster. No matter.

 

[John*P]

A question for TonyD or anyone else who knows the answer: Is it now mandatory to give Blockbuster credit card info to keep your account active? I heard it is (due to the "no late fees" nonsense) and if that info is true, I'm done with BB, and joining Netflix.

Also, does Netflix have a policy that allows you to rent only 2 DVDs at a time, or is it only 3? If they do offer 2 at a time, what's the monthly fee?

 

[danak]

John*P,
Netflix does have a special 2-at-a-time plan, but you are only allowed to rent 4 titles a month under it (for $11.99). They're 3-at-a-time plan (for however many you can manage to rent in a month) is $17.99

Dana

 

[TonyD]

you dont have to have a credit card, stores should except vehicle reg, current utility bill and depending on the store some other secondary forms of i.d..

john, you have to give your credit card number to netflix too, so whats the difference?

 

[Lee Carbray]

I am not saying I want to do this but there have been plenty of times I have rented a movie and liked it so much I decided to purchase it afterwards. If I am going to buy it anyway why not just keep the one that is already at my house.

I buy most of my movies previously viewed anyway so I don't really care if there are some scratches on the disk. As long as it does not skip I don't care. The cost might be the kicker. I would like to see what they consider MSRP. I suspect it would be higher then the current market value.

That being said I have not been to BBV for years and don't plan on going anytime soon.

 

[Allen>B]

----"I just went to the website, clicked on the link for no more late fees on the front page, got a flash ad where it specifically says "Click here to find out more on the end of late fees at participating stores". "----


That's great because I never installed Flash and use Firefox. So I never saw that or anything like that on their site or on the tv ads. (i'll look for it on the tv ads)

Guess it was too hard for them to put an * in the actual text information on their site. In the area where you get the info on the service.

So is it "Macromedia Flash required for actual policy" now?

That's pretty funny.

About the info stuff, I understood what you were saying. But I was saying that my family signed up looooong ago with them and that horse has already left the barn.

I'm not in any rush to throw more private info at a company that will use my phone number and home address like a rented mule.

So I was looking for some users to tell me about their experience with netflix in that regard.

Has anyone noticed an increase in cold calls since they joined? Anyone found more junk mail in their mailbox since they joined?

Thanks for any input!

 

[Grant H]

It does say on their site that they will charge you the price they sell it for pre-viewed IF they have any pre-viewed copies in stock.

Not a big help for new release rentals. I'm sure they charge whatever they charge for it new since they sell new movies too. Would be too easy to complain if they charged more than in-store pricing.

I wonder how they would charge me for a movie automatically withoug having my credit card info? I resisted joining my local BB until they changed that policy and didn't require CC info. I guess they'd just have to wait until I came in to rent something again. Or hunt me down if I never did.

Funny story:

I've been trying out the BB online service and cashed in my 2 in-store rentals right away. Hadn't rented anything from BB in probably a month or more, but had been in to exchange an old video game I had problems with, and wouldn't you know they said I owed them $4.25 for when I rented "I, Robot" with a $0.99 coupon? They said it was 1 day late. I told them I returned it on time and the new girl said she believed me and wiped it off. Now, I suppose it's POSSIBLE that I forgot you have to have them back by NOON on the due date (not by close like Movie Gallery), but usually I return them early or in the morning if it really is the last day.

Just seemed suspicious that they tried to hit me up for money while telling everybody they could take a few extra days if they wanted. If I returned it before Noon that day, they may have checked it in late or maybe it's just my ex-friend's doing, my other ironic BBV story:

I just think it's particularly hilarious that it took over a year (I think a year and a half) to get a DVD of mine back from a girl who's a BBV manager. And you know how I finally got it back? I went Netflix on her ass. I sent her a pre-addressed postage paid envelope. (I believe it was almost a year ago that I JOKED I would do that for her birthday.) Two weeks later I got my disc back. Hell of a lot of hassle to get that South Park disc back. Would be one thing if we'd been dating...

A perfect example of the type of people BBV seems to employ. (HTF members working at BBV are excepted of course). I'm sure I told you about the guy who called me cheap because I was buying previously viewed DVD's as gifts. I sure am glad he's gone.

Sorry I went a bit off topic, but I thought it might entertain.

 

[TonyD]

"(HTF members working at BBV are excepted of course)"
i'll take that.

grant if you rented it before jan 1st and it was late thats why you owed a fee. the new policy is only for anything rented after dec 31st.

 

[Robyn]

My biggest gripe about the new "No Late Fees" thing is no one is returning the movies! Everytime I go to Blockbuster to rent a new release, I now have to wait a couple of weeks (if I'm lucky) so see a "new" release because everyone is not in a hurry to return the movies and the shelves are bare. Bah humbug!

 

[TonyD]

robyn take a look a post 61.

 

[John*P]

Ah, I didn't know this. You still have to give them a credit card number even if you pay by check? (if you can pay by check, that is. I heard you could...) The thing is, I don't have a credit card, so Netflix may not be an option for me. :-/

and danak, thanks for the info. The 3-at-a-time-plan is probably what I would end up going for if I joined their service.

 

[EricSchulz]

You heard correctly. Netflix now allows you to pay for your membership via your checking account.

Having been a member on Netflix for most of the past six years, I have not noticed ANY junk mail or phone solicitation.

 

[TonyD]

oh, ok. must have missed the memo.

 

[Allen>B]

Thank you Eric, that's what I wanted to hear