Blockbuster On-Line

[Perknose]

Recently responded to a $1 for one month (3 at a time) re-up for the B-buster account which I had had for a total of two months free previously, and then ditched.

Same old story, slow shipping, blah, blah, blah, but . . . called 1-866-692-2789 to bitch them out (chose options that don't fit to get you to a live person, you know the drill) and portrayed myself as the aggrieved customer who just wanted better service.

Rep Brittany (nice and, um, perky) said they had had problems over Christmas and its aftermath with shipping times. She ended up, of her own volition, giving me an extra month FREE!

For those with a current B-buster account who are unhappy with their turnaround time -- perhaps especially all those on the $1 "we wanted you back" deal -- can't hurt to try, eh?

Remember, be cool but friendly and professional in your approach. If you don't get the extension, DON'T WHINE "But, but, but . . . someone else . . ." and spoil it for the next person!!

You weren't passed over because you're gay, asian, black, or female . . . or male -- you didn't get the extension because you SUCK at teh interpersonal thang, k?

 

[Glavinsolo]

All stock articles I have read indicate Blockbuster going down in the future. They are doing everything they can to stay afloat.

 

[wmansfield]

If blockbuster would let people return their online rental movies to the stores I'd be their #1 customer. Turnaround would be cut in half. That's my biggest problem with online movie rentals is each batch of 5 I receive takes a week, sometimes 8 days since the last. I also hate sending back 5 movies and 4 of them show up and the 5th one hangs in limbo for like a week before it magically shows up. Annoying!

 

[Perknose]

Originally posted by: wmansfield
If blockbuster would let people return their online rental movies to the stores I'd be their #1 customer. Turnaround would be cut in half. That's my biggest problem with online movie rentals is each batch of 5 I receive takes a week, sometimes 8 days since the last. I also hate sending back 5 movies and 4 of them show up and the 5th one hangs in limbo for like a week before it magically shows up. Annoying!

Yep. This is a business model with great potential that just hasn't quite matured yet. By the time they get it down, automated zillion gig transfer speeds will send it directly to the lebenty-leben plus terrabyte non-volatile flash memory module in your glowing "more pixels than life itself" home theatre wall.

Btw, wmansfield, love yer 96 lbs of overclocked desk bowing power and your Chieftech full tower case. What model Canyonero do you drive?

 

[Dizway]

Not hot.

~~~~ Brag & Moan ~~~~

 

[pjargon]

My turnarounds for blockbuster have been very good - I mail it, they get it next day, I typically get a movie back the day after that. I must live in a sweetspot or something, it's usually overnight to them and overnight to me.

 

[linjy2]

yup, i rejoined and its the same o blockbuster online. slow turnaround. the dvds are mailed to the same city i live in, but i only get 3 disc a week even if i return them the next day. Now i only get 2 because they lost one in the system for 11 days which i didnt report till yesterday.

 

[stappa]

I signed back up too. I have had great turnaround so far so I doubt I'll be able to use the same excuse. Might actually keep it for another month or two since I easily filled up my que.

That and there are couple video games I want to rent and you can't beat the 2 free in-store rentals. Games are $6.50 each so those two games pretty much cover what I'll pay next month in fees.

 

[wmansfield]

I drive a 98 Trans Am actually... I'm exercising my rights to have big computers and gas guzzling autos.

 

[Slick5150]

I too resigned up with the $1, and while I never had problems with their shipping times before, I am now. Some of my DVDs seem to be shipped from retail stores or something (they come with a postage stamp on them rather than the usual business mailing) and take forever to get here and to get returned.

 

[Super56K]

They shipped dvd's from stores for my $1 comeback too. When I complained about how much longer it took when they did that a csr replied that they were doing it to speed up the process for me. I guess the alternative would have been not getting a movie. I've tried them twice now, and have been let down both times.

 

[jelifah]

I was one of the 'lucky' come back for $1 people, after having abused, er I mean used, them for 2 free months.

Same old thing of slow turn around process. But I really can't complain. I paid $1 and got over 10 DVD's, BattleStar Galactica and Firefly Seasons!, so whatever. I'm not gonna complain.

My total haul, for $1, got me something like 50+ DVD's in 3 months, plus I hooked a co-worker up with the deal as well.

 

[Tegeril]

Netflix is definitely the way to go for mail-order-movie-rentals.

 

[jcuadrado]

Blockbuster online rocks....I usually get my movies in a day....sometimes 2..big deal. Then you have the two freebies every month..

What's not to like..

 

[goatface]

BB is tons better for me than Netfix
alot of it break down to where you live and where
"they" say your closest hub is
also
for me, bb sends out movies on the day they get them, and process them on the weekends

 

[Wolverine27]

Netflix used to be great for me in terms of turnaround times. Now the turnaround times are terrible. Makes no sense to me...I think they're purposely trying to "slow" my rentals down. So I decided to try BB and so far turnaround times have been excellent. I'm cancelling Netflix and going with BB.

 

[codeyf]

Originally posted by: pjargon
My turnarounds for blockbuster have been very good - I mail it, they get it next day, I typically get a movie back the day after that. I must live in a sweetspot or something, it's usually overnight to them and overnight to me.

Ditto. My $1 re-up ends on the 30th

 

[ShadoWing]

i've been getting blockvbuster free for god knows how long.....

 

[meices]

Blockbuster has been pretty good to mean, Generally I send a movie one day, the receive it the next, and then i get the replacement movie the following day. So I'm happy with them.

However, I just got an email from them today saying that I can "upgrade" my plan so that instead of getting 2 free in-store rentals a month, I'd instead get 1 a week. The catch is by "upgrading" the coupon is only good for one week instead of a month (obviously), and the coupon is only good on movies, currently I can get movies or games with the coupons. None of that matters to me because I only rent movies, but then I noticed that my old plan is at $15 a month, by "upgrading" my membership will switch to $18 a month. If you think about it the price of a movie rental is about $4 (I'm not sure it's been a long long time since I've actually paid for a rental), so by paying $3 more a month that's almost equivalent to one of the extra instore rentals I'd get a month. Plus the fact that I'm probably not going to make it there each week to rent a movie week, so at least 1 of the monthly rentals will go by un-used. I know this is what BlockBuster wants, and I realize the company is hurting BAD, but it doesn't make sense for me to "upgrade"

 

[Perknose]

I just got an email from them today saying that I can "upgrade" my plan so that instead of getting 2 free in-store rentals a month, I'd instead get 1 a week. The catch is by "upgrading" the coupon is only good for one week instead of a month (obviously), and the coupon is only good on movies

I'm still on the free offer (extended one month), so no e-mail for me. However, the plan is listed on their site. Just go to "My Account". Since I'm not a gamer, I wanted the four in-store movie rentals per month versus the two movie/game rentals.

So . . . I called the toll-free 1-866-692-2789 number and requested the change. At first, the CSR said she was unable to do it (she tried), but I continued my plea. After speaking with her supervisor, what she had to do was cancel my existing account and re-sign me for the 3 out and 4 in-store offer.

All I had to do was re-enter a password. My Queue was still there (phew!), and the bonus is, my extra free month, which I was already into, started AGAIN from yesterday, so I gained nearly an extra week free as a bonus!

Non-gamers, go for it!!

 

[conehead433]

I have also just gotten an e-mail regarding being able to switch from 2 free instore each month to one a week so now I'll get 4 free instore rentals each month. Maybe they're trying to take some business away from Netflix. On a further note, I cancelled my Netflix service today due to the fact that they had gotten soooo slow getting movies to me. Lately I had not even received 3 a week on their 3 out at a time plan. Just wish Blockbuster had a bigger selection. For the most part I had already rented the unavailable titles at Blockbuster so I won't be missing Netflix.

 

[Fallengod]

Blockbuster is better in almost every way possible. They have been cheaper up untill the last year or so. They used to be $14.99 for 3 at a time and 2 instore a month. Now its $17.99.

Their selection is still great. Their shipping to me is actually faster than netflix so..... I can pull a good 20 or so dvds a month from them. They have newer versions of dvds as well(ie: more anamorphic widescreens and special editions etc...). Netflix has alot of crappy old quality versions of some movies I like.

 

[Perknose]

Ha Ha! Sent three movies back last Wednesday. I live 30 miles from their Philly distribution center, mail should take one day, two AT MOST. When nothing was happening by Saturday, I called, but they all go bye-bye at the 800 number on the weekends (I'm sorry, the entire Blockbuster organization is not home, please leave a message).

So I went to the web-site, and reported the "no receive". They're supposed to send out your next three then w/o waiting for the old ones. No response that day or Sunday.

Today, Monday the web site reported my movies received, but no mention of a shipping response. So I called just now and bitched them out.

The result? Two pleas not to use profanity or yell, two extra movie rental e-coupons e-mailed to me, and one extra week on this, the second month of my free "give them a second chance" account.

YMMV, of course, but my point is they are trying really hard to satisfy customers, and we squeaky wheeled ferengis can PROFIT!

 

[LarryK]

to get my turn around times down if it takes more then a day to make it back i just report that i sent it back and you haven't recived it yet. So they send me the nexted one. If they want to boot me for this.. thats fine but i am going the make them do it. I on the other hand is geting my moneys worth

 

[CupCak3]

Originally posted by: wmansfield
If blockbuster would let people return their online rental movies to the stores I'd be their #1 customer. Turnaround would be cut in half. That's my biggest problem with online movie rentals is each batch of 5 I receive takes a week, sometimes 8 days since the last. I also hate sending back 5 movies and 4 of them show up and the 5th one hangs in limbo for like a week before it magically shows up. Annoying!

either you need something better to so w/ your life or you are doing something illegal