Blockbuster- Good news / Bad News
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After the Hollywood video shuts down there will be no more video stores in my town. Not that it's a big deal, and quite frankly I feel they deserve to be closing down because their game inventory SUCKED. I'll never get over the fact that they never felt like stocking Dragon Age: Origins, a game I still have YET to play..
So they're adding games by mail now tacked onto their existing online service for $8/mo, only 1 out at a time, and it counts as one of your mailed out movies. If you dont rent any games during a month, they don't charge you the $8.
If you are interested in just this service, it's $2 more than Gamefly's 1-out service.
Currently testing in Cleveland, they want to bring it to everyone towards the end of the year.
What is Games By Mail?
If you are interested in just this service, it's $2 more than Gamefly's 1-out service.
Currently testing in Cleveland, they want to bring it to everyone towards the end of the year.
What is Games By Mail?
We had three Blockbuster stores around here now it's down to one. We have a Family video that is cheaper for games and movies plus numerous Redbox kiosks and they just put up a Blockbuster kiosk. That might be the rout they go, they have blu-rays unlike Redbox.
http://blockbusterexpress.com/kiosks/
http://blockbusterexpress.com/kiosks/
I had a bad feeling when I walked into the local Blockbuster a few weeks ago; the store just seemed like it was shutting down (even though there were no actual signs it was closing - and to the best of my knowledge - it isn't), but it just felt kind of barren. No the way it normally does.
Picked up two BD rentals and the first thing they do is tell me of the new rental policy; no more week long rentals with 7 day grace period. Every DVD and BD is $5 for 5 days, with $1 penalty for each day late. While the price was up just a few cents for the BD rentals, it was for a shorter period - and I kind of laughed out loud, saying "wow - you guys must really be trying to kill this place, charging more money for shorter rentals, and treating DVDs the same as BDs." Given how many DVDs can be bought for about $10, there is not a lot of incentive for the rental.
Sadly, I suspect the store will be gone before long.
And as a result, the only rental options here will be a place called "Family Video," the closest of which is about 5 miles away.
Picked up two BD rentals and the first thing they do is tell me of the new rental policy; no more week long rentals with 7 day grace period. Every DVD and BD is $5 for 5 days, with $1 penalty for each day late. While the price was up just a few cents for the BD rentals, it was for a shorter period - and I kind of laughed out loud, saying "wow - you guys must really be trying to kill this place, charging more money for shorter rentals, and treating DVDs the same as BDs." Given how many DVDs can be bought for about $10, there is not a lot of incentive for the rental.
Sadly, I suspect the store will be gone before long.
And as a result, the only rental options here will be a place called "Family Video," the closest of which is about 5 miles away.
My local Hollywood Video starts doing their big inventory clean-out this Friday. They've been clearing out "older" titles for about 3 weeks, but now they'll be selling the newly released games and movies, so if anyone wants to pick up some cheap stuff (albeit mostly used) stop by the Hollywood Video in Middletown CT.
Locally, 3 of every four Blockbuster stores have closed in March. The one I do business at is said by the manager to be one of the few stores in the country that is well into the black. I think the reason is they have a huge selection of BluRay and games. Plus they turn their DVD inventory with great sales such as 2 for $20; 4 for $20 and XBOX360 Wii and PS3 Games at $4.99- 9.99. Usually these are releases 6 months and older. They have a couple hundred BluRay's for sale at $9.99-$12.99. About 25% of the store space is BluRay.
However- his store staff has been cut to 30% of what it was in February. Consequently, new release returns don't get back on the shelves as fast, remaining in the return bins which reduces the rental revenue when someone can't find what they are looking for.
As far as the debt problems, here is one deal that was recently announced. It keeps the new releases flowing for awhile in the stores remaining.:
However- his store staff has been cut to 30% of what it was in February. Consequently, new release returns don't get back on the shelves as fast, remaining in the return bins which reduces the rental revenue when someone can't find what they are looking for.
As far as the debt problems, here is one deal that was recently announced. It keeps the new releases flowing for awhile in the stores remaining.:
Hopefully if/when Blockbuster brick & mortar goes under, it doesn't take Blockbuster Online with it. Right now it keeps a nice downward pressure on Netflix's prices.
Hollywood Video officially closing all stores, also closing all of the Gamecrazy's with them.
Hollywood Video calls it a wrap
Hollywood Video calls it a wrap
Yes indeed. My local Hollywood Video went out of business and marked everything down and I picked up 4 games for about $60 total. Now there's only 1 video store in my local area.
The Blockbuster stores around here have all closed. At least each one I know about. We do have a few Blockbuster Kiosks around town though.
I used to use Blockbuster for everything back in the late 90's and early 2000's. I rented quite a few movies and often. Even games too. Then I slowly got away from renting and just started buying the movies or not watching them, but I still did rent some every once in a while from them. I just slowed way down as the price got ridiculous for a movie rental. Who wants to pay $5 to rent a movie and $9 or so to rent a game? Prices may not be exact, but it was close to that. Then Redbox put up some Kiosks having movies for $1 a night. Since I only keep most movies for one night it wasn't a problem. Yet the whole time Blockbuster continued to keep trying to charge close to $5 for a rental. Who is going to pay $5 for a movie when they can rent it 2 minutes up the road for $1. The only advantage Blockbuster had was older movies and blu ray's. I along with quite a few others apparently started using Redbox and only Redbox. Soon afterward Blockbuster went out of business.
So while I think it does suck I think Blockbuster did it to themselves. There have been things like Redbox for a while now or even online streaming and VOD on cable. Yet Blockbuster still seemed to have the mindset they could keep charging what they wanted and rip people off just like they could back when they were the big player in town. If they had been more competitive pricing wise with other options I wouldn't have quite renting from them and I doubt many others would either. Yet they tried to rip us off while others like Redbox had reasonable rates.
I even tried the online thing, but I found I don't watch nearly enough movies for that and Redbox ends up being cheaper for me.
I used to use Blockbuster for everything back in the late 90's and early 2000's. I rented quite a few movies and often. Even games too. Then I slowly got away from renting and just started buying the movies or not watching them, but I still did rent some every once in a while from them. I just slowed way down as the price got ridiculous for a movie rental. Who wants to pay $5 to rent a movie and $9 or so to rent a game? Prices may not be exact, but it was close to that. Then Redbox put up some Kiosks having movies for $1 a night. Since I only keep most movies for one night it wasn't a problem. Yet the whole time Blockbuster continued to keep trying to charge close to $5 for a rental. Who is going to pay $5 for a movie when they can rent it 2 minutes up the road for $1. The only advantage Blockbuster had was older movies and blu ray's. I along with quite a few others apparently started using Redbox and only Redbox. Soon afterward Blockbuster went out of business.
So while I think it does suck I think Blockbuster did it to themselves. There have been things like Redbox for a while now or even online streaming and VOD on cable. Yet Blockbuster still seemed to have the mindset they could keep charging what they wanted and rip people off just like they could back when they were the big player in town. If they had been more competitive pricing wise with other options I wouldn't have quite renting from them and I doubt many others would either. Yet they tried to rip us off while others like Redbox had reasonable rates.
I even tried the online thing, but I found I don't watch nearly enough movies for that and Redbox ends up being cheaper for me.
Yeah no surprise here there is really no reason to have movie stores now days so really it was waste for Blockbuster to have them. Now days everyone gets their movies on line or VOD or sent to them in by mail. Overall Blockbuster is still the best they have plenty of Blu-Ray titles and they don't charge extra for Blu-Ray like Netflix. Also Blockbuster does not delay titles from being released like Netflix who has already agreed with 2 of the movie studios to delay their titles 28 days. To where Blockbuster and other do not delay them so you get to see them earlier. Blockbuster now has the little Blue Box's here in town like the Redbox does so I think their going to be fine. For the price you get more and there no delay on titles like with Netflix so for. Also you can download movies from their site as well now.
If Blockbuster had an app for the PS3 and Wii (ala Netflix) then I'd probably get them, as my Bluray player supports both Blockbuster & Netflix. But until then, I'll stay will only Netflix.
I'd love to have both on a 1 disc/month plan. That way I'd have both their online offerings to complement one another.
I'd love to have both on a 1 disc/month plan. That way I'd have both their online offerings to complement one another.
Family Video was mentioned a ways up in this tread. I am in the Omaha area and they seem to be bucking the trend. 3 years ago they were not in the area. Today they have multiple stores. In fact they just moved into a vacated Holywood Video store and complete redid it to give it their look. All of the other stores have been in brand new buildings that I have seen in the area ( Omaha and nearby communities) They seem to be busy all the time. Anyone know there "seceret" and why they would continue to grow as all else seem to close?
Yes some years ago the "mom and pop" video stores could not compete with the blockbusters and larger stores and now with Redbox, nextflix and "Direct Cinemas" of the world the larger stores are hurting. Hollwood video has closed many in our area. We do have a blockbuster near us, and there are a few family videos in the area but they have never really laid out a presence in the area.
I don't feel bad at all about Blockbuster going under. When they first came into town they ran every little mom and pop video store out of business. Then about 10 years ago they decided to sell Directv and compete with my business.
It really made no sense for them to Sell Directv, as the customers they where catering to at the time went there because they didn't have satellite or cable. You now sell your customer a satellite Dish, and they don't come into your store anymore to rent tapes!
If Block buster goes out of business, its gonna be tough. Redbox has a crappy selection, and I refuse to deal with Netflix.
I can go back to the mom and pop video store around the corner which has managed to survive over the years, but they don't have nearly the selection as blockbuster has or is going to have.
Maybe I'll just go to Best Buy and buy the darn DVD's as I usually forget to return them and end up buying them anyways.
It really made no sense for them to Sell Directv, as the customers they where catering to at the time went there because they didn't have satellite or cable. You now sell your customer a satellite Dish, and they don't come into your store anymore to rent tapes!
If Block buster goes out of business, its gonna be tough. Redbox has a crappy selection, and I refuse to deal with Netflix.
I can go back to the mom and pop video store around the corner which has managed to survive over the years, but they don't have nearly the selection as blockbuster has or is going to have.
Maybe I'll just go to Best Buy and buy the darn DVD's as I usually forget to return them and end up buying them anyways.
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