Blockbuster- Good news / Bad News

[televisionarchives]

It's never good to see a company go out of Business. Stores located in the same Plaza are hurt as well. Many internet stores continue to hurt many businesses by selling DVDS and not paying sales tax. It's not fair. I believe it was many factors in the case of Blockbuster but the internet was part of it.

 

[Derwin0]

It's never good to see a company go out of Business. Stores located in the same Plaza are hurt as well. Many internet stores continue to hurt many businesses by selling DVDS and not paying sales tax. It's not fair. I believe it was many factors in the case of Blockbuster but the internet was part of it.

The internet was a factor in that Netflix cut deep into their business.

The other part was the relative cheapness of DVD's. Why pay $5 to rent for a couple days when you can own for $14.

Back when VHS was around (with it's higher prices), Blockbuster could survive, but not with the cheaper availability of DVD's.

The internet & Netflix didn't stop me from renting movies, the cheaper prices of buying DVD's did.

 

[meStevo]

Yup, and it seemed that the cheaper that DVDs got, the more expensive Blockbuster got, even if that wasn't always the case. Renting video games really reinforced this mentality and weened me off of them quick, even being a former employee (sorry Claude, I learned to sell DirecTV when it was rolled out! ....my store burnt down before I actually go to sell any though).

 

[TheForce]

Why pay $5 to rent for a couple days when you can own for $14.

?

Assuming this wasn't to be rhetorical question so I'll explain why. It is simple math. The difference is you can watch a movie 3 times before breaking even with your purchase price average. I feel it is a bit higher. Do you watch all your movies 4 times or more? I don't have the time with so many new ones coming out. I watch most once, very few twice and once in a great while I watch them more than 2 times. The rare DVD's I watch ( today they would be Blu Ray) I will watch over and over for many years. These I buy! In the meantime, I pay no more than 85 cents per rental based on average of 40 a month games and movies for Movie/game pass at $35 per month flat rate. If you do only watch once- in effect you are renting that DVD for $14 and then it just sits on your shelf. You just paid $9 more to watch the movie once.
The only problem I had with Netflix, is the delays in the delivery andf that I could never get movies sooner than 3 month old. I tried both N and BB mail, hated both because I watch too many movies for it to work.

 

[Derwin0]

?

Assuming this wasn't to be rhetorical question so I'll explain why. It is simple math. The difference is you can watch a movie 3 times before breaking even with your purchase price average. I feel it is a bit higher. Do you watch all your movies 4 times or more? I don't have the time with so many new ones coming out. I watch most once, very few twice and once in a great while I watch them more than 2 times. The rare DVD's I watch ( today they would be Blu Ray) I will watch over and over for many years. These I buy! In the meantime, I pay no more than 85 cents per rental based on average of 40 a month games and movies for Movie/game pass at $35 per month flat rate. If you do only watch once- in effect you are renting that DVD for $14 and then it just sits on your shelf. You just paid $9 more to watch the movie once.
The only problem I had with Netflix, is the delays in the delivery andf that I could never get movies sooner than 3 month old. I tried both N and BB mail, hated both because I watch too many movies for it to work.

Actually if the movie is really good, I'll watch it a few times.

The videos for the kids will tend to get watched dozens of time.

Blockbuster had it made when the cost of a VHS movie was in the $40-$50 range. But when DVD's hit the sub-$20 range, it became economical to buy the movies you wanted instead of only renting. That made a big impact on the bottom line.

Netflix and Redbox later delivered the knock out punch.

Netflix is good, because it will allow me to decide better if a movie is worth purchasing. I've purchased several that we've netflixed.

 

[mdonnelly]

hmm... time for some cheap going out of business sales...

There was a "Going Out of Business" sign on our local Blockbuster yesterday.

 

[meStevo]

If it is a movie I want to watch, I don't mind buying it. I am then paying for the convenience, the option, to watch it again at any time, rather than waiting for a Netflix delivery in x days/weeks, or going to a B&M store/kiosk, then returning to the B&M store/kiosk at a later date.

Sure, there are movies I watch once and then rarely/never again, but the convenience of being able to watch the movies I truly enjoy is worth much more than the $8-12 I'd have saved by just renting it.

If it's a movie I am not sure I want to watch, then I get it on sale or I never watch it, unless I happen to catch it on TV at some point.

I am a buyer, a collector, renting just seems like a waste of money.

 

[Big Dawg 23]

I don't usually jump on New releases so Netflix Streaming, Netflix Blu RayOne at a time and Premiere Subscription to Directv takes care of me. I am a huge sports person and just got around to watching Blind Side last weekend.

But like meStevo, if i really like a movie or its for the kids I will buy it.

 

[vurbano]

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.

I disagree. One of my favorite features of blockbuster online is the in store trade ins. It really increases the amount of movies you can get every month. Instead of getting 4 weeks worth you get 5 or 6 in a month

 

[Paradox-SJ]

I disagree. One of my favorite features of blockbuster online is the in store trade ins. It really increases the amount of movies you can get every month. Instead of getting 4 weeks worth you get 5 or 6 in a month

I have gotten 24-30 BD titles in a month with BB in store trade-in....it is INDEED the best part IMO.

 

[meStevo]

No bankruptcy for now.

Blockbuster avoids bankruptcy for now, but not NYSE delisting -- Engadget

 

[MikeD-C05]

I think it was selling at .18 cents a share the other day I saw. So I see why they delisted it.

 

[satjay]

How long beore we say...remember video movie stores??

If and when they do go away, it will be different

 

[cybok0]

We have a small video store here and they were having a special today so I got Call of duty for 5 days for 3.99.

 

[Tyralak]

Too lazy to retype this, so I'm going to copypaste from a thread I posted on ASVS back in May. I'll also add to this that the price at the register before they scanned the clearance codes was well over $600.

Our local Hollywood Video/Game Crazy was going out of business, so I went by last night and today to see what loot I could plunder. All games were 80% off. I bought 26 - count them - 26 Xbox 360 titles, two strategy guides and a gel cover for a Wii remote for about $75. Here's the list in no particular order:

Turok
The Incredible Hulk
The Spiderwick Chronicles
The Chronicles of Riddick
DarkSector
Velvet Assassin
Prey
Sega Superstars Tennis
Marvel Ultimate Alliance
Gears of War
Forza 2 Motorsport
Prince of Persia
Fracture
Legendary
Fuel
Assassin's Creed
TimeShift
F.E.A.R. 2 - Project Origin
Spiderman 3
Wolfenstein
Lost Planet
Where the Wild Things Are
Shadowrun
Hot Wheels - Beat That
Banjo Kazooie
Monster Truck Jam

I also got brand new strategy guides for Blue Dragon and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed.

 

[meStevo]

Blockbuster filing for bankruptcy next month? Probably. -- Engadget

Looks like bankrupcy may be filed next month.

 

[yourbeliefs]

Blockbuster filing for bankruptcy next month? Probably. -- Engadget

Looks like bankrupcy may be filed next month.

That was about as predictable as the tides.

 

[TheForce]

That was about as predictable as the tides.

Practically speaking but I just read their 10k filing from earlier in the month and they laid out a strategy to avoid bankruptcy for the balance of the year. However, with their stock hitting 11 cents this week, maybe they will not get the credit they expected. The balance sheet still shows no promise of fiscal turn around, so I agree, time is soon. I will shead a tear or three when they close.

 

[TheForce]

Then again, I'm seeing some real signs of a "fire sale" pricing.

They started discounting hardware overstock TIVO's at 75% off. XBOX and PS3's at variable discounts and Blue Ray disks now as low as $6.99 for used rentals and new retail versions as low as $12.99 for older titles.


I was considering picking up an HD TIVO for $49 but then I considered it would still be a waste of money. I don't need it and TIVO is also on it's last leg. I don't think TIVO's work without the service.

 

[satjay]

It was kind of strange, went into out local blockbuster and things seemed to missing or like getting "packed up" dont know if the store will be closing