Blockbuster hamstrings Total Access rental plan
By Darren Murph 
posted Mar 23rd 2009 9:48AM
posted Mar 23rd 2009 9:48AM
You know what the last thing a losing company should do? Something that makes even more of its customers jump ship. As Blockbuster looks to cut costs and buy fewer DVDs from studios, the company is also hoping that Total Access customers don't notice a tiny change (posted in full after the break) in the fine print. Up until now, Total Access customers could swap their by-mail rentals in store for a DVD that didn't count against their maximum out-at-a-time number; starting right about now in most locations, "all free movie in-store exchange rentals will count towards the number of DVDs you are allowed out under your Total Access plan at any one time." Of course, it also removed the return date limitation on all movies rented in-store while still a paying Total Access subscriber, but clearly the cons outweigh the pros here. Anyone considering Netflix now that Blockbuster has pulled a fast one?[Thanks, Michael]
"How free in-store movie exchanges work with Online Rentals: Previously, free movie in-store exchange rentals were in addition to the number of DVDs allowed out at-a-time under your Total Access membership plan. However, beginning in February 2009 (in some store locations) and over the course of the next few months (in the remaining corporate and participating franchise stores), this policy will change in two ways. First, all free movie in-store exchange rentals will count towards the number of DVDs you are allowed out under your Total Access plan at any one time. Second, your free in-store exchanges will have no due dates and will not be subject to in-store rental terms. You may keep your free in-store movie exchanges as long as you want, as long as you are a paying Total Access subscriber. If you cancel your Total Access subscription, your free in-store rentals are due back to the store within five (5) days, to avoid any additional in-store fees, if applicable."
I wonder if blockbuster will have ever do anything smart?
I'm Not considering Netflix :)
Yes, this is a tricky one. I used to have only one movie at the time, and I traded in a movie at the store for a rental, and they never shipped another one. So my queue was just sitting for a week and they shipped nothing. This is rubbish, so I was forced to upgrade to 3 at the time plan just so that I could trade movies in the store and not create bottleneck on my queue. Oh well, still like it better than netflix since sometimes you just want to go with you woman and pick out a movie like back in the day. With netflix, it's too computerized, and with texting on the phone, netflix and facebook, we'll never leave our house and meet people in person again. Call me old fashioned, but every once in a while, there is a hottie working at my blockbuster (thank god for high turnover).
What's a blockbuster?
something old people use to rent dvds. These stores where the clerks are jerks. . .and they charge you fees whenever they can ( 1hr late, FEE FOR YOU)
I talked to a mamnager at my local Blockbuster in Little Rock, and she said this was not going to happen.
They had a disclamer about the e mail I got about this.
I am a long time (since the beginning) subscriber to Blockbuster Online. This was absolutely necessary.
What was really happening was that you would bring a sealed enveloped containing the disc/sleeve to the store to exchange. However, they would scan the envelope, not the sleeve inside. So they would ship the next movie based on receiving the movie indicated by the barcode on the envelope. Then when the envelope arrived at the facility, they would check in the movie based on the sleeve/disc... if they did'nt match, it would look to their system like you shipped back 2 movies. The one at the store would be marked "returned at store", and the next in queue shipped, and the one at the factory would be received, and the next on your queue shipped.
This means as long as you returned to the store movies in a (correct dvd/sleeve combo) but different envelope in which it came, you could get 2 movies back in the mail (plus the one in store) for each movie you returned. I have the 3 out plan... and at one point I had 10 movies out, not counting the in-store exchange rentals.
I think they could have made like a window on the envelope or something so they could scan the sleeve barcode instead though. Either way it was a big problem because how often do people bother to make sure the envelope and the sleeve barcodes matched.
Very interesting information there. Netflix has the window deal on their envelopes, but then it's up to the customer to insert the sleeve proper at that point.
I also figured this was how it worked.
I have Netflix already so I never really looked into this but it seemed like if the movies you got in store didn't apply to your limit, you could have wound up with quite a few movies. Like, if I had a 3 movies-at-a-time arrangement and could swap them out at store without it affecting my online queue, I could have 6 movies at a time. 3 from the store and 3 mailed out.
Why wouldn't they be tied together? Or am I missing something?
I've been with BB Total Access since they started. I have a $19.99, 3 movie out at a time, unlimited in-store exchanges and 2 free game or movie rentals a month (grandfathered in). I have 0 issues, for obvious reasons. With the streaming pilot already live, online downloads and purchases, online game rentals by the end of June AND Total Access, they are staying competitive IMO.
Also: "your free in-store exchanges will have no due dates and will not be subject to in-store rental terms. You may keep your free in-store movie exchanges as long as you want, as long as you are a paying Total Access subscriber."
What's the problem?
Ya see, this is exactly why I never even considered Blockbuster. Their treatment of customers as idiots continues unabated.
Free movies with a paid membership and you could only rent old, worn out movies was the last straw. Not to mention their intentionally designed revenue-generating rules on returns. I was gone and I will never go back. Period. Them and Iomega treated me bad one too many times. One has to be a fool to put up with such crap.
VOD on my TiVO HD, unlimited rentals, Blu-ray, never have to walk into a store and deal with pimply-faced surly teenagers? Netflix FTW.
uhhhh NO, this the cons do not outweigh the pros on this one. It's about 50-50. I guess its just fun to jump on Blockbuster every time they do anything(even though they do make it easy sometimes).
So, as a newly resubscribed total access customer, I say I'm cool with this. But I could see if you rent alot of dvds that this could bother you a bit.
I dont see what the big deal is, if you get a movie at a store you have a movie. you arent paying for it, that should count as one of your 3 at a time or whatever plan you are on. its just if you dont want to wait for the mail you can go get it for instant gratification.
I have netflix now, but I wouldnt be that upset by this, imo this is how it should of been all along.
This is definately not better, and in my case much worse. I have the one out at a time three a month, with one free coupon. This is the way it used to work: I would get my DVD in the mail, watch it, return it to the store for an exchange, and immediately the next one on my list would ship through the mail. I could have two movies out at a time. If I watched all the movies I could I would be able to see 7 movies a month for around $10. I admit this is very good. I can still do this but it requires me to return to the store immediately after watching the movie, so the next one can ship, making me go to the store more often- this negates what I was trying to avoid in the first place.
For me, where BB really messed up was in how they presented this new deal to its customers. In the email I got, they said they were adding value to my plan, making it easier for me, and eliminating due dates altogether. They think most of their custom are idiots and would not be able to see through this. I emailed them several times about this change and got the same canned response. There is quite an outrage over this over at AVS.
I would have taken it better if BB had just admitted this was another way for THEM to save money and was needed to survive against the competition. That I can understand, but assuming that I am an embicile- I am, but they dont know that- is not something I can put up with and cancelled my subscription.
To Hell with BB
REPLY TO cfi on the fly
My thoughts exactly... I used to love BB and made them new customers because of this feature. But screw them I'm switchin to netflix and I'm going to tell my other friends to do the same.
@ cfi on the fly....
At the beginning of your 2nd line you state "I have the one out at a time...." Then, a few lines later, you state "I could have two movies out at a time." While I know the new rules may now be inconvenient, isn't BB, in a way, merely holding you to your agreement? I have not liked BB since I worked for them as a teen some 18 years ago, but all that these new rules are doing is ending the exploiting of a loophole. What business would not want to do that? I am a Netflix user... and with Netflix, 1 physical disc out at a time means 1 physical disc out at a time... so those who jump the BB ship will not gain much in that department.
I had Blockbuster, and this change made me switch to Netflix. Here's the reason:
Blockbuster is the same price for 2-at-a-time as Netflix for 3-at-a-time. If I watch 2 movies over the weekend, I could return them to the store on Monday, get 2 more, get those watched during the week, and get the ones in the mail before the next weekend arrives. Now I can't do that. If they let me exchange the ones I get at the store for more that I get at the store, fantastic, that'll work fine, but I was told that would be something like $30 a month total.
Now, with Netflix, I pay $18 per month for 3-at-a-time (plus Blu-ray), and can always have 2 movies. Receive movie A, B, and C. Watch movie A, send back, get movie D. Watch movie B, send back, get movie E. Plus, with TV episodes available via streaming, it's just no comparison. Besides, once Blockbuster launches their streaming & game-included solution, I'm sure they'll raise their prices even more.
Agreed.
I'll be switching to Netflix because I cannot get a movie in store anymore while I am wating for my next queued title to arrive.
I plan to use Netflix and then hit up Redbox if I find myself with no title on a weekend night. I just need to find a redbox with bluray nearby.
Ive been looking for a reason to tryout Netflix and Redbox. It looks like Blockbuster gave me a reason.
And now there is officially NO reason to hit up blockbuster over netflix.
Once the blockbuster online thing gets a bit older and has a bit more stuff on it, and is available on STBs, perhaps, but as it stands now, the netflix instant thing far outweighs the blockbuster in store return thing.
Blockbuster used to be a force to be reckoned with, they used to have power and influence, now nobody gives a crap because they overplayed their hand.
Bye Bye blockbuster, welcome to the bush economy, some companies will have to die, and I'm happy you're one of them.
Oh really? Seems like even with this change, I'll still get more new Blu-Ray releases on day and date than with netflix. If it's a new release, we almost always watch it the day we pick it up in store.
We won't be able to have 5 movies "out" at once anymore, but that's not really a big deal.
I saw Blockbuster (the Titanic) steering towards that iceburg.. I jumped ship and never looked back to see it sink. I jumped into the Netflix (lifeboat) and never looked back since.
This might be a slight problem with me. I do the 2 movie access plan with 3 free in store rentals. I use to return two and get one at the store every sunday night and have 2 new movies to me on Tuesday afternoon. Now i will only be getting 1 new release movie on tuesday. I will decide whether to switch to Netflix in the next few weeks, since i dont see benefit with BB with the recent changes to my plan. my movie i'm getting is Quantum of Solice on Tuesday. I've always recieved my #1 movie in line with BB if i return my movie with the right timing, can't say the same with Netflix. Anyone here always get the new released movies when they want with Netlix?
As soon as I noticed this new "advantage" I did a cost per movie analysis over the last year (easy to do since those records are online). Essentially this was a hidden price increase, at least for my family and the way we used the program. I was a Netflix customer for many years but switched to BB when they started Total Access and it worked great, I got the movies that I like in the mail and my kids (teens) came with me to the store and got their movies, since the local BB was right near our food store it was an easy trip once per week. At the time the cost was about the same as Netflix (per movie). Now, the cost per movie is a lot higher unless I make an extra trip to BB to accelerate the turnaround - if the BB store was on the way or near work, fine, but its not and is way out of the way.
So I switched a few weeks ago back home to Netflix and have taught my kids how to use the Watch Now on Netflix and our Xbox 360. At the moment they think its kinda "kool" though sooner or later they will realize that the Watch Now Library is somewhat limited and not be as kool as they do right now but heck I pay the bills.
Now that I am back I remember that Netflix clearly has a deeper library and as I added the movies from my BB queue to the Netflix queue, it was shocking how many movies were available compared to the Very Long Wait on BB.
Anyway I will pay attention to what BB will do in the future and who knows I may return. I have no problem with them trying to figure out what business model is the most profitable for them but then again I have to look at what the most cost effective way for my family as well. In this case, at least for my family, Netflix is a better deal.
BB needs to just die already.
I can't believe they posted this! I'm not sure if anyone here will believe me but, I'm the one that handed in this tip. After emailing Blockbuster, the response I got basically said sorry and we value your membership. The man, Ian Rey, who wrote me back said that a week prior to the change we got an email telling us about. Maybe, I honestly don't remember looking and they send tons of spam so we may have deleted it. He also said that when you go online to your queue you get a pop-up telling you about the change. Again, this could be but if something popped up I either closed it, ABP caught it or my pop-up blocker wouldn't let it open. Either way, we feel scammed and as soon as Netflix comes to the PS3, if not sooner, I'll be making the switch. It's a shame to as I had been an advocate of the Total Access server.
Too many changes after the facts, raising prices while giving less and a weak movie selection in store and online made me give a chance to and stay with Netflix. I hate you Blockbuster, you're going to fall like you made all those good mom and pop rental stores fall.
They've been cutting total access off at the knees since day one, they've never really had any faith in it. All the while they're trying to figure out how to fight Redbox while Netflix is drowning them. Soon to be bankrupt fools.
I actually realized this a couple of weeks ago when my movies were not being shipped. When I realized the change, I canceled my subscription and moved to netflix.
There is no incentive to stay with them anymore.
Yeah, I will stay with Blockbuster. Netflix can't touch this cost-wise. Now I have no idea how I have fallen through the cracks and remained at this cost point, but I am not complaining.
*
BLOCKBUSTER Total Access Premium
*
$17.99 / month (plus taxes)
3 at-a-time, Unlimited mailings
Unlimited in-store movie exchanges
+2 FREE bonus Movie or Game Rental E-Coupon / Month
I am not sure how all of these people get "grandfathered" in with their coupons and unlimited in store rentals. I, as well as a coworker, have had Blockbuster for a couple years now and we keep getting banged by the changes.
Also, who are the trolls that think this is ok or a great deal? Do you work for blockbuster? Kevin talks about how people were returning the envelope to one movie and getting one sent out and then the movie inside was different and they would get another sent out. If people were scamming they should be able to catch this and boot those people out. It is like the people that were returning their mailers to different stores and getting 5 in store rentals and multiple stores. If people were doing this, which they were, they should be booted too. Blockbuster eventually fixed this by tying their system together.
Anyway, Blockbuster either wants this model or they don't. Don't keep screwing with your customers.
This happened a week ago, now you guy at Engadget notice this!?!?
And yes, BB always find a way to restrict rentals, back in the days, the 3 out at a time plan had unlimited rentals, now it 5 (unless you want pay $30 instead of $20/month), now it's worse because your BB in store rental counts as a rental out of you list, so that sucks, but it's not bad, as long as you watch the movie the same day and return it right away you don't waste too much time, and it's better than Netflix, for the same price you can go to the BB store and get a movie, up to 5 a month, no waiting, I have Netflix too because of my 360 and streaming sucks, lousy PQ (3.0 internet speed) and sound is in 2.0, and it's mostly old movies, not worth it, I'd rather get a dvd, or a blu-ray (once I get a BR player)
Patrick, the problem is all I rent is Blu-Rays. They have a nice selection of titles online but, they need to be "older" or less popular movies that I want to see. Typically I would get those just for me to watch and be able to sort of take my time about it, since I would typically have already gotten the new releases at the store for my wife and I to watch together. Now, I can't do that. So, I'm either going to have to wait to get the new releases, which kind of sucks or, I won't be able to watch the ones I get from the queue because I want the new release. When they started this it was sold to the consumer as better because you'd "never be without movies". They even had commercials advertising it. Now, it's completely different. It's basically Netflix but you could also go to a store. Like I said, I pay $17.99 a month for 3 at a time, unlimited in-store exchanges and 1 free movie/game rental a month. It's a great deal but, once streaming hits the PS3 I'll be switching.
Blockbuster is on the verge of bankruptcy and they are just trying to be able to compete with the other movie/game competitors. But I have had the Total Access for almost 2 years, and never had a problem. I will say this, I have gotten the new releases in the mail a lot fast and quicker now that they are saying you don't get a new movie until the one from the store is checked in. My request for the new titles would always end up saying very long wait, and I would get an old movie sent to me that I just put on there so I could exchange in-store sometimes. But the turn around seems to be good and I notice that now there is a lot more selection.
I love the Blockbuster program and this change doesn't affect me at all. I have the 3 out at a time. Unlimited rentals and free game per month coupon for 19.99. Can't beat that. I watch the movies I get from the store and they send the next movie through the mail when I turn it back in.
There is no store for netflix. So BB is infinitely better.
I went to Netflix after this happened. Blockbuster ALWAYS had terrible selection but five or six movies out at a time was worth it. When they changed the terms, I bailed.
I just switched to Netflix as a result of this change
I got out simply for this reason. There really aren't many pros to using Blockbuster Total Access anymore. The in-store exchange was my final holdout reason for sticking with Blockbuster. Now that it's gone, I've made the switch to Netflix for $3.00 less for the same number of DVDs out at a time (2).
After the switch, Blockbuster emailed me to give me a special promo for the same price as Netflix. I declined. Too little, too late.
I had Netflix but im tired of all the " LONG WAIT" that i see, with BB, i can go in the store and have a higher chance of finding the movie.
All the people griping about this are idiots, BB is a business and it needs to make money, you are all complaining cause now you can't have free service, like the guy
that had the ONE DISK but tricked the system so he really got TWO DISKS. Thats BB losing money there, and they are trying to stay in business.
For those of you who have had Total Access from the beginning you will know how we've been F@#KED over now twice with revisions. The original deal from Blockbuster was this: 1:1 in store trade for each Total Access dvd you returned to the store. It helped get DVD's back to the distribution centers faster and brought foot traffic into the stores. What actually happened was the local franchise owners started having a shit fit when first run movies were flying out the door with no revenue - sure corporate got the Total Access monthly $$ but the greedy franchise owners who have been screwing people for years were seeing red. Brick and mortar expenses didn't change yet they had fewer movies on hand to generate those fees. They bitched loud enough and corporate finally relented, with the first revision which was no more 1:1 exchange, oh and they raised the prices on every single plan. At that point I wrote an email asking for confirmation that I was actually paying more money for fewer services - needless to say I never received a reply. Now I can't even use my free rental for a movie without it counting against my plan???? Geez I can't for the life of me imagine why they are tanking.
This just straight up sucks for us Power BB members because a few fools figured out how to work the system and BB could not stop the bleeding and instead decided to punish everyone else. I loved BB Total Access as stated in other post, I would watch my 3 rentals by mail and then take the kids to the store once a week to pick up some new titles and know that the next movies in my queue would ship next day so I would have a total of 6 out at a time. This to me was one of the MAJOR benefits of BB vs Netflix.
Since I was in the store so much I frequently purchased more previously viewed and new DVD's, Blu-Rays, and games as well as rented more kids movies as they are only 99 cents a pop. The day this change took place I called BB to complain about how I was now paying more and getting less and that maybe it was time for me to make the switch to Netflix. The girl in India who took my call could barley make out what I was trying to tell her or was just trained to act like that.
I was PISSED and called the corporate # 972-683-8909 (for anyone who may want to voice their opinion about this change) and finally got a hold of someone in the states who spoke and understood plain English. He stated that they made this change due to the number of complaints about the late / restocking fee that BB Total Access customers had to pay when they didn’t turn in the movie they rented from the store after 5 days (10 days really before the fee kicks in) and so this is why the change was made.
I told him that I guess it sucks for me and everyone else who has no problem bringing back their movies on time so screw the responsible renters who visit the store for exchanges. I told him that I was going to make the switch and ditch BB after all these years, and he begged and pleaded for me to try the new service for the next 30 days.
Well my friends the time is up and my verdict is in... Sorry BB but unless you switch things back to how they were I am going to jump ship and say screw you just like you did to your loyal customers! Now if money is a problem and you need to make some changes to keep the biz afloat, how about you implement the online video game rentals and combine it with your Total access to eliminate my Gamfly membership and then maybe I will stick around but only if it is cheaper then what I pay for the 2 combined.
BB Total Access 3 @ a Time by mail and unlimited in store exchanges plus 1 free game rental a month for $19.99
GameFly 2 @ a time unlimited exchanges $22.95 a month
Maybe you would sustain and even ADD customers if you offered both for let's say $29.99 to $34.99 a month?? I could be down with that...maybe
I jumped ship after they did this. I went back and forth with the 'customer service' dept. They said it was to 'eliminate due dates' They had NO late fees already. Therefore due dates are arbitrary. If you are late there was no fee. So in essence no due date. I got much less movies per month. Dropped them like a bad habit after years of being a loyal customer and picked netflix up saving 3 bucks a month still on a 3 out plan plus UNLIMITED streaming of their online movies. Buy bye blockbuster.