Blockbuster = FAIL

@ KARMAGHOST: YES they do = FAIL. I blew up when I got the email from Blockbuster last night. I switched from Netflix to blockbuster because I wanted to exchange my DVD's faster. When I was on Netflix I had the 8 DVD at a time plan and was paying $50 a month. I was ecstatic when I switched to Blockbuster because at the time I had the 4 at a time with unlimited in store exchanges for $25 a month. Then they canceled that plan and didn't grandfather people and now this. I guess they want all of their old customers to leave, which I will be doing as my subscription is up on the 27th. I can understand raising the price for people who are new or switch plans, but not for customers who have been with them for over 2+ years.

I've been with Netflix for 6 months and have never once regretted it. Blockbuster must really love shooting themselves in the foot.

Blockbuster raises prices, gives Netflix an early christmas present. But seriously, is there even a need for blockbuster anymore? They'll soon go the way of the dodo and CompUSA...

I dropped them after they raised the price the first time, after that i switched to netflix. I have the 4 disc at once plan and rarely do i really take advantage of it. I guess they dont understand that if they rise the price people are either going to take cancel there account or take more advantage of there plans. By raising the price, i see it that people are going to the extreme with there plans. which will cost BB more money to ship and receive.

I'll be amazed if Blockbuster still exists in five years. This is unreal.

...and that's why most of us program our own satellite and cable boxes.

I canceled my Netflix about a year ago when I found we were getting lazy with returning the movies. We would then just go to the B&M stores and rent something. So I figured I would get the Blockbuster online account, and return the movies back at the store and choose a new one. It also left an option open for games.

Some problems with that. If I sent the movies back, it would take 4-5 days for a new movie to be sent. Turnaround was 8 days instead of Netflix's 3. If I took the movie back, I would often get the next movie on my list put into shipping BEFORE I got home - OFTEN the same movie I had just rented (they have since corrected this). The game rental I never took advantage of - you need a credit card to rent games, a debit card is not good enough. When I bought my house, I ditched the credit cards - it's something that works WELL for me. I can rent a car with the Debit card, but can't rent a game - great business. (this part was added AFTER I joined Blockbuster)

Netflix gladly welcomed me back, sent me a $20 gift certificate for some gourmet popcorn or something, and has been shipping me movies the first week they are out consistently.

You really can't feel bad about companies putting themselves out of business.

Ha, this is pretty rich coming from the consumer. Why go with a company that charges extra overall and then charges extra for additional services..? Personally I'm all for Netflix.. I get free Online viewing (48hrs.) and if there is a problem I call them up and boom, they compensate for it.
With Blockbuster if a disk is lost or you never recieve it you get charged for the disk. Which really makes no sense.
Besides the point Blockbuster really is going down, the franchises our sueing the company for making them participate in the "promotion of the online rentals" when the franchises themselves can't take the returns nor capitilize on the $5 restocking fee if you're not a premium member.
Netflix ftw.

Yep, got the email around 10ish last night and promptly cancelled my account at 10:03pm.

F blockbuster. After being a member for 3 years, they do this?! Crazy.

Yeah, cuz the one thing you want to do when you're falling far behind the industry leader is alienate your customers. Makes excellent business sense to me.

I love Netflix...the only price change I ever saw was one telling me they lowered my 2 out at a time unlimited plan by $1 a month. plus the free streaming movies are better than free returns with Blockbuster...I never have to leave the couch. =)

Always have loved me my Netflix... we stopped using netflix for about 3 months and realized it was WAY better than going to the store to pick up DVDs. Since we joined (and rejoined), our prices have only gone down, service has always been good (granted, I'm in a city with a distro center), and we've only had problems with 2-3 DVDs, which were promptly replaced.

And while the WatchNow features only a limited number of films, it's a great option when I'm traveling.

Great business model, great business. I plan to stay on as a Netflix customer while I watch all the Blockbuster stores turn into coffee shops.

Didn't Blockbuster already lose the online fight with Netflix?

Obviously they aren't trying to attract new customers with this change - perhaps they're just attempting to milk the current ones.

That 40% increase is nuts.

I just upgraded my Netflix account to say "F-you" to Blockbuster!

This is ridiculous. I have been with Blockbuster Online for several years and in the past year, I have had my free in-store game rental coupons taken away, my price increased several times, and the number of in-store rentals limited. This is the last straw. I am printing out my queue and switching to Netflix.

Netflix just lowered there plans about 6 months ago and now Blockbuster raises theirs. Looks like someone is going in the wrong direction. Netflix is A+++ plus there customer service is awesome too!!

So long Blockbuster! You died at the end of the VHS era you are just now trying to make up for it.....by screwing your own customers!

I'm happily with Netflix and use their lowest priced plan as I don't really watch rented movies more than twice a month-I'd rather own. Also, like someone else mentioned, the ability to view movies online is a cool bonus.

A local Blockbuster recently closed down-I guess times are changing.

To all Blockbuster Inc. employees. Below is a list of the key execs who are running your company. Keep an eye on them, in a few years (perhaps months), Blockbuster will go out of business and these guys will leave with huge bonuses:

Here is the list of the key execs for Blockbuster Inc. (data from Yahoo Finance):

Mr. Frank G. Paci, Exec. VP of Strategic Planning & Bus. Devel.
Mr. James W. Keyes, Chairman and Chief Exec. Officer
Mr. Thomas M. Casey, Chief Financial Officer and Exec. VP
Mr. Gary A. Ross, Exec. VP and Pres - Emerging Brands
Mr. Dean Wilson, Head of New Bus. Devel.

I left BB after the last price hike, wherein they removed the monthly coupon and raised the price to $24.99. That wasn't that long ago was it? Maybe a few months?

I'm going to be all about Netflix as soon as they start carrying games. Currently I don't have any subscription services.

Received the email last night...10 mins later I had a cancelled Blockbuster Online account and a new Netflix one... :-D

I'm just waiting for Netflix to finally get an officially supported plug-in for Media Center/Xbox so I can stream the 'Watch it Now' stuff through Media Center's interface. The Netflix founder is on Microsoft's board now. C'mon guys, hurry it up and I'll be rushing back to Netflix in no time flat (used to use it, but got tired of their slow turnaround even though I had a distribution center in my town.)

I just can't put this to words. I wonder how many people canceled as soon as they got the announcement. This just seems insane to me.

@EnderVR46: I have been getting monthly coupons for the past few months. I rented Call of Duty 4 with it last week.

mine still says 17.99 for the 3-unlimited-5 in store return...

I cancelled my blockbuster online account this morning, 10 minutes after getting the email. Netflix here I come.

All of my friends and family members who have Blockbuster all think I'm crazy for sticking with Netflix through the years. Who's laughing now? The last price change I got from Netflix was a price DECREASE a little while back. Plus I'm in the same city as Netflix company HQ and distribution center so turnaround time is unbelievable. I hate Blockbuster, I hope they die a slow and painful death.

I have the Total Access Premium/3dvd plan that was 18.99/mo and its only going up to 19.99/mo. Maybe the new rates are just for new subscribers?

@chantastic: When I asked the guys in my BB why I wasn't getting them, they said that most accounts weren't getting them anymore but that some were. Guess you're lucky and I wasn't.

Can comment on BallBuster but I love my new Netflixxx account. Live in C-ville, VA. Drop the return in the mail in the morning have the next movie in my hands the next day by 4pm. Monthly account all for the price of one new realease from the local CircuitShity.

Now I can afford to pay the therapist for my shopping addiction.

2Birds, 1 Stone....GOD I LOVE THIS COUNTRY SO MUCH I JUST WANT TO RUN OUT AND BUY SOMETHING!

This blog entry seems to be more about Blockbuster bashing than anything useful in relation to gadgets. I suppose we all have axes to grind but do you have to make it so obvious ?

@Eye of Fatima:

What do you use to play your DVD's? A rock? Seems gadget related to me.

wow...that sucks for all you guys. I have the 3-out unlimited, plus 2 free rental coupons via e-mail per month for $17.99 locked in.

it's been nothing but awesome so far. at that price I'm never going back to Netflix when I can exchange movies around the block at my will.

I don't mean to jump on the bandwagon but we had BB for about a year, 3 movies out at a time for $25. When they raised it to $30, we quit. I recently bought my 18 yo daughter a netflix subscription(the same as BB) for half the price. They will be the Comp USA of 2008 like SNOOGANS said.

@CruJones: Dude.....media is sooooo last century.

I amnot sure how long I have been with Blockbuster Online (switched over to it from Netflix because Netflix was ALWAYS out of what I wanted. And to take advantage of the "in-store" exchange)

I have the 3 at a time with store exchange, and 1 free game rental coupon per month.

My price went from 17.99 to 19.99. It looks like I kinda got grandfathered into my rate. I guess some people went from 24.99 to 34.99? That sucks!

I'm okay with the $2 price increase on mine...

I am in the same place as A9108. I have:
#
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

This works out great for me, because with in store exchanges, I watch about 10 movies a month (I rip some to my Archos to watch while out and about) and I rent two games a month (this would cost $16 by itself).

I had NetFlix, but I am happier with the BB arrangement now than I ever was with NetFlix.

Are there different types of members besides the tiers established at the number of movies allowed out at a time? Somehow I've still been billed for my Total Access Premium plan for $17.99. I did receive an email last night stating that my monthly fees is moving up from $17.99 to $19.99 while saying that it is valued at $34.99

I got the email last night, but apparently I was on the one plan that didn't get completely screwed by this price increase:

My plan - 2 movies at a time, unlimited mailings, unlimited in-store exchanges, + 1 in-store movie/game rental coupon per month

Old price- $14.99
New price- $16.99

3 out unlimited for me, signed up maybe 1-2 months ago:

"To continue to bring you the unmatched convenience of both online and in-store DVD rentals, your monthly subscription fee will change from $17.99 to $19.99. This adjustment† will go into effect on your next billing cycle on or after December 27, 2007. The benefits of your subscription plan will remain the same."

Is the price change in effect for everyone? I have 17.99 3-out-unlimited w/1 coupon per month. Never changed, and I didn't get an email last night. I'm logged into my account now and it still says $17.99

WTF?

edit: mines for 5 in store swaps, no unlimited. that plan apparently DOES start at $24.99 for now... also did they remove the one free game renal? if so im done with them. i dont even use the instore swap because i just rent HDDVDs

My take is, I have a life and dont really need to see every new movie IMMEDIATELY. So I am not the right guy to comment BB vs Netflix (dont use either). I just wait happily until the movie I really want to see is several months (or years!) old and buy it on demand from my cable company. By my calculations, if I do that once EVERY week, I am still way ahead.

but thats just me

@hiphopnerd:

still a 13% increase with no value added

I think I'm with everyone in canceling today. I already had restarted my netflix due to getting an hddvd player, but this takes the cake. Then when I wrote a spiel about why I quit in their comments, I couldn't continue till I nerfed it down to 255 characters. wtf, they fail in every possible way.

@mtopper:

Yeah, but it still makes more sense for me than Netflix's $13.99 for 2 @ a time, given the in-store exchanges and that i use that monthly coupon for game rentals (which are 8 bucks regular price in BB stores now). Those two benefits are worth a $3 premium to me...but if they pull another one of these increases, it'll be time to go.

Mine also still indicates it's $17.99. I was never price hiked to $24.99

Wholy crap. That is ridiculous. I used to have them but I am glad I cancelled it just a few months ago.

I mean I understand where they are justifying hte prices b/ I did make good use of it. Sometimes I would have 6 movies at a time.

3 rented from store, 3 online ones.

But still $35 is going to shy away alot of people from it unless you get some big movie buffs.

C'MON BLOCKBUSTER.. You are killing me..

oops mine is for the unlimited online 3out, but only 4 in store swaps.

also, where did my 1 free game coupon/month go!?