Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Blockbuster's new plan sucks!

This is topic Blockbuster's new plan sucks! in forum The Afterlife at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 02-23-2009, 07:39 PM:

I just got an email from Blockbuster informing me that there will be no due date for titles I check out at the store after I had exchanged them with my online rentals. Normally, new titles I check out at the store have a two day limit with a six day grace period The new plan sounds good but in actuality it sucks because new online titles will not be sent to me until I return my store rentals. At the way it is now, I have been receiving my three online titles on Thursday and have been able to return them at the store the following Tuesday, on the day new titles are released. Once my online movies have been returned to a Blockbuster store and noted, three more online movies are sent to me and I have been receiving them two days later and the cycle repeats once more. With the grace period in mind, all of my store rental are returned three days later. I have found that if I do not check out a new title on the morning of the release day, it will be several weeks before I can get my hands on them especially, Blu Ray titles. With the new plan that will take effect on March 1st, I do not see how I can exchange my online rentals every Tuesday like I have been doing since I joined Blockbuster. I have decided to try the new plan and work out an angle to get as much out of my Blockbuster membership but if I cannot, how is Netflex when it come to getting new movies online almost right away? If things does not work out at Blockbuster, I will switch to them.

-Claude

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 02-23-2009, 08:35 PM:

Sounds like Blockbuster is copying Netflix's return policy - you keep as long as you like, but don't get new ones until the ones you have are returned.

I use Netflix since their catalog of titles is huge along with finding rare titles that one has completely forgotten.

Netflix on new titles, can be a bit iffy esp if that certain title is very popular for Netflix will issue a statement of a wait, or will find a depot that has that one title.

But, in a whole, I'm well satisfied with Netflix.

good luck-Monte

Posted by Joe Tommassello (Member # 4632) on 02-24-2009, 04:49 PM:

Claude - It can be tough to get new Blu-ray titles from Netflix. I have been mailing mine on Saturday so they receive them on Monday. This helps me to sometimes get the brand new BR titles for the week as they are permitted to ship them a day early since I won't have them till street date. Last week I had both Body of Lies and Changeling in Blu-ray. If, however, you miss that first day you are likely - just as is the case with Blockbuster - to have to wait as much as several weeks before a blu-ray disc is available. Basically it's a crap shoot as to who's up next when someone else returns it.

On the other hand Netflix has an excellent selection of classic movies that may be of interest to you. I have dozens of old "film noir" titles in my queue.

An interesting side note on Netflix...they now have the Starz channel streaming for their subscribers. By this I mean the actual cable channel in addition to their "watch instantly" selection which is also getting better with time.

Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 02-24-2009, 07:37 PM:

Joe,

I received a very generous offer from United Airlines Mileage Plus about two years ago if I subscribed to Netflix as a first time member. I just found out the offer is still available and I think I will take advantage of it. Once I had completed my trial membership and paid my first month fee with Netflix UAL M.P. will credt 2000 miles to my account and I believe I will receive one mile for each dollar I pay for my Netflix membership. This is a very good deal indeed and I think now is the time to take advantage of the offer. As I had mentioned in my original thread, I will still retain my Blockbuster membership for a month and see how I can take advantage of their on line/in store rental membership plan.

-Claude