Netflix vs. Blockbuster Online vs. Store Rentals

[Shananigans]

Can anyone tell me thier experiences? Pro's and cons? So far all I know is that Blockbuster is cheaper...

[qnr]

1. Netflix all the way, just my opinion though. n/t

[Shananigans]

2. What is your reasoning?

I do like them because they are less "big business" than Blockbuster, though...

[Biased Liberal Media]

3. I haven't done Blockbuster but I can tell you I would NEVER go there

I like Netflix too much...I hate Blockbuster with a passion...whenever I have gone into them the customer service was terrible, Hollywood Video usually had cheaper prices than them, plus I like to support smaller business myself.

[qnr]

4. Too many bad experiences with Blockbuster. I'd ride my bicycle

6 miles round trip, in inclement weather, to get my videos back to them on time, and they'd still bill me late fees.

[Biased Liberal Media]

5. Did you know recently they did away with late fees?

still couldn't get me to rent through them. NEVAH. Heard too many bad things.

[qnr]

10. Actually, they claim to have done away with them, but if you're late,

they bill you the cost of the VHS/DVD

[Biased Liberal Media]

13. Oh really??

that is insane...

[LeftyMom]

24. Here's how the new system works

http://money.cnn.com/2004/12/14/news/midcaps/blockbuster_latefees/

It's pretty fair I think. If the movie is more than a week late they charge you the used price (unless the movie isn't availible used yet, in which case they charge full price) and if you return it within a month they credit the amount back to you minus a restocking fee, which I read on another thread was a buck thirty-five. Seems fair enough to me, and should save me a ton since I don't think I've ever returned a movie a week late.

[qnr]

25. Perhaps, it still amounts to a late fee though. Doesn't matter to

me one way or another, since they've screwed with people so much in the past, they'll never see another dollar from me. That's just my opinion though, and I don't go spouting "Don't use Blockbuster."

[Mz Pip]

6. I love Netflix

The turnaround time is amazing.It's nearly as fast as going to the video store. :-)

Mz Pip
:dem:

[Biased Liberal Media]

9. Yup. I get 3 rentals a week

and I would spend as much as I do with Netflix monthly as I would in one visit to any retail rental place.

[fleabert]

29. yup! out in the mail one day, new movies the next! I love it.

do you happen to know what happens if you lose a movie? I think I did.

[LeftyMom]

7. I have BBO

My plan was to do thier free trial and then Netflix's and decide from there but I never bothered to try Netflix because I'm really happy with Blockbuster's service. I get deliveries really fast and the two free in-store rentals are cool for when I have a night with nothing to do and decide at the last minute that I want a movie. Otherwise, LeftyDad uses them to rent games. If they added a video game add-on for the delivery service, LD would just die of happiness.

[DaveinMD]

8. net flix is awesome

[sendero]

11. Blockbuster sucks...

... they fired people for not cutting their hair, they are a typical fundie-influenced tight-assed bullshit corporation and I quit doing business with them a decade ago.

[fujiyama]

12. I heard that the Blockbuster online

is the cheapest of the three choices.

I'm not sure of the selection though and how it compares to NetFlix. The local Blockbuster has a decent selection, but it's really not that impressive. It's nothing compared to NetFlix.

Someone here said that there's a rumor that the two online divisions may end up merging.

[Biased Liberal Media]

14. Ugh...I hope NOT

[Maddy McCall]

15. I adore Netflix. I hate Blockbuster.

Blockbuster's customer service sucks; Netflix's is great.

[Lorien]

16. Netflix is Blue, and their service is great!

The top execs at Netflix are big Dem contributors. They promote films like F 9/11, unprecedented, Super-size me, Outfoxed, etc. on their site regularly. The subscription for 3 movies at home at a time is $17.99, and the turn around time in my town is two days.

[sonicx]

17. Blockbusters online is very cheap, but I still use Netflix.

I'm very happy with it. shipping takes only a day back and forth each. No weekend shipping, tho.

[Osamasux]

18. Netflix. The service works well for everyone I know who has it.

The inventory is great. Tons of titles. Many I could not find elsewhere (That was what sold me in the first place.) Fast delivery. Their whole attitude can be summed up in the sentence, "Whatever goes wrong is not the customers fault." They are good at it and it is their whole focus, not some copycat idea. You can suggest titles if they are listed on imdb.com and they WILL try to stock them. You can put films into your queue as soon as they are released in the theater. No waiting for DVD release announcements. When it comes out, they move it from your awaiting release list to your queue - You don't have to do anything. The renters just mark that a disc is in bad shape and they retire it. That means you almost never get a messed up DVD. Their search tools and indices are good. They make good recommendations for you, based on what you rate similar films, but they don't stick them in your face. If you want to check them out, fine, if not, just don't go to that section. Great selection of music titles. DVDs from 60s and 70s bands I didn't even know were out there.

[Shananigans]

19. Is it worth the extra few bucks...

to lose out on the two free store rentals and go with Netflix?

Or... I'm torn. I like the IDEA of Netflix better, but Blockbuster has much better perks...

[qnr]

20. Maybe, but I've found their perks are more of a pain, to be honest.

Restrictions all over the place, hidden costs, etc.

[LeftyMom]

21. How so?

The only issue I've found is with late fees on the two free in-store rentals but that shouldn't be an issue anymore.

[Biased Liberal Media]

22. DOn't know how true it is but check out what he said above

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x2405095#2405149

[Lorien]

23. Perks?

like hidden fees and being forced to buy some crappy DVD that you didn't return on time? (No late fees-you just have to buy the product).

I've had one DVD out from Netflix for two months. I can't find the damn thing. They aren't slaping any extra fees on me for it.

[LoZoccolo]

26. Netflix is cool, but...

...be sure to go to your mom-and-pop video store every now and then while your DVDs are all in transit and you still want to watch a movie! Your queue will be so big that you'll want to "get through it", even by renting at a brick-and-mortar store every now and then.

[Biased Liberal Media]

27. I agree

we belong to a local rental place and often rent from them while we're doing the queue list waiting thing.

[qnr]

30. Unfortunately, we have some unscrupulous relatives, one of which

(while not bad himself, pretty much does whatever one of the nasty ones asks of him) works at the only local video store. No way they are getting easy access to my financial info :/

[njdemocrat106]

28. Netflix

Their selection is fantastic, and like others have said, the turn-around is quick. I like them even more now that I found out they're blue.