how-to block ads
|
|
view: topics flat text |
|
Comments on news posted 2010-03-08 09:34:03: It has been interesting watching Blockbuster video adapt to the broadband age, with the company seemingly not trying very hard -- either out of fear of cannibalizing their brick and mortar revenue, or just a general fear of losing control. ..
|
 tcopePremium
join:2003-05-07
Sandy, UT
kudos:1 | BB... gone Sorry but BB has simply failed to adapt as quickly as they needed. Subscriptions were a good idea... 3 years ago. They have changed their in-store rental policies so often I don't think they know what they are any longer. No over-due fees, over-due fees, over-due fees that turn into a purchase, now it's $1 for every day after 4 days (when others are charging a flat $1/day... which is a much better deal).
Bottom line... they have lost their hold on the market and it's doubtful that they will get it back. We will start to see their BM stores closing which will only leave their online site. By then they will have been forgotten.
If you own BB stock, you might want to sell yesterday.
Just a note... many times I find it easier to go to BB and rent a DVD to watch. I will make a copy. Over the course of 15 years or so I've only bought probably 5 DVDs... so they really have not lost any money by me making a copy (I'd also not rent it again). I _do_ rent DVD's as I _can_ copy them. If I could not I'd probably rent less. | |
| neftv
join:2000-10-01
Broomall, PA | those $1 video vending machines..... Can't beat those $1 video vending machines at supermarkets. Next best thing to the internet video shopping. | |
|  tim_kButtons, Bows, Beamer, Shadow, KaseyPremium,VIP
join:2002-02-02
Stewartstown, PA
kudos:13 | good riddance Even if Blockbuster somehow became better & cheaper than Netflix I still wouldn't sign up with them. After getting burned by their ridiculous late fees a couple times, they've got all the money they are going to get from me. | |
| | | Still strong in my area I still see a lot of people in the one bb that I go to. I have there online plan so never spend any money in the store itself, but it is always packed and most people do seem to be spending over $10 | |
| | | R.I.P. I don't understand why they don't realize and respond to what's happening. Every Blockbuster in my current area is closed. My former extremely centrally located downtown Chicago neighborhood had none, the closest one was on far side of side that is not built for pedestrians and pretty much only car-friendly. The ones I can think of are so dirty and gross, much like White Castle use to be back in the day (even they cleaned up their act). One would think Blockbuster would be in a heavily populated neighborhood like the loop in Chicago. To top that off they have no digital distribution plans and no kiosks. I can walk just about anywhere and find a RedBox, but no blockbuster anywhere in sight.
I tried their mail movie rental service along side Netflix, boy was that fun. Movies took 5 days on average to arrive and the pricing was a bit crazy. | |
| Reviews:
 ·Comcast
 ·Comcast Digital ..
| pirating is ONLY pirating if you are distributing... If I recall correctly, piracy is considered piracy mainly only when the person is hosting a server, distributing to other people or charging people for a copy of the program or movie.
Then again every movie I tried before was a spoof, had no sound, was all jittery or just showed a logo for 2 hours.
Oh well I don't do that now, I just wait a couple months and it's on dvd or on demand. | |
| ricep5Premium
join:2000-08-07
Jacksonville, FL | The beginning of the end You know that when Carlos Slim or Cerberus buys them, they are headed for the drain.
Blockbuster had a lead interest in DVD's that used the 3 day dye. You could call up your movie on a kiosk, it would burn right there on the special dye DVD and would last for 3 days before the dye would fade making it a coaster.
Why they didn't jump on that (other than the landfills full of DVD coasters) is unknown.
It would be interesting to see what kind of contractual obligations Blockbuster has to maintain with the studios that maybe interfering with any investment in alternatives. Other than that, it appears that they are in a severe cash crunch and have no serious capital to fund a new distribution model.
The brick/mortar stores don't want the cash being drained from national advertising to prop up their sales being taken away by a kiosk or online model.
What Blockbuster is facing is not much different than what Kodak is facing in imaging. | |
| TheMGPremium
join:2007-09-04
Canada
kudos:1 Reviews:
 ·TekSavvy DSL
| Not ready for it yet. 50Mbps connections are not available everywhere. In fact neither are 25Mbps connections, nor are uncapped connections.
Streaming full quality 1080p video requires quite a fast connection (25Mbps+), and caps are definitely a major hurdle to high definition content distribution over the internet.
Until ISPs across the continent pull their heads out of their ass, internet movie rentals will remain an unappealing proposition.
At 20GB to 35GB a movie, doesn't take long to reach monthly caps. | |
| | | Another change We went to Block Buster just last Sunday. Once again they have changed the rental. Now you get only 4 day rental and EVERYTHING in the store is $4.00, except games which are $7.00. Also was posted that late fees will be automatically deducted from your credit card or if a debt card used, from your bank account, without prior notice. If you don't have enough money in the bank to cover, too bad.
Good plan, lower the rental time, charge more and hope you make it up in, what, volume?
Wife and I looked at each other and both said, might as well remove us from your data base. Remove the credit card on file and remove us from your email. We are done with Block Buster, soon to be known as wallet buster and then just BUSTED!
Stoopid peeple! | |
|  TOPDAWGPremium
join:2005-04-27
Midland, ON | hm One thing that is killing BB is wal-marts $5 dvd bin. Man every time you're at wal-mart people are looking in that thing. You can even find some good movies in there sometimes.
Piracy may be hurting BB a bit but not to the point of them closing. If I download a movie and like it I buy it. Why spend $6 on a rental I then end up liking the move then pay anther $20 for it? I'll just put the $6 I saved towards the movie I liked when I buy it. BB seems to do ok here in Canada. | |
| | |  No more Blockbuster!
Gee, I wonder why Blockbuster is closing (forever)... | |
|
| |
|
