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momus_98
join:2002-09-10
Pflugerville, TX
kudos:1 | That's entertainment I haven't set foot in Lackluster in a great many years (and never plan to), so I can't speak to the validity of the experience these days. But, the reason why Lackluster sucks so much is:
- They never forget about that $3.00 late fee from a movie you rented 3 years ago, even if your recollection of the movie has long since slipped into the mists of time. And good luck trying to negotiate with the pimply-faced flunky behind the counter about it.
- Forget trying to find any sort of indie or "intelligent" movie. A million copies of Lethal Weapon 4, but no copies of The Road Home? Great. Also, don't count on finding anything they deem to be offensive. Lackluster gets to decide what you watch, not you.
- Two year old movies still filed in the "New Releases" section. No copies left of any new movie you really want to see.
- Five people on staff on a Saturday night; only one actually running the register. You stand in line feeling your soul ooze out onto the floor while someone's bratty kids clamor around you crying about some lame Disney flick that they couldn't find.
- Although I work in a video store, you actually want me to recommend a good movie? How about Live Free or Die Hard?
Uh, never mind.
- You race down to the specific Lackluster store you rented from (cause, heavens no, it can't go to just any location), sprint to the door like some Kenyan track star only to find out you're a minute too late; even if you drop the video into the return slot in full view of the staff inside, there's no escaping that $3.00 late fee. (See first example. Rinse. Wash. Repeat.)
Going to Lackluster is as demoralizing an experience as anyone will encounter. Thank the FSM for Netflix.
--
"War does not determine who is right; only who is left." - Bertrand Russell
"Patriots always talk of dying for their country and never of killing for their
country." - Bertrand Russell | |
|  Reviews:
 ·VOIPo
 ·AT&T U-Verse
 ·RoadRunner Cable
 ·AT&T DSL Service
 ·Virgin Mobile Br..
2 edits | Re: That's entertainment quote:
I haven't set foot in Lackluster in a great many years (and never plan to), so I can't speak to the validity of the experience these days. But, the reason why Lackluster sucks so much is:
- They never forget about that $3.00 late fee from a movie you rented 3 years ago, even if your recollection of the movie has long since slipped into the mists of time. And good luck trying to negotiate with the pimply-faced flunky behind the counter about it.
- Forget trying to find any sort of indie or "intelligent" movie. A million copies of Lethal Weapon 4, but no copies of The Road Home? Great. Also, don't count on finding anything they deem to be offensive. Lackluster gets to decide what you watch, not you.
- Two year old movies still filed in the "New Releases" section. No copies left of any new movie you really want to see.
- Five people on staff on a Saturday night; only one actually running the register. You stand in line feeling your soul ooze out onto the floor while someone's bratty kids clamor around you crying about some lame Disney flick that they couldn't find.
- Although I work in a video store, you actually want me to recommend a good movie? How about Live Free or Die Hard?
Uh, never mind.
- You race down to the specific Lackluster store you rented from (cause, heavens no, it can't go to just any location), sprint to the door like some Kenyan track star only to find out you're a minute too late; even if you drop the video into the return slot in full view of the staff inside, there's no escaping that $3.00 late fee. (See first example. Rinse. Wash. Repeat.)
Going to Lackluster is as demoralizing an experience as anyone will encounter. Thank the FSM for Netflix.
I work at Blockbuster (while going to college), and I can say with certainty that all of your points are incorrect. If the restocking fee is from awhile ago, I'll take it off - no questions asked. We have many "intelligent movies". When movies are 1 year old, they get taken off the "New Release" wall and put in the favorites section (the middle of the store). We usually have 4 people working on Friday and Saturday night, and we always have 3 people on the register to make sure the customers aren't waiting in line more than a minute. And I can recommend several great movies (Live Free or Die Hard is not one of them). We also don't have late fees anymore. You can bring your movie back up to 10 days after the due date without any penalty.
I'm not sitting here trying to defend Blockbuster here, but if you're going to bring up all of their faults, please at least be right about them. How can you even write a list of Blockbusters faults if, as you say, you haven't even stepped foot into a Blockbuster in a "great many years". | |
| | momus_98
join:2002-09-10
Pflugerville, TX
kudos:1 | Re: That's entertainment Like I said, I hadn't been in a Lackluster in many, many years, but the faults I bring up are all accurate based on my experience. My low opinion of Lackluster is subjective certainly, but then most everyone is soured by one or more negative encounters with a store, restaurant, or any other retail establishment. Most reasonable people, upon being burned, will likely never patronize that establishment again, even if the establishment changes in some fashion.
The Lackluster I speak of is based on what I saw during the '90s. They were essentially the only game in town and drove other local movie shops out of business or marginalized them. (They are akin to Starbucks or Wally World). Even today, they sign deals with movie companies so that they have exclusive rights to the DVD, thus keeping Netflix (their primary target) and other competitors (Hollywood Video, for one) from capitalizing on an anticipated release. This isn't fair competition; it's monopolistic behavior, pure & simple.
Lastly, on the individual store level, what you say might be true of the retail experience now, but the company as a whole leaves a lot to be desired and I'm pleased that Netflix is such a thorn in their side. I wish nothing but plague & pestilence on Lackluster and think the world would be just fine without them.
--
"War does not determine who is right; only who is left." - Bertrand Russell
"Patriots always talk of dying for their country and never of killing for their
country." - Bertrand Russell | |
| | | Reviews:
·VOIPo
·AT&T U-Verse
·RoadRunner Cable
·AT&T DSL Service
·Virgin Mobile Br..
1 edit | Re: That's entertainment said by momus_98:Like I said, I hadn't been in a Lackluster in many, many years, but the faults I bring up are all accurate based on my experience. My low opinion of Lackluster is subjective certainly, but then most everyone is soured by one or more negative encounters with a store, restaurant, or any other retail establishment. Most reasonable people, upon being burned, will likely never patronize that establishment again, even if the establishment changes in some fashion. The Lackluster I speak of is based on what I saw during the '90s. They were essentially the only game in town and drove other local movie shops out of business or marginalized them. (They are akin to Starbucks or Wally World). Even today, they sign deals with movie companies so that they have exclusive rights to the DVD, thus keeping Netflix (their primary target) and other competitors (Hollywood Video, for one) from capitalizing on an anticipated release. This isn't fair competition; it's monopolistic behavior, pure & simple. Lastly, on the individual store level, what you say might be true of the retail experience now, but the company as a whole leaves a lot to be desired and I'm pleased that Netflix is such a thorn in their side. I wish nothing but plague & pestilence on Lackluster and think the world would be just fine without them. Again you're wrong with both of your points. The exclusive Blockbuster movies can still be rented from other rental places, the other places just have to pay full retail (and therefore sometimes don't buy any) - the stores still have the opportunity to buy them and rent them to their customers.
I love how you say Blockbuster has "monopolistic behavior", and then go on to say you'd like them to go out of business. Wouldn't that lead to less competition in the movie rental industry? You're only other option would be Netflix (what do you do when you want to rent a movie right now?)...talk about a monopoly. | |
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|  SLDPremium
join:2002-04-17
San Francisco, CA | His description hit the nail on the head for the many stores I've been unfortunate enough to rent from (even in Tijuana, Mexico). However, he forgot to mention the experience of begging the staff to search through the "just returned bin" to find if there is a copy of a new release since the store doesn't have 1/4 as many as they need to fill demand. | |
| | | | | | | | | Re: That's entertainment said by motoracer:said by SLD:His description hit the nail on the head for the many stores I've been unfortunate enough to rent from (even in Tijuana, Mexico). However, he forgot to mention the experience of begging the staff to search through the "just returned bin" to find if there is a copy of a new release since the store doesn't have 1/4 as many as they need to fill demand. Sounds like the stores you two have been to need a new staff - my store is definitely not like how you describe. Thats what I was thinking. Although I prefer Netflix over Blockbuster, I can honestly say I have never had a problem with either of my two local chains. Sounds like someone carrying a mega grudge over a 3$ late fee. | |
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