re: Hey Netflix users - is there a Blockbuster near you?

[JACXR71]

Posted: 12/8/06 at 9:36am

I do love my Netflix, but this seems like a pretty cool promotion. Might just have to take advantage of it...


Blockbuster Offers Netflix Customers Free Movies

By Kenneth Terrell

Posted 12/6/06

From now through December 21, Netflix customers can get free movie rentals at Blockbuster stores in exchange for the Netflix mailing labels they normally would throw away (one DVD rental per label). The promotion highlights the advantage that Blockbuster has over its Web-only competitor: physical stores for video renters' immediate gratification.

"We want these movie fans to to experience getting the movie they want without the wait," says Blockbuster CEO John Antioco.

Derek Brown, an analyst with Cantor Fitzgerald, calls the move "an interesting approach that has the potential to do what Blockbuster wants, which is get consumers into their stores with greater frequency. But history over the last 12 months suggests that Netflix has more than held its own, despite the pricing and retail advantages Blockbuster has."

Netflix, which leads the online DVD rental market, offers overnight film delivery to the majority of its 5.7 million customers. Blockbuster has told analysts it expects to have 2 million subscribers to its online service by the end of the year. The free rental promotion could draw more subscribers to Blockbuster's program, which also recently started a "Total Access" feature that marries the benefits of Netflix's online model (pick movies on a PC, receive them by mail, keep them as long as you like) but adds the twist of being able to return the DVDs by just dropping them off at one of the company's 5,000 stores nationwide.

But by expanding its online customer base, Blockbuster could end up hurting the same stores that give it an advantage. "The more consumers use this type of service online, the less frequently they go into stores," Brown says.


http://www.usnews.com/usnews/biztech/articles/061206/6flicks.htm

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 12/8/06 at 9:47am

That's cool! The mall is only 4 minutes away from my house and they have a blockbuster. I am also a netflix user.
Updated On: 12/8/06 at 09:47 AM

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 12/8/06 at 9:58am

Just as an FYI, if anyone cares, I believe that Blockbuster is, and started as, a very conservative company.

Netflix is a more liberal company...some info on both are here to make a comparison:

http://www.buyblue.org/

[shira467]

Posted: 12/8/06 at 11:51am

Very awesome. I have a blockbuster around the corner from me!

[cheezedoodle]

Posted: 12/8/06 at 11:54am

Yes Doodle - they actually edit out content from the films they rent. If you are the type of person who happily lives in a bubble - Blockbuster is for you.

[DAME]

Posted: 12/8/06 at 11:58am

And their selection sucks.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 12/8/06 at 12:05pm

Yes, DAME, you are SO RIGHT about this.

I was happy there was a video store so close to me, but I spent HOURS going through the store to try and find something I wanted to see. Blockbuster had nothing. I did pick up one older movie that I thought I should watch but when I got home, the 'Special Two Disc version' was missong the actual movie.

I'm going to make the trip to Video West....

[MotorTink]

Posted: 12/8/06 at 12:10pm

The blockbuster by me is in a very crowded strip mall, which will be even busier now. That's why I signed up for Netflix to begin with. But thanks for sharing the article!

[DAME]

Posted: 12/8/06 at 12:12pm

Love Video West.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 12/8/06 at 12:16pm

I could go on for HOURS about VW


Thank you Jesus for them (eww, an RTFan moment...)

[DG]

Posted: 12/8/06 at 12:20pm

The Blockbuster right by us is run by a young gay man, and he has a few others on his staff. He orders in every gay movie released. It's pretty funny to watch these conservative suburbanites walking down the aisles and encountering these flicks!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 12/8/06 at 12:32pm

The Blockbuster in my neighborhood has a huge selection of gay and foreign films unlike any I've seen outside of a specialty shop. I never went there until they allowed you to return the Blockbuster.com DVDs to the atore in exchange for a free rental. Now I go there all the time. The only other DVD rental store near me is Hollywood, which is literally across the street from my apartment. And while the staff is wonderful, the selection is underwhelming.

I am over Netflix. Hateful company. I'll never go back. If you really want hard-to-find independent or foreign films, try Greencine.com.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 12/8/06 at 12:39pm

Support LOCAL video stores!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cheezedoodle]

Posted: 12/8/06 at 12:51pm

We would Borstal if Blockbuster and Hollywood would stop moving in and shutting them down.

[Magdalene]

Posted: 12/8/06 at 12:57pm

Blockbuster IS my local video store, more's the pity---I use NetFlix because of the convenience.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 12/8/06 at 1:03pm

I have Blockbuster Online rentals and the In Store movie pass. So, I am never without a movie to watch.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 12/8/06 at 1:04pm

What are the great video stores in NYC? In Seattle, there is the great Scarecrow Video with its overwhelming selection just for cineastes. I used to take a half hour bus to grab that out-of-print VHS gem. In Tucson, there is the huge Casa Video...
In NYC?

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 12/8/06 at 1:55pm

Outside Hollywood and Blockbuster, I've only seen maybe two local video stores worth supporting in Chicago. Everything else is WAY overpriced for a tiny selection of films, every one of which you can get cheaper and keep longer from either Blockbuster or Hollywood. Why on earth would I support anyone who is ripping people off?

[DayDreamer]

Posted: 12/8/06 at 2:10pm

The reason I started with Netflix was precisely because I was tired of having to go to the store, them not having the movies I wanted to see, and then incuring penalties for being late (which I don't think they have anymore...)

There's a great indie video store close to my house for when I must see a movie NOW.

[DAME]

Posted: 12/8/06 at 2:16pm

Matt;
Why would you support Blockbuster? They are notorious for selectively editing their movies ( STILL).

[DG]

Posted: 12/8/06 at 2:21pm

There's a good one out here in the stix in Claremont - Video Paradiso. Wonderfully stocked sections of classic, foreign, documentary and *gasp* gay & lesbian films.

[MisterRussell]

Posted: 12/8/06 at 3:05pm

Our local store is Movie Gallery. AWFUL selection. Never enough new releases and worst of all, the clerks actually try to talk you OUT of the widescreen versions of films because they don't like "them little bars on the top and bottom."

God, I hate Oklahoma.

[shira467]

Posted: 12/8/06 at 4:19pm

Is this a fake or something?

I called the BlockBuster store, and even Blockbuster Corporate, and they had NO IDEA what I was talking about.

[cheezedoodle]

Posted: 12/8/06 at 4:23pm

Shira - call Matt Lauer - I think it was on the Today show this morning.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 12/8/06 at 4:29pm

Matt might tell ya that BB is a christian conservative company that believes in censoring their stock.