Blockbuster BD rental discussion thread - Page 124

Yes, those 2 titles are available at BB since the blu-ray release date. No delay.

Then you must be one of the lucky ones who didn't experience a long wait. I always made it a point to keep my new releases at the top of my Queue, but over time it became a crap shoot when it came to getting them on time. At least with Netflix, if my returns are back by Monday, I rarely ever have to wait. BB is closing stores and reducing inventory, and from my experience running a retail franchise, it has to effect cost and supply.



Ian
Edited by mailiang - 2/28/13 at 9:13pm

Both have a 28 day delay. But I got Bourne Legacy on the Netflix release day which was January 8th. Skyfall will be available on Netflix on March 12th. But I purchased that on February 12th so I removed it from my queue. But if it was still in my Netflix queue I would have at least a 95% chance of having it in my mailbox on March 12th.

With Blockbuster for me the odds are reversed. I only have a 5% chance(if even that much) of getting a new release in my mailbox on the day it's released.

Curious how you came up with those percentages.
Share with us.

Those are based on my experience with both services. I've used BlockBuster off and on for several years and I've been using Netflix for over fourteen years.

I was a BB customer for over 10 years. When they started closing stores the service progressively went down hill. I put my subscription on hold three times in the last 2 years and every time a csr guaranteed me that they were improving their service, I'd get back on board. The last time was when Dish took over, but things got progressively worse. I would get most of the titles on a timely basis for a few months after renewing, and then things went back to the way they were before. First I reduced my plan and then finally I pulled the plug last December.



Ian

No delay for Blockbuster or no delay for the customer?

I have not seen any major studio film released this year that isn't immediately listed as high demand or very high demand on blockbuster. So while there may be one copy somewhere in the United States that blockbuster ships to the CEO's cousin, the average customer is waiting 8 weeks or longer. I have had Bourne Legacy in my queue since December! Still hasn't shipped. 3 months is ridiculous.

In Your Queue:

“The Bourne Legacy [Blu-ray]” Very High Demand

I'm really thinking of pulling the plug and going back to Netflix (I dumped Netflix when they started the 28 day day and date delay thing). But I'm not sure its any better there.

And the "very high demand" thing is an outright lie. It is clearly "very low stock" maintained by Blockbuster, not high demand. The blame doesn't belong on the customers seeking the product, its the unwillingness of BB to pay to have more product available. This didn't happen before Dish bought them.

If you do not have an open queue slot for shipping a disc on Monday on popular releases, it's high demand.
This is true for Netlfix and Blockbuster.
Netflix is actually worse even when I've had a free queue slot for shipping and they withhold a day and I get a catalog release.

That's why I use BB for new releases and Netflix for catalog.
Then use Redbox or VuDu to fill in the gaps.
Edited by 42Plasmaman - 3/1/13 at 12:55pm

I've had 2 open slots (of a total of 2) for weeks. Nothing ships. All just shows high demand or very high demand (I don't get catalog stuff, I use these services only for new released films).

I just cancelled BB after 4 years, and now I'm back with Netflix. I'll see how it goes. BB does not maintain enough inventory. How else can you explan bourne legacy in my queue since Decmeber and plenty of open slots on Mondays since then?

It may be the distribution center he is using. Seattle may not have the demand you have in Phili or I've experienced in South Jersey. It still doesn't exclude the fact that most members on this forum have had issues with new releases and timely shipping. If you follow the Netflix thread you will find that in most areas they seem to be handling the demand pretty well these days. But like everything else, when it comes to demand, cost and supply, that can easily change.


Ian

A hah! Just got this email from Netflix.

Shipped:
The Bourne Legacy
(Blu-ray)

This proves that BB is now completely awful. I had this movie in my BB queue with open slots since December. I switched to Netflix yesterday and it just shipped. ( and on a Saturday). Good riddance BB.

I just received this from BB today:



Don't call it a comeback…

If you missed the Daytona 500 last weekend, the Blockbuster car, driven by NASCAR newcomer Josh Wise for Front Row Motorsports,
hung in there throughout until he got bounced off the wall in the middle of the second half of the race. Now we're hard at work in the pit this week, getting ready for his return to the track on March 3 at the Subway Fresh Fit 500 at the Phoenix International Speedway!

And while Josh gets back in the driver's seat, we'd like to invite you back to Blockbuster By Mail with this special offer: 3 months for $5. Just click here to redeem: Blockbuster.com/car35. With more than 100,000 titles, no due dates, no late fees and unlimited rentals (one out at a time), you'll be sitting in the pole position for the best in home entertainment.

And don't forget to tune in on the 3rd for one of the biggest races of the year and cheer on Josh Wise, boasting the beautiful blue and gold Blockbuster ticket on his hood. Drivers, start your engines!



Ian

Rather than spending money on NASCAR sponsorship, BB should get beefing up their inventory and what not .. it's kinda like USPS constantly running primetime TV ads .. well, yes, we don't live in a cave, we know about USPS

Blockbuster's availability of newer bluray's is pitiful. I am going to cancel next week before my account bills again.

That's why they are trying to reel... me back in.

During the 3 month, 5 buck trial, I'll get most of the titles I want, when I want. However, would you like to guess what happens next?



Ian

Haha.
You know whenever a new subscriber signs up they get what they want but over time, you get treated equally with delays if you don't play the Monday return game.
This goes for BB and Netflix.

I've had good luck with new releases with BB compared to Netflix but I keep both since I do 1@1 time and between the 2 subscriptions it's only $20 a month.
That's the cost of one new release blu-ray.

btw:
I hope BB stays afloat because if Netflix becomes the only mail disc delivery game in town, you can bet we will have price increases and probably a lot more delays since there is no competition.

We'll see. But I never ever had to wait 3 months for a new release from BB before. Nor did that ever happen when I was with Netflix in the past. The only reason I left Netflix was the studio mandated 28 day delay they implemented on new releases. But even where BB doesn't have such a studio imposed delay, their own lack of inventory delay makes it worse than the 28 days. So having day and date releases on BB does nothing.

Seriously? I play the Monday return game all the time and I still had issues with BB getting new releases to me. Not so with Netflix. You're either in a low demand area, as I posted earlier, or your dreaming.


Ian

What competition?

42Plasmaman, you're not exactly an unbiased source of information when it comes to Netflix. You criticized them in the past in the streaming forums and you criticize them here in the BD forums. I've had both and find Netflix far superior when it comes to delivery times. Just this week BB "shipped" me a disc on the 25th that was due to arrive on the 27th. It didn't arrive until the 1st. Netflix never had delay's that bad. It was fine when I could exchange at a local store. But since that has closed it really is quite sad. With Netflix 1 disc out, I could get 3 discs per 2 weeks(4 some weeks if I pushed it). No way I could ever get that from BB. And both Netflix and BB ship to me from warehouses located in the same city. To be honest, if I wasn't getting BB@Home for $5 per month, I would drop them in a heartbeat. If Dish doesn't extend my discount when the current one expires, I'm going back to Netflix.

Oh, and by the way my disc wasn't a new release. I only get those from my local Family Video store or Redbox. I only could get new releases from BB through the in-store exchanges.

Ok. You guys are right. Blockbuster bad. Netflix good.
Feel free to post negative aspects of BB whenever possible.
I will continue to enjoy both.

Correction. BB bad, Netflix not quite as bad. Neither are great. Netflix once was, back, in 2004 - 2006 maybe.

Moreover, BB is not honest with their lack of inventory on newly released physical discs-- instead blaming it on demand by the customer. You can't blame demand when your inventory is clearly not capable of EVER meeting initial demand for new releases of studio movies. The blame on that belongs on BB cutting costs since DISH took over (which is when the service really went from bad to worse).

I had some good luck last week, but this week NO discs were shipped to me. I have about 8 right now that are currently released and 2 of them said 'Now' for availability when I had an open slot, but neither one shipped and now they are listed as 'Very High Demand'.

Like I posted before, it's a crap shoot.








Ian

I'm shocked that both Zero Dark Thirty and Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey both are in my Queue instead of in the 'Not Available' list...usually BB never adds new releases into your main queue 2+ weeks before release

Originally Posted by TitusTroy 

Doesn't mean they have it. I've had My Queue items go "On Order" status and stay there.

true but usually they almost always add pre-order titles into my 'Not Available' queue and then bump it up into my main queue a day or 2 before the official release day...that's why I was surprised to see it added into my main queue so early...if anything hopefully this means that my place is reserved for what is sure to be very popular rentals

Good luck!




Ian

By mistake I added the iron fist again and it shows up twice with different status. Odd.

I think I found all the missing inventory!

Today I went in a Blockbuster store that's having its shutting down sale. There was a big box of $1.99 Blu-Rays that had at least 500 discs still in the mailer sleeves. Must be in-store exchanges that were never sent back. Wonder how many other stores have a box full of discs gathering dust?

--Dan

Ian