Why I now use Netflix

[smileyeagle1021]

AKA, why I'm pissed at Blockbuster right now.

Two weeks in a row now I've returned an in store rental only to a few days later have them call me asking where it is and asking when I plan on returning it... umm, it's in your store dipshit, and I can't return something a 2nd time without renting it a second time. Really irritating when the first movie I saw on the shelf later that week (of course that did not stop them from charging me for a lost movie). And several times I have returned online rentals at the store's drop box only to have them lose it and have to wait forever for it to be marked as returned so the next movie would be sent out. Oh, and when comparison shopping online this morning I found out that for an identical plan on Netflix would cost me $3 less a month, guess what I did So, byebye Blockbuster , the movies I have out are in the mail, hello Netflix, I have heard such great things about you from coworkers.

[blas]

I quit Blockbuster a year or so ago. Got fed up with paying nearly $5 for a new release. Even though they have the 7 day grace period, I just can't see the upside. Rent 5 and get one free? Ohhh....5 movies. When do I have time to watch 5 movies, other than the weekend? Ohhh...and I can drive to either the way north end of town to return it, or the way east end of town too! Goody!

OR...

I can drive the one mile to Family Video, rent a new release for $2.79, granted it's only for 1 night, but the deals they have are amazing. Children's movies and workout videos are $1 and a week rental if they aren't brand new.....they have specials throughout the week which I can't think of right now.....and older movies are like $1.50 each for a week. And you don't need to give out your credit card information or anything but your address and telephone number.

[magician5]

Maybe you don't have 'em in your area, but Redbox is awesome - just $1/night, and it's a machine not a minimum-wage incompetent.

[smileyeagle1021]

Maybe you don't have 'em in your area, but Redbox is awesome - just $1/night, and it's a machine not a minimum-wage incompetent.

we do, but each of them only has 2 dozen selections at most... the online places have a few hundred thousands selections...

[UncleImpy]

I must chime in like a fanboy for Netflix. $16 a month, three movies at a time, and total time from my dropping a movie in the mail until a new one arrives in my mailbox? 2 postal days (I go in early Monday morning before pickup, new movie is waiting in my maibox Wed after delivery). I've forgotten about movies and kept them for /2 months/ and only then finally got an email from Netflix "Do you still have this?". Broken disks are replaced immediately, and if you rent a series (like a TV season), they automatically queue up all the disks in that season in order for you so you dont miss any of it.

And lately they've added the 'view online' bit - for the same price I've been paying for 3 disks at a time, I now can also watch something like 20 hours of movies online as well - the list of what you can watch online is a lot more limited than what is on disk, but it easily satisfies the sudden urge of 'Hey, I wanna watch a movie right now' that comes up from time to time. (Also it doesnt hurt that a lot of their anime is available on the 'watch online' service. Hee!)

[smileyeagle1021]

So Impy, you'd say then I made the right choice to dump Blockbuster and start with Netflix?

[HorrorFrogPrincess]

Netflix is better, anyway. I've had it for, like, 2 years, but tried Blockbuster for 2 weeks since it was free (and they had the Star Trek DVDs Netflix was missing). It took longer for the movies to get sent AND returned. In 2 weeks I got maybe 5 movies, when I could get 8 to 10 with Netflix.

And yes, I love the View Now option. Perfect for when you have a movie coming from a nother state (like now) but REALLY want to watch something.

I think my fee has dropped twice, too, since they automatically lower your fee when they reduce prices. AND if you have a problem, they comp you a few movies.

Once, my zip code was wrong, so it was taking almost 5 days to get movies. Finally, I called them up and complained, since it wouldn't let me change it to the right zip code. The person who answered did that for me and gave me 4 additional movie rentals (like, you click the button, and it sends a fourth movie instead of the usual 3, and you just have to return 2 movies to get the fourth again).

Hell, they even have an online estimate for how long you'll be waiting when you call. If it's too long a wait, don't call until later.

...yeah, I'm done. I have a MOOOOOVIE to watch. *clicks View Now*

[smileyeagle1021]

Perfect for when you have a movie coming from a nother state (like now) but REALLY want to watch something.

yet another thing I've learned I like about Netflix... the first movie on my queue is one that needs to be shipped from Boise and they automatically sent an email saying "sorry the movie you wanted isn't available at your local distribution center, the nearest with that title is Boise and will take at least one additional day to arrive"

Blockbuster just said, it's been sent out, standard delivery takes between 1 and 3 days... nothing else.

[tollbaby]

Maybe you don't have 'em in your area, but Redbox is awesome - just $1/night, and it's a machine not a minimum-wage incompetent.

Interesting choice of words, considering which site you're posting them on

[HorrorFrogPrincess]

yet another thing I've learned I like about Netflix... the first movie on my queue is one that needs to be shipped from Boise and they automatically sent an email saying "sorry the movie you wanted isn't available at your local distribution center, the nearest with that title is Boise and will take at least one additional day to arrive"

Blockbuster just said, it's been sent out, standard delivery takes between 1 and 3 days... nothing else.

That doesn't even happen often. Maybe 6 or 7 times since I joined. Most of the movies I want to see are in the local warehouse, or wherever they keep the things, and arrive in a day.

Don't be surprised if it arrives earlier than planned.

[UncleImpy]

That doesn't even happen often. Maybe 6 or 7 times since I joined. Most of the movies I want to see are in the local warehouse, or wherever they keep the things, and arrive in a day.

Don't be surprised if it arrives earlier than planned.

So to answer your question, Smiley, yes, you did

You will occassionally get emails (I get them about once every 2 months or so?) asking when you mailed a specific movie back in that they just got, or when you got a specific movie they just sent out. I very much like how they seem to keep close tabs on this.

Edit: I can't believe I forgot to mention (I'm going to lose stock options for this, I'm sure!) If you have an Xbox 360 and a gold Live account, you can watch the Netflix View Now movies over your Xbox as well - something they just added to the Xbox Live menu.

[HorrorFrogPrincess]

So to answer your question, Smiley, yes, you did

You will occassionally get emails (I get them about once every 2 months or so?) asking when you mailed a specific movie back in that they just got, or when you got a specific movie they just sent out. I very much like how they seem to keep close tabs on this.

Ah, yes, the survey. I get those from time to time, too. Haven't for a while, actually, but that's okay, since I've been getting them on time.

Hm... I wonder if they've picked up the Ghost and Mrs. Muir TV series yet... I DID recommend it.

[BethB]

I love the Netflix. It's like Christmas every 2-3 days. Plus with a huge selection and watching movies on my computer. Now if I could just remember to watch the darn things within a reasonable time.

[IEatCustomers4Breakfast]

I worked at Blockbuster for 3 years, and I'm offended!

Actually, no, I'm not. I hated working there.

A little insider information about late fees even though you returned it... every morning we had to do what was called an FOS sheet. FOS = Found On Shelf. It's a list of movies that are at least 3 days old, and we have to scour the shelves to look for those particular copy numbers of those particular movies in case someone who was checking the drop box is an idiot.

The last store I worked at, I'd usually only find around 3 a day out of a list of probably 100 - 150 movies. So it sounds to me like you were shopping at a store with a bunch of morons working the drop box.

But I don't rent from Blockbuster anymore either... way too expensive when I'm not still getting 5 free rentals a week.

[thehippie777]

Blockbuster...yeah. I used to love that place. Yeah, places like Netflix have really caused some issues with such stores. Just before I quit Blockbuster my then boyfriend had rented some movies on my account, turned them in late, then paid the late fees. Well, months later I get a collections bill for $12 (the fees were well over 30). Yeah...it took a LONG time for the payment to Blockbuster to finally show up. After about 4 collections bills they finally stopped coming.