R.I.P., Blockbuster video stores? (Well, sort of.)

jennn Tue, May 26, 2009 at 04:53 PM EST

I work at a blockbuster store, and can tell you theres no way someone got charged $34 for movies that were 4 days late. Theres a 7 day grace period on top of the regular rental period on ALL our rentals. PLUS the 30 days that you have in which to return it and just pay $1.35 restocking fee (READ THE TERMS YOU SIGNED UP FOR) have fun shredding.

luxury watch Wed, Apr 22, 2009 at 10:14 PM EST

It's good! rolex watch?
luxury watch?

Josh Thu, Feb 12, 2009 at 03:36 AM EST

Well sounds like some of you should just turn your movies in on time! They do give you a grace period after the due date so its your fault for a overwelming charge for the dvd. Cant turn them in on time then dont rent. Simple.. give them a break they give calls to your house telling you they are late if you get the call..call the store and tell them you turned it in they might have missed it im sure they get a lot of movie everyday there is always a chance they miss one! Rumor has it they have back up plans to stay in buisness so i doubt they will crash there is always a way a store can improve if they are willing to take the step. Quit crying about your late movies! Has nothing to do with them closing down.

carolyn Sun, Jan 25, 2009 at 03:54 PM EST

I was just charged $34 for 4 movies that were 4 days late...what a sin to do to people, rediculous late charge to say this least. I came home and promptly shreaded my cards...we now have alternatives, like NetFlex, or pay per view. So yes goodbye to BlockBuster

anna Tue, Dec 9, 2008 at 02:55 PM EST

Blockbuster sucks! They cahrged my credit card $49.95 for a Wii game that they said I never returned but I did in fact drop it intheir drop box before they opened one Sunday. Has anyone else had trouble with this?

orville Mon, Dec 1, 2008 at 01:26 PM EST

Convenient, yes, but do you get the extras with that? My only experiences so far with on demand through Netflix haven't included any of the DVD extras. They're a good 50% of why I rent something.

GT Thu, Nov 27, 2008 at 10:14 AM EST

Renting and buying DVDs (or their higher tech equal) will not be going away for a long time. Last year I heard the president of Zip.ca (the more expensive Canadian version of Netflix) on the radio, and he said he would love to switch his business to a complete download model, but non of the studios want to go for it. They make way more money with renting and selling a physical product, especailly when they do they can re-release a new edition every couple of years, and update formats every decade. Plus I think from their mind, once they go to direct download, the concept of making money by a format change like from VHS to DVD is done.

Stephanie T. Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 05:00 PM EST

It's not just Netflix. You can also choose new movies via pay per view cable, aka: video on demand. Still it just goes to show you that people will not get up off their couches and go walking to pick up a DVD.

dma69 Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 01:47 PM EST

My local Blockbuster closed two years ago and the closest ones in my neighborhood are over twenty block away. Several other smaller video stores also closed here. Mostly I rely on either VideoOnDemand frm TWC or HBO these days.

Alli Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 12:12 PM EST

It isn't really surprising. Blockbuster has been struggling since the birth of Netflix. They dwarf Blockbuster in terms of selection, price, and convenience. It was there time to go...RIP

Jdaniels Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 11:58 AM EST

i guess im ghetto. i either buy the dvd if i really want it or i rent it for free at my local library...i dont like to pay 5 bucks to watch a movie once and return it the next day and those online movie rentals always seem to take money out of my bank account whenever they feel the need too.

Penny Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 11:38 AM EST

I don't really care about the death of Blockbuster, but I'm not going to give up on going to video stores and renting DVDs- I have to give a shout out to Video Isle in Seattle!

Tony R. Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 11:04 AM EST

I just cancelled my blockbuster online service. Now that Netflix can stream right through my Xbox 360 and I am saving more than half of what I was paying before.

John Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 10:45 AM EST

The thing that bugs me about Blockbuster is how you have to pay $4 for some 10 year old movie that has been paid for many times over.

Josh Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 10:22 AM EST

I'll miss going in and picking up some previously viewed titles every now and again, but I've been using Netflix for a few years now and I love the service.

Sam Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 10:16 AM EST

The error of the article is to assume that on-demand will replace movie PURCHASING. It's not going to happen. On-demand will make a great rental scheme, but many like myself will still want to own certain movies on physical discs. (In that regard, I say Long Live Blu-ray!) I haven't been to Blockbuster in years, accept to pick up a last minute movie for a party (try taking an on-demand movie to a friend's house when they don't have the downloading technology). Netflix has been my favorite rental site since 2001. Their streaming movie library is growning, but the quality is still not HD. But neither are the others either.

Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 10:07 AM EST

I actually Bought a few discount or used videos and dvds from places like Blockbuster! Like a lot of bloggers, I Like walking through a video/dvd store and checking out what's available. (Besides, new studies show it's actually healthy to walk and browse). If Blockbuster, Circuit City and other such places go, the only place I'll have left to sample films is the same place where I can get take them out for free - the local library!

softwiz07 Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 10:02 AM EST

I haven't been to blockbuster in a long time. I had a feeling this would happen. In my area and many others across the country we have Redbox DVDs that rent for $1.00 per day/movie. Most of these are located in the supermarkets and gas statations. So I am not that surprised.

wendy Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 09:52 AM EST

Some movies I want to watch the day they are released. Hince the trip to the movie gallery. 4 bucks 5 days.

Emilee Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 09:35 AM EST

I use the Blockbuster online program, so I can get a DVD in the mail, and then trade it in at the store for another. Its especially good for watching TV series, because you can trade in one mailed DVD for an entire season of a TV show in-store.

Sane Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 09:10 AM EST

Are you all insane?? I would love to be able to never physically have to touch a DVD ever again!! Just hit a button and it instantly plays on my TV!! That is the life! I already am 100% using Netflix...I DESPISE movie stores!! Where do you people live that you decide you want to watch a movie friday night and are able to go to the store and get ANYTHING?? Cause here in PA...you would be S.O.L!!!! And then you end up renting something you dont want and get treated like poo by some 15 year old that hates his job.....and drop like 6 bucks for a movie due back tomorrow by NOON! Ridiculousness!!

Nix Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 06:52 AM EST

I'm on the nostalgia bus with "jen". Those 7:52 PM trips to the Blockbuster in the strip mall ... going inside anyway ... wandering the skewed aisles under the bluish glare of the fluorescent lights ... the cut-outs both menacing and sad ... the piles of "movie-style" candy and popcorn next to the check out counter ... chatting with your friends whose afterschool job it was to collect the late videos ... and then forgetting to return the video you came to return. Ah, the late 90s. Another century, another lifetime, another age of this world.

David Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 02:08 AM EST

I rented 2 movies from Blockbuster in the last week. When I decide I want to rent a movie I don't want to have to wait for 2 days to get it. The instant gratification of being able to go to the video store and pick out what I want without having to wait is what keeps the stores open. Also as long as they continue to rent video games and sell cheap previously viewed movies, I don't see them totally going out of business. They might close some stores but I doubt if they'd ever close them all.

Luis PJ Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 02:00 AM EST

Great, even EW proclaiming death to DVD...

Newsflash, they still sell...that why Itunes hasn't proclaim itself as a number one in videos.

m Weyer Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 12:50 AM EST

Having once worked at a Blockbuster, I was a bit sad to hear this news but it was inevitable, they just didn't seem eager to flex with the times. Still, the end of an era as they had provided lots of entertainment and hard to forget their impact in those pre-Internet/DVD days.

Phil Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 11:55 PM EST

Good riddance. Blockbuster is worthless, takes up space, wastes valuable resources, is terribly unsanitary (think theater houses of the 17th century), and outdated.

Chad Roller Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 11:19 PM EST

This isn't the death of a brick and mortar store! This is Blockbuster branching out to people who prefer to watch their movies through a different medium. There are people who want to get their movies through the mail, people who would rather order them over the tv and watch on demand, and there ARE people that still prefer to actually go to the store.

dom Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 11:08 PM EST

I didn't like the Netflix thing, my problem is that I end up putting off watching the movies, and they sit around the house for a month, then I send them back unwatched. I canceled, and just went to Blockbuster when I really wanted to watch a movie. But last year, another chain, called Family Video, opened up here, and they're a lot cheaper, so I started going there. They actually put the Blockbuster down the street out of business. That's all Blockbuster needs, is competition, nearly 5 bucks for a new release is ridiculous.

Oct Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 11:08 PM EST

It sucks really. How many of you have picked out some movie that you never heard of prior to entering the store? It's bad news I think for indie movies and other smaller films. On demand will do to movies as mp3 downloads did to music albums. People will miss out on a lot of stuff. Browsing the aisles is like listening to a whole album containing songs maybe you never would have heard otherwise. Oh well...

Raven_Moon Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 11:03 PM EST

I love going to my brick & mortar Blockbuster. Well, I did until they closed due to a pricey lease. Still, I go to the other 2 ones. It's a great place to buy previously viewed DVD's. There is something I enjoy about going to a store, looking at merchandise, interacting with people... Online movies may be the way of the future, but as long as the brick & mortar stores are there, I plan to go to them.

jay Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 10:40 PM EST

dropped netflix after having the same movies at home for 4 months. now just either buy the dvd or go to the local library. hard to beat free.....

MsDaisy Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 10:20 PM EST

Plenty of people who shop at Walmart have high speed internet. Most of us also have indoor plumbing.

Jackie Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 10:17 PM EST

I've been with Netflix since 2005. Yet I still rent movies from the local video store. It's much more fullfilling to browse the aisles with a friend to find that right movie. And I can't see myself giving up on the physical DVDs. Like chris said, people (like me) have to have that physical disk in hand. And renting movies is the same way.

andy Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 10:11 PM EST

I don't see this happening in the near decade. We all know that the video rental market is still strong. As long as the majority of people (aka Walmart-type shoppers) don't have high speed internet, then high speed downloading will not be the leading method of video rental. It's economics. If the average person goes to movie theaters or goes to the video store, then those venues/shops will still rule. Blockbuster has the money to test out various markets without giving up on another.

Kathryn Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 09:59 PM EST

I am an avid movie fan and I love Netflix because of their amazing selection of movies. It used to be frustrating to go to the video store to find good foreign language films, now I can conveniently get them through the awesomeness that is Netflix. And there are still great mom and pop chains that I can go to when I am in the mood to browse and converse with awesome movie enthusiasts that work there.

cap Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 09:57 PM EST

Good riddance! I'd much rather stick with my Netflix. You do the math: for 8 movies it's $9.00 a month from Netflix...or $38.00 (because they're what, $4.75 each now?)from Blockbuster!! Hmm, I'd rather wait that extra day.

Netflix Customer since Day 1 Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 09:34 PM EST

Yeah!!! What great news! I left Blockbuster for Netflix as soon as Netflix started. Getting a late charge when I didn't return a movie late, then being told that the manager of Blockbuster "had her eye on me" when I was a model customer, was the last straw. I told the Blockbuster employee that Netflix would put them out of business, and I was right!! So happy to be dancing on their grave!!!!

jen Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 08:52 PM EST

great, another thing from my childhood and teenage years that's dead. it was always such a treat to go to blockbuster, scan for movies, take them home and have pizza and snacks. doing it over the internet just isn't the same... and like the person below me said, can be less convenient and spur of the moment.

Bob B Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 08:47 PM EST

I rarely go to Blockbuster as I can rent recent movies a whole lot cheaper from area convenience stores - $2.00 - $2.50 cheaper. And I've found newer videos there than at Blockbuster too.

Oliver C. Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 08:38 PM EST

Noooooo!!! This news comes as a huge disappointment to me. It is much more convenient to hop over to my neighborhood store then to wait two days in the mail for Netflix. I don't always know what type of movies i want, and part of the fun of renting is scanning the shelves-just like going to the bookstore. Why does everything have to be run via internet?!? Plus, my cable provider's on demand selection is HORRIBLE and very low-quality.

shan L Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 08:35 PM EST

I admit I don't go to Blockbuster that often anymore. Yet, I have encountered some pretty good employees there.

Joe C Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 08:10 PM EST

Well, well. Apparently Blockbuster stores are as dead as the music industry and newspapers. Hmmmmm, could entertainment magazines be next????

chris Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 08:08 PM EST

This article's a bit misleading...I was, at first, thinking that Blockbuster was closing all of its physical stores. As a Blockbuster.com customer who loves taking them in and exchanging them for in-store rentals, that would have been terrible (waiting 2 days for movies!). But this is just an added thing...one that, I think, will take forever to catch on. I think most people don't like the thought of storing a movie on their hard drive. People like, for some reason, physically having it in their hand. It's weird, but I think it's true.

El Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 08:07 PM EST

I also worked at a Blockbuster in college. I can barely stand to go in them now. I tried to rent a movie recently and out of a list of 15 movies they had 0. Not even 12 Angry Men!! I gave up and went home to watch Netflix on demand.

Em Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 07:57 PM EST

Hey, I used to work at Blockbuster, and while many of my co-workers WERE awful, there were a couple of qulaity people who really knew movies, and our manager was terrific. I'd have to say that the customers are the ones who are universally awful- especially the teenagers.

aptel Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 07:46 PM EST

Until they get blu ray quality films im cool with going to blockbuster and renting the blu rays. Actually even after they get to that point i think ill still go to the store. part of the fun is spending forever picking arguing about what movies to get with other people while eating pop rocks

jaime Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 07:43 PM EST

I cant even remember the last movie i rented from any movie rental store...?

jeff Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 07:41 PM EST

GOOD RIDDANCE! Employees of Blockbuster are universally awful.