Blockbuster changes prices and exchange policy

[jamoskeag3]

Recently got this email message from BB:

Beginning July 26, 2007, there will be a price increase on your current unlimited plan. We will also begin to offer plans which limit the number of in-store exchanges available each month.

As a preferred customer, your plan will not change at this time. Please continue to enjoy your exclusive subscription plan, including no monthly limit on free* movie rentals or discounted game rentals when you exchange in-store, at today's price – far below the published rate available to new subscribers.

My plan went up $7USD for newcomers.

Wonder how this will effect their competitive position with Netflix?

[BR7]

What a crock.They can't even get their queue working correctly, and to top it off you get an ungodly amount of broken/ unplayable discs with slow shipping (but yet lets raise our prices ).To limit the in-store selection is not that big of deal they don't have that great of selection anyway(at least not where I am).All I know is that I am glad I left them a long time ago,and by reading the above post I feel even better about my decision.They are nothing but thieves as far as I am concerned, and they need to work on how they treat their customers

[katzdvd]

I didn't get the email yet, but I have heard rumblings recently about a $25.00 "unlimited" plan. The limited in-store exchange thing is a new one to me though.

Our local store doesn't have a great selection either, but we usually manage to find something to exchange for, & if nothing else, a video game. I would consider leaving if it would get out of hand with the pricing, but as it stands for me, it is still a better deal than the competition...

As far as treating their customers goes, I agree with that, but in my experience, that's pretty much how ALL companies operate these days; show me an honest one, I can't seem to find any...

[copyless]

I received the e-mail, but I guess I didn't scroll down far enough to see the new prices, I read it until it said it didn't affect me, then I deleted it.

As far as service, I think that has to do with the location of the customer, being with BB online for over a year, I could not be happier. With over 300 online rentals I have received 2 that were badly scratched or cracked, and 3 that were actually the wrong DVD in the sleeve. It's not good, but I don't think I would say it's terrible.

To me the best thing is, when I open my mailbox on Tuesday the new releases that just came out that same day, are in my mailbox, waiting to be viewed.

[Aegmorgil]

Copyless, you must live in a magical world!

I would certainly like to live where you are! The only way I can get new releases is to save returns and go to the stores on release dates. Queue is always a wreck, long ship dates, and scratched discs galore for me. The only thing BB had going for it IMO is the exchange, and now they're mucking with that, too! The people at NF must be grinning from ear to ear!

[jm1647]

I didn't get the email yet. Like copyless I'm still happy with BB, I get an occasional shipping delay and DVDs shipped not at the top of my queue but all in all still a great deal. I also still have Netflix.

[copyless]

From what I read, I must live in a magical world, and am very happy about it. Maybe because it's a major city, I really don't know, but 99% of the time I get my movies the day after they are mailed, and always get the new releases mailed on Monday and get them on Tuesday. This past week I had 4 new releases on my queue, and since they only send three, I thought I would rent the fourth one at the store, but it was out when I went. So on Thursday I returned the movies to the store at 10a.m. when they opened and Friday I had The Contract in my mailbox, the one I couldn't get. So in my area they seem to have a good supply. I wish everyone could get the service I get.

[jm1647]

They are getting quick, this past Tuesday I returned 3 DVDs to a store I received Saturday and got Number 23, The Contract and the Zodiac. I got home about 2 1/2 hours later to update my queue and they had shipped them already. I had them in my queue in case I couldn't get them at the store.

The shipment arrived Wednesday and I returned them Thursday but nothing shipped Friday or Saturday

I'm gonna call them Monday

[NightTran]

I think I have not have BB or NF for how long

[locoeng]

I used both for a while and the thing that ultimatly sent me packing was the queue...I recently decided to give up NF and go back to BB, but now with this new news I think I'm going to give them all up for a while and start playing golf again.

[copyless]

Yeah jm1647, I learned my lesson about that a while back, what I do is, if I get the movie at the store before I actually go to the checkout I use their laptop to go into my queue and remove the movies I am getting. This way I don't get home to find out I can not remove them because they have already pulled them to ship. With the new updated system, you will notice in your queue that as soon as they scan them within minutes it shows up as returned at the store. In my area if this happens before 2p.m. they ship the next movies that day.

[jm1647]

Yeah jm1647, I learned my lesson about that a while back, what I do is, if I get the movie at the store before I actually go to the checkout I use their laptop to go into my queue and remove the movies I am getting. This way I don't get home to find out I can not remove them because they have already pulled them to ship. With the new updated system, you will notice in your queue that as soon as they scan them within minutes it shows up as returned at the store. In my area if this happens before 2p.m. they ship the next movies that day.

copyles - to me. And I walked right by their laptop at the counter. Yup it was at 10:00 AM on Tuesday when I got the new releases. The DVDs I returned on Thursday about 8:00PM and like I said nothing shipped Friday or Saturday. The 3 I returned were marked as received at store when I got home.

[Kabuchan]

I got the email and my subscription isn't changing. If it had I would have canceled. It's just not worth it to me.

I have been trying to get Letters from Iwo Jima and the Astronaut Farmer since they came out and still no success! It doesn't matter whether I go to the store or not.

Has anyone tried NF's downloading movies?

[Aegmorgil]

Same for me with Astronaut Farmer, Kabu. My closest store got SEVEN copies of it. Needless to say, it's been out since the first day. Says "Very Long Wait" online, which means it won't be shipping anytime this year, if the past serves as a guide.

[jamoskeag3]

I also am still happy with BB. My service is not as good as Copyless, but it has been more than satisfactory.
I am on the 2 at a time plan, unlimited exchanges, which costs me $15/mo. However, a new customer now has to pay $22 per month for this same plan. If they eventually decide to charge me that, Id have to think long and hard about whether to continue.
I do wonder what this new pricing scheme does to their competitivenes with netflix??