Total Access Price Increase Again?

[dezenutz]

Looks like they are going to jack up the rates on the Total Access Unlimited plan again. The last time they sent me a survey like this the rates went up about 3 months later.

http://i.slickdeals.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=62499&d=1195229692

Here is the proposed new pricing plan from the next screen:

http://i.slickdeals.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=62505&d=1195231175

[CreepyNormal]

403 - Forbidden

[dezenutz]

403 - Forbidden

Strange, it works on my PC.

Basically they were asking me if I would pay $34.99 for BLOCKBUSTER Total Access Premium.

[imjustme]

they asked me if I would pay $29.99. More fun coming down the pipeline!

[zooworker]

403 - Forbidden
Same here............

[dezenutz]

Same here............

Here is a link to the slickdeals forum where I first posted the images, see if you can open them from there:

http://forums.slickdeals.net/showthread.php?t=485648&page=23

[sar94pga]

thats great. i guess that makes the instore total access @ 29.99 a better value.......

[whorehoppin]

higher Online prices = more people spending money in my store (of course, after they bitch and complain for weeks about paying $5 more for the online, then they cancel and come into the store and spend $20 a week on 4 movies, which means they are spending approx. $80 per month in the store and getting around 16 movies), makes sense, right?

I have a dream every night that Blockbuster Online just disappears overnight and we never have to deal with that shit ever again. Oh, and they sell the laptops for $50 each (to me) since we'd have no use for them :)

[orbitdvd]

higher Online prices = more people spending money in my store (of course, after they bitch and complain for weeks about paying $5 more for the online, then they cancel and come into the store and spend $20 a week on 4 movies, which means they are spending approx. $80 per month in the store and getting around 16 movies), makes sense, right?

I have a dream every night that Blockbuster Online just disappears overnight and we never have to deal with that shit ever again. Oh, and they sell the laptops for $50 each (to me) since we'd have no use for them :)


...or they love the online deal so much that they switch to Netflix.


marc

[videoslave23]

I'm still pissed i have to pay for movies now. :(

[whorehoppin]

...or they love the online deal so much that they switch to Netflix.


marc


those people still rent from us all the time. I see customers every day that say they have Netflix, yet they still rent from us. Oh and if BBO disappeared, Netflix would charge a lot more and have too many customers so their service would suffer and more people would just go back to renting from us.

[zooworker]

I'm still pissed i have to pay for movies now. :(
Now that sounds like some of my whinner online people. My response "someone has to or there won't be any"

[BiteMeBlockbuster]

Whoever is deciding these prices is out of his or her mind. This sounds like some mad cash grab in anticipation of the day when regular folks will prefer to download movies and not rent them in a store or through the mail. Otherwise known as the day Blockbuster Goes ByeBye.

There's no way I'm paying more than 20 bucks for any movie rental deal, whether it's Blockbuster or Netflix. It's not worth it. Anybody who pays 40 bucks a month is a fool.

A fool who probably buys lots of overpriced candy and sodas at movie rental places.

[johnlow71]

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e161/feyd934/469912166_m.jpg

[zooworker]

Whoever is deciding these prices is out of his or her mind. This sounds like some mad cash grab in anticipation of the day when regular folks will prefer to download movies and not rent them in a store or through the mail. Otherwise known as the day Blockbuster Goes ByeBye.

There's no way I'm paying more than 20 bucks for any movie rental deal, whether it's Blockbuster or Netflix. It's not worth it. Anybody who pays 40 bucks a month is a fool.

A fool who probably buys lots of overpriced candy and sodas at movie rental places.
It's your choice...........
Oh do you ever go to the theater?

[BiteMeBlockbuster]

It's your choice...........
Oh do you ever go to the theater?

Why, yes, yes I do go to theaters. Saw "The Mist" last Wednesday night.

Don't get me wrong. The plan I currently have with Blockbuster is a great deal. I don't really notice the 18 or 19 bucks that's taken out of my checking account every month. I would notice 35 or 40.

If Blockbuster believes it can get its customers to pay monthly charges equivalent to a cable TV bill, then all I can say is good luck and it was nice doing business with you.

[Aphrodite]

I'm still pissed i have to pay for movies now. :(
Dont you have mates at your old store wholl give you some of their free rentals? :p

[zooworker]

Why, yes, yes I do go to theaters. Saw "The Mist" last Wednesday night.

Don't get me wrong. The plan I currently have with Blockbuster is a great deal. I don't really notice the 18 or 19 bucks that's taken out of my checking account every month. I would notice 35 or 40.

If Blockbuster believes it can get its customers to pay monthly charges equivalent to a cable TV bill, then all I can say is good luck and it was nice doing business with you.
I believe the increase is for customers who want unlimited exchanges in the store. Your plan at 18 gives you 5 free exchanges a month. That's still about 25 savings instore.

[BiteMeBlockbuster]

I believe the increase is for customers who want unlimited exchanges in the store. Your plan at 18 gives you 5 free exchanges a month. That's still about 25 savings instore.

That makes sense. Sorry.

[zooworker]

That makes sense. Sorry.
Glad to help..........:cool:

[Angry]

Why, yes, yes I do go to theaters. Saw "The Mist" last Wednesday night.

Don't get me wrong. The plan I currently have with Blockbuster is a great deal. I don't really notice the 18 or 19 bucks that's taken out of my checking account every month. I would notice 35 or 40.

If Blockbuster believes it can get its customers to pay monthly charges equivalent to a cable TV bill, then all I can say is good luck and it was nice doing business with you.

Your cable bill is 40 bucks a month??? Sign me up!

[johnlow71]

mines $52 and thats with dish and over the 100 chanels and local, and nfl network ..............and ill shut up now:)

[CreepyNormal]

I don't have cable 'cause I never watch TV. :3

[BBVcasualposter]

I don't have cable 'cause I never watch TV. :3

same with me

[MysteryMan]

Unlimited Access is fine where it's at. If BB believes that charging $39 for a unlimited pass is going to fly, forget it. People are upset because they didn't realize that they are limited to 2-5 exchanges in the store. I understand the company needs to make it's money but this is going to drop subscribers and have them go to Netflix.

[orbitdvd]

The sub plans at my store start at $20 and go up to $35. It's worked well for me because they can rent unlimited new releases and games on it and we have a much better in store selection that our local BBVs (Criterion, obscure tv, cult, etc.).


marc

[Aspire]

BB just sent me an email about a week ago telling me that their plan's price was going up a nice round 10 dollars. New services or features? None.

I had been with them since they launched the online rental service. I always went for the option with most movies, paid $50 a month at one point for the 8-at-a-time plan, while it was still available.

We have a Blockbuster close-by, and watch a lot, especially shows. So I enjoyed Total Access, with the unlimited switch-at-store option. I think the increase was 7-8 dollars when they unveiled Total Access. Now they're not unveiling anything. I think they blew a bunch of money on that MovieLink bullshit, and that's what they're making us pay for. No thanks.

I closed my account with BB two days after I got the email. It's just not worth bothering with them anymore. I switched to Netflix, and was happy to discover that they have a 4-out plan that costs a buck less than BB's current premium plan. And I love their feature of being able to watch certain movies via free online streaming. Their shipping has been blazing fast so far, the envelope turnaround is much faster than with BB. The web site runs fast, too, as opposed to the painfully slow (after the facelift) BB site.

[zooworker]

Yep, BBI is tired of losing money on this. Mostly people are taking advantage of no late fees and not even have to pay for a rental in store. You can blame it on our ex CEO who started all this mess. :mad:

[Wrong Heaven]

Yep, BBI is tired of losing money on this. Mostly people are taking advantage of no late fees and not even have to pay for a rental in store. You can blame it on our ex CEO who started all this mess. :mad:

I blame it on him absolutely, but I also blame it on the customers for just being too lazy and taking advantage of the system too much. Just because you have an extra week doesn't mean you HAVE to take it. So many people keep it out late for the hell of it and that kills us as well.

Honestly, when people say "I'm cancelling it!" I'm happy. Even if they go to Netflix, it's STILL saving my store money. Which I think in some sick and twisted way the CEO realizes and that's why they're pretty much giving a big FUCK YOU to Online customers.

[whorehoppin]

I don't think that most people realize this, especially the customers, but our new CEO hates Blockbuster Online! He wants us to make money, not give away free rentals to everyone just to compete with Netflix. I'm sure he sees that Netflix is a good service but they cannot compete with our stores in certain aspects like retail sales and impulse rentals. As well as the personal customer service we can offer. Why not just keep on doing what we do best? Rent out movies and games to people who have cash in their wallets? The online services have just turned customers into freeloaders as they are setting up multiple fake accounts so they can get the free trials over and over. I had a customer the other day telling me how he does this and he's pissed that one account gets more movies and his in-store account is being limited on free exchanges even though he should get more...blah blah...I'm sure that they are tracking this seeing him trading in movies from multiple accounts.

[sar94pga]

I don't think that most people realize this, especially the customers, but our new CEO hates Blockbuster Online! He wants us to make money, not give away free rentals to everyone just to compete with Netflix. I'm sure he sees that Netflix is a good service but they cannot compete with our stores in certain aspects like retail sales and impulse rentals. As well as the personal customer service we can offer. Why not just keep on doing what we do best? Rent out movies and games to people who have cash in their wallets? The online services have just turned customers into freeloaders as they are setting up multiple fake accounts so they can get the free trials over and over. I had a customer the other day telling me how he does this and he's pissed that one account gets more movies and his in-store account is being limited on free exchanges even though he should get more...blah blah...I'm sure that they are tracking this seeing him trading in movies from multiple accounts.

i heart our new ceo.

down with blockbuster online!!!! :D

[Woodstock]

I just resigned up for online, taking the 12.00 one out at a time program. One of my fav TV shows is releasing another season next month, so I signed up and put it in my que. I could have signed up under my new email address, but they wouldn't let me because I would pay with the same credit card, plus I already had like four other inactive accounts (I would sign up to get my stores numbers up).

[DavidNewlySL]

I love that is going up..Fuck those people that never spend a damn dime in the store and always come in and get 3-6 movies at a time, especially the ones who have 3 mailers, and the damn coupon, they never want to spend money. Now im seeing all the online customers switch back to the infamous movie pass, and not to mention they are actually buying rentals again..I think I have made more money since we limit exchanges now and increased the prices...most are sticking with it..

7 movies alone in the store are 35 dollars, u can get 12 movies a week on a bad week, stop ur god damn whining and realize the savings ur getting.

[DavidNewlySL]

BB just sent me an email about a week ago telling me that their plan's price was going up a nice round 10 dollars. New services or features? None.

I had been with them since they launched the online rental service. I always went for the option with most movies, paid $50 a month at one point for the 8-at-a-time plan, while it was still available.

We have a Blockbuster close-by, and watch a lot, especially shows. So I enjoyed Total Access, with the unlimited switch-at-store option. I think the increase was 7-8 dollars when they unveiled Total Access. Now they're not unveiling anything. I think they blew a bunch of money on that MovieLink bullshit, and that's what they're making us pay for. No thanks.

I closed my account with BB two days after I got the email. It's just not worth bothering with them anymore. I switched to Netflix, and was happy to discover that they have a 4-out plan that costs a buck less than BB's current premium plan. And I love their feature of being able to watch certain movies via free online streaming. Their shipping has been blazing fast so far, the envelope turnaround is much faster than with BB. The web site runs fast, too, as opposed to the painfully slow (after the facelift) BB site.

I just want to point out that netflix might be doing okay right now, but that is just because u just joined and u no longer get the free rentals in the store that uwould get at blockbuster...

[OzMan]

I blame it on him absolutely, but I also blame it on the customers for just being too lazy and taking advantage of the system too much. Just because you have an extra week doesn't mean you HAVE to take it. So many people keep it out late for the hell of it and that kills us as well.

But really, what did you expect them to do? It's like when a baseball player signs a huge contract. I don't blame the ballplayer; I blame Steinbrenner (the Antichrist himself) for bidding up players' salaries.

If you give someone something, don't be surprised they take. The problem was giving it to them in the first place.

[Angry]

I'm loving all these TA price increases. Keep 'em coming! :D

[johnlow71]

me too, makes my rewards and in store passes easier to sell:) id they dont want to kill me yet.

[netflix_got_blockbusted]

BB just sent me an email about a week ago telling me that their plan's price was going up a nice round 10 dollars.

We have a Blockbuster close-by, and watch a lot, especially shows. So I enjoyed Total Access, with the unlimited switch-at-store option.

I closed my account with BB two days after I got the email. It's just not worth bothering with them anymore. I switched to Netflix

Anyone notice that it's the very high volume users who are complaining here and elsewhere? In other words, the unprofitable users are being forced to either pay up or leave.

Memo to these high-volume users: Good Riddance, jackasses! You want to rent 20+ movies per month on a subscription plan? Give your $16.99 to Netflix.




Fuck those people that never spend a damn dime in the store and always come in and get 3-6 movies at a time, especially the ones who have 3 mailers, and the damn coupon, they never want to spend money.

You mean, like the fool above who's complaining about the price increase?




I love that is going up...Now im seeing all the online customers switch back to the infamous movie pass, and not to mention they are actually buying rentals again..I think I have made more money since we limit exchanges now and increased the prices...most are sticking with it.

Amen. Blockbuster could solve the high-volume-user problem, however, by initiating a small fee per transaction. For example, why not charge $16.99/month for mail-only and then charge $1 per in-store exchange? The price structure would be much simpler.

Even better, if the above exchange policy were combined with per-day pricing, then Blockbuster could earn money on the back-end as these exchangers kept titles for multiple days.

In any event, forcing unprofitable users to either leave or pay more is a good thing.

[HelloItsMeMOM]

But really, what did you expect them to do? It's like when a baseball player signs a huge contract. I don't blame the ballplayer; I blame Steinbrenner (the Antichrist himself) for bidding up players' salaries.

If you give someone something, don't be surprised they take. The problem was giving it to them in the first place.

Absolutely. When did you say Dingo Video stock would be available? :)

[OzMan]

Absolutely. When did you say Dingo Video stock would be available? :)

Are you kidding? I don't want some dickhead investor trying to tell ME what to do with MY company.....

Private all the way, bay-bee!!!

[Aspire]

Yes, I am a high-volume renter, when it comes to online rentals. Like I said, I went for the 8-out plan for $50 a month when it was available. I wish BB had kept that, because I liked it a lot more than Total Access.

But, before TA came out, I visited the local BB store maybe once per year. Once TA came out, it was an incentive to visit it, and do other business there as well. I typically rented games as well, and bought used ones. And if I really liked the movie I saw, I'd buy a copy.

Now, the incentive is no longer there. $5 for a movie rental is a rip-off to me. Most movies being released these days are complete shit. All three Spiderman movies being the prime examples, and Superbad, god what a let-down. It's a worthy investment in a game rental, but for a movie, no, typically not.

True, TA brought my business into the local store, not for movie rental, but for movie and game purchases and game rentals. Now, I go back to visiting the store once per year, if that. How this benefits the store or Blockbuster, is unclear to me.

I have no doubt in my mind that TA for BB was just about bleeding money out of every orifice. When they did away with the late fees, that was one thing, but that in conjunction with TA, I figured, how can this work? The store has got to be losing money. I struck up a conversation about it once or twice with BB employees at the local store, asking them how TA had changed their customers' rental behavior, and they pretty much said that people don't rent, really, they mostly exchange.

And I don't blame them.

To be honest, I think your attitude is rather shitty, and I certainly hope you keep it to yourself if you're a manager or an employee at a store. The only way a high-volume TA customer is losing you money is if they would otherwise use cash to rent movies, if they didn't have unlimited TA, or if they kept movies checked out for so long that you couldn't rent them out to others due to not having any left on the shelves due to inconsiderate assholes.

It was TA that brought me into the BB store, and even though I spent money on games and releases I wanted to own, the money should still be green. With the exchange incentive to visit gone, I go back to strictly online rentals, buying new releases from Wal-Mart or online, and renting games from an online rental service. If this is saving the store money, I fail to see how. But that doesn't really matter, since Netflix and Gamefly will earn a new customer, and I'll maintain my high-volume rentals. So everybody wins.

[Wrong Heaven]

To be honest, I think your attitude is rather shitty, and I certainly hope you keep it to yourself if you're a manager or an employee at a store. The only way a high-volume TA customer is losing you money is if they would otherwise use cash to rent movies, if they didn't have unlimited TA, or if they kept movies checked out for so long that you couldn't rent them out to others due to not having any left on the shelves due to inconsiderate assholes.


This is where you're wrong. What I think you fail to realize is that for almost every rental you get for free in store, we lose the money twice over. First, we lose the money we would have gotten for that movie had a paying customer rented it, and secondly, for every movie we rent, whether we give it out for free or not, we have to pay a set amount to the studios as part of our revenue sharing program.

So every time you walk out the door with a free rental, we're losing money. Even a moderate TA exchanger is hurting the store. It's nice that you spend additional money in the store, but the vast majority of exchangers do not.

The business just cannot operate this way.

[whorehoppin]

I would guess that 95% of online customers spend an average of $0.00 per month in our store. The other 5% spend an average of $5 per month either on one extra rental (full price), some candy, or by paying the $1.99 per rental when they meet their exchange limit - most customers throw a fit when they meet their limit and argue about it then end up not renting anything at all, even though it's only $2 per movie!

Also, the average TA customer comes in every other day, they rent nothing but the newest movies and they keep them on average for 5-7 days (Past the due date) even though they are in the store every 2 days, they cannot seem to return anything in a timely manner. They also give you attitude when you ask them why they haven't returned the movies they rented last week and they act as if they are "special" customers who can return movies whenever they fell like it because they pay $20/month.

[Aspire]

. . . for every movie we rent, whether we give it out for free or not, we have to pay a set amount to the studios as part of our revenue sharing program.How much is that set amount, just out of curiosity?

I'm curious as to how Blockbuster works... Do individual stores get any revenue whatsoever from the franchise from the online endeavor? Or is it just total loss for the stores?

[zooworker]

How much is that set amount, just out of curiosity?

I'm curious as to how Blockbuster works... Do individual stores get any revenue whatsoever from the franchise from the online endeavor? Or is it just total loss for the stores?
It's a toal loss, we don't get a dime for your free rentals in store. That's why we try so hard to sell you something. And online people tend to keep moves out a lot longer than paying customers, thus our real customers have nothing to rent.So we lose again.

[Aspire]

It's a toal loss, we don't get a dime for your free rentals in store. That's why we try so hard to sell you something. And online people tend to keep moves out a lot longer than paying customers, thus our real customers have nothing to rent.So we lose again.Damn. That is a really shitty deal. No wonder you're delighted to see it get toned down. Are a lot of the people posting here BB store managers?

[Woodstock]

Damn. That is a really shitty deal. No wonder you're delighted to see it get toned down. Are a lot of the people posting here BB store managers?

No. Most are in management, but not store managers.

Aspire - if BBV had originally done something like charge you (an online customer) $1.99 per rental with an online exchange would you have come into the store? Also, BBV does offer an instore game pass that might interest you. Monthly fee, one or two games out at a time and you don't pay the rental fee or have a due date. Might want to look into it, because I have heard nothing but bad things about Gamefly.

[sar94pga]

i would just like to say, that in the last 2 days, i have had 2 people come in, go to the laptop. cancel their online, and resign up for the movie pass.

and there stands me. with a giant grin on my face :D

[CreepyNormal]

Had a woman come in the other day and demand the online 800 number because "They're just going to keep raising prices on us until people start complaining!"

[DavidNewlySL]

I especially hate the TA customers who think they are so special they dont need a card or id to rent movies...Also think we know them and can just pull them up. Aren't my names on the mailers I just returned? Prepare the damn movies too, It is not my job to seal each and every movie u bring into the store...All hail the rewards and movie pass customers :)

[OzMan]

Had a woman come in the other day and demand the online 800 number because "They're just going to keep raising prices on us until people start complaining!"

Trust me, people complaining aren't going to make a difference.

The only way that it would stop is if customers defected, en masse.

However, since Keyes seems to actually have a brain (unlike his predecessor), that probably won't work, either, as he realises how bad a plan it is to lose money....

[Woodstock]

Trust me, people complaining aren't going to make a difference.

The only way that it would stop is if customers defected, en masse.

However, since Keyes seems to actually have a brain (unlike his predecessor), that probably won't work, either, as he realises how bad a plan it is to lose money....and customers

Fixed it for ya. ;)

[videoslave23]

Cancellation Confirmation
You have successfully cancelled your BLOCKBUSTER online account. We hope you consider BLOCKBUSTER online for your future movie and entertainment needs.


:D :D

I'm all about the movie pass now.

[videoslave23]

i would just like to say, that in the last 2 days, i have had 2 people come in, go to the laptop. cancel their online, and resign up for the movie pass.

and there stands me. with a giant grin on my face :D

Lol. I posted my above post before reading this. :D

[whorehoppin]

the other night I was working and we were super-busy...which we didn't expect and it was only myself and a CSR. We had a huge line and phones ringing like crazy. Then this guy gets up the the front of the line and tells my CSR that he's having problems with his online account....he needs to change the credit card number but he can't figure it out. He asks if either of us can help him. I look at the huge line behind him and I notice that this guy wasn't renting/buying anything. My CSR tells him to call the 800 number, but he said he already did and he still couldn't get it figured out. So he says again, in a really rude tone "CAN YOU GUYS HELP ME OUT?"...

"Nope, sorry, no clue, good luck"

and he storms out all pissed off, we both laugh, of course :)

what was I supposed to do? Even if there wasn't any other customers in the store, I wouldn't have been much help. If you cannot get help from the online customer service people, how am I supposed to figure it out? And why waste my time on someone who isn't spending money in my store?

[sar94pga]

the other night I was working and we were super-busy...which we didn't expect and it was only myself and a CSR. We had a huge line and phones ringing like crazy. Then this guy gets up the the front of the line and tells my CSR that he's having problems with his online account....he needs to change the credit card number but he can't figure it out. He asks if either of us can help him. I look at the huge line behind him and I notice that this guy wasn't renting/buying anything. My CSR tells him to call the 800 number, but he said he already did and he still couldn't get it figured out. So he says again, in a really rude tone "CAN YOU GUYS HELP ME OUT?"...

"Nope, sorry, no clue, good luck"

and he storms out all pissed off, we both laugh, of course :)

what was I supposed to do? Even if there wasn't any other customers in the store, I wouldn't have been much help. If you cannot get help from the online customer service people, how am I supposed to figure it out? And why waste my time on someone who isn't spending money in my store?

i agree 100%. i am done with trying to fix bbo's mistakes at the store level. like defective discs. no matter how many times you explain what to do and how to fix it..the customer looks at you like you don't care enough to help. When there is really nothing i can do.

Like this lady came in with santa claus 3 from bbo. the disc was literally cracked in half. and she wanted to watch it with her family of course. Now, back in the day, i would just tell her to switch it out for one of the stores copy and be on her way. but she didnt want to use one of her limited instore exchanges for it. she wanted me to just let her trade it. "no one will ever know" and i said nope. sorry. i will never get that disc back. and if i did, it would be in july when no one wants santa claus 3.

I am all for the best value in things. like i do time warners all in one because its a great price...etc. but these people, no matter how much TA costs a month, are getting a steal. literally. so i don't wanna hear it anymore.

Like whorehoppin said...i am taking time away from my PAYING customers to deal with bbo drama. its maddening.

to anyone who thinks i am rude and uncaring. pick a TA member. go through thier history for the last 90 days. and count how many times they paid for something. go ahead. then report back to me. I don't make a dime off these people. not anymore. but yet, we are constantly cleaning up the messes from it ie "what do you mean my exchange limit has been met?"

ugh.

/rant

[zooworker]

i agree 100%. i am done with trying to fix bbo's mistakes at the store level. like defective discs. no matter how many times you explain what to do and how to fix it..the customer looks at you like you don't care enough to help. When there is really nothing i can do.

Like this lady came in with santa claus 3 from bbo. the disc was literally cracked in half. and she wanted to watch it with her family of course. Now, back in the day, i would just tell her to switch it out for one of the stores copy and be on her way. but she didnt want to use one of her limited instore exchanges for it. she wanted me to just let her trade it. "no one will ever know" and i said nope. sorry. i will never get that disc back. and if i did, it would be in july when no one wants santa claus 3.

I am all for the best value in things. like i do time warners all in one because its a great price...etc. but these people, no matter how much TA costs a month, are getting a steal. literally. so i don't wanna hear it anymore.

Like whorehoppin said...i am taking time away from my PAYING customers to deal with bbo drama. its maddening.

to anyone who thinks i am rude and uncaring. pick a TA member. go through thier history for the last 90 days. and count how many times they paid for something. go ahead. then report back to me. I don't make a dime off these people. not anymore. but yet, we are constantly cleaning up the messes from it ie "what do you mean my exchange limit has been met?"

ugh.

/rant
MY FEELINGS EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BBCustomer]

Some random comments from a satisfied Total Access customer….

Me: Light to Moderate Total Access and loyal Blockbuster customer. In December I received a total of 6 movies by mail and completed 4 in store exchanges. Some months I watch more, some less. I rarely if ever make additional purchases. Should I assume that the seemingly pleasant BB cashiers who check me out are secretly saying “F you” for not spending more? The way I see it BB is getting $19.99 per month of my entertainment budget VS zero ( At $4.22+ per rental if it weren’t for BBO I simply would have stopped doing business with Blockbuster over two years ago.) Am I a profitable customer for Blockbuster? I don’t know – not my job to know – but I am taking BB up on their service at stated prices.

I do agree with some of the ranting regarding ‘whiney high volume customers’ – The plan is a great deal and we as customers should have assumed that prices were subject to change. I find the comments about people ‘switching to Netflix’ laughable.. BBO’s mail only prices are still cheaper than Netflix and in my experience the service is identical.

Unfortunately it appears BB was wrong to assume that TA customer traffic in stores would generate significant additional purchases. Consumers by nature like to feel as if they are getting something for free. Personally I don’t eat all the candy, soda or popcorn that is being hocked at the register… but I have to wonder if the average TA customer is less likely to make a purchase for the simple satisfaction of leaving the store with no cost.
As for customers complaining about stuff… They are going to complain no matter what! Get used to it.
Just my 2 cents.

[DavidNewlySL]

Some random comments from a satisfied Total Access customer….

Me: Light to Moderate Total Access and loyal Blockbuster customer. In December I received a total of 6 movies by mail and completed 4 in store exchanges. Some months I watch more, some less. I rarely if ever make additional purchases. Should I assume that the seemingly pleasant BB cashiers who check me out are secretly saying “F you” for not spending more? The way I see it BB is getting $19.99 per month of my entertainment budget VS zero ( At $4.22+ per rental if it weren’t for BBO I simply would have stopped doing business with Blockbuster over two years ago.) Am I a profitable customer for Blockbuster? I don’t know – not my job to know – but I am taking BB up on their service at stated prices.

I do agree with some of the ranting regarding ‘whiney high volume customers’ – The plan is a great deal and we as customers should have assumed that prices were subject to change. I find the comments about people ‘switching to Netflix’ laughable.. BBO’s mail only prices are still cheaper than Netflix and in my experience the service is identical.

Unfortunately it appears BB was wrong to assume that TA customer traffic in stores would generate significant additional purchases. Consumers by nature like to feel as if they are getting something for free. Personally I don’t eat all the candy, soda or popcorn that is being hocked at the register… but I have to wonder if the average TA customer is less likely to make a purchase for the simple satisfaction of leaving the store with no cost.
As for customers complaining about stuff… They are going to complain no matter what! Get used to it.
Just my 2 cents.

You have somewhat of a point there are customers that dont normally come to us so the 19 they spend is a plus. We are mainly complaining about the one's who think they are better than the service, and get 3 at a time and get 3 free in the store and do so 3 times a week. 35 dollars for that many movies, there should be no complaining, you are ripping a hole into blockbuster's ass. The service is flawed to begin with, it should have been unlimited at home, with standard competitive prices with netflix, and 1.99 cents for any rental the customer wants to get in the store, u get cheaper rentals in the store and u still get ur unlimited at home. atleast we make 6 dollars off of u when u do come in.

[sar94pga]

if we, at the store level...got a dime out of BBO...like we used too, then i wouldnt complain.

in the beginning, it was great for us. we got the 40 bucks for each activation, and 3 bucks a coupon. then we switched to instore/online renting. and we still got money for each spend visit.

but now we get nothing.

and i see the point where blockbuster is getting $19.99 a month. yeah. blockbuster online is getting that $19.99. but your local blockbuster store code XXXXX isnt getting shite. so that $19.99 that BBO is getting actually COSTS us money. thats the issue.

so done with this. (bangs head up against the wall)

[BiteMeBlockbuster]

As a "whiny" TA customer who loves in-store exchanges and will be sorry when they go, I wouldn't object to 1.99 discounted rentals or rent-one-get-one-free coupons, in lieu of in-store exchanges, if it meant the monthly fee didn't go up or stayed at a reasonable price.

The exchange program has gotten me into the store more often, but I really haven't spent more money because I'm not interested in sodas and candy. BB should take a different approach. Online and in-store memberships should compliment each other. Give deals on rentals and used dvds, let members reserve movies online and pick them up at the store.

And here's another suggestion. Bring back late fees.

[madeja76]

The problem that employees have with the program is due to the fact that TA was never meant to bring in more revenue to the stores, or make the stores more profitable. Blockbuster wants customers to be already getting their movies from Blockbuster Online, when your store closes down. If BBV still wants to be around long term, than a significant number of brick and mortar stores will have to go, but they want to minimize the number of customers lost per store closing.

I quit and entered a new industry due to the frustration of watching customers revenue bypass my store, and go directly to corporate.

[justanotherworker]

It's a toal loss, we don't get a dime for your free rentals in store. That's why we try so hard to sell you something. And online people tend to keep moves out a lot longer than paying customers, thus our real customers have nothing to rent.So we lose again.
I thought we were getting a part of the revenue if they signed up in our store? and if their email matched the email on file? Isnt that a good reason to update an account and get their email address?
And I thought the whole idea was to get the online people into the store so we can sell them. I do pretty well shooting the breeze with them and suggesting new movies that are in our store.

[OzMan]

You gotta remember, tho.... it's kind of difficult for BBI to give the stores a share of the profits from Onlines when they DON'T MAKE A PROFIT from onlines.

Frankly, I'm surprised they were able to keep up with their smoke-and-mirrors Enron-style bookkeeping as long as they were, before having to cut out the revenue going to the stores.....

[Woodstock]

I thought we were getting a part of the revenue if they signed up in our store? and if their email matched the email on file? Isnt that a good reason to update an account and get their email address?
And I thought the whole idea was to get the online people into the store so we can sell them. I do pretty well shooting the breeze with them and suggesting new movies that are in our store.

Nope. They stopped all that right around the time Keyes took over.

[Morbid Angel]

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Ugh. Why hasn't Chris deleted this idiots account yet? :mad:

[sar94pga]

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ugh..............real spam. make it go away.

[turtletime]

Ugh. Why hasn't Chris deleted this idiots account yet? :mad:

i don't think chris has been on much lately...

[zooworker]

i don't think chris has been on much lately...
Yep, and what ever happened to the update we were to get? Plus I wish he would switch rep back on or just get rid of it

[zooworker]

Opps! Chris is on now.........