“Some months back, in one of the lamer moves in corporate history, Netflix decided to charge a separate fee for streaming, meaning that you’d pay a roughly 60% price hike if you took both services,” Gene Steinberg writes for Tech Night Owl. “Now a price hike when the economy is in difficult straits is an awful idea, and that amount caught loyal Netflix customers by surprised. To make matters worse, Netflix planned to offload the media rentals to a second service, meaning you’d have to manage separate queues for each.”
“While Netflix management soon realized they had behaved badly and cancelled that foolish service separation scheme, the price hike was retained,” Steinberg writes. “Expenses are climbing, and they say they are stuck, but over the next quarter, some 800,000 customers jumped ship.”
Steinberg writes, “I’ve signed up for a 30-day free trial with Blockbuster. Over that period, I’ve added three movies to my rental queue that are still weeks away from being offered by Netflix. If Blockbuster delivers the goods in the same efficient fashion as Netflix, they will get my business. My Netflix account will be history, and, they will deserve to lose my business. No matter what the situation, when a company treats customers badly, they deserve to lose.”
Read more in the full article here.
can you watch blockbuster streaming on a TV?
No?
FAIL
Take it from someone who had both the services for almost two years. I loved Blockbuster more, simply because they had more old and odd movies in their catalog than Netflix could only dream about. Someone else had mentioned that Netflix had a faster shipping time than Blockbuster (in average by about a day), but I could just drop off my movies at the local BB store and pick up another movie from the store for free, while they would ship me from my queue right away. That was way faster than anything Netflix could offer.
But the real reason, I suspect, many may prefer DVDs over streaming, is, ahem… you can’t copy a DRM’d stream. Not that I’m advocating that you should illegally rip anything, like a season of a unreasonably priced TV show, to add it to your library. I’m just suggesting that there might be a market for that kind of demand. Etc.
Lame arguments in favor of Blockbuster. We have 3 Blockbuster stores in northeastern Washington anymore. The closest one is about 11 miles distant, and I don’t have Dish.
What good is their service to me?
I would hardly characterize someone preferring the selection at Blockbuster as “lame”. BTW, the bricks and mortar angle was not a reason BB is better, but rather a way that the slow ship times could be mitigated in some cases.
Can you stream? Please, you don’t even need to go that far.
Use Blockbuster?
FAIL
Netflix still has a big ace in the hole… they have a client on just about every device known to man for streaming.
Blockbuster? Can you even stream to anything other than a Dish Network SAT box ?
possibly on an iPhone/iPad IF you have the high end Dish receiver.
I have Dish, will NOT do blockbuster.. Netflix is still better with streaming.
Only reason blockbuster can get certain movies before Redbox/netflix is due to old contracts with the movie companies.
I keep the streaming netflix, and use Redbox when I want an actual Disc (to rip..)
the Blockbuster service would be dead if it wasn’t for the Dish deal. I was talking to a friend that works for the USPS, they used to get just a handful of Blockbuster discs everyday, Netflix discs…. trays and trays of them. (returns) they have to separate them from the rest of the mail so the machines don’t eat them.
Netflix took a big hit with the whole mess of the price increase this year, but they still see a ton of netflix and a minimal amount of blockbuster.
I don’t even think there is an actual Blockbuster store here anymore.. I know they closed down 2 stores near me. not sure if they still allow you to bring in the mailed disc and swap it for another on your list in a store..
When I looked at blockbuster/netflix before that was a nice feature, but the ability to stream with netflix won.
I just quit a few dys ago. Got Blockbuster for free with my Dish Network subscription
I am just not sure what this Netflix hate thing is all about. I still get dads by mail, stream when I want (on the road, etc.) and use iPhone, appletv, etc.
Is it like Apple hate? Or just “Mommy will not pay so I have to have it for free”? stuff.
en
I agree. I hated the idea of splitting the service in two an I applauded them for changing their minds. No one like a price hike, but if you read anything about the industry, you know that their hands are tied. The studios are scrambling to retain as much control and highest fees for content as possible, and Netflix has to deal with that. It sucks to have the prices go up, but it’s still a damn good service. They went off track a bit with some of their decisions and the ways that they’ve dealt with these issues, but they are correcting.
Steinberg has lost millions with all his share in Netflix. That stock tanked when the company kept flip-floping on what they were doing. Not sure anyone has confidence on how this was managed. Glad he lost all that money.
People need to get over the Netflix ‘cost hike.’ They essentially screwed up by giving the streaming away for free. Even at $20, that’s less than the cost of most DVDs and you get thousands and thousands of movies, streaming with no lag, no hiccups, to any device you have. Netflix is the best deal on the planet when it comes to consumption. Will Blockbuster compete? Well, they still rent movies for $5 in their stores, so what do you think? People need to get over it and just realize that Netflix is STILL the best deal.
What the hell is DVD and “mail?”
heh.
so true.
get a clue folks. the medicos plan is to jack up the prices for ALL their content, streaming, DVD rentals, whatever and however.
Netflix was a great deal while it lasted. still a good deal, but for how long? anyone who thinks those lower Blockbuster teaser rates are going to last is a total sucker.
hard fact is, the only real check on those greedy bastards is piracy, or they’d double prices tomorrow.
Exactly! I think piracy is always the last resort. When the music labels and Film studios go crazy with prices there is no alternative but to fly the skull and cross bones. When prices are reasonable why would you pirate? The 99c per track converted me entirely to a paying customer. I have replaced every track I had with iTunes stuff. Even going as far as getting “remastered” versions of the same album for my most loved albums. And so far I am going along with $1.29 as well. I actually like to pay…..but not “silly money” for albums with tracks I don’t even want. Yes I am talking to you Pete Townshend!!! Steve made this possible otherwise the music industry would be in really bad shape. The same goes for the film industry. We know when you are being greedy….and at that point I totally understand piracy.
I still like Netflix.
Heaven forbid any Big Evil Company try to make a profit (meet their bills, pay their employees).
Heck, everyone at Netflix should work 40 hours @ week for free. I’m sure that the workers will be able to pay their mortgages and feed their children, aren’t you?
That’s what I hear from the hypocrites advocating piracy. After all, every one of them would do the same.
Wouldn’t they?
I have to agree with AlfieJr on this one. I don’t believe he was advocating piracy in his post, only pointing out that it factors heavily in business strategy, at least in this case. And it’s a tip of the hat to Steve Jobs, who solved the music industry’s similar problem–unblocking their money valves while at the same time improving the customer experience. His negotiating tool? The profit motive.
I don’t fault Netflix for raising prices.
I fault Netflix for:
1) GOUGING customers with an unreasonable overall price hike.
2) Destroying the warm and furry perception of Netflix as a customer-oriented company. Oops, a Marketing Moron blunder.
3) The idea of splitting off a separate EVERYTHING for DVD mailed movies.
4) The idiotic name ‘Quikster’. WTF?!
5) Not thinking out the marketing move before perpetrating it.
6) The entirely public blundering retraction of the blunder. Again, and other Marketing Moron move.
The end result of this customer abuse has been to jettison customer loyalty. Everyone is looking at alternatives to Netflix.
Marketing-Morons-As-Management: How to tank your company at light speed.
My thoughts exactly. Can you imagine the outrage if (here in the US), gas prices raised 60% overnight? Netflix is so yesterday. Move on grasshopper.
My problem with Netflix has been damaged DVDs. I’d say about 1/4 of the disks over the past couple of years have stopped playing in the middle of a film and cleaning didn’t help. Just returned a bad DVD onFriday. They send a fresh disk out quickly when I report the problem but still frustrating.
I think combination of exposed DVDsurface, thin envelopes and completely careless jackass customers are to blame. Never had as much trouble withVHS, probably because tape surface was protected. Here’s to the only advantage 3.5″ floppies ever had – a case and sliding door.
” If Blockbuster delivers the goods in the same efficient fashion as Netflix, they will get my business”
That’s the key.
In my experience, blockbuster was ALWAYS a 2-5 day turn around, compared to Netflix 1-3 day turn around.
This was on 3 different periods, 5 years ago, 1 year ago, and 2 months ago.
We like the earlier releases but the turn around time kills it.
Netflix for our family.
Yep. I could optimally get 2 DVDs per week. DVD arrives Saturday. I mail back Monday. They get it Tuesday. I get a new DVD on Wednesday (when there was rarely anything good on). I mail back Thursday. They get it Friday. I get another DVD on Saturday. A holiday of course screws up the schedule completely. But that’s moot now as I’ve suspended my Netflix account.
These days I rely on Redbox (conveniently next door) for new stuff, of which there hasn’t been much worthwhile lately.
You are recommending Blockfuckers? Those crooks will never see the inside of my wallet ever again!!!
This type of article is designed simply to agitate and irritate. The author is a whore serving pimp media.
You mad bro?
Let me take a more calm but snarky approach:
‘Blockbuster’ is synonymous with ‘Screw-Thy-Customer’. It’s going to take Dish Network a long while to blow the stink off this old but well-deserved perception.
Netflix is cool However, Netflix is being pressured by content providers who are getting greedy just like how the record labels were when Apple wanted to charge the people 99 cents for a song and the labels wanted more. Netflix needs to do what Apple has done which is negotiate better with the content providers, be more cost efficient in their operations and give people what they really want.
Block buster is dead.
Long live Netflix.
Still like netflix. The movies are okay. But the there are enormous amounts of tv seasons material there. All the startreks, stargates, battlestar galactica, frasier, burn notice, dollhouse, firely…a lot more.
Blockbuster all the way. Netflix streaming choices is bulls**t.
Netflix is awesome. Never understood the DVD business anyway, because if I want to see a flick at the moment I am in the mood for it. However when it went streaming I got on board and love it! If you want to bitch than bitch at the cable companies continuing to put out more and more crap TV and jacking up prices. I’ve been a cord cutter for more than a year and I gotta say the freedom of not having to deal with crap commercials is AWESOME.
Steinberg writes, “I’ve signed up for a 30-day free trial with Blockbuster. Over that period, I’ve added three movies to my rental queue that are still weeks away from being offered by Netflix…”
Um, you just buy whatever shiny bauble happens to go into your eyesight? Blockbuster doesn’t have those movies weeks before Netflix because they have a superior business model. They have them because content producers want somebody else to compete with Netflix. Once that happens, Blockbusters rates will rise to be similar to Netflix and availability will also magically become similar.
Netflix earned my loyalty. (We have 2 DVD + streaming)
Every once in a while you get a bad DVD. I give them a call, their very very pleasant customer service reps (right here in Portland Oregon) send me out not only a replacement, but an advance on the next one out. (So for a brief time I have 3 out instead of 2)
I also was upset by the price hike, and more so by the splitting. But as long as they have come back to 1 bill, I will stick with them.
Wasn’t there a rumor last year that Redbox was getting into the steaming venue to compete with Netflix? Whatever happened to that?
I have Netflix mainly for the streaming of kids shows.
The grandkids have a 20″ iMac in their room set up for iTunes movies and Netflix Kids page all controlled via Magic Trckpad.
We also have it on the plasma in the LR via an Apple TV.
And in one of the bedrooms same way. And on another iMac in a different room. And on my 27″ iMac in my room (EyeTV also).
Is that it? Nope, the iPad has it, too.
We had the DVD delivery until the price change and I realized I never use it. (kids+DVDs=scary)
I also have Amazon Prime, but it is limited to the computers as I have no players for it (it was just an added bonus since I bought it for the shipping).
I wish I had your bandwidth cap… 😆
I’ve got the streaming service with Netflix. I can watch videos on my desktop computer, my iPad and my PS3 in the living room. I bought a Bluetooth portable speaker. So I bring my iPad into the kitchen, and watch TV shows with good quality sound, while I’m preparing meals; or I can bring it into the bathroom while I’m getting ready for work. So, no, I don’t think I’ll be switching to Blockbuster anytime soon.
Started with Netflix with DVDs and never liked them. Found it was overrated, slow shipping and had a lame selection. Switched to Blockbuster years ago and have stayed with them since. Blockbuster is faster, better value (unlimited free exchanges in store) has a better selection. Store is 2 minutes away so exchanges are very quick. My buddy has Netflix streaming (only) here so I use that occasionally if I want streaming but that is rare.
Both companies just re-sell Hollywood. Both companies start thinking that they ARE Hollywood. Both companies blow.
Netflix rules. Screw the haters. I’m thisclose to cancelling my cable TV. Overpriced GARBAGE.