# Netflix vs. Blockbuster



## SD4Life (Mar 1, 2005)

I've decided that I'm going to get either Netflix or Blockbuster, but I don't know which one to get. Has anybody here had either one? Blockbuster is a little cheaper, but I've heard a few bad things about them. 1. It will usually take longer to get the movies and 2. And I heard that they do charge you late fees after a certain time. 

Do any of you guys have any sugestions?>


----------



## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

It all depends on how far the DVDs have to travel from the distribution center to your house. I've had Netflix since October and love it. I'm on the basic 3 at a time unlimited plan. Turn around is very quick. Thursday I sent my three movies back, I got my next three today. I had the Blockbuster trail about a moth before I got Netflix as part of the free iPod thing and I wasn't impressed. I'd put my movies on my queue and it took almost a week before I received all three, I sent all three back the same day and it took 4 days to get the next 3. On top of that after I canceled I got an email saying I still had one of their movies out and if they didn’t receive it by a certain day I would be charged for it, when I already sent it out two days prior to that. Blockbuster has a pricing advantage but I was not impressed, I haven’t heard anything about late fee, from my trail with them I wasn’t impressed.


----------



## JBKing (Mar 23, 2002)

I've been with BB for about 6 months. Don't believe there is a late fee with Blockbuster, they do say keep the movie as long as you want. DIstribution is much better over the last several months. They've added locations and also are considering the movie received back once it is scanned at the post office. You get 2 free coupons each month with BB that you can use at the B&M store, good for movies OR games. Honostly, when I go to the store, there's either no movie I want that is available, or I already have it in my queue. But the coupons are good for games and that is a $12 value if you rent 2 games. BB is well worth it in my opinion. 

I haven't tried Netflix, but the general consensus is that they ARE faster in sending movies out, compared to BB. But I look at the value I get with BB. For $15, I get 2 free game rentals worth $12. That leaves $3 I pay for watching at least 10-15 DVD's a month. If that takes an extra day or so compared to Netflix, I don't care! Frankly, any more than 15 movies a month, and I'm scraping the bottom of the barrel in movies, IMO. :lol:


----------



## Danny R (Jul 5, 2002)

Depending on where you live, one service or the other might be better. Simple solution. Both have free trials to start, so I suggest subscribing to both and see which gives you the better service, and then cancelling the one that doesn't work as well.

BTW, if you are going to sign up for the blockbuster deal, do someone a favor and do it through the freeipod site (detailed here, and go to last post for who's next), so they get credit for a signup.


----------



## Ric (Apr 26, 2002)

Been with Blockbuster since it beta'd and love it, especially with the 2 free instore movies. BB does not charge late fees as I have had one over a month and was never questioned. It is great that they now show movies as received when post office scans them.

(BTW - I am next in line needing one more at http://www.freeiPods.com/default.aspx?referer=8853327 then it is Blockhead once I get one more)


----------



## cdru (Dec 4, 2003)

JBKing said:


> They've added locations and also are considering the movie received back once it is scanned at the post office.


Isn't NetFlix also doing this now?


----------



## ntexasdude (Jan 23, 2005)

Sadly, I joined the _other_ guys. The giant evil earth force known as Wal-Mart. Great service but I'm not that impressed with their movie selection.


----------



## Mike123abc (Jul 19, 2002)

I thought I saw a new commercial for BlockBuster where for $15/month you can have unlimited store rentals, thus eliminating the mail wait. But, of course then you have to go back and forth to the store.


----------



## bobsupra (Jul 12, 2002)

I've been with Netflix for 4 years now and like them a lot. Only one movie lost, and no problems with them. Their movie selection is great (better than BB), and I like the ability to put movies currently on the big screen in a que so that when they are released on DVD it automatically comes to me. I was so impressed with Netflix that I bought some of their stock.

bob


----------



## Ric (Apr 26, 2002)

Yes - the store service is available as well but I noticed that it is one movie at a time. So its up to you if you would rather wait and have them mailed to you or drive back and forth to the store.


----------



## olgeezer (Dec 5, 2003)

i'm one of the crazy guys that keeps the economy going, by seeing the movie and then buying the DVD. Isn't Blockbuster currently offering their deal on line or at the store? That may be appealing to me and i wouldn't have to worry about turnaround time at the store.


----------



## JBKing (Mar 23, 2002)

Blockbuster has an in-store offer for 9.99 first month, then 14.99 thereafter. You can only have 1 movie out at a time. It _sounds_ like a good deal, but if your BB location is anything like mine, I wouldn't count on much being in stock on any particular visit.

I'd rather have the convenience of picking my movies on line and receiving them in the mail, 3 at a time.


----------



## cdru (Dec 4, 2003)

olgeezer said:


> i'm one of the crazy guys that keeps the economy going, by seeing the movie and then buying the DVD. Isn't Blockbuster currently offering their deal on line or at the store? That may be appealing to me and i wouldn't have to worry about turnaround time at the store.


The problem with the store rental is, as mentioned above, it's only for 1 movie at a time. Also, you would be at the mercy of the store's inventory as to wether or not a video is carried and in. Store's inventory is fairly limited for anything other then new releases. Specific movies may or may not be carried at the store level. This may be of impact if you are looking for obsecure movies or a specific genre like foreign or anime.


----------



## stonecold (Feb 20, 2004)

I have netflix and have recently did free bb trial. Even though the distrabution center was close tampa and so is the netflix distrabution center BB had like a 2 day turn around send in a movie on monday they sont say they got it until wednesday and dont ship out my next one until thursday or friday. 

Netflix movie goes out monday they check it in tuesday -send out my next movie on tues day and have it by wednesday. So I have a new net flix movie at the while BB is still processing the fact that I had return one


----------



## dalucca (Feb 5, 2005)

Experienced same issue when I tried Blockbuster...also both advertise 30,000 movies to pick from but Netflix has much better stock on hand.


----------



## tonyp56 (Apr 26, 2004)

I had Blockbuster for about four months before I switched to Netflix. To be totally honest, neither one of them are as good as going to the video store! You have to wait so long between sending your old movies back, to them sending and you receiving your new movies that it takes for ever. (it seems) Anyways, I like them both, however I guess if I had to vote I'd say Netflix is a little faster, but it cost more than Blockbuster. Not to mention Blockbuster gives you coupons (2 per month) for in store rentals which is nice. But over all, Netflix is still better. (faster, better web design, easier navigation, better customer support)


P.S. I almost forgot this one, Blockbusters envelopes are a little easier to get separated in the mail. In other words, several of my DVDs were either lost or broken by the time the label got to me. I like the way Netflix does their envelopes, much harder to get opened in the process of going through the mail.


----------



## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

> You have to wait so long between sending your old movies back, to them sending and you receiving your new movies that it takes for ever.


48 hours seems like forever?


----------



## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

> Blockbuster gives you coupons (2 per month) for in store rentals which is nice.


I thought one of the advantages of movies by mail was not having to drive to the video store. 

I haven't rented movies since the last century. :shrug:


----------



## JBKing (Mar 23, 2002)

I use the 2 free Blockbuster coupons for games. Even better now that they don't charge late fees, you can keep it for an extra day or 2 and not have to worry about it.

There was a period where I refrained from renting movies, so that I would fall in the premium TV window, where the movies showing up on HBO etc, were 'new' to me. I didn't like waiting that long, so went back to renting via Blockbuster online. Works out great for me. I'm willing to spend $15 a month for all the DVDs I can watch in a month, along with 2 games for the kids. I certainly am not willing to pay $20+ per movie at the theater, but don't want to wait for movies to show up on pay TV. The way I look at it, the Blockbuster and Netflix plans are cheaper than pay TV anyway. Because of exclusivity, you need at least 2 premium services, probably 3, which ends up costing more than the BB and Netflix plan. Plus you have to wait several months for new movies. I never was very interested in any of the pay TV original programming.

For me, Blockbuster and Netflix are the only way to go. I prefer Blockbuster simply for the 2 free coupons each month. It may take a day or 2 more for movies to arrive than Netflix, but I can still squeeze in at least 10 movies a month, that's more than enough for me.


----------



## Tusk (Nov 14, 2002)

I have a trial period going with both companies. Results so far:

Blockbuster:
Sent two movies back Monday morning 5/9. Noted as received by BB on Wednesday 5/11. One movie shipped on 5/11. One movie shipped on 5/12. Movie shipped on 5/12 received 5/16. Movie shipped on 5/11 ???

Netflix:
Sent two movies back Monday morning 5/9. Noted as received by Netflix on Monday 5/16. Both movies shipped on 5/17 with estimated arrival of 5/19. 

Maybe this was just a bad week for the post office, but both services really suck. BB got me at least one movie exactly one week from when I returned the movies. Netflix is projected to be 11 days. No wonder they can make money. Charge you $20 a month and you can only get about 6 total movies a month.

By the way, Netflix movies returned to Houston (about 9 hour drive) and BB returned to St. Louis (about 6 hour drive).


----------



## tonyp56 (Apr 26, 2004)

Steve Mehs said:


> 48 hours seems like forever?


Compared to 1 hour to drive to the video store, walk in get what I want, pay, leave and go home! And it isn't 48 hours! It is more like 72-96 hours, (not counting weekends!) I am sorry, 1 hour is a lot quicker than three or four days!


----------



## bobsupra (Jul 12, 2002)

Ever try to rent a hot, newly released movie at BB on a Friday night? I'll admit its been awhile since I've been in BB as Netflix turns my movies around in one day, consistently. I just have unfond memories of going into BB and finding empty shelves.


----------



## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

I don't know what's up with your post office or distribution center, but it is a very rare occurrence when I don't experience a 48 hour turn around with Netflix. I sent three movies back Monday, my next three will be here in about in about 10 hours. I receive an average of 20 movies a month from Netflix. Well worth the money. On my way to school in the mornings I pass probably about 3 or 4 Blockbusters and there’s one across the street from the pizzeria I usually order from and another 5 miles from my house, plus the little corner store in town has rentals. I could just as easily stop in to one of them and pick up a few movies but I’m the typical American, I’m lazy, I’m always in a rush, and I want as little human interaction as possible. Netflix gives that all to me at a decent price.


----------



## Danny R (Jul 5, 2002)

_I don't know what's up with your post office or distribution center, but it is a very rare occurrence when I don't experience a 48 hour turn around with Netflix._

I used to have that rate of turnaround as well. My movies are still arriving quickly at Netflix, but they are delaying shipping new ones till the next day.

Check this thread out. Your fast response times might not last all that long if your distribution center gets swamped, as they will bump heavy users in favor of lower volume folks.

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=41211


----------



## tonyp56 (Apr 26, 2004)

Steve Mehs said:


> I don't know what's up with your post office or distribution center, but it is a very rare occurrence when I don't experience a 48 hour turn around with Netflix. I sent three movies back Monday, my next three will be here in about in about 10 hours. I receive an average of 20 movies a month from Netflix. Well worth the money. On my way to school in the mornings I pass probably about 3 or 4 Blockbusters and there's one across the street from the pizzeria I usually order from and another 5 miles from my house, plus the little corner store in town has rentals. I could just as easily stop in to one of them and pick up a few movies but I'm the typical American, I'm lazy, I'm always in a rush, and I want as little human interaction as possible. Netflix gives that all to me at a decent price.


Heres some food for thought, my distrubution center is in OKC(which is around 70 miles from me) If I send a movie back today before the mail runs, Netflix will show that they received it on friday, they will say that they shipped my movie(s) on Saturday, and I might receive it on Monday, perhaps Tuesday! I don't know why this is, however, that is how it works for me. Netflix is still better than BB (it would take a week sometimes) and I am happy with Netflix, I just was stating that it does take a little too long for my personal taste. I am keeping Netflix, I like them, that is why I said that they are the better of the two.

It is just sometimes it is a lot easier to go get the new releases at Hastings(yes, I don't like BB stores, and Hastings is the best in my area), I've noticed that a lot of the new releases on Netflix have either a short wait or long wait. Most of the time all I have to do is walk into Hastings on Tuesday (new movies are released on Tuesday) before 6 or 7 O'clock and I can pick up the latest new release.

However, for the money it is worth the wait (I'd spend a lot more money at Hastings than Netflix) and I am happy. I just wish that they would speed things up a little.


----------



## Tusk (Nov 14, 2002)

Well, my second movie from BB showed up yesterday after I posted the message above. So to date, I have two new movies from BB and hope to receive my two new movies from Netflix tomorrow. That is an approximate 200 hour turnaround for BB and will be a 270 hour turnaround for Netflix.

Netflix has already charged me for my first month (I thought both services had two week free trials but evidently Netflix was 10 days, of course it takes them 11 days to turn movies around so do the math). I guess I will give them a few more chances before I make any decisions.

I do know I can't wait 11 days between movies. :nono2:


----------



## cboylan3 (Jan 26, 2004)

how can you find out where the nearest distribution center is to you?


----------



## BobMurdoch (Apr 24, 2002)

Huge news according to Variety......

Walmart abandons mail based DVD rentals.... cedes the market to NetFlix (and referes their current customers there as well)

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=businessNews&storyID=8548207

This should send both stocks up........ Netflix gets the consumers back, and Walmart loses the cash drain they had


----------



## IndyMichael (Jan 25, 2003)

I have or shall I say had a one day turnaround with Walmart, I hope it doesn't go back to the 2-3 day turnaround I had before with Netflix.


----------

