Worst Month Yet at Blockbuster

June is not even over yet, and Blockbuster has gone to great lengths to make sure it will be the worst month for Blockbuster subscribers since the old Blockbuster went bankrupt. For some, Blockbuster service has been so awful one can only imagine the incompetence is intentional. If you are unlucky enough to have a Blockbuster subscription, you have probably been subjected to a wide a array of serious service issues. Here are just a few you may have been experiencing, especially during the last few weeks.

DVDs Returned but Not Cleared
Just because you returned a DVD to a Blockbuster store and watched the clerk physically scan in the DVD at the counter, do not assume the DVD will be removed from the At Home section of your queue. Actually, the DVD could sit in your queue for days, clogging up your account until you take action to get it cleared. Blockbuster is blaming this problem on system errors, but it should be noted these system errors are allowing Blockbuster to make more money by shipping fewer DVDs to subscribers. If Blockbuster has system errors, are they not obligated to fix the errors and reimburse the subscribers for the delays caused by Blockbuster's poorly designed system?

DVDs In Processing
Blockbuster loves to delay your account by putting a DVD in the At Home section of your queue and classify the DVD as Processing. The DVD just sits there overnight, holding up your account for an extra day. It does not take two days or more to stick a disc into an envelope and apply a mailing label. There is no good reason for DVDs to routinely be in processing overnight. Every day Blockbuster "processes" a DVD is a day they do not have to service your account.

Shipping from Low Queue Positions
Blockbuster may skip over dozens of titles in your queue and send a DVD you had given a very low priority in your queue. Blockbuster needs to take your wishes seriously and try to send out the titles you want before they send your thirtieth or fortieth choice.

Shipping from Distant Cities
Blockbuster can delay your account for days by sending DVDs to you from a city far from you. Look on your Blockbuster return envelope. If the return address is for a city hundreds of miles from your home, your DVDs may be needlessly sitting in the mail system for days.

Incompetent Email Customer Service
The worst thing about all of these problems is there is no easy way to resolve them. If you contact Blockbuster through email about an issue, there is a roughly a 75% chance the customer service representative will fail to address your concern properly. You may even get a response that demonstrates the customer service person did not even bother to read your email. Most of them just seem determined to copy, paste, and email boilerplate responses until you give up trying to get your problem resolved.


If you have been experiencing these problems, notice that all of these issues ultimately benefit Blockbuster, because Blockbuster gets to send out fewer DVDs to you and spend less money while still charging you full price for a subscription. Every time Blockbuster causes a delay on your account, you wind up paying the same price for less service and Blockbuster keeps the savings at your expense. If you are having problems on your account, call Blockbuster toll free at (866) 692-2789 and demand answers. If they cannot fix your account, the only answer is to cancel your subscription and find a company who will treat you like a valued customer.