During Super Bowl XL game day programming, Blockbuster will advertise a new option for store rental coupons. Instead of two monthly coupons for movies and games, new and existing subscribers will have the option of receiving four weekly coupons for movies only. (Games are excluded because they can be significantly less profitable for Blockbuster.)
Subscribers who were getting twenty-four coupons per year will now be able to receive fifty-two, which more than doubles the annual total of coupons awarded previously. The obvious advantage to the weekly coupons is many more store rental opportunities. This disadvantage is that subscribers will have to make four roundtrips to Blockbuster stores to use all of the coupons. (Subscribers using the two monthly coupons need to go to a Blockbuster store only once per month.)
Subscribers on the one-out plan will not be able to use their weekly coupons for new releases; however, subscribers on the other plans will be able to use their weekly coupons for any movie.
It is important to note that each weekly coupon expires at week’s end. Also note that if you currently use your in-store rental coupons to rent games, you do not want to make any changes to your Blockbuster plan. If you switch to the weekly coupon plan, you will permanently lose the option of using your coupons for games.
1/15/2006
Blockbuster Adds Playboy Titles (Shhh.)
Question: If you’re Blockbuster and have a squeaky clean image, how do you offer Playboy titles on your Web site?
Answer: Very quietly.
Apparently, Blockbuster Online quietly added a few Playboy titles to their lineup sometime prior to the end of 2005. Currently, only R versions of these Playboy titles are available for online rental; however, Unrated editions are available for online purchase.
You can find these titles by searching for Playboy on Blockbuster’s Web site.
This is probably a marketing test. If the Playboy titles rent well, Blockbuster will certainly consider adding more. If there is a public outcry over Playboy movies being available at Blockbuster Online, Blockbuster will probably retreat and blame the moral lapse on some unlucky underling.
What do you think? Should Blockbuster Online offer Playboy titles?
Answer: Very quietly.
Apparently, Blockbuster Online quietly added a few Playboy titles to their lineup sometime prior to the end of 2005. Currently, only R versions of these Playboy titles are available for online rental; however, Unrated editions are available for online purchase.
You can find these titles by searching for Playboy on Blockbuster’s Web site.
This is probably a marketing test. If the Playboy titles rent well, Blockbuster will certainly consider adding more. If there is a public outcry over Playboy movies being available at Blockbuster Online, Blockbuster will probably retreat and blame the moral lapse on some unlucky underling.
What do you think? Should Blockbuster Online offer Playboy titles?
1/13/2006
Grandfathered $14.99 Customers to Pay More
If you are one of the early Blockbuster Online subscribers who was grandfathered in under the $14.99 price guarantee during Blockbuster’s August 2005 price increase, the party is almost over. Your monthly subscription fee will most likely be increasing soon.
The $14.99 price guarantee ends on January 31, 2006. Do not be surprised to see your monthly fee go up to the current standard price of $17.99.
The $14.99 price guarantee ends on January 31, 2006. Do not be surprised to see your monthly fee go up to the current standard price of $17.99.
12/18/2005
Blockbuster Movie Pass Cancellation
If you currently have a Blockbuster Movie Pass and wish to cancel, you must cancel through the store where you purchased the pass.
You will not receive any refunds for months already paid. You must return all videos by the end the membership period or they will become subject to additional rental fees.
Below are the official details for Movie Pass cancellation from Blockbuster.
You will not receive any refunds for months already paid. You must return all videos by the end the membership period or they will become subject to additional rental fees.
Below are the official details for Movie Pass cancellation from Blockbuster.
Cancellation by You:
The initial monthly Pass Membership fee is valid for an initial Pass Membership period starting on the date of purchase and continuing through the same day of the following month. For example, if on June 18 you purchased your Pass Membership, your initial Pass Membership fee entitles you to Pass Membership benefits until July 18 and your Payment Card will be charged on July 18 for the period of July 19 through August 18. You can cancel your Pass Membership at any time at the participating store where you bought your Pass Membership and you will not be charged for any additional months. There are no refunds for any months (or portions thereof) already billed or paid for. For example, if your purchase anniversary date is the 5th of each month and you cancel your Pass Membership on Oct. 20, then you will not be charged on Nov. 5 (for the Nov. 6 – Dec. 5 period) and your Pass Membership Term will expire on Nov. 5. However, if you canceled on Oct. 2, then your Pass Membership Term would expire Oct. 5. Remember, you must return any Pass Rentals rented under your Pass Membership by the end of your Pass Membership Term (or they will be subject to the Rental Terms and applicable Fees as provided above). You agree that the Pass Membership does not involve an extension of credit or a retail installment sale since Blockbuster does not impose a finance charge and you may cancel your Pass Membership at any time.
12/15/2005
The Rebirth of Late Fees: Some Blockbuster Stores to Bring Back Late Fees
Blockbuster’s “No Late Fees” program has been plagued with problems since it began. At first, there was a lot of confusion about the program because policies differed between the franchisees and corporate stores.
As the program caught on with customers, a new problem began to develop with the supply of videos. Many customers, no longer concerned with late fees, began keeping videos out for several days more than they used to keep them, and many titles were unavailable to other customers for weeks. Further confusion resulted from the extremely low intelligence of many retail customers and their inability to understand the concept of restocking fees.
All things considered the “No Late Fees” program has been a bumpy road for Blockbuster. The program has worked well on the corporate level with increases in revenues; however, the periodic stories about confusion over the program is damaging Blockbuster’s image. The “No Late Fees” program has reached a point where no Blockbuster customer is absolutely certain they will not be subject to late fees in the near or distant future.
Most recently, Arkansas stores resumed the late fees, and some stores in Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee will soon be resuming late fees. At this point, it is unclear what will happen with the “No Late Fees” program in other states.
Blockbuster is in danger of irritating a great number of customers with continuing inconsistencies in their “No Late Fees” program. If Blockbuster’s management is smart, they will come up with a clear nationwide policy on late fees, present it to the customers, and stick to it.
As the program caught on with customers, a new problem began to develop with the supply of videos. Many customers, no longer concerned with late fees, began keeping videos out for several days more than they used to keep them, and many titles were unavailable to other customers for weeks. Further confusion resulted from the extremely low intelligence of many retail customers and their inability to understand the concept of restocking fees.
All things considered the “No Late Fees” program has been a bumpy road for Blockbuster. The program has worked well on the corporate level with increases in revenues; however, the periodic stories about confusion over the program is damaging Blockbuster’s image. The “No Late Fees” program has reached a point where no Blockbuster customer is absolutely certain they will not be subject to late fees in the near or distant future.
Most recently, Arkansas stores resumed the late fees, and some stores in Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee will soon be resuming late fees. At this point, it is unclear what will happen with the “No Late Fees” program in other states.
Blockbuster is in danger of irritating a great number of customers with continuing inconsistencies in their “No Late Fees” program. If Blockbuster’s management is smart, they will come up with a clear nationwide policy on late fees, present it to the customers, and stick to it.
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