Video Asylum

Posted by jamesgarvin (A) on December 14, 2004 at 16:07:35

In Reply to: Re: Too late, I dropped Blockbastard long ago... posted by vikvilkhu on December 14, 2004 at 14:32:08:

I will never rent from Blockbuster, to wit:
(1) In Lansing, Michigan, Blockbuster ran a promotion that when you rented a film, they stamped your card. After six stamps, you got a free rental. On one visit, I paid for the video, and as soon as I left the store, I realized I forgot to get my card stamped. So I went back in, and the "manager" told the clerk to stamp my card, but told her, for my benefit, that once the customer leaves the store, they cannot get their card stamped.

(2) In Cincinnati, my parents, on an afternoon, rented a video that was marked closed captioned. My father cannot hear, and so needs closed captioning to appreciate the film. My parents started to watch the movie that evening, and found that it was not closed captioned. They returned the movie to the store to exchange it for one that was closed captioned, and were told that the store would exchange it this one time, but in the future they would need to check the video when they get home, and then bring the movie back immediately.

(3) In Cincinnati, at a different location, I returned a video, while the store was still open, and on my next visit was told that the video was returned late. I explained that I returned the video while the store was still open, and because they close at 12:00 a.m., the video must have been returned on time. I was informed that the computer has an automatic timer, and once the clock strikes midnight, you are charged the late fee. Which begs the question of whose fault is it if the clerk does not clock the video in before midnight.

I can only conclude that Blockbuster has a corporate ethos of insulting and failing to appreciate their customers. Perhaps the recent class action lawsuit has given them a change of heart. I now go to Hollywood Video. Every time they have made a mistake relative to the late fee, they did not argue, but merely removed the charge. On one occasion, I lost the movie. They did not charge me.

I recently heard that Blockbuster is seeking to purchase Hollywood Video. If that happens, hello Netflix.