Netflix Killer

[dbreaux]

Blockbuster has Netflix on its knees. For 17.99 a month I get as many dvds as I want, max three at a time. But here's the real kicker: I can return online rentals to a brick and mortar store and get a one for one exchange for more movies. When the online returns are scanned in the store the e-folks receive the same info and automatically mail out the next 3 movies in my queue. Last but not least, I also receive an free movie or game certificate per month in my email. Now how cool is that?

[Ian]

I really need to join Netflix or Blockbuster. With the kid, the wife and I don't see as many movies as we used to. However, we are renting more and more, especially kid movies.

[socheat]

Yup, I signed up for a trial a week or two before they rolled out the "Total Access" changes. I was a bit disappointed at first, since it seemed to take more than just 3 days turn-around to get a new movie back. But with "Total Access" stuff, that's pretty much a non-issue for me now. My problem now is I can't watch movies fast enough

[aviationwiz]

I'm a Netflix user and I signed up for a 2 week trial a few weeks ago for Blockbuster Total Access.

Here's the problems with Blockbuster:
1. Movies mailed in as opposed to returned to the store take 2-3 days to be marked as received, and a new one shipped, even though they get mailed back to Minneapolis (where I am)

2. Total Access is cool, but in 2 weeks, I ran out of things I wanted to see that the store had

3. Total Access rentals still have the same due-dates as normal in-store rentals, and you have to deal with the lines and lack of available movies closer to the weekend

4. Blockbuster Online won't ship you a movie if it's outside a 2-day shipping radius of you, meaning a movie at the top of your queue, marked as "available" may get skipped for something farther down if the movie you want is only in-stock on the other side of the country

That served as a problem for me, as I wanted a movie that Netflix didn't have, but it was consistently at the top of my queue and "available" but never shipped to me. If I put a movie at the top of my queue, I want you to ship it to me, regardless of whether you do so from Minneapolis or San Francisco.

I'd highly recommend Netflix as opposed to Blockbuster Online if you're looking at an online DVD rental service. You can try out the free trials for both services and decide for yourself, but I think you'll be most impressed with Netflix, as am I and most of my friends.

[Jim]

I using the Blockbuster Total Access on a 2 week trial now. I feel I am getting my money's worth using the in store return on the way to or from work. The only thing that I don't like is the queue priority like described above.

[dbreaux]

Blockbuster works great for me. I'm in Killeen, TX which is midway between San Atonio and Dallas, two distro points, and I live about 4 blocks from a Blockbuster. I use online mainly for older movies, not in the store, and then trade them in for new releases. I have received movies in the mail within 48 hours of returning one. Appears that the quality of service is based largely on geopgraphic location. I'd recommend Netflix users keep an eye as BB continues to improve their service.....as for me it's as close to perfect as I can expect. BB is determined to be the Microsoft or Walmart of video rental.