Blockbuster online

[abomb]

Was Blockbuster really any competition for Netflix? Anyone know how many on-line subscribers Blockbuster had compared to Netflix?

6.7M for Netflix.

3.1M for BBO, down from 3.6M last quarter!

source: 1, 2

 

[D-Dogg]

Did BB does the home delivery thing like Netflix before Netflix? You have paid more attention to BB than I have. I hate em.

No, very shortly after they did, though. They weren't dumb...they knew it would take all of a few months before BB came in swinging wildly with their infrastructure easily scalable, so they did come in cheap and fast...no active competition doesn't mean there is NOT competition. Netflix arrived on the scene already competing with BB, knowing they'd be in the fray very soon.

Netflix' has always been much faster though. They built the ideal delivery system. BB had them on added bonuses of in store trade ins, pick up a movie when you drop off an envelope (was unlimited, then they limited this...it was the last straw for me) and ability to include games in the mix and not just movies. I kept hoping that BB strategy would lead to Netflix buying Gamefly...didn't happen.

 

[D-Dogg]

6.7M for Netflix.

3.1M for BBO, down from 3.6M last quarter!

source: 1, 2

I'm one of the half million who dropped.

Netflix won that subscriber battle due to BB's arrogance, btw. BB never embraced the online trials and direct mailings the way Netflix did, partnering with every single "free offer" site they could. BB relied on its B&M outlets to sell total access, and while they did a good job at it, there are only so many eyeballs walking through a BB at a given moment, and it's hard to forward a B&M to a friend. They got their ass handed to them in online marketing strategies. Old school thinking.

 

[Mulli]

No, very shortly after they did, though. They weren't dumb...they knew it would take all of a few months before BB came in swinging wildly with their infrastructure easily scalable, so they did come in cheap and fast...no active competition doesn't mean there is NOT competition. Netflix arrived on the scene already competing with BB, knowing they'd be in the fray very soon.

Netflix' has always been much faster though. They built the ideal delivery system. BB had them on added bonuses of in store trade ins, pick up a movie when you drop off an envelope (was unlimited, then they limited this...it was the last straw for me) and ability to include games in the mix and not just movies. I kept hoping that BB strategy would lead to Netflix buying Gamefly...didn't happen.

Thanks. Good points. Once I figured out who "they" were in the first sentences. Games on Netflix. Cool.

 

[Mulli]

I never cared for the "dropoff at store" thing. I liked home delivery because I got to avoid the terrible experience of going to the store. I have grown to hate going to the BB store and sifting threw all the crapmeister movies.

 

[abomb]

Netflix' has always been much faster though. They built the ideal delivery system. BB had them on added bonuses of in store trade ins, pick up a movie when you drop off an envelope (was unlimited, then they limited this...it was the last straw for me) and ability to include games in the mix and not just movies. I kept hoping that BB strategy would lead to Netflix buying Gamefly...didn't happen.

The whole limit on the envelope swap is/was crazy. What does it *really* hurt to have a few fewer titles on the shelf, especially since most BB customers are there for the Top 10 anyway.

If and when BB goes t's up (see "Gallery, Movie"), it is going to be very difficult for another online DVD shop to get going due to all the patents and stuff Netflix has. In fact, I think Netflix still has an outstanding lawsuit against BB for copying their envelope.

I also think Netflix is nimble enough to move toward digital distribution when the time comes. They have an initial offering "Watch it now", but I've never gotten it to work on my PC. BB bought Movielink (which I happily used one time, pre-BB) a year ago and has seen little to no growth there.

 

[D-Dogg]

And by the way, someone owning 33 percent of the market on you is significant competition, especially considering a) you drove WAL-MART of all beasts out of the market and b) the smaller market share company is going to be very aggressively after you trying to beat you on service, price, quality, ease of use, whatever it takes.

30% can become 40% quickly, and then grow from there. BBonline kept Netflix on its toes. They sure weren't sleeping on BB...they kept the pedal to the floor and kept kicking their ass. I sure hope that incentive remains because I don't want to see prices creep up for Netflix now.

 

[abomb]

Has anyone used Amazon unbox or whatever? That was once touted as a challenger to Netflix.

 

[Mulli]

And by the way, someone owning 33 percent of the market on you is significant competition, especially considering a) you drove WAL-MART of all beasts out of the market and b) the smaller market share company is going to be very aggressively after you trying to beat you on service, price, quality, ease of use, whatever it takes.

30% can become 40% quickly, and then grow from there. BBonline kept Netflix on its toes. They sure weren't sleeping on BB...they kept the pedal to the floor and kept kicking their ass. I sure hope that incentive remains because I don't want to see prices creep up for Netflix now.

Are you arguing with yourself? You should spend your time on the Barak,Edwards, Hillary picture we asked you to draw.

 

[D-Dogg]

I never cared for the "dropoff at store" thing. I liked home delivery because I got to avoid the terrible experience of going to the store. I have grown to hate going to the BB store and sifting threw all the crapmeister movies.

I liked it because I could basically get a new disc immediately, then the next day or two get another in the mail. It tremendously affected my ability to maximize my "movies rented per dollar spent" equation (and for my purposes that was all important). For example, going through carnivale I could have one disc at home watchrip it, take it to BB and get disc 2 and then next day or two I get disc 3.

Same timeframe as me getting 2 discs normally, I'd eek out three. Allowing me to get the smaller plan, and save money. They severely limited this for me and lost me as a customer, especially since Netflix sends movies damn near overnight sometimes. Without the unlimited instore exchange, they had nothing and I could view more movies with NF on the same type of account as BB (due to replacement speeds).

 

[D-Dogg]

Are you arguing with yourself? You should spend your time on the Barak,Edwards, Hillary picture we asked you to draw.

No, just clarifying a point alluded to above by Renz as to whether BB was even competition for NF. I thought people would look at the numbers and say "wow, they weren't comp at all."

 

[Mulli]

No, just clarifying a point alluded to above by Renz as to whether BB was even competition for NF. I thought people would look at the numbers and say "wow, they weren't comp at all."

Go watch another movie or draw the picture pleez

 

[D-Dogg]

The whole limit on the envelope swap is/was crazy. What does it *really* hurt to have a few fewer titles on the shelf, especially since most BB customers are there for the Top 10 anyway.

As I mentioned in a couple of posts, this feature was a huge reason why I stuck out BB for as long as I did.

And when I was informed that I had used up my monthly instore exchange...not exchanges, exchange but could rent the disc for $2.99...saving a buck...well, that's when I exploded on the clerk. People were actually laughing. Ask Rebecca, I called her and ranted for about 15 minutes afterwards....

We were trying to watch Carnivale, too...so she was pissed.

 

[Mulli]

As I mentioned in a couple of posts, this feature was a huge reason why I stuck out BB for as long as I did.

And when I was informed that I had used up my monthly instore exchange...not exchanges, exchange but could rent the disc for $2.99...saving a buck...well, that's when I exploded on the clerk. People were actually laughing. Ask Rebecca, I called her and ranted for about 15 minutes afterwards....

We were trying to watch Carnivale, too...so she was pissed.

You yelled at the movie clerk, who probably wasn't even supposed to be there that day?

 

[D-Dogg]

Go watch another movie or draw the picture pleez

http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/vb/showpost.php?p=1535469&postcount=5

 

[D-Dogg]

You yelled at the movie clerk, who probably wasn't even supposed to be there that day?

Yes. (I know the reference and am missing it).

He had the audacity to ask me to RENT something. And I used "Netflix" like it was a four-letter word that would make a sailor blush. I do believe I said "this is why Netflix keeps kicking your ass." It's a bit of a blur.

 

[Mulli]

Yes. (I know the reference and am missing it).

He had the audacity to ask me to RENT something. And I used "Netflix" like it was a four-letter word that would make a sailor blush. I do believe I said "this is why Netflix keeps kicking your ass." It's a bit of a blur.

Good job on the slur. (you knew the reference and missed it?)

 

[D-Dogg]

clerk who wasn't supposed to be there that day.

 

[Mulli]

clerk who wasn't supposed to be there that day.

You missed it?

 

[Mulli]

Was the clerk's name, Dante?

 

[abomb]

clerk who wasn't supposed to be there that day.

You named your son after 'em;

You must be registered for see images

 

[Mulli]

That sweater is stoopid!

 

[D-Dogg]

Was the clerk's name, Dante?

Ah, yes. Clerks. That's why I got the reference but didn't place it.

Not a very big fan. Correction...don't really care for Kevin Smith much at all.

 

[Pariah]

I'm switching back to Netflix. The turnaround time for getting movies back is too slow. With NF it seemed like it was one day to get there, same day turnaround and another to get it back.

I mailed 3 movies last Wednesday and still haven't gotten my new ones from BBO, yet. I know there was a holiday in there, but still.

I switched my queue over last night.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I signed up for blockbuster a couple of weeks ago, to fulfill requirements to get a free 360 game. We shall see how it goes. Watched 2 of the 3 movies so far. I don't think I will keep the service anyway.