For Online Movie Rental, Choose Netflix over Blockbuster: My Experience

Renting DVDs online to have sent straight to your doorstep is the most convenient service that you could have. I am always too busy to get in the car and drive to the nearest movie rental place (which for me is a 30-minute drive) just to get a movie and return it the next day. I have tried Blockbuster Online and Netflix and definitely have my opinion on each.

Blockbuster Online was the first one of the two that I gave a try. It seems convenient enough. You go online and create a queue list that is in essence the shipping list that Blockbuster uses to know what movie to send next. Once they send you the movie you will receive it in 1 to 3 days in U.S. mail. The best thing is there is no due date. When you decide to return the movie you can send it back by U.S. mail, or if you have this included in your package, you can go to your local Blockbuster and exchange or return it. If you send it by mail or just return it to your local Blockbuster you will receive your next movie in your queue. When I first joined I liked the fact that you could go to the local Blockbuster to exchange or return, for some reason that is why I choose the service. Once I started the service though I liked the convenience of the mail and never even used the exchange at the store part of my package. The first week I loved the service, but in the second week I found that Blockbuster Online was not on queue with their service all of the time. My movie took 5 days to receive, and it was not a movie that I had on my queue. When I called customer service they offered to send out a new movie before they received the unauthorized movie and for me to put the unauthorized movie back in the mail as soon as possible. Well a few more weeks went by and one of my movies did not arrive in the mailbox for 7 days. Shipping seems to be a problem with this company.

Netflix is a company that I was referred to by a friend. I checked the service out and saw where you could receive your movies the next day after they receive your last movie back. I dropped Blockbuster and have not had a shipping problem from Netflix in the 2 months that I have been a member. Netflix works similar to Blockbuster, you set up your queue list for shipping and they do it as if it was clockwork. I am very pleased with my service through Netflix.

For both services there are packages to choose from. Blockbuster has a plan for one disc at a time and 2 in-store exchanges for the month for $9.99. Notice there is a limit to in store exchanges. Netflix has a plan offering unlimited disc at one disc at a time for 8.99. For 2 disc at a time Netflix has Blockbuster beat with the price of $13.99 and Blockbuster's plan (including 3 in store exchanges) is $14.99. There are other pricing deals listed on each of their websites.

I personally choose Netflix after trying both because of the dependable shipping that they have. They seem to keep their promise that they advertise at the beginning when they say they process your movies and send out a new one the next day. The added benefit of the in store exchanges that Blockbuster offers is nice, but it does not make up for the delayed shipping that I experienced with Blockbuster. The selection of movies at Netflix and Blockbuster is about the same, Blockbuster says they have over 75,000 titles and Netflix is saying they have over 85,000 titles.

To wrap it up, if you are looking for a movie rental service that you can do through the mail with no issues, choose Netflix. I have not had any problems with the service with Netflix, and enjoy every minute of it. Both, Blockbuster and Netflix both offer a free trail that you can use to compare the services yourself. Check out each companies websites to read up on their service packages available.