My Love Affair with Blockbuster & Blockbuster Online

I became a member of Blockbuster many years ago and Blockbuster Online over 2 years ago. Since that time they have gone through many positive changes to improve their program. And I am happy to say that I chose Blockbuster Online over Netflix and would never reconsider my decision.

When I first signed up, both Netflix and Blockbuster were offering their 2 week free trials so if you weren't happy with the service you could cancel at any time before being billed. So why did I choose Blockbuster over Netflix? My first reason would be that Blockbuster was offering 2 online coupons every month for free in-store rentals. Since Netflix doesn't have any stores to do this I decided that Blockbuster would be the choice for me. While it is great that you get your movies via mail, it is even better if you happen to decide that you want something from the store that you forgot to add to your queue. Over the years there have been many times that I have stopped in at the store to see what's new and have found lots of movies that I neglected to add to my online queue. I was able to rent them on the spot as long as I had my coupons with me. We could even rent video games if we didn't find any movies we wanted to see. To add icing on the cake, the customer service I have received at my local Blockbuster store is phenomenal. They really know their stuff when it comes to movies. They always give me good recommendations and always warn me when I have chosen a movie that is no good. Forget reading the reviews anywhere else- I'd rather get it from the crew at Blockbuster!

During the time that I have been with Blockbuster Online I mentioned some changes. Some of these include the introduction to their total access program where they allowed online customers to trade in their mailed rentals for rentals at the store. They have also added more rental options to suit as many of their customers as possible. Originally there were 3 rental options. Now there are 11 options to meet the needs of everyone. You can opt out of being able to receive the in-store exchange option if you think that it is something that you don't need. Or you can limit your in-store exchanges to a certain amount every month. Both of these options will lower your monthly cost. You can choose to receive 1, 2 or 3 d.v.d.s at a time. You can also do a limited mail option with or without in-store exchanges.

Now I have noticed that Netflix also has multiple plans to suit different people. They have even offered the option to be able to watch movies on your computer. But you are only allowed so many hours of online viewing, based on your plan. The more d.v.d.s you get for your plan the more hours you get. For me that doesn't make it worth it to switch. Of course it is a great idea but I can name a few things that would cause it to be way less than a valuable commodity. I already sit at my computer desk in my slightly uncomfortable chair way too much. Plus, how can anyone stare at a computer screen long enough to make it through a whole movie? Not to mention the obvious size difference between most televisions vs. computers. And what about the rest of the family? Where are they supposed to sit? Now I know that some people have large computer that would be great for watching movies and some people even have enough knowledge to figure out how to hook up their computer to their television to make the view better. But the general population will not know these things or have access to the things that would make this worthwhile. I also wonder what happens if you do take full advantage of this feature and in the end you don't have enough time to make it through any movies. Do your minutes roll over? Or do you lose that extra time?

Now you understand why I love Blockbuster and why it is my choice. But since I have heard both positive and negative things about both companies, it is up to each individual to decide which program is right for them.