Netflix Vs Blockbuster Total Access?

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Discussion Overview

This thread explores participants' experiences and opinions regarding Netflix and Blockbuster Total Access, focusing on their rental services, policies, and personal preferences.

Discussion Character

  • Opinion-based
  • Anecdotal

Main Points Raised

  • One participant, identifying as a consultant, appreciates the variety of opinions in the group and shares frustration with managing their Netflix queue.
  • Another participant mentions enjoying Blockbuster for its in-store exchange option and the ability to rent a wider variety of kids' movies.
  • Several users note that they have had positive experiences with Blockbuster, especially regarding the ability to exchange movies in-store.
  • One participant expresses dissatisfaction with Blockbuster's limits on in-store exchanges and considers switching to Netflix.
  • Another participant shares a negative experience with Blockbuster's late fee policy change, leading them to cancel their membership.
  • One participant highlights the quick turnaround time for Netflix rentals, contrasting it with their slower experiences with Blockbuster.
  • Another participant mentions that Netflix allows for multiple queues, which helps manage movie selections among household members.
  • One participant, who has been with Netflix for a long time, appreciates the customer service and flexibility of their subscription.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Views differ among participants regarding the advantages and disadvantages of Netflix and Blockbuster, with no clear consensus emerging on which service is superior.

Contextual Notes

Participants share personal experiences with both services, highlighting factors such as pricing, convenience, and customer service without making definitive claims about the services' overall quality.

Who May Find This Useful

Consultants considering a movie rental service may find the shared experiences and opinions helpful in making a personal choice between Netflix and Blockbuster.

susanr613
susanr613
Gold Member
Messages
2,010
I love this group because of the wide range of background, experience and opinions!

I have been renting from Netflix for over a year on the 2 at a time plan. I get frustrated sometimes bec I mess up my queue and have grownup movies during the weekends when my son is with me (he's 11). So, I thought Blockbuster Total Access would be good, because if I mess up, I can just take the movies to the store and exchange them.

What do you all think of each service?

Thanks!
 
I have Blockbuster and love it. What we have ended up doing is my DS usually picks out movies he wants at the store and then we order what we want online. Also since the online has a much bigger kids variety we do still order his movies by mail. Usually only 1 at a time though. We have the 3 at a time and love it. Don't know what we did without it. We have had it for about 3 years now. Especially since I paid to rent 2 for him a couple of weeks ago and it was almost $10.
 
Library.Not exactly on the cutting edge with titles, but a lot cheaper.;)
 
I know Blockbuster started putting limits to the amount you could get in the store. I personally am getting sick of renting at Blockbuster and want to sign for Netflicks.
 
wadesgirl said:
I know Blockbuster started putting limits to the amount you could get in the store. I personally am getting sick of renting at Blockbuster and want to sign for Netflicks.
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Hm, we have never had a limit, sometimes we exchange 6 or more a week.
 
I've had Netflix since March 2001, and love it. DH had a very bad experience with Blockbuster (before the Total Access program) and refuses to patronize them anymore. I love not having to worry about due dates, but it would be nice to go exchange the video in the store. I do understnd from a friend, the in-store rental is still subject to the due dates though.
 
I had both at one time, but I dropped Blockbuster.
This might not be the same situation for all, but whenever I would rent online, it would take a week to 2 weeks for the movie to arrive. Also whenever I wanted to rent new releases online, they were never available.
Netflix has always sent the movies immediately, and I've never had to wait longer than 2 days for a movie to be delivered.
 
I have Blockbuster (for the past year) - I really like it - we're able to rent old tv shows and movies that aren't always available in store - and then once I'm done - I take the disc into the store to exchange for a new one (this is when I usually see the newest releases) - and my next disc is shipped off my list online. They are really quick about sending out a new disc (at least for me they are) - I've definitely gotten my money's worth considering it costs $4.50 or more sometimes to rent a single dvd.
 
I have had both...prefer blockbuster
 
Blockbuster
susanr613 said:
I love this group because of the wide range of background, experience and opinions!

I have been renting from Netflix for over a year on the 2 at a time plan. I get frustrated sometimes bec I mess up my queue and have grownup movies during the weekends when my son is with me (he's 11). So, I thought Blockbuster Total Access would be good, because if I mess up, I can just take the movies to the store and exchange them.

What do you all think of each service?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Blockbuster!!! You can return the movies at the store, so you have like 4 out at a time@! THe turnaround time is about two days when the ship a movie to you, so thats a bonus also!
 
Kodeysmom said:
Hm, we have never had a limit, sometimes we exchange 6 or more a week.
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I could have sworn I heard that they were going to put a limit on it because they were loosing money. Maybe they never did.
 
We switched from Netflix to Blockbuster because we could exchange in store and loved it .......UNTIL they changed their in store return policy. It was that they were due at midnight, they changed it to noon without posting it. We came in to exchange a movie one day and were told we owed about $20 in late fees because our last movies were turned in after noon. I asked when they changed the policy. The manager was working behind the cashier. She wouldn't even turn around, she mumbled that it had been a few weeks. I asked if they posted it. She said no. I was so mad that we canceled our membership.

Never had any trouble getting the titles we wanted from either place.
 
I had Blockbuster for awhile, but then they raised the price without telling me, so in turn my checking account was overdrawn. They would not reimburse me, so I dropped them and went to Netflix. I love Netflix!
 
Love Netflix, have had it since 03, and I thought about switching BECAUSE of the instore thing...then found out that the ones you rent from instore have to be returned to the store, just the same as renting, etc, and I thought that was the whole reason I went to Netflix, so I wouldn't have to worry about returning them, etc, so we stayed with them..if we are at an inbetween stage w/ movies waiting to be delivered (esp for kids movies), we will get them from the library until we get the newest movie from NF. I have never had to wait more than 2 days on NF and I have heard that the turnaround time on BB is longer than that...

I think it's really a personal choice...go w/ one and then cancel and switch to another if you want to check them both out..you are not obligated under any contract to stay w/ one..in fact, NF has a thing that you can "suspend" your membership for up to 90 days, not have to pay the monthly fee, and you are still a member..I plan on doing that June 1 because we never have time to watch movies during the summer! Then I can pick it back up in Aug or Sept and not have to worry about resubscribing to it! That is a nice feature!:sing:
 
I briefly thought about going with Blockbuster because of the instore return, but decided to stay with Netflix. I don't know about Blockbuster, but with Netflix, you can multiple queues. For example, in this house is my boyfriend and I. I set us both up with a queue and since we are the 4 at a time plan, he gets 2 movies from his queue and I get 2 movies from my queue. No fighting over who gets a movie, we both get our movies.
 
I've been a Netflix customer since `99, and I don't think there is anything Blockbuster could ever do to make me switch. I get movies the day after they're shipped (due to the fact that I live a mile from our mail hub, and there is a local Netflix distribution center), and I love their customer service standards. I have actually had my monthly fee unexpectedly reduced two (maybe even three) times, over the years, and just last week got a credit to my monthly bill because they experienced a shipping delay on that Monday. (I never would have noticed the delay in getting my movie-- and if I had, I probably would have blamed the Post Office, honestly.)The multiple queues Debala suggested might be a really good one for you, Susan, and really easy to manage. Put your grownup movies in one queue, and the family-friendly ones in the other. When you send a grownup movie back, you get another sent out, and the same with the kid-friendly. My husband and I have separate queues, and it's really easy.Good luck with whichever you choose. If you go with Netflix, I hope you're as pleased as I have been with my experience with them.
 
wadesgirl said:
I could have sworn I heard that they were going to put a limit on it because they were loosing money. Maybe they never did.
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I have Blockbuster and I do like it becuase of the in store exchange. But... they do make changes and often. They have drastically raised the prices and they still offer the unlimited in store exchanges, but you really pay for it. Since I have had my plan for awhile I have gotten to keep the unlimited exchange plan with only a small price increase. If I was to go to the website and sign up for the same plan now it would cost $10 more a month. The movies do take longer to arrive than Netflix.
 
I HAVE BLOCKBUSTER.. and love it!.. GeorgiaPeach, When they changed the due time from midight to noon, they were gining you an additional 12 hours. I worked they when this happened.
 
I rented from netflix for a while and switched to BTA because you get more for your money. Now matter what option you choose, you still get the free rentals at the store with each movie you bring in. Plus they email you a coupon for one free rental per month which can be used for anything in the store (movies, games, etc) and it just stretches your dollar farther if you dont live 50 miles away... then you're just wasting your gas money. they're shipping is free too...
 
soinlove808 said:
I HAVE BLOCKBUSTER.. and love it!.. GeorgiaPeach, When they changed the due time from midight to noon, they were gining you an additional 12 hours. I worked they when this happened.
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Me to, i was going to mention that but most people never understood that so I didn't even want to mention it.:eek:
 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Netflix?

Netflix is a subscription-based streaming service that offers a wide variety of TV shows, movies, documentaries, and original content for viewers to watch on-demand. It allows users to stream content on various devices, including smart TVs, computers, tablets, and smartphones.

What was Blockbuster Total Access?

Blockbuster Total Access was a rental service offered by Blockbuster that combined online DVD rentals with the option to exchange DVDs at physical Blockbuster stores. It aimed to compete with Netflix by providing a hybrid model of rental services.

How do Netflix and Blockbuster Total Access differ in terms of content availability?

Netflix offers a vast library of streaming content that is continuously updated, including exclusive original programming. In contrast, Blockbuster Total Access primarily focused on DVD rentals, which meant that users had to wait for physical copies to be mailed to them, limiting immediate access to new releases.

What are the pricing models for Netflix and Blockbuster Total Access?

Netflix operates on a subscription model with various pricing tiers based on the number of screens and the quality of streaming (SD, HD, 4K). Blockbuster Total Access had a subscription fee for online rentals, but users also incurred late fees for overdue DVDs, which could add to the overall cost.

Which service was more convenient for users?

Netflix was generally considered more convenient due to its on-demand streaming capabilities, allowing users to watch content instantly without waiting for DVDs to arrive. Blockbuster Total Access required users to manage physical rentals and return deadlines, making it less convenient in comparison.

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