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Netflix or Blockbuster?

As the days get colder and the snow gets ready to fly, my wife and I are pondering the movie rental services that come to your door. However, we can’t decide if we should try Netflix or Blockbuster.

Netflix has been around for quite a while and I hear mostly good stuff. Most people I know that do the movie rental services though the mail are doing Netflix. However, Blockbuster seems a few dollars cheaper and give you a free in store coupon.

What have you used or do you recommend? Good bad or ugly, we’d like to know.


13 Responses

  1. Netflix! Hands down!

    Blockbuster does not compare from a community standpoint. I find out about so many movies via Netflix’ friend and suggestion feature. The Netflix site and mailing system is also way slicker than Blockbuster. Most importantly, Netflix is fast! They’ve got a distro center in Minneapolis, so turn around time on movies is usually 2 days. I’ve used them for 5 years and it has only taken 3 days once and I’ve only ever received one damaged disk.

    If for no other reason, simply refuse to support the one that stole all of your cash with late fees 😉

  2. Daniel says:

    I guess Netflix is better but Blockbuster is getting better. Been disappointed lately with Netflix and getting movies back in a decent time. Twice it took up to 5-6 biz days despite a local mailing office here in metro Atlanta. Put in some phone calls and things seem to “speed” up a bit in the past 2-3 weeks.

  3. Thomas says:

    Thanks for the advice! I think we’ll try Netflix and it’s great to hear they have a a distribution center here in Minneapolis. 🙂

  4. Bill says:

    Gameznflix has both DVD and GAMES for a very low price. They even have an RV touring the country with Gaming tournament.

  5. Chris says:

    Netflix vs Blockbuster. A friend at work told me about this Total Access program at blockbuster… Online and instore rentals, blah, blah, blah… At first I said I wasn’t going to support corporate america, but then I realized I use Netflix (duh… no hypocrite am I) so I decided to use a scientific approach to test them. I accessed the blockbuster website (used my friends promo code 08141B) and listed the top 10 movies on my netflix que and waited. In a nutshell, not only did I get my online movies faster than with netflix (all within the 2 week trial), but I also ended up with 9 MORE movies from the store. I even hate to admit it, but I even got a recommendation from the goofy blockbuster guy for Everything is illuminated (great flick despite elijah woods). I switched over not only because I got so much more for the same price, but I found the blockbuster employees were not the same ignorant, annoying brats I remembered from years past.

  6. Thomas says:

    Thanks for the insight Chris. I don’t usually see many pro Blockbuster stories.

  7. Tami says:

    Netflix tried to write a check they couldn’t afford. When they proclaimed that they would take down blockbuster just like they did to Hollywood video Blockbuster got mad. And the birth of “Total Access” was born. No matter what Netflix does now it can’t compete with the in store exchange for your returns So unless Netflix starts putting up stores, we’re still standing strong. That’s right I said “we’re” I’m one of those so called annoying brats that works for Blockbuster. And let me tell you all something the reason you got such good in store help is because part of our job is actually watching the movies. So that we can tell our customers what’s worth watching and what’s a waist of time. By the way everybody stay away from “the breakup” I love both the actors but the entire movie is just one big fight. Back to the point, try blockbuster’s online, don’t let Netflix rule your life just because they’ve been around longer. LONGER DOESN’T MEAN BETTER, JUST OLDER. No I’m not being paid to say this, I just believe in this program. Go to Blockbuster.com and try it yourself it’s truly worth it.

  8. Thomas says:

    I still haven’t picked one. 🙂 However my cable company offered me free cable for three months. Now that’s a nice deal.

  9. Marc says:

    I haven’t tried Netflix, but I got Blockbuster on the recommendation of a good friend. Turnaround is phenomenal, 1 – 2 days (I think there is a distro center here in Houston, lucky me). But the best feature is the free rental with your envelope. We keep a watched movie around most of the time for those impulse rentals. Plus the once a month coutpons that are good for games make it an even better value. As for the “brats” – our current nanny used to work there, and they are strongly encouraged to watch lots of movies – they even get the new releases a week before they go on the shelves so they can speak intelligently. Don’t expect film school grads, but they definately see alot of movies.

  10. Thomas says:

    I keep going back and fourth. I like the idea of renting games as we now have a Wii!!

  11. Sheree says:

    I went with a blockbuster plan about four months ago and thought it was great and then recently received an e-mail saying my plan was cancelled and I would have to choose a higher priced plan. When I called to ask, they said some people were grandfathered under the old plan and others weren’t given the choice, it was a corporate decision! I will never go back to that company!

  12. Thomas says:

    Sorry to hear Sheree. I still haven’t made up my mind. I keep saying I’m going to start Netflix some day though.

  13. Throggsneck says:

    I just cancelled my account Total Access with BlockBuster Video… I had the three out at a time plus unlimited in store exchanges for $16.99 a month.. In the spring of ‘07 changed it to 3 out at a time and a limit of 5 in store exchanges… If you wanted the unlimited in store exchanges the price went to $21.99 a month, an almost 33% increase.. Than in December of ‘07 they had another 20% increase…I also found that new releases had long wait times and the stores only had a limited numbers of copies..There are rumors that the company has financial issues.. The stock has dropped from a high of $30.00 in May of ‘02 to $3.00 a share currently.. They have been closing store nationwide and opening up few new ones… I went to Netflix where I’m paying $9.99 a month and I’m using the unlimited download videos which are great, and no trip to the store to return them…

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