Dear Blockbuster, I hate you

Published on April 12, 2004 By Angloesque In Consumer Issues

Dear Blockbuster video franchise,

How do I hate you? Let me count the ways.

I hate the way your movies cost $4.10, whether it's a new release or an old release for five nights.

I hate the way you gave me a scratched DVD last time I was at my parents' place and my dad and I decided to have some Bond-ing time, if you know what I mean.

I hate the way you gave me $1 credit when I explained to you how we could not watch the Bond DVD.

I hate the way you put the movie we returned to you right back on the shelf so you could shaft someone else.

I hate the way you carry over fines, so that my rental that was five minutes late cost me an additional $4.10.

I hate the way my $1 credit is only available in the store at which you shafted me, and not the one I usually go to, and yet the $4.10 debit has no trouble carrying over.

I hate your fascist, money-grubbing outlook on consumers.

Sincerely,

Me.

(Next: Dear Netflix, I sort of love you)

Comments (Page 1)

Suspeckted

on Apr 12, 2004

the title made me laugh enough...I do miss the old neighborhood video store that had two movies for $2 tuesdays....that rocked.

KellyW0498

on Apr 12, 2004

The same thing happened to me this weekend, except for the late part. I would love to borrow your letter and send it to my local BlockBuster.

Good Job!

crimson

on Apr 12, 2004

Nice post, and I identify.
Blockbuster is the bane of my existence as a movie watcher. I just need to watch new things, and in a small town like where I am from, sometimes the only option is Blockbuster. I hate their late fee policy. I hate almost everything about them, except the sheer numbers of movies that are available. Which of course, is why I continue to go. And pay extraordinary prices for instant gratification.

Angloesque

on Apr 12, 2004

Oooh, Suspeckted, did we grow up in the same town? Our local store also had the two movies for $2 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Awesome.

=> And there I've done it: officially reminiscing about the old days. Makes me old.

KellyW, don't use it--I'm actually sending a variation of it to them in the hopes that their granite pocketbooks will send a coupon my way.

Cheers.

Cann1bal

on Apr 12, 2004

Ahh, the beauty, I take a break from working on a web site, and I read this, thanks for the laugh.

adios

KellyW0498

on Apr 12, 2004

O.K. I won't use it but you have to! It is a great letter and don't change a thing in the title!

Dan Kaschel

on Apr 12, 2004

I'm sorry for all your bad experiences. At my blockbuster, there are no late fees as long as it's returned within two weeks, and then it's just a $3 restocking charge. Also, all previous late fees have been removed. If you have a problem with a video, they give you a free movie and sometimes a couple if they're feeling nice; they try hard to keep customers happy. And of course, the selection is great.

We have good blockbusters.

~Dan

Schro

on Apr 13, 2004

Dan,

I'm afraid you have unwittingly exposed yourself. You clearly must be writing from another galaxy because on the planet we call "Earth", no such Blockbuster exists.

Indeed, we'd all be lucky if the Blockbusters in Heaven were this generous.

(kidding Dan. Just keep it under wraps before Blockbuster Corporate finds out)

Schro

Angloesque

on Apr 13, 2004

Dan, Could you send those workers my way?

Schro, I guess there *is* intelligent life out there, after all.

Jamie Burnside

on Apr 13, 2004

Wow! Seeing the title made my heart jump a bit.

You see, my actual name is "Blockbuster." I thought that you were writing a letter against me personally.

Fortunately, you meant the video store "Blockbuster."

MyViewsAndMuse

on Apr 13, 2004

Why reward them with your business? What incentive is there for them to change? Have you tried Netflix?

Angloesque

on Apr 13, 2004

Blockbuster is the only video store in our town, except Safeway and the library (where I do go occasionally), and though I hate to admit it, Blockbuster has a pretty good selection. I've done Netflix but the fact is I just don't watch enough movies to make it worthwhile, plus no matter how many you order, they've honed their practice so that you still only get about 3-5 newer DVDs a month. I think it's cost-effective for them...seems like there was an article on slashdot about it awhile back. Netflix will give you as many older movies as you order, though, so that's nice, plus no late fees, which generally makes me super happy.

Kelly, I sent that letter to Blockbuster from their "contact us" thing on the web site. Whaddya know, they have a 1,000 character limit (so fascist in every way) which includes spaces, so I had to edit it a bit. I'd send a real letter but didn't readily find a mailing address for them, though I didn't look super hard. If I don't get a suitable reply I'll send a real letter, and another, and another....

Dan Kaschel

on Apr 13, 2004

Good luck changing your local blockbusters, sirs and ma'ams.

We need those workers here, Anglo:)

~Dan

JillUser

on Apr 15, 2004

Oh boy do I feel your pain! The part about putting the damaged DVD right back on the shelf really spoke to me. One word of advice, always keep your reciepts because they tried to stick me with an undo late fee a couple of times. The first time I didn't have my slip but the second time I did. They gave me one free rental for the mishap.

How hard is it for them to put damaged tapes and DVDs aside?! I hate that!

Good article and I appreciate that you wrote to them.

KarmaGirl

on Apr 15, 2004

Dan, don't you live in up north Michigan? You really can't compare the treatment in stores up there to how most other places work (just travel around Michigan and you will see what I mean, most people aren't that "nice")

I don't rent movies from a store. I have satellite TV which has pay per view. They have $1 specials (what was on pay per view the previous weeks) and $3 new releases (new released DVDs). No late fees, and you can tape it (not like you are supposed to, though ) and most of the movies are an "all day" pass, so you can watch it again if you missed bits. All digital all the time and most of them are in surround sound, too.

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