Netflix vs Blockbuster?
 

Hey everyone. Im a college student from the middle of the US and have been looking into signing up with either Blockbuster or Netflix. I'm planing on using both of the services trial options, but was wondering if anyone has had experience with the two services. The main thing that appeals to me about Blockbuster is the 2 free rentals a month, considering that there is a blockbuster about 10 minutes away, making impulse rentals not a problem. However, the fact that Netflix is a proven service makes me wonder if this war may just suffer the same fate as Amazon.com vs barnsandnoble where amazon won out just because of their lack of having to maintain retail locations. Any advice on which service to subscribe to, any horror stories about why I should steer clear of one over the other?

Signed up on Saturday for Blockbuster--been using Netflix for years.

#1 - Compared movie status in both queues.

Out of 11 movies, Netflix had all available now and Blockbuster only had three.

#2 - Three movies were shipped by Blockbuster on Monday and two were shipped by Netflix on Monday as well. Today I received both of the Netflix movies but only one from Blockbuster.

The in-store thing is cool--used them Sat. night.

The availability thing worries me, though.

The next test is to see how long the turnaround time for Blockbuster is after I send the movie back. With Netflix, I can send the movie back on Mon. or Tues and have a new movie in my mailbox no later then Sat.

Just a word in for Netflix. I've had it for about 10 months and am perfectly happy with it, except for the fact that they raised the price 2 bucks about 4-5 months ago. That aside, they always have the movies I want, and they always get them here in 2-3 days. I've heard that Netflix is teaming up with Tivo to provide downloadable movies that would be stored on Tivo hardware, so basically its movies-on-demand without the wait of having them shipped. Can't wait.

I have been with Netflix for over a year in 2 different cities and have had no problems whatsoever. This is a proven service, and like the prev poster mentioned will probably win this war with blockbuster.

I saw some thread about how Netflix will kinda screw you over if you start to get more than 5 movies a month. I'm pretty sure it was on these forums, and there was a link to a site where a guy had done some pretty extensive studying up on it. I have no idea how the Blockbuster thing works though. Here is the link to the site I mentioned. Credits go to rekinom for finding this site.

I've been more than happy with Netflix. I live in Phoenix and they have a warehouse in phx. The turnaround is really fast. I'll put it in the mail on Mon and have new movies back on Wed. I checked my rental history and I've rented 25 in the last 30 days. Not bad for $24

I have been with netflix since they started teh AYCE billing. I have another friend who was with them before that.

Blockbuster needs to get you to come into the store because that's where they get more profits when you buy the sodas etc. which they don't have to share profits with the studios, rentals they do.

Sometime next year, if you have Tivo and Netflix, you can have your next movie downloaded directly to your Tivo.

Blockbuster is currently being sold by Viacom... Once Viacom removes it from it's stable Blockbuster will be forced to become profitable since they won't have deep pockets to borrow from any longer.

I'm currently doing both (already had Netflix; signed up for the Blockbuster in-store deal because the first month was only $14.99 for 2 movies at a time; I've let it lapse into the second month where the charge is now, I think, $24.99 per month)

Here's what I think it basically boils down to when comparing Netflix (I'm doing the 3 at a time deal) and the Blockbuster Movie Pass (in-store) (I'm not really familiar with using Blockbuster Online and having them mail to you):

Netflix has an infinitely better selection. If you're really into older movies or foreign films (or you often are trying to track down and rent just random obscure titles), Netflix will almost always have them and Blockbuster often won't.

The turnaround on Netflix rentals for me is usually two days (i.e. I drop a movie to send back in my mailbox and get my next selection two days later), sometimes three. This is a pretty decent turnaround that should keep you at a pace of seeing a movie per day, except when you take into account the fact that mail isn't sent on Sundays and holidays.

The Blockbuster deal is definitely good for impulse rentals (where you know you want something in particular or a certain type of movie; with Netflix, the movie's already coming to you in the mail and you can't change your mind) and for renting many more movies over a span of time.

So if you have a lot of time on your hands to watch movies or are indesicive about what movie you want to see, the Blockbuster deal might be the better choice. Otherwise, Netflix is the way to go.

At $14.99, the Blockbuster deal is worth a shot for its first month just to see how you like it.

Netflix has an infinitely

I've never tried the Blockbuster deal, but I have Netflix and I think it's great. The one problem I know I would have with Blockbuster is the selection. I've been able to find pretty much any DVD I was looking for on Netflix...many of those titles I'm sure Blockbuster wouldn't carry. But, if you're just interested in renting more mainstream films and you'd like to be able to drive down the street to get a rental whenevr you want, then Blockbuster might be better for you.

i think if you're into new releases and older popular movies (the kind you know blockbuster will have in-store) then blockbuster is probably the better one. but if you like the random/foreign/classic whatever movies that aren't all that likely to be in-store, go with netflix. i saw more classic movies that way than i'd ever seen before i got netflix (but then i got poor :() can't wait to get it back again.

Well i work at blockbuster so i can tell ya the blockbuster story first hand. it really varies what store you go to. like the one i work at has a gigantic foreign film section (around 500), where as the one i started at has maybe a rack or two (30 or so). college towns tend to have a wider more quality selection so if your around there i would suggest that. its 14.99 (16.13 after tax :P) to start for the first month so you can just cancel it two days later and rent out everything they have. after that im sure you will have combed through everything they have and then just move onto netfilx :). blockbuster is nowhere close to that with the online thing. much slower and not as broad of a selection, as everyone else was saying.

Netflix is good...better selection and much quicker in receiving and delivering of the DVDs. It makes burning those DVDs so much easier.

I'm surprised noone has mentioned Walmart DVD Rental. I used the Netflix for three months but the turn around time was too long. I was getting about 10-14 movies per month (I watch them as they arrive). I then switched to Walmart, lucky for me, the video distribution center is located in Indianapolis, I'm in the suburb of Indy. I pay 18.95 a month for 3 movies at a time. I get about 18-22 movies a month!

If you are into Asian flicks, try eHit (http://www.ehit.com/). They actually carry English films as well. The site is in both English and Chinese so even if you can't read a word of it, you can still navigate.

^_^

There's a Netflix distribution center in Indianapolis now, though it sounds like you might be getting a better deal pricewise. I like Netflix for the anime and foreign film selection (Yes, in the same week I was watching Slayers and Ingmar Bergman. I have diverse tastes); how's Walmart on those sorts of things?

-BUMP-

I finished my "two-week trial" with Blockbuster a little over a week ago and cancelled it.

The availability comapred to NetFlix was just horrible. I looked at my queue for Blockbuster and every movie there wasn't available, while the same movies were available at NetFlix.

Anyway, I cancelled Blockbuster and sent the three movies back.

Oddly enough, Blockbuster is trying to now charge me for the three movies that I returned, saying that they never received them. I wonder if that has anything to do with me cancelling my subscription? I find it an odd coincidence.

And the phone number they give me to call regarding my "missing" movies is busy every time I call.

My opinion: Blockbuster online sucks and is not worth the hassle. It is not even worth the free trial.

Actually, if you're into eclectic movies, like foreign films, classics, or just rare DVDs, you might want to try GreenCine. It's a community-based DVD rental site, sort of like TFP for movies, and has a lot of good recommendations and lists from its users, as well as primers on different movie genres and so forth. They also carry a lot more foreign films, anime, and weird stuff than Netflix, with the same pricing scheme. They also carry adult movies, which might interest some TFPers ;-)

However, if you're not located in California, you're probably better off with the shipping times from Netflix, as GreenCine only has California warehouses, as far as I'm aware.

Bingle

i have a friend who swears by NetFlix, simply because the selection is so much better. He's found a lot of movies you won't see in video rental stores with any regularity. I kinda like smaller, non-chain stores myself. You can walk in and just browse the horror shelves on a boring weekend and find some really hilarious stuff in the little mom-and-pop places that have accumulated stuff for decades.

I'm a former NetFlixer, and was happy with it, I just didn't have time to watch as many as it took to pay for it. I found a video store with older titles for a buck a night, or 5 for 5 nights for 5 bucks, and that worked out better for me; I could rent a stack if I knew I had time to see them over a weekend.

But I never had a beef about the selection with Netflix, and I liked the queue system. You enter a dozen or more films in the order you would like to see them (putting new titles first) and if your first choice wasn't available, the next one that was available came. I went in and adjusted my list about every 10 days or so (adding titles and rearranging).

I've had Netflix for a year now and they are great. I have been considering try out BB because they give you two in store rentals a month though which is nice for nights when you get the urge to watch something spur of the moment. Although I hear shipping takes longer with BB.

I have used both Netflix and Blockbuster. I used Netflix for years and then switched to Blockbuster a month or so ago to save a couple of bucks. It's really nice to be able to have two free in store rentals. It's very useful when friends come over and your want to rent something specific. The shipping time is good for me, about 2 days each way. I live in the Tampa area, and the shipping center is in Miami. I guess it all depends on how close you are to where the movies are shipped. I haven't had any trouble finding movies on the Blockbuster site. They do a good job or recommending movies suited to your tastes. Finally, when I signed up for the Blockbuster service, I entered the promotional code "COOPER" and got one month free trial service and afterwards 17.99 a month for 3 movies out at a time. Not a bad deal at all. I'm not sure if COOPER still works though.

Lpj8

I read a few of the posts and it seems that I'm falling in line here. I haven't tried the Blockbuster deal, and I can see no reason why I ever would. Netflix is a great service, and I have had no troubles. They have every movie I have ever looked up. Only once, on a brand new release was their a short wait. The movies get back to them quick, and the next one is back to me quick. I'd say from the day I put it into the mailbox until the day the new one's in there is usually three to four days. I've recommended it to everyone I know, and therefore I am to you as well. NETFLIX...you won't be sorry.

To echo some others here, we have not tried Blockbuster but are on Netflix and love it. It is so much easier than traditional video rental. We are currently cycling through all 88 of the original Farscape episodes to get all caught for the release of the new ones starting tonight. You just queue them up and go. Great stuff.

Cool will be when someone gets a service up and running to provide streaming video rental on demand. I know it is done on a limited basis now but I am talking about a whole blockbuster store available online anytime you want it.

I have tried Netflix, Walmart and Blockbuster dvd rentals. Where I live they all had about the same turn around rate. I'm with BB now because of the two instore rentals. You can get xbox games with those also.

I've had Netflix for over a year and have no complaints. They recently dropped their 3-at-a-time price down to $17.99 or so per month. I have 13 movies rented in the last 30 days and 26 the previous 30 days. So 39 movies for about $40 is a great deal. I've never used another online DVD distributor, and don't think I will be unless something decends from heaven. Netflix is simply great. Maybe living in the same city as a Netflix warehouse (is that what they are?) helps. Turn around is typically like mentioned above: I mail them Monday and receive my new ones on Wednesday most of the time. If what was said about Tivo and Netflix working together in the future is true, then I'll probably go that route as well.

Quick question for everyone using Netflix: Ever since the price drop has anyone else noticed that everything takes longer. The shipping, the processing, etc. It almost takes a week from when I sent my movies back and when I receive the next batch. Personally, I would prefer to pay the 2 or 3 more bucks and have something in a day or two. Has anyone else noticed this? Just wondering.

Well, I joined at the end of December, and it has always taken about a week for me to get my movies - I typically drop them in the mail either Sunday or Monday after watching them, and they usually come Friday. I was reading up and saw that people were getting a 2 day turnaround time, that is definitely not my case.

My Netflix turnaround definately increased around the same time as the price decrease. Still a good deal, but the $/rental ratio probably went up, rather than down.

Turnaround time for me stayed the same after the price drop. Movies I drop in the mail on a Monday hit the distribution center on Tuesday and I get new movies on Thursday.

Turnaround time for me seems a lot slower since I came back from Christmas break, but that might just be from me getting used to having a much closer distribution center.

For anyone that does have netflix, I've got a question. I'm thinking of signing up, but I was wondering, do they offer movies such as...

Batoru rowaiaru (Battle Royale)
Ong-bak
Siu lam juk kau (Shaolin Soccer)


How is their foreign movie selection? Thanks :)

They have all three. In general, there are only a few things I haven't been able to find on Netflix; I've heard Blockbuster Online's selection isn't nearly as good.

I think netflicks is better if ur a big movie buff.