Blockbuster "No Late Fees" part II

I made the thread not to long ago of Blockbuster's very confusing late fee program. Im not suprised by the news; I knew people would find it very misleading. I hope they win the case though.

 

A friend of mine worked there. From what he has told me if you refuse to pay the late fees they will clear them and put in the computer that the customer refuses to pay and is sure he returned them on time. I'm going to try it if they tell me I have fees again.

It doesn't seem like they changed too much in their policy. They still charge you the price of the movie if you don't bring it back by a certain time and if you do bring it back they charge you a "restock fee". It is less money for the fee but it just seems like they are calling it "restocking fee" instead of "late fee".

 

What a pain in the arse, all the better reason I don't even rent from there at all. Besides, some films have become so cheap they can purchased at new Sam's Club, plus there is always the option of just get a used copy at Half Price Books or the Movie Trading Company (Blockbuster owned, go figure). It baffles me on how most people are codependent on renting movies so consistently. Damn, people...read a book.

 

It will be interesting to see how it shakes out. If the attorney general prevails it will prove that it's basically a clever scam.

I posted this before but if you've given them your credit card number, when you return the DVD after a week or so they charge your credit card up to $20 for it. The credit goes back on your BB card and not your cc if you return before the 30 days. If you procrastinate and are always late you will wind up with a huge charge on your cc card or your BB card.

They've also got a service similar to Netflix now and offer only a 2 week trial.

All of this sounds like desperation attempts for them to try to continue to gouge until people use alternative ways to get DVD's.

 

I agree with the suit - its false advertising.

I have a better idea, don't be a moron who forgets to return something that doesn't belong to you, especially if you can be charged more than a 'friendship tax' for it.

Do you forget to pay your bills on time too? Friggin tools.

 

It is estimated that late fees would have contributed about $250 million to $300 million to revenue next year. Late fees were dropped in order to more effectively compete against Netflix etc. and replaced by this "No late fee" revenue program.

If the lawsuit prevails this new campaign may just backfire as a result of the consumer being properly informed.

We'll see.

 

Blockbuster manages to get sued by 30 different states for their "End of Late Fees" campaign:

http://money.cnn.com/2005/03/07/news/midcaps/blockbuster.reut/

 

Didn't work for me. I rented a dvd over a year ago and they claim I returned an empty box to them. I of course didn't find this out until I went to check out another dvd a few weeks later and they wanted about $25 in fees to clear my account. I refused to pay it and they said as long as I return the disc everything is OK, until then I pay their fee or they don't allow me to rent. I already returned the disc you idiots! They insist that isn't so and assure me I may have left it in my dvd player. I explain to them that I put the disc in the box and left it in the drop. They still want $25 from me because they lost their own movie.

Needless to say I do not go to Blockbuster any longer. Idiots.

 

Perfect example of their adversting mis-leading people.

I rented a movie 3 weeks ago. I left it at a friends house so he could watch it again and he said he would return it. A week and a half later, I get the automated call from BB. Call friend. He says,"Don't worry, there are no late fee's." I advise him otherwise, he says he will return it. Few more days pass, and BB automated calls AGAIN. He once again says not to worry. he called Monday night to tell me he returned if finally. 2.5 weeks late.

He was under the impression the whole time, it would not be late. Oh well. I guess I am no longer going to that BB.

 

That would be a little different because you aren't refusing to pay late fees you are refusing to pay for a lost item. I had this problem a while back too. There really is no way I could prove that I brought it back so I just payed them. I guess you would have to get a receipt everytime you bring back a movie so you could show them if there is a problem later.

 

Hmm, I used Netflix for a while and was charged for an nonreceived video when I went to cancel. Once again it's your word against there's. I used the Walmart deal too and they were very agreeable over a DVD that was not delivered. It sounds like a game they play to make some extra $$.

 

Blockbuster is close to my house and open later than the other place that is out of the way so I keep going there. I have only had the problem with them saying I didn't bring something back once in about 5 years so I'm not worried about it. If it happened all the time I wouldn't go back. I've thought about asking them to check it into the computer while I stand there.

I have not used any of the online rental sites. Movie rentals are usually an impulse thing for me and I want to watch it right then so I don't think they would work for me.

 

Give it a try. They have a free trial The fact that I don't have to physically return it outways the impulse aspect. With the basic rental you're allowed 3 out at once and you can preselect on their website. They arrive in about a day.