Block Buster vs Netflix

[sprintcarcrazy]

I had tried Netflix a year or more ago. The shipping center for them was in KC or St. Louis MO, so it was taking 3-4 days to get a Disk to Central MO and half the time they would be scratched, so you would have delays getting them replaced, so I cancelled them. With the Dish AEP, and extra drive, I would rent stuff and just store it for later.

Now that the crazy 24 hour CP is in effect, we no longer rent any PPV's on Dish. And if they invoke that on the premiums, bye bye HBO, etc.

Getting the Blu-Ray player, I decided to give Netflix and Blockbuster a try. Netflix has a close Dist center now and Blockbust has a local store too.

After sign up on both, I put in some high demand movies in my que, the same on both services, both said long wait, Dark Night, Fred Clause and Iron Man.

Block Buster is still showing long wait and Netflix shipped out and I had the next day.

So, did netflix do this because and was a new customer and wanted to impress, making longer member customers wait at my expense, or are they just better ?

After a week, I have never got the ones from Blockbuster, so I just removed them from my que. I am considering cancelling BlockBuster, but I like the idea of the in store exchange if a disk is bad and the option to return to the store and get another on the way. But I certainly don't want to wait for weeks to get a newer release movie.

What is your experience with these services ?

 

[Poke]

I think Blockbuster great! Just got a Blu-Ray player about 3 weeks ago changed my format on their site to Blu-Ray. Had no issues getting the Blu-Ray Movies from them at all quick turn around so forth. Just make sure you check your Que to keep titles in there that are available or you might have some delay due to things in your Que are not available . Best thing to try to do is watch your movies during the week and try to get them in the mail by Saturday. That way if you have a new release that comes out that next Tuesday that you want to see in your Que you have a better chance of getting it.

Since new release come out every Tuesday of the month try to get a cycle started. Now I know things come out and it might get out of order some but easy to do for most part. Also go on-line and see what comes out in future months and go ahead and add them to your Que you might half to do a search for them on Blockbuster site. But even if their not out yet you can save them to your Que and they will be shipped one their available. This keeps you ahead of the game with new releases. Now I think they can do downloads as well and to me it seems Blockbuster has more titles and gets things quicker that Netflix. I have a friend on Netflix he has not been to happy with it.. Overall I always recommend Blockbuster over anything else.. Just my 2 cents..

 

[gadgtfreek]

Im using both, and have swapped back and forth a few times. In my experience, BB takes an extra day usually to check in and ship, but they ship as fast as Netflix. Netflix, over time, seems to throttle you more and I was having trouble getting BR new releases. I have both now at 2 at a time, and have not noticed any issues. Maybe since Nflix charges more for BR now, theyll be a little better.

 

[SatinKzo]

I have heard and seen some theories on the Netflix new customer priority on releases... But until facts are shown, it's just a theory.

As for me, Netflix is a better service in my area. Blockbuster has a store down the road, but the online/mail portion sucked wind for me so I get more value out of netflix. Honestly from what I have read, it's very regional on which service works faster. Plus you have to deal with the USPS with both and we all know that the service is sometimes not up to par, but that is neither netflix nor blockbusters fault.

Online availability has always been better with netflix for me, but I don't try to get new releases the day they come out, they just get added to the end of my queue and by the tiem I get to them (couple weeks) they are easily available on netflix. Blockbuster still had availability issues in my area even after a couple weeks. But I did have the option to go get it in the store, but I hate having to drive back to return a movie unless I am getting another movie and that is where the mail portion of blockbuster would get me. I had 7 days to return the store rental, but I would not necessarily get my next movie mailed to me in time to watch and return it to the store with the in-store disc, so I had to make 2 trips.

 

[Zookster]

Last spring, my nearest BB switched from a 7-day to 5-day rental period, so the ability to make an exchange at the time of the weekly grocery shopping trip was lost. They did mail me some "Long Wait" discs when I first joined, but after about a month I was only getting titles toward the bottom of my list as they skipped over "Long Wait" titles that were readily availalbe via Netflix at the time. I soon switched back to Netflix and haven't looked back.

 

[berck]

I've had no problems with either service. I liked Netflix website better, but I enjoy the exchange with the local BB too. I've been sticking with BB, and over the past year, had only been skipped over once I can remember with Hancock recently. I got Fred Claus without any issues. Many times I've seen Long Wait, just to get it immediately. I have also seen that if they do skip a release on you, they send the one you got skipped on pretty fast.

 

[jlhugh]

i got a several movies on my BB list now that are long waits. they have skipped once already, lets see if they do it again. the movies are hancock and wanted that are at the top of my list..

 

[sammy4041]

I have had both and I do believe that netflix does try to impress you at first. It was good for awhile and then slowed way down.

Blockbuster has been consistent. That along with your 3 free in store rentals and 2 dollar rentals after that makes Blockbuster the winner in my opinion.

 

[Kevinw]

I was thinking of switching to BB but decided against it. I have 2 day turn around with Netflix. Plus using my 360 I get extra movies for free.

 

[HD MM]

Throttling seems to happen with either service now and again.

But overall, I'm happy with BB Online. The in-store trade ins push BB ahead of Netflix though IMO. I have 2 local stores that carry BD's, so whenever I want a new release, I just go to the store on a Tuesday. I typically have better luck that way then trying to time my mail-in and Queue just perfectly in anticipation of a new release.

 

[teamerickson]

I was able to get "The Dark Knight" this week from Netflix. One week after realease and no wait time. That seems pretty good to me.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Netflix seems to be better right now, but they always do for the first month.

 

[sprintcarcrazy]

I have cancelled Blockbuster for now and will keep Netflix.

So far, turn around time has been great. I got the dark Night in just with little wait, can watch stuff on the Xbox and PC.

Netflix has a new Dist Center thats within 1 day on mail, unlike before. Now of
I start getting screwed up Disks all the time like before, that when I might considering a switch

 

[gadgtfreek]

I've found that keeping both seems to keep me from getting throttled.

I watch them in a staggered way, so both services possibly dont think Im a heavy user.

 

[jlhugh]

i got a several movies on my BB list now that are long waits. they have skipped once already, lets see if they do it again. the movies are hancock and wanted that are at the top of my list..

i just got skipped again this time for these movies.

 

[gadgtfreek]

they sent me the new mummy, nflix sent hancock.

 

[teamerickson]

I've found that keeping both seems to keep me from getting throttled.

I watch them in a staggered way, so both services possibly dont think Im a heavy user.

Why not just up the Netflix account? I think if you're a 5 or 6 out at a time customer it reduces the chances of throttling.

 

[gadgtfreek]

I was mostly a 4 at a time person, tried 5 at a time when I was getting nothing but long waits on new stuff and it did not help. Once I went to two at a time on both, i pretty much got what I wanted from one of the either. By keeping the same movie order in both and staggering my usage, I can usually get the next new release from someone. I have no problem sharing the love as long as I get what I want, and so far it works fine and both are very similar in my area.

 

[Zookster]

I was mostly a 4 at a time person, tried 5 at a time when I was getting nothing but long waits on new stuff and it did not help. Once I went to two at a time on both, i pretty much got what I wanted from one of the either. By keeping the same movie order in both and staggering my usage, I can usually get the next new release from someone. I have no problem sharing the love as long as I get what I want, and so far it works fine and both are very similar in my area.

In spite of your staggering, have you ever gotten the same movie sent at the same time or in the same week? It seems like you'd have to monitor it pretty closely if you have similar titles near the top of both queues, especially newer releases that are showing "waits". One time when I was with BB, they sent me the same movie that I had just picked up in the store. As soon as the clerk checked in the movie mailer I was exchanging, it triggered the release of the next one in my queue.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Been lucky so far. I never watch two movies on the same day, so it works ok. If I watch a movie on Sat night and one on Sun night, I dont send them both back on Monday.