Is Blockbuster going out of business?

[Amaris]

The large mega Bookstores and music stores are in a similar situation. The music store has pretty much died already. Many bookstores are on shakey ground. I spent over twenty years in retail books and video. The playing field has changed. The big boxs killed the independents. Now "mail order" and downloading is killing the big boxes. Its a digital age and entertainment media is going digital. Music, movies and even books downloaded right to your home or portable device.

Great if you're a tech-head. For everyone else, not so much. We've been lectured since the late 90s about how everything was "going cyber" and "eCommerce". It's STILL niche. A sizeable niche, but a niche nontheless. Try browsing a book online, for example. For that matter, I remember being told that by now there wouldn't BE any new printed books, that everyone would have a "book pad" that stored chipped or dl'd manuscripts. That didn't happen either.
.

Amazon has changed up that game. The Amazon Kindle is a million seller and moving fast now that the price has dropped and several models are available, and there's nothing to browsing and buying a book, right through the Kindle interface. Easy as pie. No tech head required.

The Kindle has now advanced into the iPhone, where you can browse and buy books right through your iPhone app. Millions of books available online.

It is only a matter of time.

J.

 

[Data Holmes]

The large mega Bookstores and music stores are in a similar situation. The music store has pretty much died already. Many bookstores are on shakey ground. I spent over twenty years in retail books and video. The playing field has changed. The big boxs killed the independents. Now "mail order" and downloading is killing the big boxes. Its a digital age and entertainment media is going digital. Music, movies and even books downloaded right to your home or portable device.

Great if you're a tech-head. For everyone else, not so much. We've been lectured since the late 90s about how everything was "going cyber" and "eCommerce". It's STILL niche. A sizeable niche, but a niche nontheless. Try browsing a book online, for example. For that matter, I remember being told that by now there wouldn't BE any new printed books, that everyone would have a "book pad" that stored chipped or dl'd manuscripts. That didn't happen either.
.

Amazon has changed up that game. The Amazon Kindle is a million seller and moving fast now that the price has dropped and several models are available, and there's nothing to browsing and buying a book, right through the Kindle interface. Easy as pie. No tech head required.

The Kindle has now advanced into the iPhone, where you can browse and buy books right through your iPhone app. Millions of books available online.

It is only a matter of time.

J.

There is still something to be said for actually having real books, magazines, Et cetra. E readers are convenient, but actual printed works will always have a place.

 

[Amaris]

Great if you're a tech-head. For everyone else, not so much. We've been lectured since the late 90s about how everything was "going cyber" and "eCommerce". It's STILL niche. A sizeable niche, but a niche nontheless. Try browsing a book online, for example. For that matter, I remember being told that by now there wouldn't BE any new printed books, that everyone would have a "book pad" that stored chipped or dl'd manuscripts. That didn't happen either.
.

Amazon has changed up that game. The Amazon Kindle is a million seller and moving fast now that the price has dropped and several models are available, and there's nothing to browsing and buying a book, right through the Kindle interface. Easy as pie. No tech head required.

The Kindle has now advanced into the iPhone, where you can browse and buy books right through your iPhone app. Millions of books available online.

It is only a matter of time.

J.

There is still something to be said for actually having real books, magazines, Et cetra. E readers are convenient, but actual printed works will always have a place.

Oh, certainly, but actual printed books will become the niche.

J.

 

[God Magnus]

I don't rejoice in BB going out of business since it will cost people jobs and give the economy another kick in the gut. However, having quit my membership there years ago I can understand why. When I was still a member about 5 years ago, they were still charging about $4-5 for a DVD (I forget how many nights, but it wasn't a week).

I'm currently on the "2 discs at a time" plan ($15/month). On average i go through about 8-9 discs a month. The turn around time for my discs to get back to Netflix is about one day and the time to get a disc is about the same and it shows up right in my mailbox to boot. For me it's total convenience.

My friend used to use Blockbuster's mail service and he complained of slow mailing times (I think once he waited a week!) and incorrect discs being sent. After a while he switched to Netflix. That was about two years ago and he's still on it.

I think the BB name will continue on, but in a very different form.

 

[darkwing_duck1]

The large mega Bookstores and music stores are in a similar situation. The music store has pretty much died already. Many bookstores are on shakey ground. I spent over twenty years in retail books and video. The playing field has changed. The big boxs killed the independents. Now "mail order" and downloading is killing the big boxes. Its a digital age and entertainment media is going digital. Music, movies and even books downloaded right to your home or portable device.

Great if you're a tech-head. For everyone else, not so much. We've been lectured since the late 90s about how everything was "going cyber" and "eCommerce". It's STILL niche. A sizeable niche, but a niche nontheless. Try browsing a book online, for example. For that matter, I remember being told that by now there wouldn't BE any new printed books, that everyone would have a "book pad" that stored chipped or dl'd manuscripts. That didn't happen either.

A hamburger, not so much.

Not that they didn't try. There have been coin op "automat" cafeterias since the 40s, but they never took off. There is and always will be a considerable number of people who want to conduct business with ACTUAL other people involved.

The tech for downloading books is just getting off the ground. The kindle and nook are just the tip of the iceberg. Being a tech-head will no longer be a requirement. No more than being a gear-head is needed to drive a car. Its a cultural shift. Like form the horse to automobiles. Soon the niche will be "hardcopy media"

Time will tell. I'm not holding my breath...

 

[darkwing_duck1]

The large mega Bookstores and music stores are in a similar situation. The music store has pretty much died already. Many bookstores are on shakey ground. I spent over twenty years in retail books and video. The playing field has changed. The big boxs killed the independents. Now "mail order" and downloading is killing the big boxes. Its a digital age and entertainment media is going digital. Music, movies and even books downloaded right to your home or portable device.

Great if you're a tech-head. For everyone else, not so much. We've been lectured since the late 90s about how everything was "going cyber" and "eCommerce". It's STILL niche. A sizeable niche, but a niche nontheless. Try browsing a book online, for example. For that matter, I remember being told that by now there wouldn't BE any new printed books, that everyone would have a "book pad" that stored chipped or dl'd manuscripts. That didn't happen either.
.

Amazon has changed up that game. The Amazon Kindle is a million seller and moving fast now that the price has dropped and several models are available, and there's nothing to browsing and buying a book, right through the Kindle interface. Easy as pie. No tech head required.

The Kindle has now advanced into the iPhone, where you can browse and buy books right through your iPhone app. Millions of books available online.

It is only a matter of time.

J.

And TV was supposed to kill off movie theaters, most office work was supposed to be done over the internet, etc etc etc etc.

By now we were all supposed to be cyber-hermits in our little e-caves who never left unless it was to sit in the yard for awhile because we WANTED to.

Been there before, heard it before, and still not impressed...

 

[Chrisisall]

I'm glad the company is failing, it's just life.

Sure it sucks millions will be out of work, but that's life. They have plenty of warning to start looking too. It's not like it's sudden.

I worked at one once, and I got out when I got a whiff of the big disconnect between the Corporation & the reality of the biz. I also worked for Circuit City, before their waste & mismanagement ran them into the ground.
It must suck to have a degree in business.

 

[ALF]

Cosby, BB corporate stores don't have late fees.

Seriously?

It's been a while. Haven't rented a film in 10 years or more. Back then, we had rewinding fees, too !

It must suck to have a degree in business.

You said it, mate. How can you base anything on a business model that in constantly in flux?

The tech for downloading books is just getting off the ground. The kindle and nook are just the tip of the iceberg. Being a tech-head will no longer be a requirement. No more than being a gear-head is needed to drive a car. Its a cultural shift. Like form the horse to automobiles. Soon the niche will be "hardcopy media"

QTF. Chapters is next on the chopping block, come the mass consumption of these dandies:

 

[Chrisisall]

You said it, mate. How can you base anything on a business model that in constantly in flux?

In the 23rd, computer models will be somewhat more accurate & reliable.

 

[Sheep]

And TV was supposed to kill off movie theaters, most office work was supposed to be done over the internet, etc etc etc etc.

One can read a book and get the same experience whether it's a paperback, hard cover or an e-reader, something movies have yet to do. Most people don't have access to a screen 18 feet high with bone-shattering surround sound, as nice as some home theaters may be.

And a lot of office work that would've required significant amounts of travel or face-to-face time IS done over the internet now--my job wouldn't have existed in anything resembling its current form 10 or 20 years ago. Certainly not all of it, but to say that office work has changed because of the internet doesn't make sense.

 

[KirkSpockTOSFan]

I noticed one Blockbuster going out of busneiss over by the $1 movie theater in Garland/Mesquite boundry area. But the other Blockbuster's near me are still in busneiss.

 

[broberfett]

Great if you're a tech-head. For everyone else, not so much. We've been lectured since the late 90s about how everything was "going cyber" and "eCommerce". It's STILL niche. A sizeable niche, but a niche nontheless. Try browsing a book online, for example. For that matter, I remember being told that by now there wouldn't BE any new printed books, that everyone would have a "book pad" that stored chipped or dl'd manuscripts. That didn't happen either.
.

Amazon has changed up that game. The Amazon Kindle is a million seller and moving fast now that the price has dropped and several models are available, and there's nothing to browsing and buying a book, right through the Kindle interface. Easy as pie. No tech head required.

The Kindle has now advanced into the iPhone, where you can browse and buy books right through your iPhone app. Millions of books available online.

It is only a matter of time.

J.

There is still something to be said for actually having real books, magazines, Et cetra. E readers are convenient, but actual printed works will always have a place.

I saw a story a month or two ago that titles that had already been purchased on Kindle were erased by the company remotely. One title erased was 1984.

The link:
http://abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=8181453&page=1

 

[bigdaddy]

B&M stores DO have an advantage that kiosks can't touch: bredth of stock. There's only so many titles (and so many copies OF those titles) that you can fit into one of those boxes.

I have never seen just one.

There are at least 10 in one section of the city next to me. A grocery store has 5-6-7 or them, and Walgreens has 3, there is another Walgreen 2 miles down the road and a CVS, so I'm sure there are more.

 

[darkwing_duck1]

And TV was supposed to kill off movie theaters, most office work was supposed to be done over the internet, etc etc etc etc.

One can read a book and get the same experience whether it's a paperback, hard cover or an e-reader, something movies have yet to do. Most people don't have access to a screen 18 feet high with bone-shattering surround sound, as nice as some home theaters may be.

And a lot of office work that would've required significant amounts of travel or face-to-face time IS done over the internet now--my job wouldn't have existed in anything resembling its current form 10 or 20 years ago. Certainly not all of it, but to say that office work has changed because of the internet doesn't make sense.

Not saying it hasn't changed. Saying it hasn't become what the technophiles kept predicting it would become. Technophiles seem to think that tech is good for it's own sake, so everything must be teched up. Some things tech just ISN'T the "cure all" for, and it never will be.

 

[darkwing_duck1]

B&M stores DO have an advantage that kiosks can't touch: bredth of stock. There's only so many titles (and so many copies OF those titles) that you can fit into one of those boxes.

I have never seen just one.

There are at least 10 in one section of the city next to me. A grocery store has 5-6-7 or them, and Walgreens has 3, there is another Walgreen 2 miles down the road and a CVS, so I'm sure there are more.

That's an unusual concentration of the things in my experience. In my city, we have quite a few, but only one to a site. My experience with their stocking is that they are 95%+ identical (current releases and best renters), and the rest being a random assortment of filler discs.

People are not going to drive all over town looking for the ONE machine that MAY have some obscure title (assuming ANY of them have it). That's the niche the b&m stores serve best: lesser titles that aren't the "20 best renters"...

 

[Sheep]

That's the niche the b&m stores serve best: lesser titles that aren't the "20 best renters"...

I'm sure Netflix would have something to say about that considering their selection of lesser/obscure titles destroys that of 10 Blockbusters put together.

 

[RoJoHen]

That's the niche the b&m stores serve best: lesser titles that aren't the "20 best renters"...

I'm sure Netflix would have something to say about that considering their selection of lesser/obscure titles destroys that of 10 Blockbusters put together.

Yeah. Netflix has so much shit that I've never even heard of in addition to all the popular stuff you'd ever want to see.

 

[Data Holmes]

Cosby, BB corporate stores don't have late fees.

Seriously?

It's been a while. Haven't rented a film in 10 years or more. Back then, we had rewinding fees, too !

It's initial rental period, one week grace period (free) after which the movie auto sells to the credit card on file. You then have a ten day window to decide if you want to keep it or return it and get everything credited back to your CC/DC except a $1.25 restocking fee. The charge to the card is the cost of a used copy which for most (except just out run new releases, TV shows, or really hard to find special editions) ranges from 1.99 to 14.99.

 

[Data Holmes]

That's the niche the b&m stores serve best: lesser titles that aren't the "20 best renters"...

I'm sure Netflix would have something to say about that considering their selection of lesser/obscure titles destroys that of 10 Blockbusters put together.

Yeah. Netflix has so much shit that I've never even heard of in addition to all the popular stuff you'd ever want to see.

Netflix does have a nice selection of titles... I sometimes recomend them to customers when they are looking for one I know BB or BBOL don't carry but Netflix does.

I've got both a BBOL and Netflix account. As I say at work, I'm a movie fan first.

 

[darkwing_duck1]

That's the niche the b&m stores serve best: lesser titles that aren't the "20 best renters"...

I'm sure Netflix would have something to say about that considering their selection of lesser/obscure titles destroys that of 10 Blockbusters put together.

Yeah. Netflix has so much shit that I've never even heard of in addition to all the popular stuff you'd ever want to see.

And that's fine for those who a) can afford to tie themselves to a monthly contract and b) don't mind waiting 24-72 hours before getting the new discs they want. There are a lot of people for whom one or both of those conditions aren't met.

Look, I'm NOT saying kiosks and "e" don't have their places. But they are NOT going to take over the market completely, any more than "self-checkout" has completely taken over cashiering.