Dish network buys Blockbuster.

[Data Holmes]

Early Wed morning, Dish Network purchesed blockbuster by placing the winning bid at it's bankruptcy auction. The $228 million in cash bid is an interesting move for the number two sat tv provider.

No one is sure yet what the company's plans for it are yet, but early press has Dish committing to keeping it's remaining 1700 stores open.

http://www.thestreet.com/story/1107...twork-do-with-blockbuster.html?cm_ven=GOOGLEN

 

[Icemizer]

I have lots of movies would Dish like to give me some of that money? Seriously they should have let it die. Rental stores are done. The Red Box is cleaning up and even with streaming, downloading, etc I can see the Redbox holding on.

 

[Peach Wookiee]

Icemizer, I think there's still a market for video rental, and Dish knows there still is. Some people refuse to use something like Redbox when they can still hand their merchandise back to a human being.

 

[Vendikarr]

Early Wed morning, Dish Network purchesed blockbuster by placing the winning bid at it's bankruptcy auction. The $228 million in cash bid is an interesting move for the number two sat tv provider.

No one is sure yet what the company's plans for it are yet, but early press has Dish committing to keeping it's remaining 1700 stores open.

http://www.thestreet.com/story/1107...twork-do-with-blockbuster.html?cm_ven=GOOGLEN

I see them transitioning Blockbuster into serious competition for Netflix. And the promise to keep existing stores oven will last as long as it takes for the deal to close.

 

[bigdaddy]

Even my grandma is like "I'm going to try the box". She was talking about the Blockbuster box that is in a grocery store that is right next to a Blockbuster store.

Why spend $5 for a rental you can get it for half the price on Netflix, or a buck in a red box?

 

[Data Holmes]

I have lots of movies would Dish like to give me some of that money? Seriously they should have let it die. Rental stores are done. The Red Box is cleaning up and even with streaming, downloading, etc I can see the Redbox holding on.

It's funny. I've actually seen a lot of people returning to my current store, and expressing extreme unhappiness at the landlord induced booting of my former store location. Many people just don't like renting from "a screen".

In fact, prior to my last stores closure, we were seeing a number of returning customers who had not rented in two or three years.

Red box is an impulse thing and is very limited in it's selection, and as more use it is running into the same "new release drain" the first week or two that bb and Netflix see, which is pissing off early adopters.

Even my grandma is like "I'm going to try the box". She was talking about the Blockbuster box that is in a grocery store that is right next to a Blockbuster store.

Why spend $5 for a rental you can get it for half the price on Netflix, or a buck in a red box?

you do know that 80% to 90% of all the rentals in blockbuster are now $2.99/3days or less, yes, with a number of older and kids rentals being $0.99/3days? Only the just released titles are $4.99/3days and that only lasts for four weeks, keeping in mind that many are only able te be rented at blockbuster during that time.

 

[BillJ]

I juts wonder if this was purely a name purchase. Because I just can't see there being anything left of brick and mortar video stores in another five years.

 

[Kirby]

I wonder if Dish Network is going to start charging bogus late fees even if you pay your bill on time.

No idea why Dish would need to buy Blockbuster, that name just gives me the creeps now, and makes me glad to have Direct TV.

 

[Avalon]

It's funny. I've actually seen a lot of people returning to my current store, and expressing extreme unhappiness at the landlord induced booting of my former store location. Many people just don't like renting from "a screen".

Our Blockbuster store will be closing this Sunday, also due to landlord issues. The employees were fairly blindsided because the store had actually been doing well and probably wouldn't have closed otherwise. It's the last video/game rental store in the area. I wish they'd just been allowed to relocate.

 

[Data Holmes]

It's funny. I've actually seen a lot of people returning to my current store, and expressing extreme unhappiness at the landlord induced booting of my former store location. Many people just don't like renting from "a screen".

Our Blockbuster store will be closing this Sunday, also due to landlord issues. The employees were fairly blindsided because the store had actually been doing well and probably wouldn't have closed otherwise. It's the last video/game rental store in the area. I wish they'd just been allowed to relocate.

Most stores are getting fucked by landlords now. They are dumping bb, but bb can't relocate stores for another 8 months because of the bankrupcy restrictions.

My last store was in the top 200 performing stores in the country, and our landlord bailed on us at the last min, signing a lease with vitamin shop in dec, when our lease was up at the end of Jan and he was still "talking" with bb corporate.

 

[bigdaddy]

I have lots of movies would Dish like to give me some of that money? Seriously they should have let it die. Rental stores are done. The Red Box is cleaning up and even with streaming, downloading, etc I can see the Redbox holding on.

It's funny. I've actually seen a lot of people returning to my current store, and expressing extreme unhappiness at the landlord induced booting of my former store location. Many people just don't like renting from "a screen".

In fact, prior to my last stores closure, we were seeing a number of returning customers who had not rented in two or three years.

Red box is an impulse thing and is very limited in it's selection, and as more use it is running into the same "new release drain" the first week or two that bb and Netflix see, which is pissing off early adopters.

Even my grandma is like "I'm going to try the box". She was talking about the Blockbuster box that is in a grocery store that is right next to a Blockbuster store.

Why spend $5 for a rental you can get it for half the price on Netflix, or a buck in a red box?

you do know that 80% to 90% of all the rentals in blockbuster are now $2.99/3days or less, yes, with a number of older and kids rentals being $0.99/3days? Only the just released titles are $4.99/3days and that only lasts for four weeks, keeping in mind that many are only able te be rented at blockbuster during that time.

Wow... of course you would preach about how wonderful BB is, you work there! You couldn't be anymore bias.

I rather just use Netflix which is about $2 a movie and I never have to put up with the rude / useless assholes who work in BB stores, never have to look for the movie I want and never getting any help, never having to wait in a line of several people that takes forever to move.

 

[od0_ital]

Icemizer, I think there's still a market for video rental, and Dish knows there still is. Some people refuse to use something like Redbox when they can still hand their merchandise back to a human being.

Yep, I'm one of those people.

Even when I was tryin' out the Blockbuster Online service (got a month free trial offer), I was still returnin' the discs to the store & gettin' my next rental off the shelf.

 

[Starbreaker]

I just don't see the need to go to a Blockbuster anymore (if I could even find one). Hollywood Video, Movie Gallery, and Blockbuster have all tanked here. There's a Redbox on just about every corner and my Netflix account gets used every day.

When I can watch as many movies as I can find online and have one sent to my house every other day, or go to the Redbox and get a movie for $1 or $1.50, I just can't EVER see myself going into a video store to rent a $4.99 DVD for 5 days. I imagine Blu-ray is even more than that now. Even if you just rent two movies a weekend for the family, that's $40. I don't think it's worth the price even if you are getting human interaction or a larger selection.

Now, if they make everything in the store $1, then it's worth it.

 

[Data Holmes]

Wow... of course you would preach about how wonderful BB is, you work there! You couldn't be anymore bias. [\quote]

I did nothing of the sort, just pointing out your incorrect fact on rental price.

BB has many problems. Most of them are rooted in corporate.

I rather just use Netflix which is about $2 a movie and I never have to put up with the rude / useless assholes who work in BB stores, never have to look for the movie I want and never getting any help, never having to wait in a line of several people that takes forever to move.

So, your squabble is over saving $0.99/DVD. Also Most BB stores are understaffed because of corporate dictates on payroll hours.

As for the quality of staff, that differs from location to location and has a lot to do with the store managers choice.

 

[Data Holmes]

I just don't see the need to go to a Blockbuster anymore (if I could even find one). Hollywood Video, Movie Gallery, and Blockbuster have all tanked here. There's a Redbox on just about every corner and my Netflix account gets used every day.

When I can watch as many movies as I can find online and have one sent to my house every other day, or go to the Redbox and get a movie for $1 or $1.50, I just can't EVER see myself going into a video store to rent a $4.99 DVD for 5 days. I imagine Blu-ray is even more than that now. Even if you just rent two movies a weekend for the family, that's $40. I don't think it's worth the price even if you are getting human interaction or a larger selection.

Now, if they make everything in the store $1, then it's worth it.

Blurays at bb are same price as DVDs. Rental period is three days, and price varies. First four weeks it's $4.99 ($1.66/day eq) after that it's $2.99 ($1.00/day eq) and select old and kid movies are $0.99 ($0.33/day eq). After the three day period it's $0.99/day for the $5/$3 rentals and $0.33/day for $1 rentals.

 

[od0_ital]

Wow... of course you would preach about how wonderful BB is, you work there! You couldn't be anymore bias.

He's not wrong.

Brand new releases are five bucks a rental, and as soon as the titles are available via Netflix & Redbox, the price drops down to $2.99 for three days - the same price as Redbox ($1 a day).

The blu ray selection is the same price as the DVDs, I think...I don't rent blu rays anymore.

Once a movie is off the new release shelves, the prices drop down to a dollar.

I've been takin' my brother's kids to Blockbuster on Friday or Saturday, puttin' 'em in the "family" aisle of older releases & let 'em pick one each. I get one for myself off the new release wall, and we're good to go for the weekend - three movies six bucks. The kids are happy they got to pick out their own videos, and I have something to watch after they go to bed.

 

[Trekker4747]

But here's the thing, say I rent something from RedBox and return it in one day, my charge $1.

If I go to a Blockbuster, rent a movie, and return it a day later my charge: $3.00.

Netflix you pay a monthly rate to pretty much rent as much as you want.

So Blockbuster isn't a fabulous deal. Sure it's the "same price" as Redbox but only if you keep it those full three days, what if you only want it/need it for one day?

 

[Data Holmes]

But here's the thing, say I rent something from RedBox and return it in one day, my charge $1.

If I go to a Blockbuster, rent a movie, and return it a day later my charge: $3.00.

Netflix you pay a monthly rate to pretty much rent as much as you want.

So Blockbuster isn't a fabulous deal. Sure it's the "same price" as Redbox but only if you keep it those full three days, what if you only want it/need it for one day?

BB tried a straight $1/day rate. People in the test markets hated it. After experimentation, surveys, and several different rate structures in test market stores they found that the three day rental period was the average amount of time a renter kept the DVD, and the one most liked by renters that still worked within the cost/profit structure.

Then again, you could always opt for a rewards membership. $15/year and you get a free old with every paid rental M-F, one free old rental coupon per month, and one free rental of any type every five paid rentals within the month.

Or, you could go with the pass program. $21.99/month for one movie or game at a time unlimited exchanges, $27.99/month for two at a time.

Or, you could use the online. 1, 2, or 3 at a time in the mail with no, 5, or unlimited free inshore exchanges (no due date on those). Prices vary based on the different plans. And you can rent games through the mail now as well, for no additional charge.


BB offers a few decent options really, though I think the pass program can be overpriced for most users.

 

[Starbreaker]

Who in their right mind would hate $1 a day?

 

[bigdaddy]

But here's the thing, say I rent something from RedBox and return it in one day, my charge $1.

If I go to a Blockbuster, rent a movie, and return it a day later my charge: $3.00.

Netflix you pay a monthly rate to pretty much rent as much as you want.

Exactly.

Holmes, it's perfectly fine you are biased, they close you lose your job. I just see no need for a national wide chain. Also I don't get this "Some people just like handing the movie back to a person", but I Think someone else said that.

The DVD goes in a box.

Netflix is at most $2 a movie, and over the year that's $12. It also saves on time and gas. I can get between 5-8 movies a month. I also get to watch on demand shows and movies.

Blockbuster through the mail thing has a history of being a joke, lowering their prices to bring people in and then completely changing it around without any notice.

I'm sticking to Netflix. Unless Dish really changes the company around, and makes it much smaller and more locally controlled I don't see Blockbuster as a national chain lasting for another 9ish years.