Is Blockbuster going out of business?

[RoJoHen]

A bit off topic, but what is the quality like for streaming videos from Netflix?

At best, like watching a high-def DVD. At worst, like watching a VHS.

 

[FordSVT]

Secondly, although it seems to run counter-intuitive to today's instant gratification culture, the mail-order Netflix and similar services have really taken off.

It might be counter-intuitive to the instant gratification culture, but it fits right in with the "too busy to go to the rental store" culture. And the lazy people.

 

[Professor Zoom]

Sorry to resurrect...but...

The Hollywood Reporter is reporting:

Netflix added 1.1 million customers to its ranks in the fourth quarter, a record for the 11-year-old company, and posted a 36% surge in profit, the company said Wednesday.

Netflix earned $30.9 million on revenue that climbed 24% to $445 million.

1.1 new customers. Pretty awesome. Bye bye Blockbuster.

Edited to ad: Blockbuster stock is 36 cents, with a company value of 70 million, while Netflix...2.8 Billion.

 

[John Picard]

Sorry to resurrect...but...

The Hollywood Reporter is reporting:

Netflix added 1.1 million customers to its ranks in the fourth quarter, a record for the 11-year-old company, and posted a 36% surge in profit, the company said Wednesday.

Netflix earned $30.9 million on revenue that climbed 24% to $445 million.

1.1 new customers. Pretty awesome. Bye bye Blockbuster.

Edited to ad: Blockbuster stock is 36 cents, with a company value of 70 million, while Netflix...2.8 Billion.

And I won't shed a tear.

 

[Squiggy]

How the hell are they still in business?

 

[RoJoHen]

How the hell are they still in business?

They're stubborn.

 

[bigdaddy]

I went into one yesterday for no reason at all, I forgot how small it is, they almost have no DVDs for rent left. There is one section for Blu-ray, then a huge section of used movies and games for sale, the rental area, maybe 200 square feet of older movies to rent and the useless new releases. It's useless because they have a rental box thing outside for new movies!

 

[CaptainCanada]

Here in Canada we're not seeing Netflix have much (any?) of an impact,

Netflix doesn't operate in Canada.

 

[RoJoHen]

I went into one yesterday for no reason at all, I forgot how small it is, they almost have no DVDs for rent left. There is one section for Blu-ray, then a huge section of used movies and games for sale, the rental area, maybe 200 square feet of older movies to rent and the useless new releases. It's useless because they have a rental box thing outside for new movies!

I've noticed this too about rental stores. Most of their space is being used to sell cheap Used Movies rather than keeping any decent stock of new stuff.

 

[Squiggy]

Here in Canada we're not seeing Netflix have much (any?) of an impact,

Netflix doesn't operate in Canada.

Well there's ya problem!

 

[Sheep]

Sorry to resurrect...but...

The Hollywood Reporter is reporting:

Netflix added 1.1 million customers to its ranks in the fourth quarter, a record for the 11-year-old company, and posted a 36% surge in profit, the company said Wednesday.

Netflix earned $30.9 million on revenue that climbed 24% to $445 million.

1.1 new customers. Pretty awesome. Bye bye Blockbuster.

Edited to ad: Blockbuster stock is 36 cents, with a company value of 70 million, while Netflix...2.8 Billion.

Today is a good day to be a Netflix stockholder who bought at $19.75.

 

[Professor Zoom]

I've been one for years!

 

[John Picard]

Time to say goodnight to the Blockbuster night?

Maybe it's coincidence, or maybe it's karma. But we have a few developments this week that combine to illustrate how quickly movie fans are shifting their home video rental habits from traditional DVDs to digital transmissions.

Blockbuster said yesterday, in its 2009 annual report, that its continuing losses and backbreaking debt raise "substantial doubt" about its ability to remain solvent. The video and game rental chain that once made Hollywood moguls tremble saw its net loss rise 49% to $558.2 million last year on revenues of $4.1 billion, down 19.8% from the previous year.This year continues to look gloomy. Faced with growing competition from Redbox's $1-a-night DVD rental kiosks, Netflix, and a host of Internet and cable video on demand services, Blockbuster says that sales at its stores open a year or more will continue to fall in 2010. It has a little more than 4,000 stores -- that includes franchises as well as ones it owns -- after closing 567 last year.

Stick a fork in Blockbuster. It's done.

 

[Corran Horn]

Just like they ran down the Mom and Pop stores 15-20 years ago...now it's being done to them.

Oh well.

 

[Mr Light]

Where will I buy used DVDs for $5-7 now???

 

[Star Wolf]

Sorry to resurrect...but...

The Hollywood Reporter is reporting:

Netflix added 1.1 million customers to its ranks in the fourth quarter, a record for the 11-year-old company, and posted a 36% surge in profit, the company said Wednesday.

Netflix earned $30.9 million on revenue that climbed 24% to $445 million.

1.1 new customers. Pretty awesome. Bye bye Blockbuster.

Edited to ad: Blockbuster stock is 36 cents, with a company value of 70 million, while Netflix...2.8 Billion.

Today is a good day to be a Netflix stockholder who bought at $19.75.

I sure with the US Postal Service going tits up Netflix stock must be crashing. No Saturday service, talk of odd/even residential delivery when the one day service stoppage fails to end the USPS losses....

 

[John Picard]

Where will I buy used DVDs for $5-7 now???

With patience, you can score DVDs for $5 at both Best Buy or even Wal Mart.

Sorry to resurrect...but...

The Hollywood Reporter is reporting:

1.1 new customers. Pretty awesome. Bye bye Blockbuster.

Edited to ad: Blockbuster stock is 36 cents, with a company value of 70 million, while Netflix...2.8 Billion.

Today is a good day to be a Netflix stockholder who bought at $19.75.

I sure with the US Postal Service going tits up Netflix stock must be crashing. No Saturday service, talk of odd/even residential delivery when the one day service stoppage fails to end the USPS losses....

Netflix is increase the number of On Demand titles every day. By the time the USPS cuts back service (which has to be approved by Congress) the delivery reduction (shouldn't) affect the amount of service NetFlix provides.

Assuming the FCC kicks things in gear to wire the entire US with high speed broadband in the next 5 - 10 years, I can see Netflix's customer base being 80%+ on demand.

 

[PKerr]

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Blockbuster-shares-tumble-apf-1343630299.html?x=0

Wow 1 billion in debt.

 

[Sheep]

Sorry to resurrect...but...

The Hollywood Reporter is reporting:

1.1 new customers. Pretty awesome. Bye bye Blockbuster.

Edited to ad: Blockbuster stock is 36 cents, with a company value of 70 million, while Netflix...2.8 Billion.

Today is a good day to be a Netflix stockholder who bought at $19.75.

I sure with the US Postal Service going tits up Netflix stock must be crashing. No Saturday service, talk of odd/even residential delivery when the one day service stoppage fails to end the USPS losses....

Good thing Netflix has an eye on digital delivery, eh?

As an old fart, I still think $5 or $6 on-demand rentals through cable providers is idiotically high and will allow Netflix (and Redbox) to maintain their markets, if not flourish. Even renting one disc per week (a very light number for families or people using Netflix as a cable TV replacement), you'll still save money using Netflix instead of cable/satellite on-demand. That's before taking into account Netflix's own streaming selection. Not seeing much downside there even if USPS delivery becomes more limited.

 

[GSchnitzer]

An article about Blockbuster. It's a little old now, but evidently still topical:

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/53239