The End of Late Fees... The Beginning of More Bullshit
As you may or may not have heard, Lackluster Video's (AKA "Blockbuster Video") current strain of commercials are claiming that "It's an all new Blockbuster/No more late fees/The start of more." Now before you get all excited and clasp your hands together with tears of joy in your eyes, here's the small print (which seems to be Blockbuster's trademark when it comes to fucking over their customers):
• What do you mean by "the end of late fees?"
A: For any reason, if you are unable to return the movies or games by their due date, you won't be charged additional fees for keeping them an extra day or two.
Sounds great so far, right? Keep reading.
• What if I forget to bring back a movie or game? Won't you charge me something at some point?
A: If you still have a movie or game seven (7) days after the due date shown on your receipt, we will convert your rental to a sale. The movie or game will be sold to you at the selling price in effect at the time of rental, which is either the retail price, or, when available, at the previously-rented selling price, less the initial rental fee you paid.
• How do I pay for a rental that has been converted to a sale?
A: As with balances on your membership account today, if you've chosen the convenience of securing your account with a credit card, we'll charge this amount to your credit card. If you don't have a credit card on file or if we cannot process the charge for some reason, the balance due will be placed on your BLOCKBUSTER membership account.
• What if I return the movie or game seven days or more past the due date?
A: We will gladly let you return the movie or game within 30 days of the sale. If the selling price has been charged to your credit card, we will credit the amount charged to your credit card when you instruct us to do so in person (otherwise we will place this amount on your BLOCKBUSTER membership account). If this amount has been charged to your membership account, we will remove the balance. However, in both instances you will be charged a restocking fee plus applicable taxes.
And this is exactly why I haven't rented at Lackluster in over 10 years. Corporate vampires. I so hope this comes back to bite them in the ass. HARD!
posted by Kirkkitsch @ 6:00 AM
8 Comments:
They are such assholes, unfortunatly alot of their customers can not or will not be able to read the fine print. And that is exactly who they are preying on! Assholes.
Your fan in Cinti.
i can't believe they can get away with saying 'no more late fees' when that's totally a lie. screw blockbuster anyway - they charge too damn much. a brand new release at family video is only $2.50! AND they accept your Blockbuster or other video store membership cards as payment!
Dawn
webmiztris.diaryland.com
i just patronize my little neighborhood video store...it's also a thai restaurant. the family who owns the video store also decided they wanted to open a restaurant, so it's combined.
kinda cute, actually. good food. and only 2 blocks away. can't beat it.
point of this comment:
fuck blockbuster.
Anon-
They ARE assholes. Every Mom & Pop video store I've worked at (try 6!) have been bought out by them and turned into soulless, no-selection clones.
And you are EXACTLY right when you say they are preying on the people who don't read the fine print. They always have. All you have to do is look closely at any of their "sale" signs/ads and/or their membership applications. Pure scum.
Thank you for backing me up on this! Yaye!
Dawn-
You've hit on exactly why I choose not to spend my money there. I can go down the street to Bergeron's Video (also a Mom & Pop place that has been in business for decades) and rent any video from their HUGE (many out-of-print) selection for a mere $1 a day. Beat that, Lackluster!
I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who takes the initiative to spend their money somewhere else.
Thanks for stopping by!
Terri-
Remember when we first heard someone come into the chat room and announce this? We both KNEW there had to be a catch. 'Lo and behold...
And I totally agree about the additional charges. But c'mon, the people they are fucking over probably don't even know what 'applicable' and/or a 'restocking fees' means. I'll tell you what they are: bullshit.
And I'm the same way when it comes to just buying the movies. If I feel like I MUST rent it, Hollywood or Bergeron's get my business.
chad-
I'd rent there too... while picking up an order or two of spicy noodles and chicken (or shrimp). What a great combo, and all in one place. Awesome!
I couldn't have put it better myself. Fuck Blockbuster indeed. Fuckin' extortionists.
i recently switched from blockbuster to netflix. much better selection, much less fine print. two thumbs up.
First off, you worked at 6 vidEO stores?! That's impressive, I worked at Movie Gallery video store for almost 3 years (I truly beleive there's no funner place in the world of retail than Video Store clerk). My dad has Netflix, and seems happy so far. As for myself, I've tried to stay ahead of the curve, and go to the theatre when I feel the urge (movie theatres: that's a whole other subject). Blockbuster is my reserve resource right now. GO MOM & POP!!!
Norrin-
Yep, every video store I've ever worked at has been bought up by those Nazis over at Lackluster. If I could find one now that WASN'T Blockbuster, and they'd hire me, I'd be working right now. Being a cinemaphile I love working in video.
Yeah, I hear a lot of people singing the praises of Netflix. Those people must be close to the shipping source, 'cause I've also talked to people who weren't near a Netflix distribution center and the time it took them to receive their DVDs pretty much made the convenience of the whole process null & void.
I wish I'd take the initiative to go see more movies at the theater, but I don't. I guess I'd rather just wait and buy them unless it's something I REALLY can't wait for. There's a few coming up that I know I'll be going to see in the theater, though. I'll be blogging about those later. :)
I just got into an argument of sorts with my step son over this particular topic. I was speaking to someone else mind you to let him know NOT to forget anything he may rent there because of this nifty purchase charge they have.
Said son felt obligated to butt in and point out that "No, if you get it there in thirty days all you pay is a restocking fee." First off, when he first moved in with us he was very, very quick to bark at my daughter for interrupting a conversation. You'd think over the years he'd practice his own preachings.
Blockbuster isn't going to get bit in the ass it's people like him that will. I hate to tell him but I was not entirely wrong. They DO charge those purchase fees.. you've explained it all. So, without knowing, he'll turn it in late, NOT say anything and be suprised when he's still charged for the full price of the movie.
It wasn't the fact that he interrupted, nor disagreed with me but that when I was trying to explain my answer he dismissed me with "Whatever, you're right. Ceee'ya" and walked out of the house.
My husband walked in after he was gone and I had just checked again and saw the bit about the restocking fee, so, the kid was right and I was trying to call and simply state that I recognize he's right. But I still hate to see what a restocking fee is if they've already had to replace the movie or game. If they charge the normal rental fees, taxes, and restocking fee... didn't you basically just pay almost the full price for a movie but NOT get to keep it? He'll just feel better because it's the restocking fee instead of purchase price?
Suprisingly, it was my husband that told me not to bother calling and making any attempt at apology if he would walk out on me like that and not think about what he was doing or behaving. The other nifty thing he hasn't figured out is, as stated on the television in the print at the bottom, "Participating stores only."
Yep, As long as Blockbuster has loyal and blind customers like him, they will prosper. I started out feeling rather bad for those people that don't fully check into something and make sure there are no catches but maybe, just maybe a customer deserves what he gets??
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