Say Goodbye to Blockbuster in 2011

[Dpantherman]

by Monika Bartyzel Jul 13th 2010 // 11:45AM

Blockbuster was once the mecca of rentals. While indie metropolitan stores may have always reigned supreme in terms of stock and scope, Blockbuster was the "it" locale for the rest of the country. It wasn't so long ago when stores would be packed on a Friday evening as people rushed to grab the new releases, and shelves stocked sure-to-be-there bets -- films that weren't guaranteed because no one was going to the store, but because they'd have huge piles of discs.

Now Blockbuster is a movie ghost town. After the onslaught of Netflix and Redbox, the end has been near for a while. The company has managed to hold on, just barely, but financial types are now expecting the end to come in 2011.

Blockbuster is near the top of 24/7 Wall St's new list of brands expected to disappear by the end of 2011. The company is currently considering Chapter 11, and it lost another $65 million last quarter. 6,000 stores are still left, but 24/7 believes that the only life left in the company is the kiosk/delivery rental methods. "Its brick-and-mortar business is dead."

It just goes to show you how much of any movie business relies on the casual moviegoer, not the eager-to-watch-everything cinephile. I always, and wrongly, thought that video stores would stay around for the increased options, the older films, and the immediacy the system awarded. You wouldn't have to plan a night in with friends, they could just head to the local store with you and decide between the old and the new.

With streaming, members were offered the immediacy mail could never provide, popping the last piece into Blockbuster's death puzzle. Netflix-free Canada might have to wait for Blockbuster's death knell to prod zip.ca to rival the 'flix in title options and streaming, but chances are that in the U.S., most folks won't really feel the impact of Blockbuster's death. All the company can hope for is a nice influx of buyers when all of their dvds hit the 5-for-$20 bin.

http://www.cinematical.com/2010/07/13/say-goodbye-to-blockbuster-in-2011/

I haven't bought anything from them in years, don't have any friends that have either, we use redbox. I will be making the trip the discount bin when its closing time though!! :biggrin:

[The Link]

That's what they get for charging $5 for movie rentals and $9 for game rentals.

[House]

I hate Redbox.

Everytime I would try to rent a movie from there either a) they would be out of everything worth watching there would be a long line c) the person in front of you would be returning a movie and have the bar code pointed the wrong way and stupidly trying to insert the disk over and over and over and over and over and over again.

Usually though it was a combination of all three, first b, then c, and finally a.

I don't go to blockbuster anymore either but I hate fuging Redbox.

[WhoDatJorts]

The last time i went to any video rental store was 6+ years ago. I wasn't even there for a movie or game. I bought concert tickets from the TicketMaster outlet in the store.

Netflix and Gamefly FTW

[Darth Biscuit]

There's so many Redboxes around here, that's generally not a problem for me... unless you go to the ones at Walmart...

I knew BB was gone... we would still rent there every once in a while, but when they went to that $5/5 day thing, that was the last straw... On Demand, Netflix, Redbox and streaming online killed them dead.

[Dpantherman]

I hate Redbox.

Everytime I would try to rent a movie from there either a) they would be out of everything worth watching there would be a long line c) the person in front of you would be returning a movie and have the bar code pointed the wrong way and stupidly trying to insert the disk over and over and over and over and over and over again.

Usually though it was a combination of all three, first b, then c, and finally a.

I don't go to blockbuster anymore either but I hate fuging Redbox.

people must not use it alot here bc they always have what i need. they have it online too. them and netflix are what i use

[House]

people must not use it alot here bc they always have what i need. they have it online too. them and netflix are what i use

Netflix and on-demand.

About 2 months ago though, my wife went to Blockbuster to rent some movie. I don't remember what it was but it was probably the first time either one of us had been in a Blockbuster since I had left Guam.

Somehow the little fuger behind the counter talked her into paying $20 for a Blockbuster Rewards card. She came home and was all excited because we got 1 free rental for every 5 rentals and 1 free "old movie" rental a month.

I was not happy. I have since decreed that she is not allowed to go anywhere by herself where they have any type of reward card for sale.

We have reward cards for just about every store on the planet. I am 99% sure that she would be a reward card from a crack dealer on the corner.

"Hey, for $20 I will give you a card that is good for a free 8-ball for every 10 8-balls you purchase!".

[Hugor Hill]

I said goodbye to Blockbuster 8+ years ago. And I still have Pump up the Volume we rented in 1993, guess they can get rid of that charge for me.

[Jangler]

Another one just closed in WS, I think there is only one left.

[Mesmer]

Goodbye! Everyone hates you! :dita:

[cookinbrak]

I hate Redbox.

Everytime I would try to rent a movie from there either a) they would be out of everything worth watching there would be a long line c) the person in front of you would be returning a movie and have the bar code pointed the wrong way and stupidly trying to insert the disk over and over and over and over and over and over again.

Usually though it was a combination of all three, first b, then c, and finally a.

I don't go to blockbuster anymore either but I hate fuging Redbox.

You can go to Redbox.com and reserve a movie at whichever kiosk you use. Not saying they'll have anything, but I check before I go.

[House]

You can go to Redbox.com and reserve a movie at whichever kiosk you use. Not saying they'll have anything, but I check before I go.

Good tip, that would at least eliminate a. If you can think of anything that would eliminate both b and c, beyond walking into the store and laying waste to some dumb mofo's, I will start to use Redbox again.

[Jangler]

So....the free market does work.

[UCaneFanII]

Was at Blockbuster today for the first time in a hot one. $9 for video games? wtf. It's only for 5 days too. Not even a week. Their selection was tiny too. Redbox, Gamefly, and the interwebz are murkin off on them.

Other noteable businesses going out next year:

Kia Moters

Reader's Digest - (no homo)