Blockbuster to increase prices by as much as 40%

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December 21st, 2007 - Posted by Joe

Subscribers to Blockbuster's online dvd rental service were notified this week of new increased pricing that will go into effect beginning December 27, 2007. The price increase will vary by the type of plan that current Blockbuster subscribers have, but some plans will cost as much as 40% more.

The blog Hacking NetFlix pulled together this information on the increases based off of reader feedback:

Some of the price increases were modest: $9.99 to $11.99, $14.99 to $16.99, $17.99 to $19.99, and even $21.99 to $29.99, but the biggest increase was on the 3-out unlimited plan: $24.99 to $34.99.

Blockbuster is also eliminating the free in store rental coupon that was included each month with many plans. The loss of this unique Blockbuster perk also increases the effective cost of the membership since subscribers are essentially getting one less dvd per month.

Given the increase in price, some consumers may find a better deal at NetFlix depending on the type of plan they currently have and the number of DVDs that want to have out at any given time. Keep in mind that Blockbuster is unique in that some of their plans also include in store rentals from an Blockbuster outlet (even though they are doing away with free in store coupons), something that NetFlix does not offer. so, if in store rental are important to you it is probably best to stick with Blockbuster (although you may want to downgrade your plan if you don't think you need the extra movies for the price).

We have reviewed all of the major online dvd rental services, including NetFlix and Blockbuster, and encourage our readers to read our in-depth reviews and comparisons to find the right service particularly given the pending Blockbuster price increase.