 |
Blockbuster Review: Online DVD Rental |
|
|
|
Rating: |
 |
Bottom Line: |
30-day free trial and DVD exchange in stores; includes games |
Full Review:
|
Blockbuster has been playing catch up to NetFlix in the online rental game, leveraging their position as the top in-store rental company to offer some unique features that make Blockbuster a good option for those that live near a local Blockbuster store and still want the option of picking up a movie there. Blockbuster has been able to virtually match NetFlix in terms of number of titles and speed of delivery. They also a couple of things NetFlix doesn't - many new releases are available before Netflix gets them, and you can rent games. This is a big perk for any gamers out there.
Plans
Recently, Blockbuster updated all their plans to "Total Access", which offers extra value by allowing you to return your DVDs to the local Blockbuster AND instantly exchange them for another movie or game from the store at no additional cost. Of course, you can always just mail your DVDs in as well and receive the next one in your queue back by mail or just return the DVD to the store and have the next one arrive by mail, but this in-store exchange option allows you to get the next movie you want instantly.
In terms of plans and pricing, Blockbuster offers slightly more return and exchange flexibility than NetFlix as you can return movies you received by mail to a Blockbuster store and exchange it with a new movie. All plans charge a monthly fee and vary by the number of DVDs you can have out at one time and the maximum number of DVDs you can rent per month. Their Total Access Plans give you the option to continuously exchange your movies within any Total Access participating Blockbuster Store.
Pricing
For a limited time Blockbuster is offering a 30-day free trial when you sign up through this website. After the two week free trial you will be signed up for the plan you select when you sign up for the trial. Blockbuster's most popular plan is the 2 disc plan, which allows users to have two movies (or games) out at one time for $14.99 per month. You can change your plan at any time after signing up online or by contacting Blockbuster at 866-692-2789. All Blockbuster plans are as follows:
|
| Cost
|
| 30-day free trial
| $--
|
| 1 disc at a time
| $9.99/month
|
| 2 discs at a time
| $14.99/month
|
| 3 discs at a time
| $19.99/month
|
*The free trial gives you access to all the paid features of the plan you choose, then converts to the price of the plan you choose at the end of the trial period.
Website
Blockbuster's website allows users to easily browse, select, rate, review and get recommendations on movies. They still lack critics' reviews, something NetFlix has, but other than that their site is great. They also offer game rentals, something that NetFlix does not do. Blockbuster Online has a nice self-service help system, email support, and phone support if you run into problems.
Bottom Line
Blockbuster does not rent adult movies so you'll need to try another service such as DVD Avenue or CinemaNow (no games) if you are interested in that genre. Overall, Blockbuster Online offers an excellent service. While the online service alone is virtually the same as NetFlix (except that you can get some movies earlier than Netflix and you can rent games), the in-store exchange option makes it an excellent value for anyone with access to a local Blockbuster store.Compare to Other Online DVD Rentals |
| |
|
| Free Trial: | 30 days |
| Monthly Price: | $9.99-$19.99/mo |
| Delivery Speed: | One or two days if mailed, instant if exchanged in store |
| Late Fees: | None |
| Shipping Fees: | None |
| Customer Service: | Email & phone |
NextAdvisor Online DVD Rental Blog Headlines
Netflix to split streaming and DVD, renaming DVD to Qwikster
Over the weekend Netflix announced they will be separating their DVD-by-mail and online content streaming services and renaming their DVD business as Qwikster.com. This comes on the coattails of their recent decision to charge for their formerly free streaming service, thereby changing their entire pricing and plan line up and increasing prices up to 60%. [...]
Is Google's new online movie rental poised to end Netflix?
A few days ago at Google I/O, Google's yearly developer conference in San Francisco, the company made public a new movie-rental service for the Android Market. It'll roll out soon to Market applications on Android devices: handsets, tablet computers, PCs, and laptops. Users will be able to stream these movie rentals from the cloud, making it [...]
Stream Netflix movies on your Wii
Netflix is adding Nintendo's Wii consoles to the list of devices that allow Netflix subscribers to stream unlimited movies and television episodes. If you're already a Netflix member but haven't already been taking advantage of Netflix's unlimited streaming content, the addition of the Wii makes it even easier to start. And if you're a Wii [...]
Consumers still prefer DVDs over streaming video
It seems logical to assume that over time, the popularity of DVDs would fade in favor of streaming video. But for the present, DVDs are holding strong. A new survey found that the majority of consumers would rather rent DVDs than stream movies over the Internet. Only 6% of respondents considered the streaming feature important. [...]
Copyright© 2006 - 2012 NextAdvisor.com - All rights reserved.
Disclosure: NextAdvisor.com is a consumer information site that offers free, independent reviews and ratings of online services. We receive advertising revenue from most of the services we review. Our editors thoroughly research and whenever possible test each service we review and offer their honest opinions about each one. We are independently owned and operated and all opinions expressed on this site are our own.
