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General discussion

netflix or blockbuster??

Jul 13, 2005 9:12AM PDT

right now i'm with netflix, but i'm realizing when i return the dvd's, it sometimes could take about 4-5 work days to get an email barely saying they received them!! i thought they were faster than that! has anyone had both netflix and blockbuster and can tell me who is quicker????

Discussion is locked

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well...
Jul 13, 2005 10:01AM PDT

my work buddies all say that netflix is 1 day faster, however, I have blockbuster & it takes approximately 3 or 4 days for them to receive & then consequently send some back (which takes another 3 days). One thing about blockbuster though is that they also give you coupons that you print for free rentals each month.

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ok..
Jul 13, 2005 11:34AM PDT

so it does seem that netflix would be a little quicker, considering they send out the dvds next day delivery. thanks!

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now, THAT is the question!
Jul 14, 2005 7:49AM PDT

i'm currently a member of both. that's because netflix has some titles blockbuster doesn't have and vice versa. speedwise, i think it just depends on where the closest distribution center is located relative to where you are. to me, so far it seems pretty much a wash although netflix is much better about sending out titles sooner after getting them back whereas blockbuster seems to like to sit around and wait. blockbuster's saving grace is that they're $3/month cheaper plus the coupons for 2 free in-store rentals a month. i'd recommend joining blockbuster using their 2-week free trial and see for yourself.

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netflix-blockbuster
Jul 14, 2005 1:25PM PDT

It used to take 3-4 days with netflix until they opened a distribution center in my city and now it takes 2-3 days. I like netflix better b/c they were the original company in this mkt and I have come to dislike blockbuster and their marketing tactics, late fee, etc. The friend option on netflix is also neat so if your friends are on it, you can see what they liked/recc. I am sure bb must have something similar but that feature might help you decide.

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Netflix v Blockbuster
Jul 14, 2005 11:16PM PDT

I think you may be blaming the wrong people. I changed where I drop off the returns. I now drop them at the post office which is not out my way and I get a three - four day turn around with Netflix. I average 12-15 dvd's a month. Additionaly, Blockbuster does not carry NC-17

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Netflix vs. BlockBuster
Jul 14, 2005 9:37PM PDT

I've had both Netflix and BlockBuster at the same time. I now only use Netflix. Netflix is notorious for "throttling" what they consider their heavy users. They use many different methods to slow down the number of movies you will receive per month, so as to limit you to a maximum of 20 movies per month. For more on the subject, just Google "Netflix throttling".

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Netflix or Blockbuster-------Where you live.......
Jul 15, 2005 12:38AM PDT

It depends on where you live. I have used both and settled on Blockbuster because they were cheaper. They put a center in Kansas City and that gave me a 1 0r 2 day turnaround. But not all DVD's for both companys come from the closest center, if it is not in stock there.

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NetFlix Distribution Center
Jul 15, 2005 2:58AM PDT

I vote for NetFlix. I am now getting three day turnaround. Mailing early Monday mornings brings the next disk by Wednesday. I originally received disks from California, then Indiana, and now Kentucky.

The service from the Kentucky center is top notch.

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Netflix rocks
Jul 15, 2005 4:49PM PDT

I am with Netflix right now. Blockbuster is cheaper some say, but broken DVDs and a longer wait for movies does not appeal to me. Netflix is cool, it's getting started which I like better than Blockbuster who has been around way too long, and I've had good turn around times on DVDs. I get my DVDs in two days when they ship. A holiday, like July 4th, did make them come a little slower, but I can forgive the holidays. My only complaint is I have to get movies that appeal to five different people, 3 of them kids, all ages.

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netflix or blockbuster
Jul 15, 2005 5:33PM PDT

Receipt and return time depends on one's distance to the closest shipping center. Netflix has more centers, but Blockbuster is catching up.

Have used both, and personally found Netflix to be faster. Also have never had a delayed or lost DVD with Netflix, but had a number of delivery or return login delays with Blockbuster over a six month period. Even with 2 in-store rentals per month and a lower price from Blockbuster, a marginally slower shipment rate or any processing glitch will quickly offset the difference in price and the 2 store rentals.

In my opinion, Netflix has superior technology and operations, as well as customer service.

One exception...if you live really close to a Blockbuster store, consider one of their x-out-at-a-time programs. If you watch a lot of movies on your days off work or at night, this may ultimately be the cheapest and most reliable alternative.

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Netflix deserves the business, Blockbuster does not.
Jul 16, 2005 5:37AM PDT

I will never use Blockbusters online service. The Netflix folks came up with a really great idea and Blockbuster is just copying/stealing it.

Yes I know it's business, but I don't believe in supporting big ole corporate machines that do that kind of thing. Everytime any competitor has a good idea, Blockbuster steals the idea. Like Hollywood Video's 5 day rentals and also their guaranteed in stock new releases. When has Blockbuster EVER come up with an idea of their own? Well, finally with no late fees they have.

But this idea belongs to Netflix, a smallish company that runs it better than Blockbuster and deserves the business much more.

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netflix or blockbuster??
Jul 16, 2005 6:01AM PDT

It's not even close.Had both for over 4 months. Blocbuster didn't have half the movies that netflix had. When movies came up in my queue from blcckbuster they become short wait. I had the same movies on both list.I had over 50 movies and 35 or more on the blockbuster was a short wait.On netflix is was never more then 5.Shipping was a little faster from netflix but I live in Kansas City and they had a shipping center here where Blockbluster was in St. Louis, I all so find it faster to take them to the main post office because the had a 8 p.m. pickup even on the weekend.They were shipped frist but it sucks. All so had a few broke by the post office.It took longer to get replacement then it did to be added back to my queue.I hope this helps answer your question.Dave R.E=MC2.

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What about Avenue?
Jul 16, 2005 6:44AM PDT

I'd like to see this same discussion re. Netflix vs. Avenue. I plan to sign up for a service soon, and these are the two I'm considering. Anybody?

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netflix==NO/BLOCKBUSTER==YES!!!
Jul 16, 2005 5:33PM PDT

Blockbuster receives my DVD returns in about 1-2 days. After they receive them, they immediately send out my next DVD's and they arrive in usually 2-4 days. (My branch of Blockbuster Online is based in Sacramento) Plus blockbuster gives you two free in-store rentals per month, which I use for the regularly expensive video games. Definately better because they're quicker, have more titles and stock, and I get to be watching movies and gaming 24/7!!!!!!!!!!!!

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I'm with Blockbuster.
Jul 17, 2005 4:43AM PDT

I have been signed up with Blockbuster.com for about 9 months now and since I started, they really have improved the service. I live in the Kansas City area and am serviced by both the Denver and St. Louis area distribution centers. At first it was a little slow getting the rentals back, but now (and I am not kidding), I send my current rentals back and have the new movies in 3 business days. I am sure that it is different depending upon where you live, but that is the story here.

Another person had mentioned the free movie coupons you get every month and that is pretty nice. I get two free movie or game rentals from my local Blockbuster store every month. I also get an extra coupon or two every month for everything from candy deals to buy on get one free previously viewed movies.

I think that Blockbuster really has got a good thing going here. I want you to understand though, I have never had Netflix and don't really know much about it. I hope this helps.

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Netflix or Blockbuster
Jul 17, 2005 8:55AM PDT

We have subscribed with Netflix for about 3 months. We use the intermediate membership, about $15/month AND we share this with another couple, as our tastes run in a similar direction. We are VERY satisfied with Netflix. I would NEVER subscribe to Blockbuster because for so long they were "the only game in town" and behaved like a monopoly. The only reason they began the subscription by mail program was because of the competition with Netflix. With only 1 exception Iget notice the next day of receipt of the DVD, and the same day I get notice of sending out the next 2 DVDs. They have always arrived when I was informed they would.

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Hmmmm,
Jul 18, 2005 1:19AM PDT

I think netflix is a little faster, but it really depends which center is closer to you.

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Netflix is WAY fast!
Jul 20, 2005 1:10AM PDT

I recommend checking with your post office or asking Netflix for info, because our experience over the past 2+ yrs is that Netflix has super-fast turnaround.

Here' s our latest DVD exchange, which is typical: We put 3 DVDs out in our mailbox for postal pickup on Monday. Postal carrier retrieved the mailers from our mailbox Monday @ 3:00 pm. By Tuesday @ 9:00 am, Netflix has sent me an email notice for one of the DVDs acknowledging receipt of one return. An hour later, I am sent another notice, saying Netflix has mailed out my next rental. I receive that new DVD in today's mail (Wednesday). That's a 48-hour tunraround from my door back to my door. (The other 2 DVDs were processed by Netflix about 12 hours after the first one.)

I recommend you investigate the reason for your delays. Are you mailing returns from a place where pick-up is less frequent? (Surprisingly, I discovered that giving return DVDs to my mail carrier had faster results than when I mailed them from the post office directly!)

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thats funny,
Jul 20, 2005 6:42AM PDT

I think that was the problem...when i drop off the dvd's in an actual mailbox, it processes faster than when i actually take it directly to the post office. For some reason, netflix seems to get mail from the post office really late.

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Re: Netflix too slow
Jul 29, 2005 3:01AM PDT

I have used both Netflix & Blockbuster. Netflix delivers to me about 1 day faster than Blockbuster. You might want to contact Netflix and make sure your DVD's are going to and coming from their location that is closest to where you live.

Blockbuster's draw for most people is that you get free coupon rentals from your nearby store each month. We don't have a Blockbuster within 30 miles, so this doesn't interest us.