So in response to finally having some free time in the evenings, I took the plunge yesterday and signed up for Blockbuster’s Online Rental, DVD-by-mail thingummy. I spent a lot of time comparing it with Netflix, and finally went for BB because:
[ul]
[li]There is a Blockbuster a scant three minute walk from my apartment, and in-store trade-ins promise instant gratification.[/li][li]Netflix streaming isn’t really a big sell for me, since I can’t stream to my TV (if I wanted to watch movies on my laptop, I’d use iTunes).[/li][li]When factoring in the aforementioned trade-ins, the two services are quite literally the same price.[/li][/ul]So, excited about putting all the movies I’ve been “meaning to watch” for years on a queue and letting some robot somewhere obtain them for me, I posted a celebratory “Signed up for Blockbuster! Recommend me some movies I should watch!” status message up in gchat.
After ten minutes, I had received zero suggestions of movies from anyone, but three separate friends had sent messages of semi-indignation along the lines of “Why the hell would you do Blockbuster instead of Netflix! Blockbuster sucks! RaaaaaaNetflix!!!” I then had to explain my reasons to each of them, one after the other, and even when it was made expressly clear that this was a better choice for me, the best any of them could muster was “Yeah, well, Blockbuster still sucks.”
Look, jackasses. I am aware that I am now supporting an “Evil Empire.” I am aware that Blockbuster has, in the past, been “teh suxors.” I am aware that their online interface is kind of clunky and smacks of cynical marketing department “consumer activation” strategies (really, is there any reason at all that I had to create a fucking avatar when I signed up? Does Blockbuster actually think it’s enhancing my experience by forcing me to choose a little cartoon version of myself dressed like a ninja before I can tell them what movies I want?). I have considered all these things. I have also considered that Netflix is the company that fucking invented the technique of slowing down delivery of DVDs in order to maximize profits.
But, you know what? It doesn’t matter which company is more “right.” This is not a Major Life Decision. This is not a Statement of Values. This is an automated service that processes my electronic requests and responds to those requests by sending me little plastic discs that, when activated, display moving picture images on my television machine. I’m sorry that I somehow “offended” you by choosing the service that best fit my needs, but you know what? Stop being such fucking hipsters about it, get over yourself, and go watch a movie. God damn.
I’m not getting the “status symbol” part of your title. Yeah, people who like a brand/service/product can be a bit irrational in their support of it (see: Apple), but that’s because they’ve had such a positive experience that they think anyone who chooses a different path is making a mistake (see: people with kids who find out you’re not planning to have them). I don’t think it’s snobbishness or status or anything like that, it’s just people liking their thing so much that they disparage other things.
Also, having been a long time Blockbuster renter from my pre-Netflix days, I’m automatically suspicious of their ability to do anything half as well as Netflix.
You could probably easily plug in your laptop to your TV
I have Netflix and I too think, good sir, that you suck. Big time.
Really, I know a few people who also have Blockbuster and the reason they give as to why is always the same: They have a blockbuster store x minutes (where x is some finite amount above 0 and less than 10) from their home. Makes sense to me.
As for me, I can drop my netflix at my office’s mail room and I can stream/get more DVD’s in the mail than I can possibly watch in any given month. So instant gratificaiton isn’t really a factor.
I’m a bit dubious about hooking the laptop up to TV, given that the TV itself is about ten years old (and about ten thousand pounds). S’what I get for getting it free from my buddy when he updgraded to an LCD. I think that if I ever brought an HDMI cable near my television it would somehow come to life and burn me at the stake for witchcraft.
And Giraffe, you’re right; the “status symbol” thing was probably a bit hyperbolic. It sprang from the general feeling I got from the conversations I was having that “Only dumb people would sign up for Blockbuster,” when I was actually pretty proud of the amount of research/comparison I’d done. It did smack heavily of an Apple vs. PC argument (and I’m a pretty big Apple fanboy myself, so it was weird being on the other side of the smug).
If the service ends up sucking, or I get a new TV, or an Xbox 360 (drool), or I move away from the store, or anything else changes in the near future, I’ll probably switch over. And if Blockbuster gives me any guff about quitting, well hell, I’ll probably write a rant about that. What I won’t do is eat crow over the switch, because this is still the best decision for me at the moment.
Honestly, I can emphasize with your friends. It’s not a status symbol thing, it’s a vendetta thing. I really, really hated Blockbuster. Crappy selection, crappy service, but big enough that they could choke out smaller, local stores that were actually worth a damn. Plus, there was the whole thing about them stocking edited cuts of some movies. It’s a company that I’ve really, really wanted to fail for a long time, now. Of course, I haven’t rented from them in 10+ years, and I’ve never used their online service, so for all I know, none of those complaints apply anymore. But I still get a jerky knee when someone mentions them. Probably, it’s the same way with your friends.
Yeah. I had Netflix and seriously considered switching over to Blockbuster due to their free instore rentals and the ability to drop off at the store. The only worry I had about them was their selection. I didn’t know if it would be as huge as Netflix’s.
For all the reasons that have been mentioned, I am a Blockbuster hater as well. I signed up with Netflix immediately upon discovering it about 6 years ago, and still can’t resist a little internal “neener neener neener” whenever I pass a Blockbuster store.
However, if it works for you, which it sounds like it does based on your research and proximity to the store, I guess I’ll let it slide. This time.
As someone who’s been a Netflix subscriber for years, and recently tried Blockbuster’s service when they offered an introductory deal, I have to agree: Blockbuster sucks.
I only had my account for 2 weeks (even though I got more than a month free). Here was my experience.
When signing up for the account, Blockbuster’s website crapped out. At the final confirmation screen, I’d push the button to sign up, and I’d get a database error. I went back and filled everything out again, and got the same thing.
Two days later, I got an email telling me that my queue needed attention. That was it. There was no introductory email, no welcome to Blockbuster message. I had no idea I had even successfully signed up for a few days.
The first movie that I got was the wrong disc (in the right sleeve). Now, this happens sometimes with Netflix, so I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt on that one. When I went to the website to report the problem, they asked me if I wanted the same movie again, or if I wanted to go to the next movie in my queue. I requested the same movie again.
A few days later, I got the next movie in my queue. I was on the one-disc plan, so this puzzled me. I went to the website to check it out, and I saw that the first movie was no longer listed as in my queue. I wrote to support explaining my problem, and the support person apologized for the mixup, and said she would send the original movie immediately.
I never received the original movie. A week later, I returned the second one after having watched it, and canceled my subscription. It didn’t come in the mail after that, so clearly they hadn’t sent it for at least a week.
That’s a whole lot of incompetence for a pretty basic set of transactions.
Two years ago, my Dad tried out Blockbuster, and he reported that they managed to bungle his queue. His first experience was getting emailed that two movies were shipped to him, then, later that day, getting emails thanking him for returning those two dvds, and saying that the next movies would be shipped. I guess they fell off a cart somewhere before being mailed and got “returned”.
Oh Jester, here you are in the Pit and you’re getting some of the same stuff here! Ain’t it great?
If you’re still looking for movies to add to your queue, how about Towelhead? I watched this movie last night, and it was 2 hours of horribly awkward situations. I know that sounds bad, but it was actually a well-made film.
[li]Netflix streaming isn’t really a big sell for me, since I can’t stream to my TV (if I wanted to watch movies on my laptop, I’d use iTunes).[/li][/QUOTE]
Presumably you have to buy or rent movies that you watch using iTunes. The advantage of the Netflix streaming service is that it’s completely free to Netflix subscribers.
Netflix claims to have 100,000+ movies. Blockbuster claims to have about 78,000. Last week, I receive the John Waters flick *Female Trouble *from netflix (it’s a favorite of mine). Blockbuster doesn’t even carry it (or Pink Flamingos) - I just checked their site. And that’s what it comes down to for me. Better selection. I want to be able to watch what I want to watch. Seems like a no-brainer.
I gotta agree with the OP. I’m going through the same bullshit with Myspace and Facebook.
I grew up in North Carolina, but my entire family is from California. Six years ago, I moved to Arizona. So I have friends in Arizona and North Carolina, and family in California. I signed up to Myspace about 4 and a half years ago to keep in touch with these people. Facebook, mind you, still required a .edu email address at the time.
Now, somehow - inexplicably - Facebook has become the cooler, superior, “status symbol” social networking site. I meet people and they ask me if I’m on Facebook, and I say no, I’m on Myspace, and they literally screw their faces up and say, “Ewww, get OFF of there! You NEED to get on Facebook!”
FUCK. OFF. They’re the same fucking site packaged differently, with a huge overlap in users. I’m used to Myspace’s interface and everyone I want to stay in touch with is on it.
My Blueray player can run the streaming netflix videos. It kicks ass. much easier than connecting the laptop to the TV. You have to manage your instant view queue from a computer but you can flip through the movies in the queue from the DVD player.
True, but again, I’m working with a TV so old that its workings might as well be driven by punchcards. A Blueray player is not on my list of necessary investments right now.
First two discs have officially shipped (Sukiyaki Western Django and Blood Simple); we’ll see how BB does on the first round and whether those are the movies that actually show up on Saturday. (scout, I’ve thrown Towelhead onto the queue; I loves me some Alan Ball.)
Selection has been good so far; 30ish movies on my queue and I have yet to encounter something I want to see that BB doesn’t have. It’s bound to happen eventually, of course, but if it does I’ll just get one of my pals to put it on their Netflix queues for me, and pretend I’m giving them a chance to make me see the light.
I hear you. Ironically, (yes, I know it’s not really ironic, shut up), I’m PC/linux guy myself with several Apple-fanatic friends, so I also know both sides.
I think the thing that’s hard about being a fanboy is enlightening someone to why you think your thing is better without coming across as patronizing / dickish. Imagine if a friend of yours was buying an mp3 player, had never used an iPod and was telling you that he was getting a Zune* because it cost the same as an iPod and held the same number of songs so it’s just as good. You can’t tell me you wouldn’t want to tell him how much better iPods are, simply in terms of basic usability and coolness. It’s kind of the same thing for me with Netflix. Their website is awesome and I really like the company – I’d have a hard time listening to a friend tell me Blockbuster is just as good, even if for them it is.
note: I’ve never actually used a Zune, this was just an example of an inferior mp3 player. If they’re in fact awesome, don’t bother telling me about it, because I don’t care.
