... or so says Blockbuster. Unfortunately, when I went to rent some videos none of the employees could actually explain what this meant. So I can keep movies as long as I want? Uh, sure. And I'll never have to pay late fees? Right!
The only thing they neglected to mention is that if you don't return the movie within a week, they convert the rental into a sale. That's right... there's no more late fees because if you don't return the videos they just sell them to you automatically and charge your credit card. What the heck? You can "return" them if you see the charges quick enough, but then you still have to pay a "restocking fee". So, that's a late fee, right? No, it's just to pay for restocking. But You have to pay it if you return the videos late, so it's just another type of late fee. No, not at all.
Whatever. Screw you, Blockbuster.
Update:
The actual "end of late fees" terms.
Update 2:
Wow, state attorneys general are investigating Blockbuster for fraud. It looks like I wasn't the only one deceived by this ad campaign. (HT: DeoDuce.)
"No more late fees" - unless you return the videos late.
I'm beginning to wonder what the future holds for the brick-and-mortar movie rental business. Blockbuster wouldn't have introduced a program like this if Netflix didn't come along first with a similar service.
I've found Movielink to be pretty good... albeit with a narrower range of available movies. Movielink rents you a 500-600MB video file that you download and can view for 24-hours. Don't want to watch a movie on your computer? No problem... just run a cable from your computer to your TV. Most computers have the required hookups for that nowadays anyway.
I don't know how successful Movielink is or will be in the future... but the traditional movie rental places are probably living on borrowed time.
Those little USB flash drives could be a potential avenue for the movie business (just as they already are for the file-sharing and espionage businesses).
But then again this is all just speculation; I could very easily be wrong.
Forgot to mention... the thing that is giving traditional movie rental places a real run for their money is digital cable and satellite services. I can watch a lot of recently-released movies directly through my digital cable.. and you know what? It works pretty well. It costs between $2.95 and $3.95 per movie.. which is right in the ballpark compared to other movie rental schemes.. and there's no media fiddle with.. ever.
Blockbuster has actually gotten into some legal trouble for their advertisements. I ordinarily chalk up lawsuits by a state AG (usually a gov-wanabee) as political grandstanding, but a quick review of even the basic facts suggest that Blockbuster is in the wrong here with false advertising.
I was at Blockbuster, too, last night with a friend. He tried reasoning with the savant at the register regarding the "No Late Fees", but the results were the same. It makes me so irritated, I'm going to switch my membership to Hollywood Video.
What about public libraries with video sections? Is that just something in Albany and Schenectady counties in NY? I have homes in both counties, and libraries in both have really large selections. Not quite as large as a good video rental joint, nor with the very newest releases, but quite respectable. And the video aisles are always crowded Friday afternoons the last hour before closing.
Yep. NY AG Eliot "The People's Lawyer" Spitzer has announced a run for governor next year. Arguably his entire tenure as AG has been pre-campaign.
SteveF...
No public libraries here in WI have video sections featuring box-office movies.
I've never seen "Independence Day" or "The Silence of the Lambs", for example, available for rent in a public library here in WI.
Mark: Libraries in LA have big selections too.
Good for them.