Blockbuster brings back late fees on video games
Filed under: Extracurriculars, Technology
For years now, Blockbuster has boasted that it doesn't charge late fees for movie and video game rentals by telling its customers to "Celebrate the end of late fees." But starting this week, it appears the celebration will be over as Blockbuster begins to reinstate late fees for video games at select stores. The practice, which a reader of consumer blog Consumerist discovered through a notice on his receipt and confirmed with store employees, removes the 10-day grace period that Blockbuster formerly allowed for game rentals.Now, instead of getting a 15-day game rental for the price of 5 days, renters will face a 99 cent per day fee for each additional day and, on the 15th day, the rental will be converted to a sale just like it did under the old policy. Renters can still return the game, minus a $1.25 restocking fee, to reverse the sale but the 99 cent a day late fee will still be charged. What's not immediately clear is if the $9.99 in late fees apply to the purchase price of the game or if they are above and beyond the price.
Without a doubt the change in policy will irk customers, but overall it could mean better gaming for them.
Before our local Blockbuster store closed down it was nearly impossible to find any game worth renting because everyone paid for a five-day rental knowing they could get an extra 10 days free. For just $1.25 more they could hang onto the game for a total of 30 days. So many renters kept games long past their due dates. The practice was so common that the employees openly pitched the five-day rental as lasting 15 days; likely because it made the $9 rental fee seem more reasonable.
Renters need to realize that's there's no such thing as a free lunch. Keeping a game an extra 10 days just passes the cost onto other consumers in the form of high game prices -- and, eventually, the return of rental fees. Thankfully, the late fee is only 99 cents a day, which won't make being one day late too painful. And, so far, the late fee policy doesn't apply to movies.
This new plan will bring more games back to Blockbuster which will make for happier customers and perhaps the company can even make enough money to keep the lights on at a few more locations. If you want to keep games for extended periods of time Blockbuster does offer an unlimited Game Pass starting at $21.99 a month or you could sign up for a membership from GameFly.com and avoid a trip to the store all together.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-09-2009 @ 8:45AM
Darrin said...
In my town, worries over late fees at Blockbuster should ultimately prove meaningless as our store is hanging on by it's tattered fingernails. Financially speaking, that is. Red Box kiosks and the like are killing off the stores one by one. Why spend $5-$10 for a movie or game, when you can rent it for a buck? Also, don't have to pay wages to a kiosk. It's pretty pathetic when you go into our store...what with merchandise strewn about, apathetic employees. Blockbuster, I'm afraid, is not long for this Earth. R.I.P.
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10-09-2009 @ 9:55AM
Mel said...
Its the same here in our town. We only rent from Red Box, or buy from Game and Movie Stop (used videos/game store). Plus alot of people use Netflix now. I do not anyone who uses Blockbuster anymore and it shows as no one is ever in their parking lots. The last time we went in there it was something horrendous like $5 a movie rental, or sign up for their unlimited movies a month contract for a yr. I am not signing a year contract to rent movies! I already hate cell phone contracts. Give me a break!
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10-09-2009 @ 9:55AM
tigerczew said...
As cheep as Red Box is. (And I admit using it). It sad to see a national business go out of business because of the lack of jobs out there today. Yes we had to pay higher prices to pay a business to keep maybe 20 people on a payroll per location... Where as Red Box only needs 1 maintenance guy for a whole area of them. But that's still 19 more people who can feed their families, pay their bills..... I'm glad Blockbuster is reinstating its late fees for games if people are taking advantage of the system like this.
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10-09-2009 @ 11:10AM
John Ricci said...
Blockbuster is at death's door and this will bury them. Can't cook, get outta the kitchen.
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10-09-2009 @ 11:11AM
Jay said...
Blockbuster had ample time to get with the program and initiate a better online rental system (like Netflix or GameFly), and/or to move into the vending machine business (like RedBox).
With their established brand name, significant advertising budget and negotiating clout, they could've very easily squashed these upstart competitors - instead, they sat idly by, stuck with their 1995 business model, and allowed the upstarts to gain a foothold. Revenues fell as they lost market share, and Blockbuster reacted by closing stores, cutting ad budgets, and downsizing their "game section" stock.
At this point, their selection is terrible and their prices are way out of line. Why anyone would pay $9 or $10 to rent a $60 game for 5 days (or even 15) is beyond me... by the time you actually find a copy at your local store, the game will be several months old and you can probably buy it used for $20 - $40. I have seen Blockbuster selling used games for less than they'd charge you to rent a copy!
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10-09-2009 @ 11:11AM
cousinmickey said...
wake up people blockbuster will do what they need to do to get lazy renters to return there stuff they cannot keep it
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10-09-2009 @ 2:08PM
rb5684 said...
Yeah, I got hit about a month ago for late fees. Just completely blindsided, no warning or anything, along with raising their prices back to 2.99 for 1 night rentals (apparently they were trying a lower price in our area, but that was never conveyed as a limited time offer). I have darkened the door of a BB store for the last time, and will be joining Netflix very soon. I worked for them when they bought out Sound Warehouse music stores in the mid 90's. I hate to say it, but if they go under, good riddance.
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10-11-2009 @ 7:33PM
bbvfan said...
Really can a box tell you if a movie is good or not, and oh yeah waiting for your items to get to you mailbox thru snail mail is great too. Bashing a company who made the video business what is kinda crazy. Pricing has anyone noticed that in the biggest part of the US that the prices of soft drinks have increased more times than bbv. Where Im at the .99 a day thing has been going on since last year before christmas, and games or on the shelf. They also started a choice of a daily rental(which should be self explanatory) or to rent the normal 5day. The people at my store will tell you if a movie or game sucks, sometimes even if you dont ask, so you dont wasted money on it. Im sorry to vent people but you or mocking alot of good people who will lose thier jobs and in my neck of the woods that is just wrong.
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11-03-2009 @ 7:19PM
StrandedDread said...
Paying $9 for game rental is ridiculous unless I can keep it for 10-15 days. A 5day rental causes me to play more hours a day in order to finish. I'd rather not be rushed and $9 for 10-15 days seemed fair. Oh well, with COD:MW2 coming out and a long dry-spell of decent games who needs to rent anymore games.
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