Blockbuster's Unfair Business Practices

look you have 30 days to return it after that it's yours . what you
think you can pay 4- and keep something as long as you want.... ya im
sorry mr. Bank manager i'll pay you 1 car payment and keep the car as
long as i want.
that makes you dumb WHY? would anyone let you do that.
its simple you pay to RENT it NOT keep it. RETURN IT when its due. And
it doesnt matter if they loose money or not from the 1 copy Its their
money you want to loose money of course not nobody does. when you
people whine about " Oh i kept this movie for a whole month because
I'm too STUPID to return it when I know it's due" you make yourself
look like a idiot...

p.s we love it because we Laugh so hard because your soooo stupid
making fun of you is easy... moron

Oh please if you were a responsible adult this would never have
happened.

"I feel like I have been robbed!"

I am guessing thats exactly how BlockBuster felt when you didnt return
their movie.

read the fine print, its states "you are screwed" if you dont return
in time.......you didnt notice charge on account?

Did you ignore all the phone calls. You get one every week when you're
late. You would have had a least 4 phone calls and they would explain
the fees.

Back before the no late fees thing (this also happens with the same
terms in Canada) I was a day late returning a movie to Blockbuster.
Knowing that I had made the error, I was ready to pay the late fee. I
went to the counter to return the movie, and even though I was a day
late, they waived the fee. I dont know why they did, I just know that
they rang it in, told me my balance was zero and wished me a nice day.
At that moment, Blockbuster cemented itself as my rental location of
choice. There have been other times that I have been late, and have
had to pay, I never expected that one act ot be the norm.

It is never the campany's fault if you dont read the terms of service.

Well, maybe next time you'll remember to return the movies you rent on
time. This is no one's fault but your own.

I feel sorry for your daughters. The next time something like this
happens, my suggestion is to tell them, "I'm sorry, but Mommy
bought/stole a movie from Blockbuster and until she pays for the movie
she took, they won't let her rent any more."

I have the blockbuster online membership and I absolutely love it.
Their policy is very clear...if you return a movie more than a week
later than you rented it out, you pay a $1.25 restocking fee. Once
you have a movie for 30 days, you own it, and your account will be
charged the fee. This all printed on the receipt when you rent the
movie. It's an unfortunate mistake, but you do owe them the money.
You learned a lesson the hard way but now you know so you won't do it
again.

Of course Blockbuster gave you a $25 fee. The movie was 37 days past
due! Trust me, after 37 days, they don't expect you to return the
movie. So, they have to buy a new copy of the movie, and charge you
with the fee. I'm guessing that next time you'll bring the movie back
in time.

I kind of agree with some of the other comments.

Why do you keep blaming the babysitter and like it was okay because
you returned it immediately?

I think you should have nicer and just agreed that it was your fault.

"I was in tears at this point because my daughters were upset that
they would not be seeing the movies that they had picked out."

I honestly would have been with you, pretty much 100%, but then I came
to this sentence. Leave the begging and tears out of it. It's
unnecessary and takes away from your letter.

If you whittled this letter down to the issue: in essence, you were
forced to pay full price for a movie you did not wish to purchase,
even though your account agreement states that you should be able to
return the movie and only pay a restocking fee, you have a legitimate
complaint.

The rudeness and bad attitude of the employees is another legitimate
complaint. Next time, stick to that and leave your kids and emotions
out of it, please.

Actually, you only pay the restocking fee if you return the movie
within 30 days of the rental being charged to the credit card on file.
Since the OP had the movie almost 6 months, she is not within that
window, not even close. So the movie is hers to keep. Why would
Blockbuster want it back now? The terms are spelled out pretty
clearly in the membership agreement. Im guessing the OP failed to
read it. How would blockbuster stay in business if customers were
able to keep a rental for 6 months,and only pay a penalty of $1.25? I
think the OP should be happy blockbuster changed to the no late fees
policy. If they still had late fees, she would be paying around
$50-$60 instead of $24.99.

The letter writer was forced to pay full price for a movie she didn't
wish to purchase by virtue of her own actions and lack of
responsibility - - because she didn't return it within the rental
guidelines. Her account agreement states she can return the movie and
only pay a restocking fee IF THE MOVIE IS RETURNED WITHIN 30 DAYS OF
THE DUE DATE.

It also doesn't appear that the Blockbuster employees were rude nor
had a bad attitude - - unless, of course, being told "no" is
interpreted as being rude and having a poor attitude.

Blockbuster does not have "unfair business practices" - - they are in
the business of renting movies to consumers who in turn agree to the
terms and conditions of their rental agreement.

This woman kept a movie for upwards of 6 months and had the guts to
cry and actually use her children to try and gain sympathy because
she was forced to pay for the movie in accordance with her rental
agreement.

We all make mistakes - - sometimes we can get out of the consequences
and sometimes we can't - - but in the end, who made the mistake?

If you really dont want this movie, one option available to you is to
have blockbuster buy it back. They buy used movies. Now, youre not
going to get the $24.99 back (nor do I think you deserve it), but they
will probably give you around $5 for it. I know you may tear up
having to give up such a critically acclaimed movie such as the
covenant =) but at least you will get something for it.

Michelle,
Are there any other places that rents movies in your area? Maybe
Netflex online would be an option. I am not sure of the timeline but
you can buy movies online at Amazon,Barnes & Noble, etc. Sorry about
the ordeal.

"I was in tears at this point because my daughters were upset that
they would not be seeing the movies that they had picked out. "- here
is an answer for your daughters..."your mommy wasn't responsible and
kept a movie WAY past its due date, THIS is why you can't watch your
movies."

As a former 5-year employee of Blockbuster, I think I can shed some
light on this issue. You were charged the $24.99 becuase when you
rented it, it must have just come out within the previous couple of
weeks. I just looked up this movie, and saw it was released 01/02/07.
That means you rented it sometime in the month of January, and you
just got around to returning it now. After the movie is 7 days late
(They actually give you 10 days, but dont tell you), the price of the
movie is charged to your credit card. Since this was a hot new
release at the time, the price was $24.99. If it had been an older
movie, you would be charged a used price (the current $14.99 price)
Hot new releases are constantly checked out, and since you decided to
keep this movie 5-6 months blockbuster lost a great deal of rental
revenue during its first month of release. You still have 30
additional days to return the item and you will only pay $1.25 (the
$24.99 price is refunded to you). At some point blockbuster says to
themselves (after 37 days), "I guess Michelle isnt going to return
that copy of the Covenant that she has had the last 5-6 months. You
even received recorded messages and postcards in the mail reminding of
the outstanding item. At this present point, they dont want the movie
back because there isnt nearly as much demand for that title anymore.
And the manager is right, you are taking away profits from his store,
and he would rather have you shopping somewhere else. Go to Hollywood
Video and screw them over. Oh, and John Antioco will soon not be the
CEO of the company. He is resigning once his replacement is found.
He's the idiot that came up with this whole ridiculus "no late fees"
thing. Great idea, lets sacrifice about 20% of our revenue so
deadbeat customers will cost us more money. Im sure glad I got off
this sinking ship a few years back.

Please tell me this is a joke....ha ha ha. If not, someone please
save this woman from herself.

To all of my fellow womenfolk:

PLEASE, in the name of all that's holy, STOP including in your
complaint letters lines like:

"I was in tears..."

"At this point I started to cry...."

"...caused me to break down in tears."

I have yet to read a letter from a man on PF that includes any of the
above lines.

If we want to be treated respectfully, not as if we were some
withering, brainless, pieces of fluff, we need to act like adults and
not resort to tears to 'get our way.'

Thank you!

I suspect that Blockbuster does not regard shoving movies into a drop
box designed for returning rentals or piling them on the counter with
returned rentals to be an adequate way of taking an item you have
purchased back to the store and going through the return process.

Even if they did, it seems odd to me that you would have a movie for
so long that it would become a purchase and not at least ask a clerk
whether there was anything you need to do -- especially since it seems
as if you didn't consult your contract until after they made you aware
of the overdue bill -- and then show up with your kids expecting to
use your account as if nothing had happened. Obviously there has to
be some system to ensure that people don't rent movies and keep them
for all eternity, even if that system does not rely on late fees, so
it's fairly easy to realize that "no late fees" isn't the whole story.
And of course if you incur charges and don't do anything about them
they won't give you any more movies. Why would someone extend credit
to someone else who has shown a willingness not to pay?

Since they do apparently agree to accept the movie back for a
restocking fee regardless of the window, and since the movie is now
selling for $14.99, it seems to me that it would be reasonable and
fair for them to refund you $14.99 minus the restocking fee -- and
minus any other charges for making the movie unavailable for them to
rent. After all, you aren't buying the movie now. You already bought
it when the price was higher (and when they presumably had to replace
it because they try to only have on hand the number they actually
need). You're only just now, when the movie is selling at a lower
price, alerting them to the fact that you want to return the movie.
Because, as I say, putting a movie you own through a rental return
slot is more the act of someone who is confused than someone who is
trying to relinquish ownership.

But when you start accusing them of upsetting your children (by
insisting that you pay your bills) and making you cry (by insisting
that you pay your bills) and taking advantage of customers (by
insisting that you pay your bills) and having a bad attitude (for not
thinking that your business is worth all that much given that you
don't give them much money even when you are paying on time), you lose
a certain amount of my sympathy. I suspect you have lost a certain
amount of Blockbuster's sympathy, too, because many people do not want
to be unfairly accused of being mean to children. Everything they
have done, with the possible exception of not giving you a few dollars
back once you said you wanted to return the movie, is something that
you agreed they could do.

And just as a heads-up, when I lost 2 Netflix disks I paid $20 for
each one. And that was after using up at least a third of my month's
Netflix fees (2 to 2 1/2 weeks, 2 of 3 movies out) not renting
anything else while I tried to find them. So I don't really think
that Blockbuster's policy is unreasonable.

But I really wish that when you found you had the movie you had gotten
in line and handed it to a clerk. It could have saved you and your
daughters and the clerk and the manager an awful lot of frustration.

Michelle,

Can you please explain how you came to the conclusion that this
situation is the result of anything other than your inability to be
responsible?

Your argument that "there were many copies of "The Covenant" on that
shelf also so I don't see how they "lost money" from one copy" is
ridiculous and a very sad attempt to shift the focus from the fact
that you were irresponsible with property that wasn't yours.

It's the babysitters fault, it's Blockbusters fault. It's everyone
else in the Universe's fault but Michelle's, right?

& you and your children were crying because you couldn't rent movies?
You felt like you were robbed?Gimme a break!

Personally, I'd say that $25 was cheap - I remember when DVD's and
Videos used to cost $50-$75 if you lost them (back before Blockbuster
and Hollywood were around).

It might seem to be an expensive lesson (but not all that expensive),
but you probably would have paid more than that in late fees if they
had charged you for 37 days. I'll bet you'll make darn sure you don't
lose track of anymore movies taken out on your account in the future.

It seems to me that they are very clear in their policy about movies
that are kept out too long. They acted in accordance with their
policies. You were not taken advantage of and at this point, you are
trying to take advantage of Blockbuster.

Tears? Over this? Grow up! You made a mistake and you have to take
the consequences.

When BB came out with their "return it whenever you like" policy, the
fine print was pretty clear about the limitations of the "whenever."

Blockbuster probably thought it was ridiculous that you kept their
movie for 37 days.

If you pressed the point on this and I were the manager, I would have
told you to go elsewhere also.

The part about you being in tears - come on now. Grow up and take
some responsibility. "I forgot that we even had it..." No, you
forgot that you had it, period.

I had a friend that was a manager for BBuster - the way I understand
it is not only are you charged the cost of the movie, but there can be
additional fees based on the "lost revenue" that would have been
(maybe) generated had their movie been on the shelf, available to
rent. This may have changed, but I can understand the logic to some
degree.

I have had my share of extraordinary late charges ( because I ALWAYS
forget to return on time - consequently we only do pay per view
now....don't have to leave the house and never late!

Good luck!

Although I know nothing about Blockbuster or it's policies, I couldn't
help noticing that this doesn't make sense:

"If you keep the movie too long a you may be charged the price of the
movie however you may return the movie at any time. The customer will
be charged a restocking fee."

The wording gives the customer a false sense of security and causes
confusion. If you are going to be charged the price of the movie, why
would you return it and also pay a restocking fee?

Maybe I'm reading it incorrectly, but that means others might be doing
the same.

Unfair? What's unfair is for you to keep someone else's property for
37 days.
It doesn't matter that they had "many" copies.
It doesn't matter that you can't comprehend the terms to which you
agreed.
It doesn't matter how much the used copies of the movie are selling
for now.

You kept the movie well past the due date and you ended up as it's
owner by your own negligence.
"No late fees" does not mean keep it forever or return it when you see
fit with no repercussion.

Here's a novel idea: accept responsibilty for the situation and count
it as a learning experience. Sadly, that's something we see less and
less of these days.

Blockbuster is not taking advantage of it's customers and you have not
been robbed.

Dry your tears and either accept the fact that you forgot to return
the movie and were charged in accordance with your membership
agreement or take your business elsewhere - - and make sure you read
and understand the rental agreement.

When you go late by 8 days, they charge you the full "selling" price
of the movie minus the rental fee. If, within 30 days, you return it,
they give you THAT amount back minus $1.25 "restocking fee."

Once you hit 37 days, you own it. It's not a late fee. It's $25 to
buy. Which is the price, I presume, that it was selling for when you
hit 37 days. If it was then selling for $15, then this should have
been what you paid.

See http://www.blockbuster.com/stores/membershipTerms

You may feel robbed, but these are the terms.

That said, "any time" does mean "any time." Even beyond 30/37 days.
So, I'd suggest that you double check to make sure that there aren't
additional sentences, like what's on the web site, that say that this
applies only up to 30 days.