Dish drops prices of Blockbuster in-store rentals

Just weeks after acquiring the struggling movie rental company Blockbuster, Dish Network has dropped prices across the board for in-store rentals at the 1700 stores that are still open.

Starting today, thousands of films will be just 99 cents per day, matching the price of the popular Redbox kiosks.

Additionally, brand new releases will be $2.99 for the first day, and 99 cents for each day thereafter.

Says the CEO of Blockbuster, Michael Kelly (via THR):

Our customers are seeking a better value - we�ve answered with new pricing and the flexibility of single day rentals. Our new pricing gives our customers the best of both worlds: access to the latest releases � many 28 days before Netflix and Redbox � and the most movies at low prices.

As a special promotion, Dish has started unlimited movie rentals in-store through July 4th. If you rent a new release (priced at $2.99) you can get any other movie (priced $1.99 or less) for free on the first day. You can then return that free film and get another one for free.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 27 May 2011 12:16

m3_chris

This may have helped years ago. $5 movies is why I quit going. I will now probably go back now and then. The red boxes just don't hold enough copys of a good new release.

27.5.2011 12:44 #1

plutonash

like what m3_chris said, if they would have done this 10 years ago,they wouldnt have needed to file for bankruptcy and had to get brought out by dish

"Cable thief is a victimless crime."

27.5.2011 13:42 #2

Clam_Up

Something else they could do to stay up with the competition is provide a return mailer with every in-store rental. The option of returning the movie by mail, and without late fees, is about the only way I'd consider stepping foot in that store again.

Then again they may already do this. I haven't been to a Blockbuster in years.

27.5.2011 13:54 #3

SProdigy

Originally posted by Clam_Up: Something else they could do to stay up with the competition is provide a return mailer with every in-store rental. The option of returning the movie by mail, and without late fees, is about the only way I'd consider stepping foot in that store again.

Then again they may already do this. I haven't been to a Blockbuster in years. That's not very practical, considering they are 1 day rentals. The reason they dangle the 1 day carrot is because they can have a higher turnover with rentals, ie. make more money by getting it back on and off the shelf multiple times.

27.5.2011 17:02 #4

SProdigy

The thought of $3 new releases may not appeal to those willing to wait to get $1 rentals through Redbox or "free" with their Netflix subscription. Now, getting TWO movies (ie. an older flick and a new release) for that cost is a decent idea, especially with the "free" movie coming when you return the first one. It's not only a good idea, but keeps traffic coming in and out of the store, something this chain desperately needs to focus on.

My main concern is how many times a movie needs to be rented in order to turn a profit? I'm not including operational costs, such as building lease, utilities, and labor into that equation, but just the cost of covering the physical disc itself. There was also no mention of how long a new release is designated as such (Family Video being the worse offender, with titles lasting on their wall in upwards of a full year!)

That being said I hope they do well, but I also know if they keep labor costs low due to the lower pricing tier, and their volume of business increases (ie. movies rented and returned) the customer service is going to go in the toilet, as lines will get longer and movies won't be put back on the shelf.

Oh and what about Blu-Ray?

27.5.2011 17:08 #5

jookycola

What's so bad with 3 day rentals? Why would i go to a Blockbuster rent a new movie for one day when i can get it through Netflix and watch it when i get time?

27.5.2011 17:14 #6

SProdigy

Originally posted by jookycola: What's so bad with 3 day rentals? Why would i go to a Blockbuster rent a new movie for one day when i can get it through Netflix and watch it when i get time? I was thinking that too but didn't type it. Sometimes I have Netflix movies that collect dust on my desk, especially since I can stream too.

The convenience of Netflix and the overall ratio of kiosks to physical Blockbuster stores doesn't help their cause either.

27.5.2011 17:24 #7

garmoon

This $2.99 for new movies won't help my blockbuster now. For 3 straight Tuesdays, my store has not received their new movies. Some came the following Friday-some came NOT at all. The problem with Netflix of which I am a member too, is that I can't get the new movie on Tuesday thru the mail-most have short wait. Have not had it long enough to know how long "SW" is.

The only thing that is offsetting these problems is that the movies by and large lately SUCK!

27.5.2011 17:43 #8

Run4two

It's over! I live in an area of SoCal (Temecula - Murrieta) with almost a quarter of a million people. All 3 Blockbusters closed over a year ago and all Hollywood Video stores are gone too. We are littered with Redbox kiosks everywhere! With the streaming possibilities and the kiosks, it appears that rental stores are no longer needed or feasible in my area. True, we won't have the esoteric titles that some will want, but that won't be enough to justify a physical location.

27.5.2011 21:30 #9

xboxdvl2

Originally posted by Clam_Up: Something else they could do to stay up with the competition is provide a return mailer with every in-store rental. The option of returning the movie by mail, and without late fees, is about the only way I'd consider stepping foot in that store again.

Then again they may already do this. I haven't been to a Blockbuster in years. returning a movie by mail wont work.its bad enough when a stores closed on a public holiday and you put the movie in the return slot on the wall and they try and charge you a late fee cause they didnt receive it on time.

R.I.P. mr 1990 ford falcon.looking for a new car.computers still going good.

28.5.2011 03:45 #10

KillerBug

I am never going back to those bastards. I really can't; I returned a Sega Genesis game years ago, and they never checked it back in...then someone else checked it out and lost it...last time I checked, they said I owed them hundreds of dollars for that one game...and that was last millenium.

The worst part is that they had this all in their records; they even had records of the person who lost it paying for the game...but they refused to remove the fees from my account.

http://killerbug666.wordpress.com/

28.5.2011 05:55 #11

garmoon

Originally posted by KillerBug: I am never going back to those bastards. I really can't; I returned a Sega Genesis game years ago, and they never checked it back in...then someone else checked it out and lost it...last time I checked, they said I owed them hundreds of dollars for that one game...and that was last millenium.

The worst part is that they had this all in their records; they even had records of the person who lost it paying for the game...but they refused to remove the fees from my account. That can't be helping your credit scores!

28.5.2011 09:37 #12

xboxdvl2

Originally posted by garmoon: Originally posted by KillerBug: I am never going back to those bastards. I really can't; I returned a Sega Genesis game years ago, and they never checked it back in...then someone else checked it out and lost it...last time I checked, they said I owed them hundreds of dollars for that one game...and that was last millenium.

The worst part is that they had this all in their records; they even had records of the person who lost it paying for the game...but they refused to remove the fees from my account. That can't be helping your credit scores! if it effects your credit rating (which i dont think it will due to how long ago it was).you could probably sue them.

R.I.P. mr 1990 ford falcon.looking for a new car.computers still going good.

28.5.2011 10:22 #13

Clam_Up

Originally posted by xboxdvl2: Originally posted by Clam_Up: Something else they could do to stay up with the competition is provide a return mailer with every in-store rental. The option of returning the movie by mail, and without late fees, is about the only way I'd consider stepping foot in that store again.

Then again they may already do this. I haven't been to a Blockbuster in years. returning a movie by mail wont work.its bad enough when a stores closed on a public holiday and you put the movie in the return slot on the wall and they try and charge you a late fee cause they didnt receive it on time. It'd work if they adopted Netflix's no-late-fee-ever policy. Keep X number of movies at a time and return them when you're done. The problem is, Blockbuster never kept enough stock to allow this option for all of their customers without running ridiculously short of supply.

Frankly, I live too far from a Blockbuster to justify a trip just to return a movie, so I stopped renting from them all together because a movie rental could end up being more expensive than just going to the theater.

It's moot anyway because I just drove by the old Blockbuster store and it's all closed up. In a way it brought a smile to my face.

28.5.2011 11:33 #14

garmoon

Originally posted by xboxdvl2: Originally posted by garmoon: Originally posted by KillerBug: I am never going back to those bastards. I really can't; I returned a Sega Genesis game years ago, and they never checked it back in...then someone else checked it out and lost it...last time I checked, they said I owed them hundreds of dollars for that one game...and that was last millenium.

The worst part is that they had this all in their records; they even had records of the person who lost it paying for the game...but they refused to remove the fees from my account. That can't be helping your credit scores! if it effects your credit rating (which i dont think it will due to how long ago it was).you could probably sue them. I had a 1965 Ford Falcon straight six.My sister finally killed it 4-5 years later. I didn't have it long but I was never stranded anywhere. Beat the s**t out of 1960 Corvair which was never right. I think bad things stay on your credit report until they are settled!But couldn't swear to that.

28.5.2011 21:27 #15

baxter00

Originally posted by SProdigy: Originally posted by jookycola: What's so bad with 3 day rentals? Why would i go to a Blockbuster rent a new movie for one day when i can get it through Netflix and watch it when i get time? I was thinking that too but didn't type it. Sometimes I have Netflix movies that collect dust on my desk, especially since I can stream too.

The convenience of Netflix and the overall ratio of kiosks to physical Blockbuster stores doesn't help their cause either. I know what you mean. I still have a movie out from Netflix since January. Thank goodness for autopay.

30.5.2011 03:15 #16

SProdigy

Originally posted by xboxdvl2: Originally posted by garmoon: Originally posted by KillerBug: I am never going back to those bastards. I really can't; I returned a Sega Genesis game years ago, and they never checked it back in...then someone else checked it out and lost it...last time I checked, they said I owed them hundreds of dollars for that one game...and that was last millenium.

The worst part is that they had this all in their records; they even had records of the person who lost it paying for the game...but they refused to remove the fees from my account. That can't be helping your credit scores! if it effects your credit rating (which i dont think it will due to how long ago it was).you could probably sue them. I worked at both Hollywood and Family Video, and can tell you it was physically impossible to re-rent a movie that wasn't checked in. In both of those companies, it would also void any late fees due to the stupidity of the employees not checking it in and/or finding it on the shelf unchecked. Can't speak for Blockbuster, but sounds like a circle of morons if you ask me.

31.5.2011 11:11 #17

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