Blockbuster Online - That's some pretty good stuff
Written by Sullivan Smith
Published on 03/13/2007
Originally from Binary Culture / [the-lowdown.net]
http://www.binaryculture.net

When Netflix came out years ago, people began to say it would be the death of video stores as we know them. I didn't think so - sometimes you decide you want a video right then and there and you don't want to wait in the mail for it. Still, it was taking a huge chunk out of video store business, eliminating late fees and actual contact with human beings, which we know are two things Americans really aren't very big on.

Unlike the record companies and RIAA and their reaction to music downloads, Blockbuster video decided to take on this internet upstart with some pretty logical thinking.

"Hey, instead of bitching and moaning, why don't we do the same thing, but also combine something we can offer our customers than Netflix can't?"

Bloackbuster Online has, admittedly, fewer movie selections than Netflix. Granted, it's like a 450,000 films to 400,000 films different, and my guess is most of those 50,00 are probably, I dunno, Japanese lesbian art dramas with crying clowns and talking gorillas or something. But they do offer options.

You've probably seen the commercials, but here's the drill. Just like Netflix, you sign up, pay your monthly fee, and then select what movies you want online. They mail them out to you, you watch, mail them back and they mail out your next batch of films. Here's the kicker: you can also return your movies to your local Blockbuster, which gets you a free rental at the store. Meanwhile, your local BLuster mails the movie back for you and your next movie goes out in the mail.

That's a lot more movies.

Granted, who has time to watch all those movies? But it's a nice feature and it shows that some big businesses, when faced with upstart internet competition, are showing the ingenuity that helped them become big businesses in the first place.