Guest #1 February 20, 2005 Blockbuster's "No more late fees" promo has gotten it into some hot water with Attys Gen from two states, with others probably close behind. What they tell you in the fine print in the commercial is that not all stores are participating. The thing they DON'T tell you in the fine print is that if you don't take the video back within seven days, your credit card is socked for the retail cost of the video, and you have 30 days to resolve that before you own it permanently. I've taken to calling the company "Ballbuster Video" in homage to this new, draconian way of soaking customers."The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
leroydb 0 #2 February 20, 2005 do they have to read ALL the damn rules on TV? Dude read the rules when you go to the store and quit being a Sheep. The world has too many sheep and needs more leaders! Leroy ..I knew I was an unwanted baby when I saw my bath toys were a toaster and a radio... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mcarchangel 0 #3 February 20, 2005 Having once worked as a store manager for a certain video rental chain one thing most people don't realize is in rental the profit margins are so incredibly low from regular rentals that the stores would go out of buisness if they didn't have another way to generate revenue. So they soak the stupid/timid people. I guarentee you if you make enough fuss with managemnt they will give you back your money regardless of policy. Very few of the managers are willing to stand up to an angry customer for any length of time. But a lot of people don't do this, and they get to keep their money. What they will charge you for the video is much more then they actully paid for it. So in the long run they make their money.------------------------------------------------------- "These are the old days, the bad days, the all-or-nothing days. They're back! There's no choice left, and I'm ready for war." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildblue 7 #4 February 20, 2005 Yeah, I went to their website and read the fine print right away - I knew they weren't just going to let people keep movies forever. I likke their new system, I think it's a nice plan and makes sense.it's like incest - you're substituting convenience for quality Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dbattman 0 #5 February 21, 2005 I've never understood the problem with late fees. I rent a movie on Friday night and I have it for about 36 hours or 5+ days (depending) before it needs to get back. If I'm too lazy or scatterbrained to get off my duff and get it back to the drop box (and yes, that has happened once or twice) I owe them a few extra bucks. I don't feel screwed, fleeced, or soaked and I may not like paying the fee but I owe it. They started pro-rating the fees by day or 'additional rental period' instead of a disproportionate fee per day so I have even less of a probelm with it. Get off your couch, drive the mile or two out of your way and return it on time. No fee, no problem. (Course I use Netflix now anyways, so what do I care?) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest #6 February 21, 2005 QuoteYeah, I went to their website and read the fine print right away - I knew they weren't just going to let people keep movies forever. I likke their new system, I think it's a nice plan and makes sense. It's a good plan, but they should have been more explicit about its caveats, such as a better disclaimer. Those Attorneys General are concerned about deceptive practices. The omission of information is as deceptive as an outright lie. Ever heard the statement, "The large print giveth, and the fine print taketh away"? There was some fine print left out of Ballbuster's promotion. The thing I really don't like about my local Ballbuster franchise is what I call "The Gauntlet"; an S-shaped course you have to wind your way through to the checkout stand, and it's piled with all kinds of junk food. It's almost like a 7-Eleven not letting you escape until you buy something. On the plus side, I picked up a copy of "Master & Commander" on DVD for $8 plus tax, and the counter chick helped me sift the copies to find the one that was in the best condition , so they ain't all bad... mh ."The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
