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Netflix files lawsuit against Blockbuster
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The following comments relate to this news article:
article published on 5 April, 2006
Netflix, a popular online DVD rental service with over 5 million subscribers, has filed a lawsuit against competitor Blockbuster alleging basically that the rental chain stole its ideas. Netflix has patents protecting the way its service works from how customers use its website to receive movies while paying a monthly subscription to how customers can keep movies for as long as they want ... [ read the full article ]
Please read the original article before posting your comments.
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Senior Member
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6. April 2006 @ 10:43 |
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Yeah I did Netflix before coolbrz and it was the worst rental service I used.It took a week for me to even get anything,and sending it back to get more was the same thing.I have a BlockBuster about 30 mins away,and could always use the free in-store rental coupon every week though.Your right about the selection,there are more to choose from online.I don't see the point in paying full price though for something that is half ass.If you are looking for rare hard to find stuff,then online is good for you.I never got anything from Netflix in 3 days it was always a week wait for recieving the rentals,and another week for them to recieve the rentals back.All together the most movies/games I could rent in a month from Netflix was like 6 cause the limit was only 3 at a time.If you don't care about rare hard stuff to find then just rent by store.I get all the latest movies/games from my movie store without any problems,and don't have to wait like two weeks to get something better.Like I mentioned earlier you could always do both,but I wouldn't just use an online rental service by itself the wait time is horrible.
...........................:SiG cReAtEd By Phantom69:............................ |
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Junior Member
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6. April 2006 @ 12:21 |
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Well, I'll tell you what, the day I have to start waiting 4,5,6,7 days to get a DVD, is the day I say fuck off!! But so far, it's been fine. Just 2 days from the day I send it back till the day I get the new one. Thanks for the info though. If that's Netflix way of only showing good service at first then declining, I will be the first to go!!
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tashacat
Member
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6. April 2006 @ 14:12 |
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About 9 months ago I used Netflix and Blockbuster at the same time. Netflix was far superior. I quit Blockbuster and used only Netflix. About 4 months ago I tried Blockbuster again and they had improved but still not as good as Netflix. I quit Blockbuster again. Now Netflix has really slowed down and I was lucky to get 12 movies a month. I tried Blockbuster again and Blockbuster is sending out movies much faster and I am getting about 20 a month. So for the time being I am sticking with Blockbuster. Also you get 4 walk-in movies at the Blockbuster store.
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batman100
Newbie
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6. April 2006 @ 18:37 |
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Darn funny Toast. :) I like a person who uses ALL their freedom of speech. aabbccdd thanks for that site. I just learned more about dvd rental than any one person needs to know. Whew! Everyone should check out that site.
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Mez
AfterDawn Addict
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6. April 2006 @ 18:37 |
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As far as Netflix having better service. They were recently slapped with a class action suite for doing the exact same thing. I am glad to here they have gotten better. Both used to keep you to 3 disks per week or less. I know they get my mail the next morning becaue I live in there town and drop the disk at their post office. It will take them days to say the got it then days after they "say" the shipped it before I get it. BB has much less selection but the surface quality is much better at BB. Netflix never like to grind them down.
Netflix will have a diffucult time with patent infringement. The patent office will sell you a patent but that does not make it worth much. To be inforcable you need to prove your concept is completely new and not adding some wrinkles to SOPs. Netfixs idea is not all that new. Companies have been selling DVDs on the internet for some time. All they did was allow you to send them back. It was a good idea and the guy that thought of it must be rich. They would do better by improving service; stating that they will process a disk in a day. They were asked to do that but they prefered to give us a free month which they have never given me mine. They are just as rotten as BB.
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Junior Member
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6. April 2006 @ 18:49 |
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Netflix needs the competition.
Netflix started "throttling" me also. I am on the 3 per time limit, but they will wait and space their return delivery over several days.
At first I decided that the Contract "Mail person" was opening and "borrowing" disks. I have resorted to securely taping shut the return envelopes. It did speed up the return...at least for the first 4 months. Then I noticed that I would send in 3 disks at the same time, and they would acknowledge them one at a time over three days, which meant that new disks were sent at odd times spaced over the next week.
The on line rental has a major problem in obtaining a "hit" movie. Madagascar took over 3 months before it was shipped. Probably because some kid kept it for a month, and there were only a few disks for circulation. My disk was back in the mail the next day. (Yes, I watch my movies when I want to. I have my ways too.)
I like Anime, so Netflix has a good selection. But I really wish that Regular movies, especially the old B type with sequals were made availble. Netflix only carries Trancers 1 and Trancers 6. I never got to see all of them. It is sorta like when I was a kid and missed chapter 5 of the Saturday Serial at the movies. It was lost forever. Should never happen in this electronic age.
Keep the competition, it will encourage improvement. Also, I hope Netflix reads some of these replys and tries to improve.
dont hold your breath.
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Senior Member
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6. April 2006 @ 19:05 |
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C'Mon Netflix like renting stuff online is a novel idea. Kudos for being a pioneer, but you can't hold the monopoly. I use blockbuster and personally I have been pretty happy with them. I like the one free instore rental per week thing. It lets me get a new release that may be held up due to demand. I have had a couple periods where the movies come slower, but mostly I get 6 - 9 movies a week. I barely watch TV anymore.
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m_towell
Suspended due to non-functional email address
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6. April 2006 @ 20:04 |
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I wonder if they're going to go international and sue companies in other countries for copying their idea.
In Australia, I know of three (and there's prob more) companies that do this type of rental : homescreen, quickflix, and bigpond.
In the olden days - if someone had an idea and someone else saw that idea and did that same, the first person just gritted their teeth and tried to do it better.
These days, if someone copies your idea, you sue them. Sheesh!!
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DaMexican
Suspended due to non-functional email address
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6. April 2006 @ 20:49 |
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I have to agree wit everyone Netflix or "SUCKFLIX" (like I like to call them), really stink. Just this past week i switched to blockbuster and so far i have received six movies in week with the 3 at a time program only in my dreams i could get this response from Netflix...
I also enjoyed the fact that i was able to get two in store free rentals instead of one. If anyone is interested in signing up with Blockbuster i suggest you do it thru the couponcabin.com site as you will get an extra in store rental. I've been using the website for all my online shopping and it really has worked perfect for me.
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moocowgal
Junior Member
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6. April 2006 @ 21:31 |
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There are other differences between Netflix and Blockbuster Online that I've noticed. I have both and have noticed that if you want to rent TV shows Blockbuster is the one to use. The shows that are on double sided disks are issued one side at a time from Netflix while Blockbuster sends the double sided disk cutting in half the time it takes to get through a whole season of shows. Also, when there are movies with the special features on a separate disk or bonus disks those disks are not available for rental from Netflix. Blockbuster sends the second disk as a separate selection if you want it but at least you have the option.
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aabbccdd
Suspended permanently
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6. April 2006 @ 21:51 |
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BB is def. more straight up with you where netsucks isnt .throttling is netflix middle name
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 6. April 2006 @ 22:33
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herplvr
Newbie
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7. April 2006 @ 01:15 |
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Odd, I never had a problem with NetFlix for 2 years.
Only reason I switched to BlockBuster was cause I get the extra coupons, course you always have to wait for something to be like a month old to get it in store, provided it was even slightly popular. But it helps suppliment "downtime".
Never had the long wait, lost dvd, cracked/scratched dvd problems at all. Never had to wait more than 3 days for a dvd and I live in a small town in a low population state.
Sucks you all had that experience, but when you service millions of people, there are bound to be some problems. Last i heard there were 3.5 million subscribers, even if 35,000 subscribers had a bad experience that's one percent, a 98% positive service record is considered outstanding in retail(no idea about rental, though with the state local video stores are in these days I'd say it's exemplary).
Anyway, that's my two cents...
Setup: A bunch of Silicon, Plastic and Wires stuffed into a box.
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rocky999
Junior Member
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7. April 2006 @ 03:19 |
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My own opinion - I have had netflix for over 3 years. I keep track of my rentals and in the last 6 months (Oct - Mar) I have received 122 rentals. That is an average of just over 20 per month (3 at a time rental). Even with tax that is around 95 cents per rental. Blockbuster may be different (I am sure that there are horror stories about both places) but I really can't complain about not having to go out to the rental store and go back to return. Netflix has a HUGE selection (yes, sometimes you have to wait for new or popular releases) but all this for 95 cents a disk is not bad.
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S2K
Member
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7. April 2006 @ 05:22 |
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Person above me said:
"That is an average of just over 20 per month (3 at a time rental)."
bullcrap. Check any of the rental blogs. the limit on netflix "three at a time" is 12 per month. some months you might get 14, but next you would get ten.
The limit on blockbuster is about 15, PLUS two films or games or four fims in-store. Average if you turn films around fast is 17 to 19.
Plus with Blockbuster you have amuch beter chance of getting new releases instead of the 25 minute yoga disks netlfix uses to beef up tehir total dvds.
I had both for a long time and Netflix got worse and worse andworse and blockbuster better and better. it is way better than netflix at the moment.
That is why Netflix is obviously SCARED and suing to maintain a monoploy. Netflix is doing ten times more to give itself a black eye among consumers, and much quicekr, than blockbuster ever did.
They know their time is limited becasue of changes in technology and are probably going crazy that blockbusters entry and competition stopped them from going to $25 amonth for a limit of of 10.
They were not even the first with dvd rental by mail, they just patented a process used by several small players who probably never thought to patent it.
Screw netflix, its service has gone down the tubes and its attitude blows.
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Mez
AfterDawn Addict
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7. April 2006 @ 05:28 |
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Rocky999 your point is well taken. Although both may not deliver what they promise which is very aggravating, they still provide a good service for a good price. BB unlimited, 3 per week, is about 12 discs for $15. I find I average only about 10 even though I normally have a superfast turn-around, my kids miss place discs. That is still good and the selection is better than any store.
I really suspect BB did not make real in-roads into Netflix until they had the extra one coupon per week. That brings my in-store coupons to 7 a month. After a few months of that I am running out of new releases that I have not seen. I usually get any release I am interested in on opening day. I know of plenty of other Netflix folks that switched because of the coupons. I think it is the coupon polacy, a new concept that is the driving force in the law suit.
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cheezy_P
Newbie
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7. April 2006 @ 08:22 |
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MrToast, Well spoken.
I have also had Netflix for a few years now and can't make a single complaint about their service. If there was a problem with a lost or broken disc (only happened less than 3 times over 2 + years) it was taken care of immediately. I never felt anything but a helpful and friendly attitude from Netflix. I will also say I did the free trial from blockbuster because it had 2 discs i couldnt get on Netflix. Their service was far slower and inferior. Thier site has problems and the wait was somehow much longer than Netflix. The ONLY good part about blockbuster was the free instore coupons. However, I dont know where you guys live, but every blockbuster i have went into only employed Aholes who are of no help at all. Going in the store was a pain and a nuissance. I am glad to be rid of that place finally. I have turned at least 5 of my friends onto Netflix and they all love it and have given up going to blockbuster for good. Netflix knows what they are doing, the have a better experience about online rentals than blockbuster ever will. Suing them seems a little insecure, yet its about time someone knocked Blockbuster down a few pegs. I mean 8 bucks for an f-ing game is out of control. I have had nothing but problems from Blockbuster. Screw them. My Blockbuster boycott continues.... Long Live Netflix
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rocky999
Junior Member
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7. April 2006 @ 08:47 |
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S2K - "bullcrap"? So now you are going to tell me how many netflix envelopes I get a month? I don't really care what the blogs say. Of course you are going to hear from people who are not happy in the blogs, not the ones who are good with the service.
You can think its bull if you want, but I know what I am getting and what I am paying for it.
I love the so-called experts here who think they know what is going on with other people.
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S2K
Member
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7. April 2006 @ 10:29 |
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Rocky the blogs are comprised of mostly fans of netflix.
Look at hacking netflix. no one gets more than 12 disks per month from netflix after the first few months of service.
Blockbuster is 17 to 19 and has more new releases, Netflix is limited to 12.
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rocky999
Junior Member
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7. April 2006 @ 13:09 |
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You are saying that they actually have a policy of limiting people to 12 a month? If that is the case, then I guess I am the only person on Netflix getting more than 12 a month.
I would be more than happy to email my rental activity to you or post it here.
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 7. April 2006 @ 13:10
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pirkster
Member
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7. April 2006 @ 13:24 |
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I've had both. Both have a similar selection. Blockbuster ships quicker. Netflix uses the infamous "fairness algorithm" that deceives new users into thinking the service is good, when actually they slow down frequent renters in favor of allowing n00bs first selection of new movies. Netflix is NOT superior to Blockbuster Online. If anything they are virtually identical - but I would have to say Blockbuster is slightly better because they don't throttle customers like Netflix does, and you get free in-store rentals that include games. Two free games pays for the monthly fee by itself. A no brainer. Netflix got nothin.
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banmrk
Suspended due to non-functional email address
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7. April 2006 @ 13:44 |
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I live in the UK and I must admit Blockbuster does offer a crap service. I to had many problems with them, as my friend did. I contacted them about my problem, which was they said I did not have enough disc on my list (only 90 of them) and that's why they could not send me the amount that my package claimed to offer.
They then told me that I would need to add more disc, I simply cancelled and went to a new service on Sainsbury's where I have had no problems what's so ever.
It's interesting that Blockbuster sucks across the pond also.
Banmrk
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shabeki
Newbie
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7. April 2006 @ 13:53 |
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None of you people seem to understand that where you live is a huge factor for the quality of service you receive. For example, I'm in Binghamton, NY. The nearest Netflix center is in Syracuse, and the nearest Blockbuster center for me is in Rochester. For me, Netflix is MUCH faster than Blockbuster, since it takes only a day to received a dvd, compared to at least 2-3 days from Blockbuster. Sometimes, I've lucked out and gotten something within 1 business day from BB, and sometimes it's taken 4.
Also, what you want may not always come from the nearest shipping center. I watch a lot of anime. So some discs I've asked for can come from other parts of the country. I've even gotten a disc from Honolulu! I believe that Blockbuster has the same problem, only that discs go to the nearest distribution center first and then come to you, which takes slightly longer.
It really depends on where you live and what you watch. Blockbuster does have a significantly greater variety than Netflix (Netflix usually has a lot of vanilla versions of films whereas BB will usually have more special editions and such), but the service takes longer for me. The in-store coupons are a moot point, as the nearest BB store is 50 miles away. I strongly prefer Netflix since it's faster for me, but it's obviously a different for people who live in say, Rochester or Buffalo.
And what is with people arguing like mad over which company is better? Do they pay your salaries? Sheesh!
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shabeki
Newbie
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7. April 2006 @ 14:06 |
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"I live in the UK and I must admit Blockbuster does offer a crap service. I to had many problems with them, as my friend did. I contacted them about my problem, which was they said I did not have enough disc on my list (only 90 of them) and that's why they could not send me the amount that my package claimed to offer.
They then told me that I would need to add more disc, I simply cancelled and went to a new service on Sainsbury's where I have had no problems what's so ever."
I've been waiting a while for BB to send me a movie that's listed as being available at the very top of my queue. For some reason, they just won't send it to me. BB can be difficult when it comes to getting stuff at the top of your queue, but Netflix has given me the same problem, only to a lesser degree. What really drives me nuts about BB is that they've twice put the wrong discs in their movie sleeves. I kept getting the newer edition of the "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" when I was looking for the BBC version. Plus, they gave me the newer version of "Dark Water" when I was looking for the Japanese original.
Netflix does bring their own set of problems though. I've had a few more damaged discs come from them compared to BB (but then, I rent a lot more discs from Netflix than from BB. Plus, a few times it's taken ridiculously long for them to receive a DVD I sent back to them. They make you wait a certain number of days before reporting it missing, whereas BB lets you report a missing disc faster.
Someone said that Netflix tries to slow down their service for people who return theird discs quickly. Personally, I think both services do that. For me, BB has done it to a greater degree than Netflix, since I'm lucky if I get 10 discs a month from them now. I've used them for six months and they are getting much worse. Netflix has shown a drop-off in service too after three months, but not as significant as BB showed after my first three months with them. But the fact that I'm further away from BB's local center could have something to do with it.
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Mez
AfterDawn Addict
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7. April 2006 @ 16:21 |
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SK2 made a good point. Both companies give you better service in the beginning. I got 20-30 disks the first few month from both companies. I usually got 2 turn arounds a week and I was holding on to them longer.
The big complaint is not that there are relays when the disks come from far away. I live in a town where both companies have very large offices. I usually drop off the disks in their post office after watching the movie. I know it is in their post office box the next morning. They usually takes several days for them to state they got my disk. Then it takes days after the claim they sent it before I get it. Because I am local, it does not go to a center, it is picked up by my postman. It should only take a day. They purposly slow the process way down for a person that shares the same post office with them. So there really is no advantage being so close. In fact I often put two disks into the same envelope usually I will get notification that they got one fairly promptly. The other disk always take a few days longer for them to state they got it.
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leia176
Junior Member
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8. April 2006 @ 03:40 |
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Netflix sucks! Yes, they limit you to 12 movies/month. It's in their policy now. They call it giving priority to users who rent less, but actually it's just a way to limit how much they spend in shipping and return fees. It's underhanded.
http://www.netflix.com/TermsOfUse?hnjr=8
Also,if a disc is missing, Netflix makes you wait a week before you can report it...another way they limit you. You can report it right away with Blockbuster and they'll send a new one. I'll never give another cent to Netflix. Also try to ask why you rentals are slowing down and you'll get no response. If you haven't experienced this you are either too new a customer or don't rent over 12/month. Wait..you'll see.
Blockbuster in general is sometimes slower, but at least you can get new releases. Netflix makes you wait months if you are an old customer.
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