Complaint Review: Blockbuster Video - Miami Florida

I think it depends on which Blockbuster. We have four in our immediate area, three which seem to be okay. But the fourth, the Albany, CA store, different story. It doesn't matter WHEN we turn in a DVD, even a day or two early, we ALWAYS get a card from them saying we owe a $4.00 "extended viewing fee". This happened on one that we walked into the store and HANDED to the clerk and got a receipt. Two weeks later, we get same card in the mail for this DVD which was back one full day before the due date. Needless to say, after that, we will not be going back to that location. Personally, we are now using Pay-Per-View more, and our digital cable service is about to add video-on-demand with a very extensive library of new and old, so between that and Amazon.com, who needs Blockbuster?

There seems to always be one big problem with blockbuster, late fees. What we as fair people here is look at some statistics. I will agree that we make errors and most stores corrct those errors and send the customer home happy. There are about 5000 stores in america with about 150 million customers(+/-) So if we did the math and took all the un happy customers due to Employee errors it would equal 1 percent or less. Now from a retail stand poin we want 100 percnet of our customers happy....this is what blockbuster preaches, trust me I have been with them 12 years now and the training has always been about customers. So my thinking is since we are such a large corporation thre will be room for errors, if there is a problem at your local store and they cant make yo happy.....call blockbuster or write them through there website blockbuster.com We do want you as our customers that is the only way we can grow and make a difference in our community. I do apologize for stores that are not run properly but realize this, you can help us and other customers out there if you just contact blockbuster rather then post your poor visits on the internet. However I must say it did get my attention. lol I really wish all the customers out there better shopping experiences and wish that all blockbuster employees that read this take pride in yourself and who you work for, we are the biggest and the best.....make your customers happy.....its our job and it is something humans should just do because its the right thing to do.

I've been reading some of the above complaints and rebuttals, and I'm seeing a distorted version of the facts. I'm an ex-employee of Blockbuster. I worked at a store as, at first a CSR, then an Senior Assistant Manager in the Atlanta area for three years beginning when I was 17 and ending about three months ago. While I didn't agree with some of the policies that the company put forth, I understood them, because I knew what happened in terms of revenue and accounting. Each one of those VHS new releases up on the new release wall can cost anywhere from around $70.00 to $100.00. One might that is such a ludicrous charge for something that you think costs about $10.00 at the local Wal-Mart, but the truth is that is really the price. Most movies come out for rent before they come out for sale. The studios can charge whatever they want for that copy of Insomnia or Sum of all Fears, and Blockbuster pays it because they think their customers might want to see the film. What seems to some people as high "late fees" are a direct result of that, and people taking advantage of the business with either external or internal theft, which is a hazard in any retail business. Another fact that has been distorted is the information regarding the huge class-action lawsuit against Blockbuster. It is not because of the validity of late fees, it is because of the heavty price of extended viewing fees. A judge would throw out a case out of court that involved someone arguing the validity of late fees because the court would require proof that the customer returned the item on time. Unfortunatly if you are past the noon deadline, you are considered late. People should really look on the additional twelve hours as the grace period. Blockbuster extended the return time which had been in effect for over ten years, thus giving all of their customers additional time. And most of the time, if you are only an hour or two late, they will overlook the charge. About people "lying" about returning movies on time, it happens. There was this one time a customer had returned about five movies late, and the charge was about $18.15. They were all checked in at precisely the same time. This customer waited about five months after we sent out several notices about the charge to contact our store about it. She wrote a letter first to the Governor's office of Consumer Affairs, and then sent a copy of the letter along with a very insulting letter on the stationary of the company she worked for, like her employer had any remote concern about her extended viewing fees down at the local Blockbuster. She complained to our corporate office about the charge saying it was false, and the vice-president of the company went down the ladder to not only have the charge taken off, but give her another $20.00-$30.00 in credit on her account. As time passed on, I still remembered this customer's name and account just because I want to plan ahead for potential problems and possible solutions. I was on a till one night and low and behold...soccer mom comes up to the counter with her four kids with movies. I bring her account up, scan the movies, which uses up her credit she had. During the process, I said "Your movies are due back by noon on " about seven times. I had her sign a receipt that shows her understanding what day and time her movies are due back, gave her a copy of the receipt and I was very polite during this procedure. I just wanted to prevent future hassle with this customer that made our staff seem like goofballs in the eyes of our employers. I went to work the day her movies were supposed to be returned...none of them showed up at noon, or even two in the afternoon. I don't recall when they actually arrived, but I know what I checked them in a few minutes, if not immediatly, after they arrived. I commented the account to the effect of what happened, and that was that. A few months later, this customer talks to one Customer Service Rep. and denies they were returned late. I'm not saying she was lying, just mistaken about what actually took place. She says that she will pursue the same course of action as she did before. This is true by the way. As for customer service, it really is a vicious cycle. Customer's complain, company morale lowers, company finds potential fix for problem, other customers complain...etc. No one ever really wins. If there is a problem with an employee and customer service, the company deals in a swift manner. If improvement is not shown, then that employee is terminated by management. Notice that you do not see a lot of the same people working at Blockbuster for an extended amount of time. It is unfortunate that a few bad eggs get through during the hiring process, but that is because the store manager is usually bogged down with work from corporate that is quite redundant. I think that what most people don't realize about working in management at Blockbuster is that it is a real job. They might have to wear stupid blue shirts, but they have to do as must, if not more, work than any stockbroker or lawyer. I'm no saying that as an excuse of hiring dimwits, but just to tell you where a manager's head might be when looking at a potential new hire who is hiding their true nature during an interview. And some last notes because I know you are probably bored with my little tale. It is NOT Blockbuster policy to falsify late charges. The company has a very strict auditing policy in place that not allow as many instances as what some people are suggesting. On every little credit that is done, one must secure the signiture of the customer on the receipt as well as their own initials. All credits are printed on a form the new morning. If you want the most from a shopping experience at Blockbuster, refrain from using the following phrase: "You people"...in any sense. Not only is it improper grammer, the context the phrase is used in is somewhat...for lack of a better term...annoying.

They filed the following rebuttal to the above Rip-Off Report: Their email: [email protected] Their name: Doug Their relationship to the company: Consumer Suggestion Rebuttal: I also agree with the above statements. Unfortionately some consumers get it in their head that they are owed quite a lot for their inconvenence. Certainly the consumer was inconvenienced but it isn't "reasonable" to assume they should expect a free rental. There is nothing wrong in suggesting a free rental but apparently the store owner wasn't going to do it so the customer needs to back down. If the customer wasn't satisfied then they should have calmly taken care of the matter, gotten their credit restored then never gone back to Blockbuster again. I used Blockbuster myself until they upset me for a different matter. I was shocked at how they treated me and therefor I'll never purchase from them again. Please people, don't throw a hopping fit everytime you are inconvenienced, stores make mistakes, people make mistakes, stores need to make money. Be reasonable and if you can't do that then read a book for entertainment. The last I looked a library card is free. Free is low.

They filed the following to the above Rip-Off Report:

Their email: [email protected]
Their name: Miss Information

Their relationship to the company: Consumer Suggestion

Rebuttal:
I hate Blockbusters too, but not for the same reasons you do, and I'd have to say I agree with the Fraud Chick, you are blowing a lot of hot air for nothing. I would like you to inform you that you are completely incorrect about the "inflated" video prices. Have you ever wondered why movies come out on video weeks or months before you can buy them at your local store?

It so the movie companys can make their profit. Most (not all) new release videos cost around $100.00 each. That is the main reason for late fees etc. If the video store doesn't recoup their investment in that short window of time they lose money on that movie. And you think they should PAY you for this? A simple apology isn't good enough? I'm sure glad you never make mistakes.

This email is a rebuttal to RipOff #5061.
It was sent by The Fraud Chick at [email protected].

Blockbuster Video rip-off fees *REBUTTAL *Editor's comments (#5061)

They filed the following rebuttal to the above Rip-Off Report:

Their email: [email protected]
Their name: The Fraud Chick

Their relationship to the company: Advocate

Rebuttal:
No, you don't deserve $100 nor do you deserve a free courtesy rental. The reason the Blockbusters call is to find out what happened before they send a late fee in the mail. They made this call to you. You returned the call and told them there must be a mistake...they re-checked and found that you were right. End of discussion.

You are putting in far more effort into getting a free rental and $100 than you did clearing up the missing rental mystery.

You were not inconvenienced and you certainly not owed $100. You are an intelligent person, save your fight for another day. This one isn't it.

If you are suspicious there might be something hinky going on I would suggest you write a letter to the local newspaper editor and solicit others who may have been charged for videos that were later found to be turned in.

Good Luck
The Fraud Chick

They filed the following to the above Rip-Off Report:

Their email: [email protected]
Their name: Debra

Their relationship to the company: Consumer Suggestion

Rebuttal:
I have read some ridiculous comments!! To the owner who wrote the smart remark about the Florida miscount and Gore, I know that Blockbuster owe me big time money. The late fees assessed to customers are totally ridiculous, but America is going to get tired of the s**t and run them out of business. When you buy a new car, or a new home and your mortgage and car note is between $500 to $1500 a month, and you are late, they do not impose a $500 to $1500 fine on the owners. You guys who have special
interest (financial) in Blockbuster can kiss our butt, we keep your a*s in business, REMEMBER THAT!! We are tired of your s**t!! You act like we have to rent from your a*s, you are taking advantage of us. I know you have been late on lots of your bills and if you have not, fly back to Mars!!

Get your head out of your a*s, and come down from off your high, we, the consumers deserve to be treated with respect, and remember, we are always right. We have the right to run you out of business when you have an attitude of the ones I am reading. And to the AM who told the consumers to kiss his a*s, I will make sure the corporate office of Blockbuster(this giant conglumerate)know how you are representing their company.
We, the consumers resent people like you and to the big wigs at
Blockbuster, you better kiss our a*s and keep us happy, or you will be given the pink slip from us.

I really resent companies who feel that we, the consumers have to put up with their s**t. I am filling out my part in the class action suit to get my over-charged late fee ticket refunded to me. I say that it should be in the neighborhood of $400 to $1500. I do not want a d**n movie certificate, I want my hard earned cash.

I can complain if I want, remember, your survival is dependent on the consumers, and if you do not agree with it, kiss our a*s!!
If you do not like our message, get out of the kitchen. I will be looking for some smart a*s to write something stupid, but I am tired of big companies getting rich at our expense.

Be Fair to Us, Show us you care, Customer Service is First, You will remain in Business for a long time...

Dee

This email is a rebuttal to RipOff #5061.
It was sent by mother may i at [email protected].

Blockbuster Video rip-off fees (#5061)

They filed the following rebuttal to the above Rip-Off Report:

Their email: [email protected]
Their name: mother may i

Their relationship to the company: Owner

Rebuttal:
I think anyone from fla you know the state that doesn't know how to vote would know anything about viedo's. Why should this person get 100.00 dollars when gore couldn't get in office? The 100.00 dollars doesn't get credited to the card because it doesn't go through or the card is expired it is rare when it does. As for your inconvenience you could call on the phone and they could help you. You know the people that work there are
only human you would think that fla would be used to mistakes don't they make them to?ha ha
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EDitor's comment::::::::::::
Didn't Blockbuster just fork over millions to consumers for some unscrupulous activity? Also, did you know several dozen cities across the country had problems with those same outdated voting machines that are in Florida? I don't think it had anything to do with being from Florida.