Blockbuster Online Problems
This entire week Blockbuster has only been shipping me two movies. I have the three movies out at a time plan yet I’m only having two shipped. Today, I decided to contact customer support to see what is going on. Here is my email:
For a few days now only two DVDs will be out at a time, even though I have DVDs that are available to ship in my queue. I have the 3 at a time plan, so why aren’t 3 shipping?
I think it explains my problem well. I have DVDs available, they are not shipping. Here is the response I got:
I am sorry if we haven’t ship your DVD. I’ve reviewed your account and see that you are waiting for one DVD to be shipped. Here’s an explanation of why this happened. I noticed that your queue mostly contains box/series sets, which if added as a set (with the padlock), they are considered a as a group and treated as a single request when the system searches for available DVDs to ship.
In looking at your queue, this appears to be the case. “X-Files: The Complete First Season” is not shipping due to its availability of disc number disc one. Unfortunately, this prevented anything from being shipped. Based on the way our system searches for movies, we suggest keeping at least 15 “Available” titles in your queue at all times, keeping in mind that each set is considered as “one” during this process. I really hope this information helps, Mike. Please let me know if I can answer any further questions.
Ok, I would understand this answer if two things weren’t a factor:
- 1. I didn’t have movies that were available to ship that weren’t part of a boxed set at the top of my queue. I do. Why not ship them?
- 2. They already shipped 2 discs of The X-Files season 3 (the first season that is currently available). Since they’ve already started shipping those discs (last week) why not pick back up with shipping them since I have an empty slot? This makes no sense.
So basically I’m paying for a plan to ship 3 movies and Blockbuster only wants to ship 2. Great job Blockbuster. Maybe it’s time to go back to Netflix.
Update: I have canceled my Blockbuster account. Not just for this reason, but also other reasons (no streaming service, queue page problems, etc) and moved back to Netflix.
At least your queue works. Mine *still* breaks every time I move an item around and I have to refresh the page to get it working again.
I just decided over the weekend to sign up for the Netflix trial. Thus far the only impression I’ve gotten is about their communication. Not only do they tell you what will ship next, but they tell you when – and from where, if it’s not available at your normal shipping center.
With Blockbuster I sometimes don’t get notifications on things having shipped until after I’ve sent them back, I have no idea when something actually shipped, and it can take three plus days for them to let me know they’ve actually received a DVD.
Oh yeah, and the Netflix queue actually works.
The kids gave us six months of the two movies at a time plan for Christmas. That worked great, but we really don’t have time to watch that many movies, so when our gift was over we dropped back to the one at a time plan.
DH is the one who manages the queue, but he’s never complained about any problems. We get the next movie on a timely basis after we mail one in. He completely re-did the queue last week after we bought a Blu-Ray player so we could take advantage of the capabilities. He said the selection was a little slim, but I think that’s probably true anywhere.
Go back to Netflix.
We debated moving to Blockbuster since you can return to the store, but I’m glad we stayed with Netflix. Netflix is smart enough that if something in your queue is unavailable, it will just ship the next thing. We even got Dexter season two the day it came out in the stores. I’m pretty impressed with the lack of problems with Netflix. We’ve used them for around two years and never had a scratched disc, delay, or problem of any kind.
Well, I originally was with Netflix long ago. I left because they started to suck. I’m willing to give them another shot if they can actually ship the amount of DVDs I’m signed up for.
Well Blockbuster is back at it again
I am having same problem with them not shipping titles and giving me a BS reason Here is some info about them and what is going on!
Reports are surfacing that Blockbuster Online has ground to a screeching halt, with customers saying that they have not been receiving movies from their queues for over two weeks. According to one customer, repeated calls to customer service were fruitless—when he could get through—and it was only earlier this week that a customer service representative told him that their mail rental system was shut down and that they expected a fix shortly.
Is Blockbuster being forthcoming about problems with its rental service? The official company line is definitely much different from what its users are reporting, but it is understandable if the company is fearful of admitting to significant service interruptions. After all, Blockbuster is engaged a tough battle against Netflix, the market leader in online rentals.
Be advised do not join blockbuster go to Netflix who has a much better service! BLOCKBUSTER SUCKS!
I have been experiencing significant delays as well. Reps have told me there are issues at the Chicago distribution center. I have been very active with complaining via the email form and they have been generous and issued several free DVD rental coupons to use in store. My que has over 30 available DVDs and nothing is shipping out for over a week after return on several occassions. Another conclusion one could draw is that they are nearing the end and are attempting some last ditch methods to reduce expenses. Delay eveyone’s shipment by a week and multiply that by an average of fulltime users and that’s some serious money in the bank. I still like the options BB provides over netfix with instore exchange and free game rental per month. Netfis also delays shipments for frequent renters.
BB is full of it i am canceling my account and staying with Netflix and Redbox I hope Blockbuster goes out of business they are worthless!
I just recently put my Netflix account on hold so I could try Blockbuster. I just got a blu ray player, so since BB offers blu ray discs at no extra charge, I decided to give them a shot.
Well……I signed up for a free trial on Wednesday morning (very early morning). I immediately filled my queue up with about 20 movies. Right now it is 11PM on Friday, and according to my account, they havent shipped any movies out yet. And I can count out tomorrow for a ship date since they dont ship on Saturday,
That will bring me to Monday. Who knows if they’ll ship a movie or not. But I do know that they’ve already lost me as a customer and they will not be getting a penny from me. I remember how quickly Netflix shipped my trial movies. They were in my mailbox on the 2nd day.
This is why Netflix is the leader. Blockbuster is clueless!!! Its one thing to occasionally delay shipment to current subscribers. But to delay shipping to a trial member…!?!?
Hahaha…….totally clueless!! They were late to the Netflix game and now they’re trying to cash in on the RedBox game. There’s no innovation at Blockbuster. They just try to cash in on other companies hard work and ideas. Always coming to the game late and even with the game plan laid out for them…..they still screw it up!!
I’ll be sure to update on Monday to let you know if anything gets shipped out.
But they’ve already lost me as a customer. Looks like I’ll be paying the extra $1.99 for Netflix blu ray.
Dont hold your breath they will not ship on Monday either. They only ship Tues, Wed Thursday. Youwill be lucky to get one title a week.Blockbuster blows.
I haven’t had a delayed shipment from Netflix in a very long time, and I don’t see how you can be a heavier user than me without returning the movies directly to a Netflix facility yourself or getting them the day they ship. Also, they started shipping on Saturday and lately have been randomly shipping me an extra disc, marked by a + symbol, every week. Much better than when I’d randomly get throttled.
I signed up for a Blockbuster trial to get some anime discs that Netflix and RentAnime didn’t have available anymore. So far they suck pretty freaking bad. Six days and only one title has shipped, and I haven’t even received that one yet.