Just when you thought Blockbuster was ceding the online dvd rental market to Netflix they start mass mailing offers of a free 1 month trial to everyone. The offer I got was a one month trial of their 1 at a time plan which includes 2 in-store movie exchanges.
Are they kidding themselves? What exactly do they hope to gain by offering people free trials to their 1 at-a-time plan? Do they really believe this will sway people stay with them? I mean, they’re chasing Netflix in the online rentals game and this is what the marketing department comes up with? Blockbuster has maybe offered me at least 3 free trials in the past. I’m guessing they figure they’ll tire me out sooner or later and I’ll just stay with them.
Maybe if a Blockbuster store was right around the corner I might consider staying on Total Access. However Netflix Instant Watch is what really keeps me with Netflix. I spend a considerable amount of time on my computer and the advantage of having a three monitor setup is that I can always have something playing in one of the monitors via Netflix Instant Watch. I can breeze through a whole season of Dexter or Law and Order easily. It’s even better than a DVR.
I mean it’s a nice gesture and I appreciate the extra movie a week but Blockbuster is doing what they do best, which is piss away money… which might explain why they want to buy Circuit City.
