What my own personal Blockbuster would look like
I rented a movie from Blockbuster over the weekend. While I was browsing the rental shelves I became annoyed at all of the extraneous stuff that Blockbuster now sells. Instead of letting this get to me I decided to channel my annoyances and visualize what the perfect Blockbuster store would look like. That is, my own personal Blockbuster. I think it would look like this:
- The shelves would contain new releases only. I can't remember the last time I went to Blockbuster and rented anything other than a new release.
- It would only stock new releases that have 5 or more copies of a movie. When I see just 1 copy of a movie, I glance right over it figuring the movie must be horrible.
- No video games. Not for the Xbox 360. Not for the Sony PS3. Not for the Nintendo Wii. Nada. I understand the desire to rent or cross sell video games but your prices are ridiculously high.
- No hats or t-shirts. How did these ever make it on the rental shelves to begin with?
- No ice cream cookies or other frozen treats. If I want a Dilly Bar, I'll go to Dairy Queen, not Blockbuster.
- No cotton candy, microwave popcorn in a movie theater bucket or other type of stereotyped movie snack. I'm not going to buy these unless my kids guilt me into it.
- And last but certainly not least, my own personal Blockbuster would charge LATE FEES. That's right you heard me. I would rather pay late fees on a 2 or 3 night rental than be told there are no lates fees yet the movie is still due in 7 days unless you don't bring it back at which point we charge your credit card that we keep on file for the market rate of the movie unless you still bring it back within 7 days at which point we credit you back the new market value for the movie and then charge you $1.50 for the hassle.
The good news is that with all of these changes, my own personal Blockbuster would occupy about 10% of the square footage of most existing Blockbusters stores. Think of the savings in rent alone.
Have something you want to add? Leave a comment and let me know what your personal Blockbuster would look like.
4 comments for this blog post so far...
August 25, 2008 at 2:52 pm
George Jensen
I can offer branding for your new blockbuster: I would name it: redbox
August 25, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Patric Welch
@George Jensen Love the name. If only there was a fast food giant that would place kiosks at a bunch of their locations.
August 27, 2008 at 8:34 pm
Amy
My personal blockbuster would have movies categorized by decade, so when I’m feeling the need to re-live my teenage years, I’d just saunter over to the 80s section and have all the flicks of my youth available right in front of me.
August 28, 2008 at 10:46 am
Patric Welch
@Amy Great idea! Imagine a weekend with nothing but the Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles and Police Academy!
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