Blockbuster launched its online DVD rental service in response to the success of Netflix. No longer able to compete with Netflix solely with retail store locations nationwide, Blockbuster launched Total Access, its online DVD rental service. The way Blockbuster Total Access works very closely mirrors the process Netflix uses. You select the titles you want online, they are added to your queue, and are then sent to you in the mail. You can keep the movies as long as you like; however, you must return a DVD to get the next title in your queue sent. Their 2 week free trial allows you to choose from over 90,000 titles, with free in-store exchanges, depending on your plan. You can add movies to your queue while they are still in theaters, ensuring that you will receive it as soon as it is released on DVD. Take a 2 week trial of this service and see what you think.
Blockbuster has been the long standing name in
the movie rental business for years. Originally opening up on street
corners across the country, they now provide an online DVD rental
service as well. Unlike Netflix some of their packages allow you to
return in store as well. This feature sets Blockbuster aside for the
competition, but if there are no Blockbusters in your neighborhood it
really doesn’t matter.
Blockbuster’s service is very similar to
Netflix in that, you order the movies online, wait for them to be sent,
and simply return it with the included envelope when you are done.
There plans range from 1 DVD all the way up to 3 DVDs at a time. The
cheapest plan allows a maximum of 2 DVDs per month, while most of the
plans allow unlimited online DVD rentals. The top level packages also
allow unlimited in store returns as well.
Blockbuster Total
Access is the all inclusive package. It allows you to return movies to
stores for immediate exchange. Once they scan and register your DVD
the next one in your cue is immediately sent off. If you prefer not to
wait for the DVD to be sent you could have the option to pick up a
movie directly from the store location. No waiting for shipment back
to blockbuster and the return. If you do this for a movie in your cue,
you must remove it so it isn’t also sent to you by mail.
We
broke down all of the packages below. We include the price per month,
the allowed number of DVDs at a time, the number of rentals per month,
and if it features in store return or not. All the pricing and
features are on a per month basis. There are three levels to the
packages they offer. The basic level provides only the option to
return by mail. The midlevel package provides the same by mail returns
as well as a limited number of in store exchanges as well. The top
level packages include unlimited mail and in store exchanges.