Netflix VS Blockbuster - a winner

A few years ago, I signed up for Blockbuster Online. This was a service much like Netflix. I got 3 movies at a time in the mail, and would maintain a queue of the movies I wanted on their website. I think the cost was $17.99. But the reason that I chose this over Netflix was because I didn't have to send my movies back in the mail to get new ones. Instead, I could go to a blockbuster store and get free in-store exchanges. Basically, I would get my 3 movies in the mail and watch them, and then take them in to a store and exchange them for 3 store movies, and as soon as my online movies got checked into the system then they would mail out my next 3 online movies. It was great. AND you also got a coupon each month to rent a game for free.

But then they screwed us. First, the price went up by a few dollars each month. Then they limited us to 5 free in-store exchanges per month. Then they took away my coupon for the free game.

So they were charging us more and giving us less.

The only reason I stayed was because it was still convenient to get my in-store exchanges.

Until recently, that is.

A while back, Spaced came out on DVD. If you don't know what it is then just replace that with some TV show you like on DVD. Well, I put it at the top of my online queue but it had a "very long wait". So I went to the store to get it - but none of the stores carried it. There was literally no way to get it (aside from buying it)

So I started a contest. I signed up for Netflix and put Spaced at the top of my queue. I decided that whichever service sent me Spaced first would win - and I would get rid of the loser.

Well, after only a few weeks, Netflix has sent me Spaced. While I don't get the convenience of in-store exchanges, I DO get a larger library of movies and more copies of each title. So I wait a little longer to get something but I'm more likely to get to see anything I want.

In Short, Netflix is cool - and Blockbuster is gone from my life.

All Hail Netflix!