TOTAL ACCESS means TOTAL Movie Online AND Instore Membership SATISFACTION
Written: Nov 28 '06 (Updated Nov 28 '06)
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What is there not to love about Blockbuster.com's online/in-store combo new program "Total Access"?
That's right. You have the benefit of getting online Blockbuster.com service and using your membership at your closest neighborhood Blockbuster store combined for a very small fee to get your fix on all your movie rental needs. Who needs premium movie channels now?
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I despised the days when Blockbuster charged you for late fees! I didn't mind so much having the late fee program but when they only gave you like 1 night to view the new release this sometimes became a "do or die wallet" situation! Not only did you have to watch these new releases overnight, you had to make sure they got back to the store by 12 noon.
With the revolutionary Netflix program, it was only a matter of time that Blockbuster.com had to surface. Prior to Blockbuster's "Total Access" program, they both had their advantages and disadvantages and it was really a matter of personal preference. When I was a Netflix consumer first, I really enjoyed the ease of going thru a wide-range of DVD selections and picking them out to watch. Depending on the plan you got, you were allowed a certain number of DVDs to get mailed to your mailbox at the same time. Depending on how quickly you viewed them and returned them by mail, that is how soon a new fresh batch of DVDs would get sent to you. Mailing was so easy since everything was provided to you - a no postage necessary mail pouch that sealed itself! No lates fees either. Keep the films as long as you want them and you pay your monthly service fee.
So why the switch? Netflix began to get a bit expensive for my taste! I was happy with their service but they kept restructuring their pricing plans and for what I was paying, they started to decrease the number of DVDs you could get at one time. This made for one unhappy customer.
Thank goodness for the arrival and competitor, Blockbuster.com. Mind you, I still had a bad taste in my mouth from Blockbuster's Late Fees, 2 Day Rental policies, and that their in-store rentals were always a bit expensive! But there was a great free-trial offer and well, why not try it out!
The new advantage of Blockbuster.com is that included in your membership - and they have different levels - for those who really love to watch DVDs every night of the week to those who only need a movie or two for the week - is that you get bonus free IN-STORE DVD rentals! Yep!
Now with TOTAL ACCESS, not only do you get DVDs in the mail, Blockbuster.com makes sure your appetite for movie-watching doesn't go unsatisfied....you'll always have a movie to watch whether you just returned one in the mail OR now RETURN it to the store!
That's right, with TOTAL ACCESS, a free program with your Blockbuster.com membership - yes, you will have to eventually create your membership through Blockbuster.com AND create a membership at your choice of Blockbuster store if you don't have one already (these are two memberships joined together), you NOW have the option of returning your mailed DVDs back by mail or simply taking them to your most beloved Blockbuster store and exchange them for a ANY TYPE of DVD movie in the store for FREE! Keep mindful that you need to adhere to the store's return policy but really with NO LATE FEES now in effect, what is there not to like. All at the same price of a Netflix.com membership. TOTAL ACCESS is totally included at no extra cost to you!
Once you return your online DVD to the store, the store checks it in and thru their process, your online membership gets notified that you have submitted your DVD and instantly prepares your next DVD in your queue to get mailed out!
So not only do you have TOTAL ACCESS to Blockbuster.com's convenience of ordering and receiving movies via online, you also have the whole store at your wish any day you with any movie they have in stock. NO more needing to wait for the new releases or that amazing foreign film you just saw in the store. GET the movies when you want them with Blockbuster's TOTAL ACCESS. And with this new program, you still get your free INSTORE monthly rentals too!
This is probably the best advantage that Blockbuster.com has over Netflix.com.
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Delivery:
Pretty much quick like Netflix. I get to choose my movies ahead of time at Blockbuster.com - now a newly revamped Web site with some nice new layouts but without really improving the time it takes to search and pick the movie you want.
Once your movie is in your queue, expect to get your DVD in 2-3 business days. They come in a nice colorful Blockbuster.com envelope that has it's own return envelope within. All you do is open, watch DVD, and put it back in the return envelope, and dump it in the mailbox.
If you have your Blockbuster online account set up as such, you will receive an e-mail notification of when your DVD has been shipped with title, and when a DVD has returned to their library with title. This way you can track what you are getting and make sure that the DVD you returned was received.
This pretty much is the same delivery speed I was used to with Netflix.com.
**** Order Accuracy
I have never had any issues with the order accuracy of the films I have requested or received.
**** Customer Service
The online customer service is great. I have not really had an issues with the online store. Perhaps the only part you'd wish is that it would be just as easy to get your movies at the store without sometimes waiting in lines, having unhappy customer reps attend to you, and well, the inconvenience of having to return the store rentals back to the store.
That is why it is very important that you have your Blockbuster store right in your neighborhood or on the way to work so that this minimizes the discomfort of using the store in the first place! I believe the greatest benefit of these online DVDs rental memberships is that you no longer have to deal with these lines, nasty cashiers, or the devastation of not finding the movie you really want on a Friday!
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Overall Satisfaction
I have just tried out the new TOTAL ACCESS yesterday and it was very simple.
I went to my very close neighborhood store, picked out the movie I wanted to watch, and then took it to the counter with my inSTORE membership card and the mailed online DVD rental. No need to explain anything; the customer rep knew what to do - checked in my online DVD rental, checkout out my inSTORE rental and I was on my way to do other things. Now I have until tonight to watch it and return in tomorrow........that part I don't like but I can live with it until my new online DVDs get to my mailbox.
Recommended:
Yes
What product did you purchase or try to purchase? TOTAL ACCESS Blockbuster Program
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garethusa
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Location: Washington, DC USA
Reviews written: 83
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Meeting planner; enjoy yoga, jogging, writing, music, cats, travel and cooking/eating :-)
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