Buh Bye Netflix

I have been a loving Netflix customer for well over 2 years now. The moment I saw that first tv ad claiming I would never have to drag my 4-year old into a movie rental store again captivated me, and seduced me. I did my 2 week free trial, and I was hooked. I even upgraded to the 4-movies at a time plan so I could ensure I always had something to watch.

Then something happened. I don't know what it was to this day. About 6 months ago I noticed that it was taking my movies FOREVER to get back and get processed in their system. I tried switching up to a different post box to see if it would help. I even started dropping them off at the City's main Post Office (it's on my way to work so no big deal) but it was still taking forever!! The wierd thing is, it wasn't taking any longer for me to get my movies than usual, just for me to return them. I started actually writing down on my little desk calendar what days I was posting them back, and figured out it was taking well over 6 business days for my movies to get processed.

I emailed Netflix to ask what was the deal. I was even anal about making sure the little barcode showed through the little window on the return envelope if that made a difference (which they never said either way) And they only emailed me back a form email ststing thanks for my customer feedback and that my input was important to them, yada yada... Whatever.

I talked to a friend of mine who I knew was a Netflix junkie like me, and she said she was having a similar priblem, but not to the same degree... hers were taking 4 business days, which is still too long if you ask me. 2-3 business days should be sufficient. When I started Netflix it always took 2 business days, like clockwork. Basically, the whole system was slowing up, and I was being left without my movie fix.

Two months ago I cancelled my Netflix subscription. I figured for what I was paying, I could get more movies just going to the video store and never have to worry about not having something to watch. So I started going back to the movie rental place. After being forced to rent works of art like My Little Pony's Princess Promenade, (which of course got played ad nauseum until it was returned) by a screaming little brat I could not believe was my child. I was losing it. I love my daughter, but get any child under the age of 10 in a video store and I'll bet good money someone will want to slap the spit out of them within 10 minutes.

So what to do? I had seen Blockbuster's ad for their Total Access service, but after my Netflix I was a little gunshy. However, after having to scoop my screaming child off the floor of the video store one Sunday afternoon and having to refrain from SCREAMING at her until I got her to the car at least, I became desperate. So I put a good helping of duck tape around Katie's wrists and ankles, and over her mouth and went to my neighborhood Blockbuster Store. Just kidding... I left her with Mike.

Anyhow, I went to Blockbuster's and got the skinny on this new service. Basically, you pick your plan. They send you your DVD's in the mail. You can either mail them back, or take them to your local Blockbuster Store and trade them for free movie rentals. The best part... once you have taken them into the store... the next business day they go ahead and ship your noxt movie. You don't have to wait until your movie makes it back to them!!

Well, as you all know, I will never go into a movie store again. But, when I had Netflix, I had to keep some movies for Mike in the queue or he would whine. Now, I keep all my movies in the queue, and after I have watched them, he can take them back to the store and get a movie he wants to watch. Or, because he has infinitely more patience with Katie in public places, he can take her to get a movie for her! And it gets her out of the house for a good half-hour of quiet time for me!!

Anyhow, my trial is up with Blockbuster, but the jury is back in and we likes. This weekend I had 6 movies in my house to choose from. I felt so spoiled. I even cancelled my movie channel subscriptions with my cable company, because since I have had Blockbuster's service, I have really not watched it at all. So it is actually saving me money at my house.

So if you get sick of having to wait for a movie, I heartily reccommend this service. It's definitely worth it.