Blockbuster's Total Access plan allows in-store returns of mailed movies

Although Netflix certainly set the precedent with its online movie rental biz, has vowed to support HD DVD and Blu-ray formats, and seems to have an on-again / off-again relationship with downloadable rentals, Blockbuster is busting out a feature that Netflix isn't likely to soon match. Under the newly-unveiled "Total Access" plan, customers will not only be able to return all movies received in the mail to a brick-and-mortar location, but they'll receive "a free in-store movie rental" for their cooperation. The company is hoping to break the 2 million member mark by year's end, and also reported that customers who opt to return their flicks in-store should receive their next movie mailing about "a day faster than if they had returned it through the mail." While we're not sure if every single in-store return will yield yet another free rental (or if it's another "one per month" deal), we're not going to grumble over anything gratis.

[nick @ Nov 1st 2006 12:29PM]

if you go to blockbuster.com/trial and enter promo code 39326 you can get a 1 month free trial to to program. i was at one of my stores that i rent at and one of the employees was telling me about it because as of today the free trial is going to 2 weeks with the new promo codes that they will be giving out in the store.so if you want the 1 month free trial instead of the 2 week enter the code 39326.

[Jeff @ Nov 1st 2006 12:30PM]

Yay, so now I can do something I specifically signed up to avoid - going to the store.

What's next, iTunes offering CD sales at Tower Records locations?

I don't really see how anyone would care about this.

[Fett @ Nov 1st 2006 12:39PM]

Jeff...with the blockbuster on-line account you get one free in-store rental IN ADDITION to your on-line rentals. If you choose to take advantage of that FREE extra movie, you need to go to the store. do you have to go, no...but my daughter likes going to the store and browsing and picking her "own" movie every week. besides, I like to get out and interact with the world rather than do everything behind my computer.

[ACD @ Nov 1st 2006 12:41PM]

This is actually sort of cool because some post-office people have a habit of snatching DVDs in the mail to watch, which results in even longer wait times. I've given up on Netflix and services of the like especially when they wrap their movies in bright/obvious packaging.

[Nutsfullabeer @ Nov 1st 2006 12:43PM]

doofus, you can't open a nextflix DVD without breaking the seal.

[ACD @ Nov 1st 2006 12:54PM]

Nutsfullabeer you must be brilliant, search the internet and do some reading. I'm not talking about before I get the DVD, I'm talking about when you send it back. There was a bunch of discussion about this problem a long time ago.

BTW, what seal? Those paper sleeves don't seal crap. I actually got my Netflix movie practically falling out of the package one time. Maybe they've changed since when I subscribed but regardless keep the doofus retardation to yourself.

[Jason @ Nov 1st 2006 1:10PM]

Actually you can kind of roll the package over and flop the DVD out. Try it sometimes. Also, our Netflix movies always come with the little seal broken.

[Ben @ Nov 1st 2006 12:43PM]

I see the advantage. If you get there in the morning they could potentially send the move to you the same day.

You got to realize that they are trying to come up with a way to get a edge on Netflix after they realized they couldn't do it cheaper. I say this is a decent effort if they pull it off well (same day shipping of movies)

[wirelessdeo @ Nov 1st 2006 12:47PM]

I wish they would lump together both movies and game rentals. if i sign up for a 2 out plan i should be able to get either movies or games. untill that time i will stick with netflix.

[Rick Lyon @ Nov 1st 2006 12:46PM]

How could Netflix match the offer, do they have retail stores in every city? I just canceled my BB online membership, just don't have the time to watch that many movies with football and prime time HD programs on. During the summer of repeats, it's a must.

[shon Dempsey @ Nov 1st 2006 1:16PM]

I agree. Blockbuster also has the advantage of games in store. If i could combine both my game rentals with movies, id be 100% sold.

[Andy Morris @ Nov 1st 2006 12:48PM]

It looks like you can get as many free in-store movies as you want (I think?). From the FAQ:

6. Q. Will I still receive E-Coupons for free in-store movie rentals?

A. Yes. However, now that you have BLOCKBUSTER Total Access�, your membership plan will look a little different. Instead of receiving just a few movie e-Coupons each month, now you can get unlimited free in-store movie rentals whenever you want, simply by bringing any online DVD sealed inside a return mailer into your local, participating BLOCKBUSTER store. And for those times when you find yourself without a movie or a return mailer, you�ll receive one monthly movie e-Coupon to use just in case. The bottom line: you�re getting more, free, in-store movie rentals, at no extra charge.

[Ben @ Nov 1st 2006 12:50PM]

Actually the promo code 39326 is the OLD promo code. That gives you the OLD blockbuster online promotion.

The NEW TOTAL ACCESS promotion code is 06614B.

This new promotion code gives you 1 free instore rental per mailer you returned to the store.

However, if you returned the online mailer without getting a instore free rental, the free rentals don't get add up and saved to your account, so be sure to exchange them on the spot.

The OLD promotion code gave you coupons to use in the store to get rentals, but were limited to 1 a week.

The NEW promotion code 06614B, gives the TOTAL ACCESS mailers.

Enjoy :)

[shon Dempsey @ Nov 1st 2006 1:18PM]

does anyone know if blockbuster has any sort of "throttleing" program?

[ben1778 @ Nov 1st 2006 1:35PM]

No, Blockbuster does not throttle in any way... but Netflix does.

When you are a member of blockbuster.com you get free in-store rentals with your account each week/month in the form of printable coupons. I think the newer program is 1 each week. I am still on the older program of 2 per month, because I like to get them in bulk rather than going back each week.
These coupons on your account each week/month can be used for in-store movies AND/OR games. I use mine to rent games in the store and usually end up getting all my movies through the mail.

My movies are sealed and in decent condition over 95% of the time. Any time i've reported a problem (scratched DVD, wrong DVD -- which is RARE -- they are incredibly fast fixing it).

[Droford @ Nov 1st 2006 1:44PM]

Im not signing up for this and losing my 2 free game rentals each month. They took the game rentals off the coupons for all new members earlier this year and give them 4 instead of 2. But allowed people to keep the original 2 game/movie rentals if they had been a member and kept being a member. The 2 free game rentals are worth more to me than an extra free movie or two because thats as good as a gamefly membership which costs $20 or actually renting 2 games at Blockbuster which runs about $16 with taxes.

[Marty @ Nov 1st 2006 5:16PM]

You may not get throttled but Blockbuster points out on their web site that you may receive a movie farther down in your queue simply because they can ship it faster. Knowing that now, I started emptying my queue so that only the titles I *really* want are in there. That being said, I like their service because it combines in-store (2 or 4 per month depending on your plan) with online rentals for only $9.99 a month. I like the idea of getting extra rentals simply because I'm returning online rentals to a store that I go to for in-store rentals anyway.

[Mike @ Nov 1st 2006 1:37PM]

Sounds like a cool idea to me. Especially if it means you'll get your next movie FASTER.

[Adam @ Nov 1st 2006 1:39PM]

Man F blockbuster. A few years ago I turned in a movie 2 days late and the next thing I know it was turned over to a collection agency in the amount of $10. The store never called or mailed me saying I have a late fee.
As far as I'm concerned they treated me like a criminal rather than a customer.

When I paid the fee and went to close out of my account they said you can never close out of your account. Translation=our customer count will NEVER decrease since you can't cancel or close your account.

Yup, we use Netflix and movies on demand from that point on.

RIP Blockbuster.

[tim hunt @ Nov 1st 2006 4:52PM]

Cast UR Worries aside
from FAQ

7. Q. I signed up on the service at a time when you offered both game AND movie E-coupons. Will I still receive E-Coupons for free in-store game rentals?

A. Yes, you will still receive your 2 monthly in-store E-coupons, good for either movies or games. Also, now with BLOCKBUSTER Total Access you also can get free in-store movie rentals whenever you want, simply by bringing any online DVD sealed inside a return mailer into your local, participating BLOCKBUSTER store and exchanging it for a new movie. The bottom line: you're getting more, free, in-store movie rentals, at no extra charge and you still have your two free in-store game coupons, too.

[Rachel @ Nov 1st 2006 1:46PM]

Jeff, people define convenience in a number of different ways. Some people aren't that close to a Blockbuster, don't want to search through what's in or not, and/or just want the ease of doing everything through the mail. This model is certainly convenient in a number of ways, but other people consider spontanaeity and instant gratification a convenience. Personally, I like both so this program would appeal to me. My Blockbuster is in the same strip as my grocery store and there are plenty of occasions where I feel like watching something that day, and it would be great to be able to return a dvd there and pick up something else for free (especially if I was going to be near the store anyway) or have the ability to throw it back in the mail if I wanted to.

[PEZ @ Nov 1st 2006 1:53PM]

Jeff, are you agoraphobic? Some people work on the outside of life, and rather than going to the post office, they can drop this off at a location - Hmm, what else? Some movies are better off picked up, than waiting for it to be avaialble and delivered. Im sure you understand clearly now.

[CharlieX @ Nov 1st 2006 1:57PM]

It's harder to find BB's in los angeles anymore... I know of 4 that I used to go to that are completely gone now.

[Noshino @ Nov 1st 2006 2:05PM]

I rather go pick up my movies, than wait for them to arrive. besides, most of the time you will have to wait some time to order the newest movies online, i always end up having to go to the store and rent them there.

oh, and why did they charge late fees? if you had an account (which this article is about) they wouldn't charge you late fees.

[Mischa Lockton @ Nov 1st 2006 2:46PM]

Have fun, I am sticking with my Netflix. Never find anything I want to watch in the store. Besides, I'm sure once you read the details, the coupons will not be "late fee free" indefinitely free rentals. You cannot drop these coupon movies back in the mail. Oops, better remember to bring it with as you go BACK to the store to avoid the charges.

Sound like a familiar frustration of the PAST?

Let's not disagree on this: Netflix has destroyed Blockbuster's business model with a superior customer experience.

Prior to Netflix, the average BB store made $10,000 in late fees.

Don't you people tell me you consider going to a video store socializing, because you are gonna have to go back home to WATCH the movie- essentially an anti-social activity.

Netflix has revolutionized the way we watch DVD's!

[Michael R. @ Nov 1st 2006 3:19PM]

actually the code doesn't matter, just enter the store code of your local store you can find it one of 2 ways look at your card theres a number on the back starts with a 2 (unless your rewards) just take the 5 digits following the 2 enter them as your promo code the card breaks down like this 2(identifier for member)5 digits (your local stores code)anything else your individual member number (the amount varies from store to store depending on the member base) but yeah thats it just use your 5 digit store code thats all thats required for the 1 month free trial

[Brandon @ Nov 1st 2006 3:24PM]

I personally have used both Netflix and Blockbuster recently, and I have to say that I love blockbuster a lot more. It is often hard to get the newest big releases as soon as they come out through the mail, but the free in store rental takes care of that. As a rewards member, I also get extra rentals just for going to the store. Paying for Blockbuster's 1 or 2 at a time, one could potentially get as many movies as Netflix's 3 or 4 at a time for a cheaper price.

[DrDiesel @ Nov 1st 2006 3:41PM]

So I would assume that as a Rewards member you also get their isnide Blockbuster eNewsletter email?

[DrDiesel @ Nov 1st 2006 3:39PM]

I work for the company that does the Blockbuster eNewsletters. We've been working on this promo for a few weeks now and are just sending out all the email notifications to their opt-in client list for EOD inbox delivery.

[Raj M @ Nov 1st 2006 4:15PM]

The way I read it, they are basically saying that *every* on-line rental is also now a coupon for a free movie. And instead of the weekly e-coupons (newer plans), you will just get 1 each month. Also, once you return your on-line rental in the store, the next movie in your queue will ship the next business day. So basically they are now giving you as many coupons for free in-store rentals as movies you mail back as long as you take the trouble to go return in store. Pretty sweet deal I would say. The store is just down the street and we do step out of the house, least most of us do. And if the 2-day rental is a hassle for you, use your queue for new movies and rent favorites and older movies in-store (1 week rental).

Check out their FAQ online for full details. BTW, this is just offered in the Colorado Springs area at the moment. For the rest of us, its business as usual.

[The Jethro @ Nov 1st 2006 4:52PM]

The real problem is that BBO stopped allowing game rentals as part of their two in-store rentals per month. Now, they only do movies. That stinks because I usually don't need to go to the store to rent movies when I get them all in the mail. They say that it is not cost-effective to allow game rentals, but that made the deal so much better than Netflix.

[rainking187 @ Nov 1st 2006 7:11PM]

Personally I think this is great, I live near a Blockbuster that I don't mind walking to but they never actually have anything I want to watch in stock.

[Ben Wong @ Nov 2nd 2006 2:26AM]

All the other promo codes that were commented are no longer valid. As one of the district managers. I am please to announce the offical code "06823b". Please go to the offical website at http://www.blockbuster.com/total. I have seen many other codes and websites listed. DO NOT BE SCAMMED!!! There are many identical websites such as blockbuster.com/trial. The keyword is actually "total" after the blockbuster.com. If you have any questions. You can call the District Office in San Gabriel, California. The phone number is [phone]. Please do not be afraid to call to verify. Beware of identity theft.

[mike @ Nov 2nd 2006 5:32AM]

Been using this for over a month... This rules especially when you have little kids and they still give you two in store rentals a month. I have no idea why people still use NetFlix over Blockbuster however I have heard that the Queue system is better and generally I think everyone has had to pay a late fee that still kind of pisses them off. I've also found they are a lot more lenient on the return date.

[Frump @ Sep 6th 2008 8:27PM]

The que system is lame at BBO. I have had movies on there that say "long wait" for over a year. What a joke! There are about 34 movies in our cue that have been there for over a year and BBO can't seem to get them here. It seems like their system is falling apart.

[Galley @ Nov 2nd 2006 10:00AM]

"What's next, iTunes offering CD sales at Tower Records locations?"

Fiona Apple is releasing "iTunes Originals" on CD. These are tracks originally available exclusively in the iTunes Store.

[jeff @ Nov 4th 2006 9:15AM]

for superior service, use the best promo code, 39326b

[Nick Burns @ Nov 4th 2006 6:28PM]

Returning mailed DVDs to Blockbuster is not really "new", we've been doing this all summer (this is only our second year on the plan, we mailed them back last year). The only thing added was now they can be used as a free rental coupon.

[moviechik @ Nov 4th 2006 11:53PM]

I�m so excited about total access! I tried Blockbuster online in the past, but this time I�m sold. I�m pretty sure I can get almost double the amount of movies in the same amount of time as I did the last time I had it. Plus I can get the new releases in the store when I exchange my online rentals� The new free trial that they are offering is only for two weeks, but the employee at the store I go to gave me a coupon last week for a free month. I tried it out today and the FREE MONTH still works! Just go to
www.blockbuster.com/trial and enter the promo code 55740

[James @ Nov 9th 2006 2:45AM]

I'm pretty pissed off after reading the "tim hunt" post above -- I had BBO for almost a year (a while back), when they first stopped letting you use your 2-coupons-a-month for games. See, they spammed the hell out of you trying to get you to change from two-a-month to one-a-week, and never told you that one-a-week was for movies only. I emailed them as soon as I found out and said I wanted to go back; they said they no longer offered the two-a-month (including games) plan, and that they would be switching everybody to one-a-week (no games) whether they wanted to or not. I told them precisely what they could go and suck, and canceled my sub; without the game rentals, it wasn't worth the money. Now I hear they would have let me keep my game coupons if only I hadn't been conned into switching? That's just rubbing salt in the wound.

[Cliff @ Nov 14th 2006 10:38AM]

I've had problems returning to the store, I returned some on Friday 11/10, BBonline didn't have them as checked in until Tues 11/14.

[BarbaraBell @ Nov 15th 2006 6:36PM]

I wonder if anyone has used this service yet? I turned in my mailer yesterday morning at the local blockbuster store. The clerk told me my queue would instantly reflect that I had turned it in; hence, a new movie would ship out that day or the next.

When I check my queue, it still shows that the movie has not been rec'd by Blockbuster. So I am not understanding the theory on this new *improved* feature if they don't show the movie being returned?

[Walter @ Nov 15th 2006 11:05PM]

I'm very pleased with Total Access. It basically permits you to receive twice the movies. Actually, when you turn in the movie at the store, the employee scans it removing it from your queue to qualify as returned. However, the dvd still visually shows up. It is not removed visually until the dvd is returned to the main warehouse and processed. The store bundles up all the returned dvds and mails them to the warehouse center in one package. Thus, at the warehouse processing center, they know you have returned the movie and thus issue you a replacement even if they have not processed through your return from the store. One more thing, the stores are not online. Their data is uploaded to the main system probably daily. I know all this because I inquired about it at my local store.

[jeff @ Nov 15th 2006 8:53PM]

They will send the next movies in your que when the movies are scannedin the store. Unfortunaely, it still shows the movies in your que, even though, technically, they are not in there. (They are being sent.)

So don't exchange your mailers at the store for movies already in your que, because you will still get them. Hope this helps.

You can still get a free trial offer by using the promo code 39326B

blockbuster.com/total

[rcm999 @ Nov 18th 2006 2:00PM]

Those of us in Tennessee will get the shaft on this one. NONE of the Blockbuster stores in Tennessee honor or participate. Plus being throttled back from four to one in store rental per month makes this deal not very good. Plus they're sending out a rash of broken discs now, forcing the customer to wait again and again. THAT is another one of Blockbuster's way of throttling back the customer. Exactly one half of movies shipped to me this moth have been broken. Not a good deal if you ask me.

[Matt @ Nov 23rd 2006 5:35PM]

With code 3429ta you can get a four week trial instead of a two week trial. This is a friends and family code and only valid until January 7th.

[Allen @ Dec 7th 2006 6:11PM]

I am currently a memeber of the online total access community and things are great. It allowss me to impluse rent and buy. I used my buddies promo code 1670ta which gave me 4 weeks for free, lol. The website he had me go to was:
www.blockbuster.com/bbfamily. It worked for me and it should for you, try it out.

[Allen @ Dec 8th 2006 9:16AM]

Hey guys/gals,
I am currently a memeber of the online total access community and things are great. It allowss me to impluse rent and buy. I used my buddies promo code 1670ta which gave me 4 weeks for free, lol. The website he had me go to was:
www.blockbuster.com/bbfamily. It worked for me and it should for you, try it out.

[Tristan @ Jan 30th 2007 5:37PM]

Folks, keep in mind that Blockbuster states that they can trottle in their TOS:

http://www.blockbuster.com/corporate/termsAndConditions

"BLOCKBUSTER Online reserves the right to determine product allocation among members in its sole discretion. In determining product allocation, we use various factors including, but not limited to, (i) the historical rental volume for each subscriber, (ii) historical number of outstanding rentals relative to the maximum number of outstanding BLOCKBUSTER Online Rentals allowed under a subscriber's plan, and (iii) the average rental queue position of BLOCKBUSTER Online Rentals that have shipped to a subscriber in the past."

[Andrea @ Jul 7th 2007 3:25AM]

Blockbuster does BLOW! Too many times to ignore, the movies at the top of my queue listed as available were not the ones shipped.

WARNING: If you cancel your membership, wait until a few days before your next billing date. My account was paid until July 14th. I cancelled mid-cycle on June 26th. Even though my accound was paid, I received NO movies for the remaining 3 weeks, and Blockbuster refused to refund the 3 weeks I was without service.

I will NEVER return to Blockbuster. Go with Netflixs.