Do you think that blockbuster is using deceptive advertising in their...

[quote name='Wshakspear']I dont belive thier ads state the after effects, so i tend to agree with the lawsuit[/quote]

Their commercial got me pretty pumped up until I learned mroe about it from you guys, but it doesn't really apply to me since I NEVER goto blockbuster.
 
yeah I definitely think it's wrong that they hyped up the "no more late fees" guise.

It's very misleading. They need to be more honest about what the FULL change is.
 
well dont it say See workers for details? yea that would piss me off if i had to buy the movie BUT then again if its a DVD your getting a break cause a DVD runs around 15-20 bucks and a late movie fee would be 21 or higher ... Then again its the person fault who gets charged for the movie/game cause if you cant return a movie within a week after its due then again maybe you shouldnt be renting from them
 
[quote name='punqsux']if you cant return a movie on time, dont rent a movie...its that simple.[/quote]

True, but you have to admit its misleading.
 
nor really, when you sign up for an accoutn at blockbuster, you sign a contract that no one reads, one thing in that is "terms and conditions are subject to change at any time."

so if you have an account, you agree to whatever rules blockbuster makes, weather they tall you about them or not...its deceptive, but i dont think much will come of this lawsuit other than either the state getting money or people in nj getting a free rental...
 
[quote name='bignick']I agree with punq, you sign the contract. Its not BB fault if you dont read it.[/quote]

I think the main problem is that they changed it (that parts fine), but did not tell people exactly what they changed (thats the bad part). I know the first time i rented after they started it, nothing was told to me, and there was no info displayed.
 
Finally, my first post. (please go easy on this newbie)

Once the movie is "sold" to you, you can still return it for store credit. I believe minus that $1.25 restocking fee. I don't have to worry about that end of the deal as they have me committed with their movie pass. So I rent like a madman now.
 
[quote name='Wshakspear'][quote name='bignick']I agree with punq, you sign the contract. Its not BB fault if you dont read it.[/quote]

I think the main problem is that they changed it (that parts fine), but did not tell people exactly what they changed (thats the bad part). I know the first time i rented after they started it, nothing was told to me, and there was no info displayed.[/quote]

It doesnt matter, by renting a movie, you are agreing to their terms and conditions. Period.
 
I just thought of an example. Its the same as if you won an auction on ebay without knowing the shipping and handling costs. Then, the seller says thats its $20. Obviously you are going to be upset, but its YOUR fault for not finding out the costs first.
 
[quote name='Wshakspear'][quote name='bignick']I agree with punq, you sign the contract. Its not BB fault if you dont read it.[/quote]

I think the main problem is that they changed it (that parts fine), but did not tell people exactly what they changed (thats the bad part). I know the first time i rented after they started it, nothing was told to me, and there was no info displayed.[/quote]

[quote name='Back of a Blockbuster Membership Card']Subject to terms and conditions. See store for details.[/quote]
 
While I agree that the commercials are deceptive, but if you rent something from BB you should understand their no late fees policy.
 
[quote name='punqsux'][quote name='Wshakspear'][quote name='bignick']I agree with punq, you sign the contract. Its not BB fault if you dont read it.[/quote]

I think the main problem is that they changed it (that parts fine), but did not tell people exactly what they changed (thats the bad part). I know the first time i rented after they started it, nothing was told to me, and there was no info displayed.[/quote]

[quote name='Back of a Blockbuster Membership Card']Subject to terms and conditions. See store for details.[/quote][/quote]

"Now at Best-Buy: Free Video game!See tearms and conditions in-store"

"Sure, its free...but you'd have to steal it, and you'd probably go to jail...but its technically free"

I know its not that assinine, but its still a bitch. Also, i said there was nothing at the store that had that extra info, no signs or charts. All i could see was a sign on the window that said NO MORE LATE FEES*

*=At participating stores.

Here's the thing, because of this site, and because of my natural curiosity i would have found out anyways, but other people arnt as bright and BB knows this.
 
I work at BB and was just going to make a topic about this to see what other people thought.

IMO, it is a bit shady to emphasize "NO LATE FEES" and not give full details. Companies do that all the time. They emphasize the certain parts and just subtly add the catches.

Also, in the commercials and most signs, they advertise it as "an extra DAY OR TWO". They also make sure that all employees are communicating that it is just a couple of extra days. The problem is people just stop listening after 'no late fees'. We also have the same due dates for everything as well.

What I don't get is how could not think there would be a catch. People tell me that we are 'scamming' them because we said an extra day or two and they kept it for almost a month and got charged $1.25.

I really hope they don't win. If they do, then I might as well just sue some phone companies who advertise "free cell phones" but only give them to you if you sign a contract with them.
 
I agree. It's Buyer (or in this case Renter) beware. Common sense would tell you something is up. Luckily the B Busters in our area have their staff explain everything up front, so we haven't seen too many complaints about this.
 
When I went to Blockbuster last, a man was asking the manager about the "end of late fees" and said "well, there has to be some charge" and the manager replied in a very soft, roundabout way that there was a restocking fee. After more questioning, he said it was a $1.25, but the manager started to get annoyed with the man because he was asking about the fees in front of us (and other customers). I didn't really like that and the fact Blockbuster tries to hide fees in their promo information.
 
Misleading? Perhaps a litte...Yet this suit probably won't succeed. They said no more late fees, not that you wouldn't be charged for just keeping a game forever. They have to charge you something, you can't expect to rent a movie or game for $6 or whatever and keep it as long as you'd like. They need to make money off their purchase and can't do that if just one person holds the game/movie forever. Online services allow this, but they charge a monthly fee, so they are getting your money while you keep the game/movie.

To me what is most misleading is they have a huge national advertising campaign promoting this, yet in a solid number of stores they still have late fees as normal.
 
[quote name='bignick'][quote name='Wshakspear'][quote name='bignick']I agree with punq, you sign the contract. Its not BB fault if you dont read it.[/quote]

I think the main problem is that they changed it (that parts fine), but did not tell people exactly what they changed (thats the bad part). I know the first time i rented after they started it, nothing was told to me, and there was no info displayed.[/quote]

It doesnt matter, by renting a movie, you are agreing to their terms and conditions. Period.[/quote]

So if I'm renting you a car, and at the airport after your 9 hour flight I give you a 20 page policy to sign before giving you the keys, you're going to find a comfy seat and read through for two hours with your lawyer on the other end of the line to explain some of the finer points of the legalese in the policy?

Please. This is deceptive advertising, taking advantage of the consumer's expectations, and the gov't is right to go after it.
 
That is the funny thing about the promotion they never tell you that there is a $1.25 Restocking fee. But the good thing about this is even if you returned the movie after the allowed time to rent it all you would have to pay is the Restocking fee. The only bad thing is that they may charge you for the movie and you would have to deal with BB corporate office to get your money back.
 
[quote name='bignick'][quote name='Wshakspear'][quote name='bignick']I agree with punq, you sign the contract. Its not BB fault if you dont read it.[/quote]

I think the main problem is that they changed it (that parts fine), but did not tell people exactly what they changed (thats the bad part). I know the first time i rented after they started it, nothing was told to me, and there was no info displayed.[/quote]

It doesnt matter, by renting a movie, you are agreing to their terms and conditions. Period.[/quote]

It does matter though because the terms and conditions have changed. Have you ever gotten those mailings from credit cards that say "terms and conditions of your account have changed" and include an outline of the changes? If terms and conditions of the original contract change, they should have to inform you of it either by a mailing or at least offer the information to consumers. It should not be the sole responsibility of the consumer to search out and understand what has changed. If the information is offered by BB and the consumer does not read it then it's their responsibility.

With all of that said, I don't think they have a "false advertising" claim really. What should come of this is just a requirement that BB somehow make the information more readily available to the public.
 
[quote name='bignick']I just thought of an example. Its the same as if you won an auction on ebay without knowing the shipping and handling costs. Then, the seller says thats its $20. Obviously you are going to be upset, but its YOUR fault for not finding out the costs first.[/quote]

Your example would be ok if the title had in HUGE print "FREE SHIPPING" and then in one sentence tucked away at the bottom of the page said something like 'item will be shipped via overnight Fedex, you have no other option for shipping'.


I agree with the point about following your membership contract, but on the other hand for a company to make such a big deal about 'ending LATE FEES' while simply changing the definition of what the fee is, is pretty shady.
 
[quote name='cdeener']That is the funny thing about the promotion they never tell you that there is a $1.25 Restocking fee. But the good thing about this is even if you returned the movie after the allowed time to rent it all you would have to pay is the Restocking fee. The only bad thing is that they may charge you for the movie and you would have to deal with BB corporate office to get your money back.[/quote]

That is simply not true. I work at blockbuster, and I tell whoever asks about the no more late fee policy about the restocking fee. If you do get charged for the movie, and then return it, you don't have to do anything with corporate, the manager can refund the charge(minus the restocking fee) back onto the credit card.

Edit: All of the flyers that we have for this promotion clearly mention the restocking fee in text that is no smaller than any of the other text.
 
I think it's funny how they are just playing semantics games. It's not a LATE fee, its a restocking fee for returning the movie late. An especially crappy term because you don't pay a restocking fee for any other movie you return on time.
 
It's misleading, but people shouldn't turn things in late anyway. Just turn in stuff on time. That eliminates any confusion. Also, if there were no late fees, then someone could keep a DVD for years. That wouldn't be logical would it?

Anytime anything seems too good to be true, it usually is.
 
[quote name='GuilewasNK']It's misleading, but people shouldn't turn things in late anyway. Just turn in stuff on time. That eliminates any confusion. Also, if there were no late fees, then someone could keep a DVD for years. That wouldn't be logical would it?

Anytime anything seems too good to be true, it usually is.[/quote]

Yup! What would be out incentive to turn them in ever?
 
[quote name='Mr Unoriginal']I think it's funny how they are just playing semantics games. It's not a LATE fee, its a restocking fee for returning the movie late. An especially crappy term because you don't pay a restocking fee for any other movie you return on time.[/quote]

the restocking fee happens because when the movie is sold to you, it goes out of inventory. When you return it, they have to put it back in inventory. IT doesn't cost them anything extra but that's the explanation for the restocking fee.

[quote name='Mr Unoriginal']
That is the funny thing about the promotion they never tell you that there is a $1.25 Restocking fee. But the good thing about this is even if you returned the movie after the allowed time to rent it all you would have to pay is the Restocking fee. The only bad thing is that they may charge you for the movie and you would have to deal with BB corporate office to get your money back.
[/quote]

actually it works nothing like that. You pay the restocking fee if you return it after it is sold to you (7 days after due date). 30 days after it is sold to you there is no way you can return it. You don't have to deal with corporate at all. Everything can be done at the store.
 
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