Blockbuster of an Idea
Thursday, May 29th, 2008In a recent C|Net article on Blockbuster, we learn of a new idea the company has which at worst seems doomed, or at best, misguided and miscalculated.
Sometimes I think you simply have to ask teenagers whether or not something is going to work.
The idea is to put movie refilling stations inside of Blockbuster stores, so that you can bring in your Archos-brand media player and “fill it up.”
Why do I think this will fail?
- The entertainment people crave is already being offered via the convenience of devices in one’s own home, i.e., cell phones, DVR-devices, cable “on-demand,” and new digital devices, such as AppleTV.
- Is the Blockbuster Internet connection really faster than the 21mb one I have in my home?
- Is your fullest catalog available? Doesn’t seem so.
- How many Archos customers are out there?
Now, if they offer this in stores plus via the Internet to homes, well then, maybe there’s something to it. But they seem to be late players in this game, if that’s a strategy.
After reading Chris Anderson’s The Long Tail, it seems Blockbuster is doomed, as their stores, which are bleeding them money, cannot compete with online sellers/renters. So, this idea on the surface is intriguing because it says “Hey, there’s a reason to come to our stores!”
Let’s see, this is 2008. If in 2004 they offered this, hmm, I might have bitten. But it’s not, it’s 2008. And I cannot think of a compelling reason why I’d want to go to their store if a) online I can match price, quality, and selection, and b) I don’t have to drive or return anything.
Unlike many of my friends, I do not subscribe to Netflix. I simply don’t have that much time to watch so many movies. So, I do visit Blockbuster stores, maybe 7-9 times a year. But I’ve gone less thus far since buying an AppleTV and trying Comcast On-Demand. Not necessarily for the huge catalog (it still needs to grow), but because these devices offer movies plus other video content that otherwise takes my time.
I don’t blame them for trying, but… to echo the comments already appended to the article, the outlook is dim.







