A Look At Blockbuster’s Past And Present
Blockbuster stores have become part of the American landscape. It almost seems as though there is a Blockbuster every few blocks, no matter where you go in the US. In just over 2 decades, Blockbuster has expanded greatly. Today the brand is synonymous with films.
In this article, I will review some of Blockbuster’s history, and discuss its possible future. Also, I will reveal how to get a Blockbuster free trial in case you want to check out their DVD rental service.
The first Blockbuster store opened in Dalls in 1985. Blockbuster grew very fast, and a decade later, it was purchased by the giant media company, Viacom. But that did not last long as Blockbuster ultimately went independent again in 2004. Because of all the competition it has faced from companies like Netflix, Blockbuster has recently fallen on hard times. Just recently, in 2010, it was reported that Blockbuster may file for chapter 11 bankruptcy.
This begs the question, what is in store in terms of Blockbuster’s future? Blockbuster has certainly made efforts to stay competitive in recent years, including the launch of a DVD rental program a few years ago. This program competes directly with Netflix, and has the added advantage of letting consumers exchange videos at one of the many Blockbuster stores.
I actually believe Blockbuster can return to being profitable as long as it reinvents itself around the DVD rental program and expands its services on the Internet. Let’s not forget that Blockbuster has a powerful brand that is probably worth millions. I believe Blockbuster should develop an online movie presence that rivals that of Youtube or Hulu.
Blockbuster’s Total Access program is pretty good as well. I tried it and was pleased with it overall. Having no late fees is great, and DVDs get sent out pretty quickly, usually in a matter of a couple days. The membership plans were flexible, and many allow unlimited DVD rentals each month.
If you are interested in trying out this program, there is a Blockbuster free trial you can take advantage of. It will allow you to use the program without charge for 2 weeks.
