Blockbuster Changes Total Access Policy

Blockbuster has changed its terms of service for its Total Access DVD-by-Mail-or-Store service. As far as we can tell it's potentially a good or bad change depending upon how you typically use the service. Currently, users of the $9.99 and up service plan can exchange DVDs in-store for a new movie (from 2 to 5 exchanges are allowed depending on the plan). This movie can then be returned within 2 days to a week as per normal rental periods. That plan is now changing as of March 2, 2009.

Here is what we received from Blockbuster via email today:

As of March 2, 2009, there will be no more due dates for your free in-store movie exchanges!

• In other words, as long as you are an active BLOCKBUSTER Total Access subscriber, you can keep your free in-store exchanges as long as you like from participating BLOCKBUSTER® stores.
• In order to eliminate due dates, the free in-store exchange will now count towards the number of DVDs you may have out at a time under your BLOCKBUSTER Total Access plan. Once you've returned your in-store exchange, we'll then ship you the next available movie in your queue.
• Your free in-store exchanges will now show up on your Queue page and in your Rental History, making it easy to keep track of the movies you've rented.
  

As always, you can continue to return your online rentals through the mail or drop them off at the counter of a participating BLOCKBUSTER store to have your next online DVD shipped.

BLOCKBUSTER Total Access is the ONLY service that offers online DVD rentals plus the convenience of free in-store exchanges.

And as a BLOCKBUSTER Total Access subscriber you'll continue to enjoy these other great benefits:

• Access to over 90,000 titles
• Free shipping and postage for subscriber rentals
• A 10% subscriber discount on the purchase of previously viewed DVDs at blockbuster.com
• A variety of plans to meet your lifestyle and budget
• Thousands of participating store locations nationwide
• Discounted in-store game rentals with exchange

We look forward to providing you with more of the movies and entertainment you love throughout 2009 and beyond.

BLOCKBUSTER - America's Best Entertainment Value

Basically, the move should result in less urgency to return rentals, and consequently a drop in the overall exchange rate of movies - saving Blockbuster money in terms of the overall density of rentals at any given time. What it will also do, however, is create a tougher market for ensuring the availability of new releases - something Blockbuster has had issues with already in some markets. They'll need to address this on the front end, or we'll start seeing consumers complain that new releases are being taken out of circulation faster than normal - and kept off the market for extended periods of time.

How you use the service will determine whether or not this is a good or bad change. If Blockbuster beefs up new release quantities it should end up being a good thing. If they change the policy and permit business as usual then there could be an additional backlog. Report back to us in the forums to let us know what your experiences are in the coming weeks/months.