Blockbuster Considering Selling Bread & Milk?

I took a Blockbuster survey and one of the questions asked about other products and services that I would like to have at my local Blockbuster, and the list included: bread & milk, DVD players, hot dogs or pizza, and freshly-popped popcorn.

What would you like to see Blockbuster offer?

Comments

[jeb]

Considering "Blockbuster nights" are often date nights or hanging-with-friends nights, beer and wine would make a lot of sense -- and cash. Maybe even have local stores host brew and view-type events. And while I'm on this track, why not turn Blockbuster.com into a rental AND dating site that matches you with other people who are watching films alone that night, too? They need some sort of paradigm shift to survive. Why not romance?

[N. Sure]

I'm imagining something from Idiocracy. But they'd have to up the level of the employees.

[kev]

How about rentals longer than one night? The new day at a time pricing structure is crap for anyone that doesn't pass the store on their way to work or live right down the street from it...

[Brian]

I think offering things like pizzas (Take-N-Bake perhaps or even cooked), hot dogs, hot fresh popped popcorn, etc. would be excellent. Perhaps an Express Cafe deal like in Wal-Mart or Target, but catering to movie friendly type foods. There is a Papa Murphy's take-n-bake near my Blockbuster, but having something like that in Blockbuster already would be really great.

Movie toys, collectibles, and related items also would be nice too.

Having other convenience items wouldn't be too hot. And, retail games are cheaper at Wal-Mart, as are DVD players.

Suggestions:

-- More competitive pricing on the in-store unlimited rental programs, as well as a hybrid movies/games deal perhaps.
-- Combine the online/in-store programs to allow your 1, 2, or 3 out to be checked out in-store (rather than the current in-store exchange setup).
-- Allow customers to BUY the movie they rented via unlimited in-store/online rentals and keep it (convert to sale, just like when you don't return the DVDs on the traditional rental model). I actually use that feature to purchase previously played movies before BB puts them on the shelf as such. The benefit is I know the DVD works perfectly already and while sometimes more expensive than just going to Target -- I have a working DVD and saved myself the trip. Great for those indie flix.

[David]

How about a return of the weekly free rental coupon? That would actually get me back in the store. Then maybe I would buy some milk and bread.

[Edward R Murrow]

Bottle of Jack, 12 pack of Extra Large Trojan Intense Ribbed condoms for her pleasure.

[Old Timer Too]

Yup, now you can rent your favorite film at your local 7-11.... Thank you, Mister Keyes.

And yes, it seemed I saw this coming last year sometime...

[iceman]

how about:
1) lower prices
2) hot dogs & pizza's sounds good
3) like a "home theather" center where people can watch movies in blockbuster (sort of a movie theater)
4) game center
5) unlimited rentals deal in store
6) better game program

[mattd0g]

My biggest frustrations with BB stores were
1) going to the store for a specific title that was out of stock
2) waiting in those horrendous lines (especially when there was a new customer signing up)
3) no recommendations when #1 was a problem

From what I have read about this guy Keyes, he seems to be in touch with getting people what they want/need and making it easy and integrating technology. But maybe his biggest challenge is that people went to convenience stores like 7-11 all the time...he had to figure out the product mix in the stores. With BB, people have simply stopped going (or go less) because of Netflix, on-demand, red box, etc.

Using technology, I think he has to figure out a way to...
-allow people to reserve copies of a movie at a store (maybe/maybe not for new releases)...the public library does this!
-leave with the movie and everything else they might be buying without waiting in line (the public library and grocery stores do this too)
-sign up for a new account without waiting in line (even the phrase "set up an account" sounds antiquated...why do I need to "set up an account"?...can't I just give you my credit card like online?)
-hook up the internet in the stores and let me search for available titles in the store (based on my recommendations) or read about reviews online before buying. This used to be a knowledgeable employee at my favorite video store.
-partner with other companies that do have a lot of foot traffic or delivery (like 7-11, grocery stores, drug stores, pizza delivery, etc.) and facilitate the distribution of movies through them (although that ship may have already sailed with red box, etc).

The biggest challenge is figuring out how long physical rentals are going to be relevant and figuring out how much investment they should make based on that distribution model.

[Becky]

Movies!

and, uh, more movies.

[george]

I would rather BB not go the direction of using their brick and mortar channel as a pseudo 7-11.

Honestly, I would rather see BB go upscale. Make your pricing fair, but its not because of cheap flix that I go to a BB. Its because I want it now.

There are some great ideas above, but -not- the food add-ons. If they want to do that, then enter into a relationship with 7-11 to pair them independently side-by-side.

Focus, Mr. Keyes.

Automate the brick and mortar facilities systems better like one commenter wrote. Let me go online to see what you have in stock and reserve it for me. That's for the I-need-it-now sense.

Make BB a terrific destination. Great lighting. Superb in-stock management. Great employees. Think Nordstroms and LL Bean reputation. Previews.

Pre-NFLX, when we went to a BB, we'd run into neighbors and local friends and we'd "catch up". But usually, we'd get cut short, since BB is not conducive to this social setting. So, upscale the setting.

Add a "genius bar", so to speak.

With the ongoing conversion to HD from analog, there are going to be lots of questions from mom and pop.

BB can be *the* premimum provider of all things movies.

But simplify pricing (that doesn't mean cheaper), and upscale the destination.

[eviltimes]

Sounds like a wise business decision. Getting out of the DVD rental business and make some money as a 7-11.

[Dusty T]

Only way that Blockbuster will get me back is to just lower prices...I don't care about milk and bread and etc...just lower the prices...geez is it that hard to do?

[x]

So, the consensus is - Slurpees.

[Bob]

I just went into my 2 local Blockbusters for the first time in a while and I couldn't believe how cluttered they were - boxes full of used games and DVDs, movie posters - big framed movie posters, PS3 and Rock band boxes taking up space everywhere. Really they both looked like flea markets or K-Marts. My point being, what they choose to sell might not be as important as how they present it. I couldn't get out of those places fast enough, sans rental or purchase.

[Im Not A Turnip]

In my OPINION Blockbuster stores had a major Dark Age years ago when they were trying to please both VHS and DVD customers. The stores were split between the two formats so suddenly the selection of unique titles was diminished by one half.

Today it's even worse. 1/3 of the store is dedicated to games and another 1/3 is dedicated to new DVD sales and HD formats. There is a finite amount of space therefore the entire inventory is simply lacking.

I usually walk out of a BB sarcastically thinking, "I have a better selection at home."