Blockbuster rolls out Total Access

Online/in-store return program now available nationally

By Cindy Spielvogel -- Video Business, 11/1/2006

NOV. 1 | As expected, Blockbuster Video has rolled out its online/in-store rental program. The plan, called Total Access, officially launched today.

Blockbuster Online customers now have the option of returning their movies either through the mail or to a Blockbuster store. They can choose to receive a free in-store rental for each movie they return to a store, doubling the total number of movies they can rent per month.

In making the announcement, Blockbuster chairman and CEO John Antioco stressed that the new program is unique among online rental services in allowing the in-store return choice. The statement was a tacit reference to online rental leader Netflix, whose subscriber base stands at 5.7 million customers.

Antioco said he believes Total Access will help Blockbuster reach its goal of 2 million online subscribers by year-end. The company reported it added about 150,000 net subscribers in the third quarter for a total of 1.5 million.

The plan goes into effect immediately for all new and existing Blockbuster Online customers.

Subscribers who return movies to a store will be able to receive movies from their online queue faster, despite whether they take advantage of the free in-store rentals. When movies are returned at the store counter, the system automatically initiates shipment of the next available movies in the customer’s queue. This generally saves a day over mailing time, according to Blockbuster.

The Total Access program is now reflected at Blockbuster.com.

The newly designed site allows customers to sign up for plans at a choice of several rates, including the low $5.99 and $7.99 plans. A Blockbuster spokeswoman previously had said those two plans had been eliminated, but a Blockbuster spokesman today effectively reversed that statement, saying only that those plans “just weren’t being actively promoted on our Web site.”

The $5.99 plan for two movies per month, one at a time, matches the lowest price offered by Netflix. Blockbuster’s new Web site also includes the high-end unlimited four-movies-out plan for $23.99, similar to Netflix.

But the main Blockbuster offerings continue to be monthly plans for unlimited rentals at $17.99 for three movies at a time, $14.99 for two and $9.99 for one out at a time.

All Blockbuster plans now come with one coupon for an additional in-store rental, along with the in-store return option for free rentals.

In-store movie rentals are subject to the store’s rental terms, including due dates, and must be returned to the same store.

Customers also now have the option of signing up for Blockbuster’s online program in stores.