This is a new one. I’ve been using “Blockbuster Online”, Blockbuster’s DVD-by-mail service to compete with Netflix, for a while now. I just got a DVD that was sent from an actual Blockbuster B&M video store, not one of their regular distribution centers. Instead of having a regular postage-paid return envelope, it has a regular 37-cent stamp on the return envelope, and the DVD is going to a video store in North Carolina.
I guess this is a way for them to extend their service. All of their rental stores can become distribution sites for their online rental service. Makes sense. It was just a little weird to get an envelope with a stamp on it, packaged a little differently, and getting sent to someone’s local video store.
This was a DVD that had been sitting at the top of my queue for at least 6 months, and was never available. Maybe that’s why — if there are movies that they just don’t have enough of at their regular distribution centers, they might as well reach out to the video stores. The part that doesn’t make sense is that the local Blockbuster store never has a selection anywhere close to what’s available online. I’m 99% sure that my local stores don’t have this movie available. I guess there are just some stores with some less-popular titles available?
Anyone else get a disc like this? Just curious if it’s common (or starting to become common) or if it’s a fairly rare occurence.