Note: This comparison was written in 2004, and could quite possibly be irrelevant now. Especially since WalMart DVD Rental no longer exists.

The online movie rental war continues

It seems there a growing number of companies trying to chip into the game that Netflix fundamentally got started. I've tried (and reviewed) Wal-Mart's DVD Rental service, which just brought me back to Netflix again. Now, there's a new kid on the block. Movie megapower Blockbuster Video is in the game, presenting an online service that's… well, it's very good. Enough of introduction. Let's get into the comparison.

I just finished a 2-week trial of Blockbuster's service, and I have to say I was very impressed. Of course, this service doesn't have the handicap most services of this type would, starting up… they already have the name and a huge stockpile of movies to work from. It's also quite clear from cruising their site that they've taken a lot of lessons from Netflix itself, and have emulated a lot of the good points of Netflix in their site. Blockbuster is aggressively attacking the market by offering the 3-at-a-time deal $2 cheaper than Netflix, and to sweeten the pot-and I think this is the best idea they could have come up with-they have also included two free rentals a month at your local Blockbuster storefront. I was intrigued, to say the least

Blockbuster advertises about 5,000 more movies than Netflix as well. It's not obscure indie titles either… for instance, Blockbuster carries the special extended editions of the Lord of the Rings movies, where Netflix carries only the regular editions. However, where Blockbuster may indeed have more titles, it's obvious that they do not yet have as many copies of those titles. With Netflix, I have about 80 movies in my queue, and 5 or 6 which are listed as me having to wait for them. Blockbuster, I put 13 movies in my queue, and 4 of them are listed as wait items. Hm. The queuing system itself is a bit more refined with Netflix as well… I have always liked the fact that they separate movies not yet released from the rest, and they bump into your regular queue about 3 weeks before the release. Blockbuster puts all the movies together. It can become a bit confusing, what with all the long wait, short wait, coming soon… you're sitting there wondering, "Now, what movies am I actually going to GET soon?"

Computer cookies need some work with Blockbuster as well. Netflix gives you a cookie that allows you to seamlessly go through browsing, recommendations, and your queue if you ask the site to remember you. Blockbuster, on the other hand, requires you to re-enter your account information every time you want to view your queue. Kinda tedious. And speaking of recommendations... Blockbuster pulls a little ahead there, because they allow you to filter out entire genres from yours, in a handy little preferences tab. No more anime in my list.

Blockbuster gains a small advantage in their rating system, allowing for half-stars. I think that's fairly cool, because there are some movies that I really do want to give half a star to. This isn't a deal breaker, though. In fact, I'm even sure it's something I'd see practical use in on a long-term basis.

So you're asking me, "Who did you pick? What was the deciding factor?" I am happy to answer that question. I chose to stick with Netflix, for one final reason… the number of movies I get. I'm a movie freak. In the 2-week amount of time I was with Blockbuster, I ended up with a total of 8 movies. Netflix, on the other hand, gave me 11. Also considering the Netflix stuff sat on the shelf a few times while I made sure Blockbuster got back, I'd consider that to be a great advantage. Even with the 2 Blockbuster store rentals a month, I'm still looking at probably 4 more movies a month at best from Netflix. I also did that thing where I sent off one movie from each on the same day… sure enough, the Netflix movie registered an entire day earlier.

I don't know how many Netflix or Blockbuster mailing centers there are around the U.S., so this may not be a great factor for a lot of readers. I do know that living in Kentucky, my Blockbuster movies come from Lansing, Michigan. Netflix has a center in Louisville, which of course gives them an advantage in my book.

Give Blockbuster a little time, I'm sure they'll bring it around. Perhaps they'll read my article and put some new centers up in Kentucky. If so, gentlemen, make it Lexington! Another possibility might be returning online movies to Blockbuster stores. Buzz the movie at the store, it relays to your online queue, and the postal service factor no longer becomes legitimate. That could possibly be the kiss of death for Netflix, I think. It's something they wouldn't be able to counter, and would most certainly rope in my business.

For now, though, my old friend Netflix retains my allegiance. If something's not broke, don't fix it, right? One thing is sure, though… Blockbuster has thrown the gauntlet. It will be interesting to see how things play out in the next year or so.

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