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No tears for
Blockbuster going bust

One should not gloat when a thriving business enters its death throes. But I couldn't suppress a tinge of glee that Blockbuster is finally being forced to treat its customers like, well, customers, not pests to be smacked around.

Blockbuster has tried to put the best spin possible on its new "End to Late Fees" program. We are supposed to feel they are doing us a huge favor in allowing us to keep a movie for a week instead of a day or two. The truth is that Blockbuster is a dinosaur watching a meteorite racing toward it. The meteorite is technology that will allow us soon to order any movie we want over our cable or satellite television service. No more suffering the indignities of Blockbuster.

Blockbuster's main claim to fame was that it had a big inventory of movies and the rental price was reasonable. As long as you jumped through all the hoops, Blockbuster threw up.

For instance, for several years you had to return your movie before midnight. Blockbuster learned that forcing customers to venture out in the dark simply to keep from having to pay a late fee was not a very friendly thing to do. And I suspect many Blockbuster customers found themselves in physical jeopardy skulking through deserted strip malls at midnight just to put the latest Disney flick in the return slot.

SO BLOCKBUSTER changed the return time to noon. But there still were problems. Several times, I have received computerized calls from Blockbuster Central on the mainland, saying I had an overdue movie and threatening large fines. I had to go down to the store to convince the manager that I returned the movies. Inevitably, the movies would be found on the shelves and a weak apology issued. One clerk actually suggested I should make sure that a Blockbuster employee logs the returned movies. I said, "So, I have to stand around and make sure you do your job right?"

Whenever there was any question about a movie being returned, you were made to feel as if you were trying to steal their merchandise. It didn't matter if you had checked out and returned several hundred movies. You still were guilty. And pity the poor wretch who neglected to rewind a videotape. Another fine and tongue-lashing. DVDs have taken that little harassment from the Blockbuster arsenal.

So, great, now we can keep a movie for a week. Keep doing us favors, Blockbuster. It won't be long before you are simply Blockbusted.