We retned 4 movies and went to the counter where we were told that Blockbuster now has a new pricing policy. We were told that rentals would now cost $2.50 for a single day, and $5.00 for a full 5 days. Since the date was May 24th, we only wanted to rent the movies for a day or two at most. The manager told us that we could rent them for a week, but if we returned them by the following day, we'd only be charged for a single day.
Well, when I returned the movies on the 25th, the following day after renting them, I asked whether we would receive cash back or be given credits to rent additional movies. The manager told me, rather tersely, that we had the choice to select either one day rental or 5 day rental, and we picked the 5 day rental so no reimbersement would be forthcoming. I told him that he led me to believe that there would be compensation if we returned the movies by the following day. He insisted, rather unpleasantly, that he never said anything of the sort.
I left upset and unhappy, but since my wife was with me at the time I rented the movies, I asked her to confirm what the manager originally said. She said her understanding was precisely the same as mine. That he said we'd pay only $2.50 if we returned the movies the following day, which we did!
This manager is lying through his teeth. And for all the employee rebuttals I've seen on these complaints, I know what I heard, and my wife does too. Neither of us have a reputation for lying. My wife works in law enforcement, so she is particularly keen on telling things straight.
Either we are lying or the manager of the store is lying. So who would have anything to gain from such lying? Why, the store manager of course. By selling us a week instead of a day, he runs up the profitability of his store. A serious concern, one might note, in the face of store closures around the nation! Besides that, he keeps the difference between $2.50 per movie and the $5.00 we paid. That's a cool 10 bucks extra for nothing, and he's got the movies to rent out to some other sucker.
These guys are nothing short of snake oil salesmen. They shuck and jive. And you get skinned at checkout. The difference between these guys and car rental agreements is that car rental agencies tend to be reputable, so I don't need that comparison either. Car rental agencies make extremely clear what their terms are. They must. Truth in lending laws apply. But not so to Blockbuster Video.
My recommendation to anybody reading this is to boycott Blockbuster Video until they develop a sense of ethical behavior. But don't hold your breath while waiting!
Melvin
Aurora, Colorado
U.S.A.
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