Blockbuster Chairman and CEO John Antioco couldn’t resist taking a dig at prognostications by Reed Hastings, his opposite number at rival Netflix Inc, in the long-simmering battle between the two companies for online video subscribers.
Antioco — who sent a kitchen sink to Netflix’s headquarters after Hastings told analysts last year that Blockbuster had “thrown everything at us but” that particular appliance — warned on Tuesday that Hastings had best abandon forecasts for Netflix to own the online market.
In Antioco’s view, the size of the online DVD rental market is not much bigger than 20 million subscribers — the same number of subscribers Netflix says it will have by 2012.
Antioco said Tuesday that not only is Blockbuster Online set to displace Netflix as the fastest growing online DVD rental service in the market, it plans to stop Netflix far short of its ultimate subscriber goals.
“If Reed Hastings thinks he is going to be in it alone, I don’t think he is correct.”
So there.
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4 comments so far
I have just experienced the worst customer service from Blockbuster, in that serveral stores in Fresno, CA refused to take back movies I accidently brought with me when I moved from Vancouver WA. The Vancouver store told us to return the movies to a Fresno store, who would mail them back. One clerk was totally rude when I went in to return them. I am mailing the movies back to Vancouver and am signing up with NetFlix. If Blockbuster wants to turn the business around, they best look at customer service as the number one thing they need to improve upon. Just remember, one dissatified customer has 500 friends.
- Posted by Lonnie GashThe grass is always greener on the other side. I am sure that you are a customer who cried a river and never took it up with anyone who COULD provide outstanding customer service to you. If running to Netflix is going to make you happy, then so be it. You are the one that is short changing yourself in the longrun. Seriously, where do you go now that 100% of the time provides customer service? Is it not satisfying enough to you that you are getting a load of free rents from Blockbuster for a mere $17.99?? Who the hell cares about the service in the store, get that one situation taken care of and take all you can…..you are obviously not in buisness. No matter how many friends you tell, it is a selfish world, and they are still going to do buisness with Blockbuster if it is more convenient for them…some people are dense…wow
- Posted by SamSam - you’re not even worth my time. Anyone who doesn’t realize the loyalty that excellent customer service will buy is out to lunch. The Blockbuster customer service in the Humble TX store is pathetic. You have to stand around and wait to be checked out even if you’re the only person in the store and the manager is standing right there. Additionally, I’ve been online for 15 minutes trying to find an email or postal address to send a complaint letter to. I haven’t found one yet except for the Blockbuster in Canada. I am cutting my card up today and returning it to our local Blockbuster store manager. Life is too short to suffer the aggravation I face every time I go in that store.
- Posted by SusanAfter being a blockbuster customer for over 17 years I was sent a letter that informed me I would no longer be a Gold customer because I had not rented the required 100 movies a year. If anyone in that company knows anything about customer retention they would look at the fact that I have spent a small fortune with them not only renting but buying as well. Their attitude to Customers is a joke and they thumb their arrogant noses at us all the time in every location I have endured rude bahavior, snide comments that they are doing me a favour. I will cut up my cards and never do business with them again and Mr. Antioco would not give a darn because I am just one person, a customer, and not a big smart guy like he is. The cometition will eat Blockbuster alive and is doing so until they actually begin to realize that customers are their business and all the comments above reflect the attitude from the top down. I should know I worked there once and was told to wait until the customer line was longer before going to a til to serve somebody. How stupid a retail idea is that. Let them wait. Well i am cutting my cards up an mailing them to the head office in Toronto next week. I would rather buy movies from Zellers than walk into a Blockbuster ever again.
James de la Vega
- Posted by James de la VegaFormer Blockbuster customer