Dead website?

[merscham]

Nobody is posting on this site anymore. Let's get some feedback going.
How's business?
Any new ideas for stores?
What's the best DVD cleaning machine?
What do you tell your customers when they say that their Blu-Ray doesn't work and they blame you? What's the weirdest thing that has happened to you at work this year?
How many of you have set up a store profile on Facebook?
Who thinks that NFLX is the next Enron and is only able to buy this much content because of it's stock price?
Please reply...

[ssvideoman]

business is  slow for us .but it is always slow in the spring.  we use jfj it works good most of time but takes allot work and very messy. others highly recommend rti. we are looking into it. but its kinda expensive.
anybody have suggestions on any type of specials they run. back in the day the guy i worked for started running 4 new VHS for 10.40 for 3 nights on Fridays. people ate this up like crazy. almost every customer took the deal. his weekend night totals went way up. you know back then we had more customers but tapes cost around 60.00 each. any ideas?

[moviesgamesetc]

I've been unable to log in to this website for a while but just now with great patience and perseverance, I have succeeded! Business is slow as with everyone else.
Addressing the Bluray issue: I show them the insert that comes with every player and ask if they've updated lately. One customer come in wanted to rent Narnia 3 on Bluray but was afraid it wouldn't play. I asked him the usual questions but he said his player had no ports whereby he could pulg in and update. He said it was on of the very first ones Sony came out with. I then told him what the arrogant president of Sony had said about the first generation purchasers. ("They knew what they were getting into." (!)
As it was only a few minutes til closing on a weeknight, I let him take both the Bluray and a DVD of the movie. I charged him for both rentals (to keep the books straight) but the price of one went on his account as a credit. He was very happy! BTW, the BR worked and he'll rent again soon to use his credit. I hope it built some loyalty.
Not to pat myself on the back but I look for ways to promote customer loyalty. I know though that customer can be a fleeting thing. It only lasts until the next "big" thing comes along. Customers are like lemmings. They'll follow a fad to the edge of the cliff.

[moviesgamesetc]

Sorry for all the typos in that post. I didn't reread it before I entered it.

[steve]

We frequently get Blu-ray / PS3 that customers say won't play.  9 times out of 10 the disc is full of finger prints.  The disc didn't leave the store that way.  People just don't take care of them and then blame us.

[kingtutvideo]

 
I check this site every week and no one is on it anymore. It's as slow as the video stores. I think we all are just waiting to see if it's the end or not. We get so much hope in the winter...then it just dies away. My store has lost business steadily for the past 4 years and my mind never stops thinking of ways to keep it going. I've had over 20 years in the video business. I am very worried. Not from redbox though. Netflix and illegal downloading is what is killing my store. I do have 3 tanning beds, which goes strong for 4 months only, then nothing!
There has to be something we can all change or do to survive. I sale popcorn and I sale anything off the shelves now and just replace it if we need it. Customers love that. I will probably be laying off employees soon and working it myself, which will save a lot of money. The min. wage hike hurt a lot and now the gas prices. Look around though....it's not just video stores...the middle class is almost gone. The rich get richer...the poor get poorer and we are the ones that are taxed to death and paying for everything.

[merscham]

I agree that things are slower guys, but lets not say that everything is gloom and doom. We will NEVER go back to the days of 2003-2008, but we are trying to re-invent ourselves. Do what you have to do. Make those 5 day rentals work for you (btw if you're not doing 5 day rentals on older stuff then smack yourself over the head with a tack-hammer until I say stop) If shit is sitting on the shelf (new releases), let the customers keep it longer. Our store needs to make 35K a month just to break even. Do what you have to do to make it. Offer specials during the week. Create a buzz on Facebook, Twitter etc. That doesn't cost you a dime to do and people like that stuff. Most of your customers come to you for a few reasons only. Know those reasons!!! If it's recommendations that they like, recommend the shit out of stuff. You had better know your customers and what they like. You should be able to give them at least 5 picks every time they ask. If it's the independent feel of the store, stay unique and colorful. Look at all of the corporate stores that have fallen - they have failed and you're still here. @kingtutvideo - Netflix is killing us all, but it's a slow death and just remember that they don't stream everything (at least not yet And NFLX is only as good as their stock price - as long as their share price is high, they can leverage that to buy content. If the stock price falls, they will cut back on everything ala Enron. Sell DVD cleaners, if you don't have them, go to Wally or Target and buy a few and re-sell them. If used DVDs aren't moving like they used to, lower the price of the old ones. Let's keep talking on this site, because if we don't share ideas, we're dead.

[wannabevideostoreowner]

While its true that this site has mostly user generated content, it's probably suffering a little bit at least due to the lack of interest by the owner. I have an interest in radio in a certain city and there is a website devoted to it. Not much really is happening in the world of radio there (or most places in 2011) but the site remains vibrant due to the site owner striving to find something to provoke discussion, etc.

It's a shame we don't have that here but oh well. I can't believe there aren't any posts here about Dish Network keeping only 600 Blockbuster stores open (which would mean another 1000 would close). Read that on the web earlier today and came here to find some thoughts about it.

[kingtutvideo]

I have $1.89 rentals.....always have for over 20 yrs. Small town. I also have $1 for older new releases and 50 cents for old movies. I have done very well until past 4 years. Winter is awesome, but spring, summer and fall is awful!  Any advice? How many movies do you rent for 5 days?    Is it 5 rentals for 5 days for $5?

I have tanning, disc repair, popcorn, pop and I sale anything off the shelves and just replace it.

[IVR]

I can't believe there aren't any posts here about Dish Network keeping only 600 Blockbuster stores open (which would mean another 1000 would close). Read that on the web earlier today and came here to find some thoughts about it.

It's been talked to death over on ihateblockbuster.com

[tiptoen]

I've had my store for 25 years, and yes we are slow as well. New releases are 2.75 the first night
and .99 cents each additional nights. Old movies are 1.50 or 5 for 5 for 5.00.
The last couple of months I've been buying dvds from the local pawn shops for 1.50 ea. I clean them with my Eco-Smart (best purchase I ever made) and sell them 3 for 9.99. I average selling 90 to 100 a week. I also hook up the manager at Game Stop with a few rentals and he sends people to me to repair their games as they don't offer that service. I charge 5.00 for games. I repair 60 to 80 per month.

BTW I bought my Eco-Smart from RTI Refurbished for 1600.00

[videoport]

anybody got a link to this list?
"Blockbuster submitted the addresses of about 572 stores it had attached cure amounts on outstanding lease payments due landlords. "

[moviecritic202]

Videoport, are you on facebook?  If so find the group Independent Video Stores, we have a link on there!  If you can't find the group send me a friend request (Nicholas R. Miller) and I'll help you from there.

[merscham]

Looks like NFLX continues to knock it out of the park. They have 20% of all American households now. They must be stopped. Who's with me?

[twinvid]

That leaves 80% for everybody else.

Bob