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Blockbuster: The End of Late Fee Lawsuits!
I’d like to formally nominate Blockbuster for dipshit company of the year. And I’m filled with glee to pass along the news that their “End of Late Fees” promotion has totally and utterly backfired in their faces. Not only are they quietly returning to a late fee based structure in many locations, but they’ve also been inundated with lawsuits alleging that their “End of Late Fees” campaign was misleading. Which it absolutely 100% was.
USA Today reports that the company just paid the state of New Jersey a settlement of $140,000 to that effect.
The settlement stems from a lawsuit the state filed in February, shortly after Blockbuster instituted the policy with signs touting “the end of late fees.” The fine print, however, said the company would charge consumers if they kept the movies too long, then charge a $1.25 restocking fee if the movies were returned.
In other words, they never got rid of late fees - they just thought they could use a PR blitz to rename them. Fucking moronic business idea if I ever heard one. Funny that I never heard about this earlier:
In March, Blockbuster agreed to pay $630,000 to 47 states that threatened to sue and to make refunds to customers who were charged the purchase price of DVDs or videos that they returned more than seven days late.
I’m happy to see corporations have their asses handed back to them on a platter for trying to trick people with fine print gimmicks.
January 6th, 2006 at 4:16 pm
First, Blockbuster’s been on the “no trust” list for years now. Which is why when this ad campaign started, I said to myself “Wait… what?” Which is what I thought everyone else was going to do to.
My question is, if the lawsuit money’s going to the states, how does it trickle down to the poor suffering consumer?
January 6th, 2006 at 4:39 pm
Hmm… Censorship in an occult forum? I guess now I know what it’s called the occult and why the type of riff raff it attracts.
January 6th, 2006 at 5:50 pm
JR: your comment was both completely off-topic, and needlessly attacking of another reader. I saw no reason to allow it to remain. It’s very simple, really: if you want to engage in conversation, do so. You don’t necessarily need to tip-toe around anybody, but I don’t stumble into your house and take a shit on the living room floor, do I?
January 6th, 2006 at 5:52 pm
I think they were splitting the money between state law fees and consumers. That article had details I left out.
January 6th, 2006 at 8:15 pm
It takes many colors to paint a picture.
January 6th, 2006 at 9:37 pm
Did someone say something nasty about me and I misssed it?
Shucks.
January 7th, 2006 at 1:54 am
It’s the restocking fee which grabs me here. I can understand making the customer pay for a late return, but tacking on an extra fee (even if it is $1.25) just for the little squiff behind the counter to carry out one of their regular daily duties, which is already covered by their daily wage, is a bit much.
January 7th, 2006 at 1:33 pm
Wasnt about you Zeno. It wasnt even related to this conversation either. Hence the zapping.