Complaint Review: Blockbuster Video - Ofallon Illinois

Though I am sure that there might of been a mistakenly rented porno, Blockbuster does not even rent NC-17 movies. The movie "Twisted" is a very erotic movie with lots of naked people. This movie came to Blockbuster with a rating of "Unrated", which means that the DVD cut is slightly different from the theatrical version. This does not necessarily mean that the movie is beyond an "R" rating. If you have an account with no block for rated "R" movies, then this rental can go out to a 16 year old. From what you said about what they offered you, that was more than generous.

It seems you really didn't gibe the company a chance to resolve the issue, which they tried to do in good faith. In addition, what were your kids doing watching Twisted without you being present? This is a very sexually explicit 'R' rated film. It would not have been rented to them unless you had given permission for an underage child to rent a 'R' rated filmin the first place. Blockbuster doesn't carry porn so it was another customer who left the porn in the box. The store contacted you as soon as possible. Your kids never told you there was a problem. You didn't watch the film with your kids. It's not your fault you got porn by mistake but it is your fault that your kids watched it and you chose to keep the film (which belonged neither to yourself nor to Blockbuster.) You should have accepted the very generous offer.

Having formerly been a Store Manager here in Arizona, I have a possible explanation for what happened. Blockbuster have never rented XXX movies, so it is not possible that the movie that was in the box for Twisted was available for rent under it's own title. Most likely, the previous renter of that particular copy has XXX DVDs at home, and they got them mixed up when they returned Twisted. Once they realized their error, they called Blockbuster to inform them. Blockbuster then called John and told him what had happened. Here is where Blockbuster is at fault. When movies are checked in, the employee is supposed to check to see if the DVD/tape is in the box, and that it is the correct title. I'm sure that in their haste to check in movies, they opened the case, saw a DVD in it, then went on. They did not notice it was the wrong title. I agee that Blockbuster owes you some compensation regarding this situation, but I also agree that a year's worth of free movies is asking a bit too much. One month of unlimited rentals would have sufficed. However, they should immediately credit your account for the late fees and notify the collection agency of the settlement. Those fees should never have been charged to your account. One question, did you ever return the XXX movie back to Blockbuster? I ask because it seems as if you kept it as you did not get a resolution with them. Unfortunately, that is not your property to keep, even if you did rent it. The item actually belongs to the previous customer.

It's been several years since I've ever stepped into a Blockbuster. Last I remember the boxes are empty and at checkout they fill the box with the video or game. You pay, they open a drawer, look for the correct media, and place it inside its box. If for certain you can find the employee that was there at the time of the incident, you could probably bring that person up on charges. There is a very slim chance that you could unintentionally get a XXX video instead of a video that was intended simply because of human error. The videos are organized neatly in the drawer behind the cashier's desk, with each video clearly having its own label (especially since the box is so clearly labeled itself). Intentionally showing a minor a pornographic video has some legal weight to it. You might have to bring that up with your legal friend. Inconsistent things: The fact that they knew what was really rented and got back to you the next day leads me to believe they could have known what it was at the time it was rented. And I thought Blockbuster no longer charges late fees. Blockbuster doesn't carry "M" rated materials, which leads me to believe someone may have wanted to get rid of that video or to play a prank. It's either on the membership application or the flyers in their store that declare the rating standards and their meaning, they clearly state they don't carry "M".

I am not saying it didnt happen or couldnt have happened. I feel for your situation, I would be angry if my young child saw porn or any kind of explicit material. I am not dispuning what you said cause I am giving you the benefit of the doubt of what I read to be true, but if you explained this to blockbuster the way you did on here, you left them with a lot of questions... Don't get mad, but I read your story and I am kind of confused. Maybe where you live Blockbuster has porn movies, but how would the manager know that your daughter checked out a movie with a porn movie in the case instead? If she knew it was there in the first place wouldnt the manager take it out the case and put it where it belongs? If the manager didnt know it was there till later, how did they know it was the DVD you checked out, since "Twisted" is a fairly new movie I am sure they have more then one copy in the store. And if the porn movie was titled "Twisted", how did your daughter rent out a XXX movie being only 16? And how would she get the XXX movie, most if not all stores that rent XXX movies do not have them open for public viewing but rather in a room in the store you actually have to go back into. And if the title was on the shelf in your daughters view, and they let her check it out, I highly doubt that the manager would call to tell you that you have a porno by mistake blah blah, and ask how to fix the "mistake" since I am sure they are not in the habit of daily reviews of titles checked out and by whom if they are not "late" which on your account with the monthly one payment for unlimited movies your account would not pop up in the late category. And most DVD's have a title or some form of title written on the top of it, and assuming your daughter is 16 I think she knows how to read. If no title was available on the DVD when she put it in didnt the menu give it away that it wasn't "Twisted"? I am assuming this is one reason Blockbuster was not willing to give you 100% of what you wanted, and didnt care to be more reasonable. And aren't porn movies more sex then plots, and lower budget then say "Twisted"? Wouldnt this be a sign that you have the wrong DVD? I am assuming you daughter is not stupid, so did she ignore all the clues, or did you just wish to get free rentals for a year so you blew off all the clues? Also, how would you accumulate late fee's on the $25 a month program? You said you were on that program and if I am correct (since I have the same program) you can check a specified number of movies each visit, with NO late fee's. Since you can keep these movies out as long as you want. I also know that you can keep them out the next month as long as you are paying for the membership. And if you cancelled your monthly package, why did it take you that long to talk to corporate? Why would you cancel it before talking to corporate to rack up late fee's which wouldnt start till the end of the paid month anyways, when you didnt know they weren't going to give you 1 yr free w/o talking to them? I also dont care for Blockbuster, but some things just dont add up with what you wrote, maybe you didnt clarify everything but all in all monthly rental charges for the $25 benefit of renting all you want for as long as you want do not equal late fee's. Why would you keep the movie at your home and just not go to the store with the movie and have them call corporate while you were there if you couldnt get the answers you wanted with the store manager? And whats the point of keeping the movie, this does no one any good. Talking to corporate on the phone does not give you the advantage of showing her the movie. And you already stated the store called you to tell you that you had a porno movie, so they knew you had it, so what did you keep it for? Proof!? of what they knew you had it and acknowledged that, no need to keep it in your home if you didnt want it there in the first place. And why did the store have to inform you that you had the wrong movie, why didnt your daughter tell you? You stated that she watched some of it. Also for the many years that I have rented movies, I have watched so many people come and go as employees but one thing that they all did and still do is check to make sure it is the correct movie and that there is actually a DVD in the sleeve, when they check the movies in. As for a year of free rentals that is a bit much. One "alledged" mistake is not worth them throwing $300 of free rentals your way. On the program you stated you have, you can rent as many movies in one month as you want, so one month sounds reletively fair to me. In all reality Blockbuster is a large nationwide chain, and losing a customer is nothing to them. I hate to say it that way but its the truth. Just like your legal advise was "not worth pursuing" thats probably because you either need to be more effective with the details, and be more understanding that people work at the store you rented from so that being said people make mistakes and it was an honest mistake if one was made. By hanging up and wanting to curse the person out on the phone, you just spited yourself. They are not giving you anything for free not even a month, and you still have the balance. Your Quote" "When she said that my business with her company was only worth $25 after years of renting" Is one mistake worth $300 just to keep you renting for the next year at their expense? I mean their either out $300 ($25 a month for 12 months) so you can rent or $300 cause you stop renting all together from them, do you see a connection of how they wont care if you dont rent, either way they are out $300, its a win win for them. Again I am not trying to be mean or negative but trying to figure out how late fee's are attributed to a rent all you want account, and the many clues that this movie was not what was supposed to be rented before being viewed? It just doesnt all add up.

With the problems I have experienced with Blockbuster Video, I'm certainly not here to defend them, but I do believe in fairness; so must say, I feel that your request for a whole year of free rentals was a bit much to ask. Their offer of one free month was probabably negotiable. I think maybe three months would have been reasonable. Your anger is by all means understandable, but I'm sure this incident (though unfortunate) was a totally honest mistake.

Look, please don't bite my head off here, but I think that you overeacted to her offer. She offered a solution and you just hung up on her? Why didn't you discuss it with her further? It sounds as if both the store and the company representative readily admitted fault and were willing to discuss resolution. Don't get me wrong. I think that you were completely justified to be ROYALLY angry at the whole situation. I would be too. But mistakes DO happen, and I admire the store for realizing the mistake and immediately calling you. The representative of the company offered you probably what she is trained to offer you. If you gave her a chance, maybe she would have checked with her supervisor and came back with a better offer. You don't know that because you decided that you wanted to curse her out immediately and hung up on her! That is not very rational or logical. Since you hung up on her and never tried to resolve the issue any other way, your late fees were left alone and when they were not paid, they automatically go to a collection agency. If you followed up with them, they probably would have removed them after coming to a satisfactory agreement. I am sorry that it happened because I would raise hell too. But if you want to get your way, you have to be logical. Did you honestly think that you deserved $300 worth of free movies from Blockbuster for this incident?