That's my shipping forecast for Blockbuster. They announce today a less aggressive policy on late fees, but Jonathan Last says it is too little, too late.
I've long been impressed by how arrogant and stupid Blockbuster has behaved as an institution. They had a near monopoly on the video rental business and a chance to extend that monopoly as the market changed, first with the DVD, then with the internet, and finally with the supremacy of sales over rentals. And at every step, instead of innovating and adapting, Blockbuster sought to fight the future and maintain the status quo.
I haven't set foot in a Blockbuster for years. I am far from a movie buff, but they have nothing to offer me.
Absolutely. I am still eagerly awaiting the fruits of the alignment of Netflix and Tivo. I read an interview with the CEO of Netflix last year and he made it very clear that the company was called "Netflix" and not "Movies by Mail" for a very good reason...
Posted by: Silence Dogood at December 15, 2004 11:49 AMDon't know if you followed the link to Galley Slaves, but Last ends with a rumor of an Amazon takeover of Netflix. That could be interesting as well, if in a less Schumpeterian Way.
Posted by: jk at December 15, 2004 12:35 PM