Update: I went into the video store to return Disc Two and pick up Disc Three. The clerk gave me my total of 84 cents. I then asked about the late fee I knew I owed. He had already waived all fees. I guess I am that cute.
OK, before I post some pictures I have to get this off my chest:
Gas prices. I know, I know, they are high everywhere. But seriously, $4.06 in Pocatello, Idaho?? Ridiculous. That's all I have to say about that.
OK, the real reason for the rant:
Besides a couple of mom and pop video stores in the area we have two Hollywood Video locations. Obviously one is a little closer than the other. Matt and I caught the end of the third season of "How I Met Your Mother" in May. Now with the lack of good summer programming except "So You Think You Can Dance") I went to the closest Hollywood and rented the first two discs of the first season of HIMYM. It cost me a whopping 84 cents tax included for five days for each disc. I rented the third disc when we were done.
Grand total for Season One= $2.52.
Last Thursday I went to the "other" Hollywood Video for Season Two (only because the preferred store didn't carry it.) Each disc there cost the 84 cents. Each day. When I voiced my opinion the clerk said "yeah, that store is different than ours. They're running a test". I asked which store was running the "test" she replied "they both are". I decided to only get the first disc, she tried to talk me into the fact that it would still be cheaper to get all three now, bring them back as we finish and then just pay the late fees (only 84 cents) on the ones we keep longer. I conceded. Only because I hate finishing one disc and not having the next to start right away. We finished Disc One and after doing the math I took Discs One and Three back at 11:00 pm on Saturday night. Assuming it will take two more days to finish Disc Two:
Grand Total so far for Season Two= $8.40.
How is this a good deal???
This kind of marketing makes perfect sense for movies that you are going to watch once in a night. Sure, pay the 79 cents (where is the cents symbol?!#?) But for television series? I mean, we're a TV family, but I cannot watch the 9 episodes on a disc in a single night.
Now I wish this show was syndicated and I could tivo the whole series (like I have done with Scrubs, That 70's Show, Charmed and most recently the TBS version of Sex and the City where I'm on the 4th season).
And, yes, I have e-mailed Hollywood Video already. No response yet.
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10 comments:
Speaking as a former clerk who had to deal with people like you: I would have spent the rest of the night mocking you - after I put a snotty message on your account.
Seriously, video rental places are the biggest rip-off artists ever. I know, I used to help rip you off and I still get it in the rear every time I rent something.
On a side note, I am fairly convinced the cents symbol is missing due to a conspiracy to gradually introduce the metric system to the U.S. Besides, what difference does it make? We'll all be using yen soon anyway. Find that symbol on your keyboard!
I was extremely nice to said video store clerk. I am somewhat of a customer service snob, and she was decent. But seriously, do they get paid by the number of rentals or amount collected in late fees?
A few weeks ago I had a bad experience with grocery store sticker shock. The next day I suffered severe gas pump sticker shock. That afternoon a very nasty blog rant was written but never posted due to the number of &$#%! words and political name-calling.
On one of my recent Sunday morning outings I stopped to chat with the local 7-11 lady who was changing the $3 to $4 sign for gas prices. She said that her job has become much more unpleasant in the last few months. I felt sorry for her.
I love HIMYM. Now where are the pictures?
I think video store chains are like any major business. Pay your employees crap wages, try to think of new and inventive ways to overcharge customers and pocket the difference. Like McDonalds and their lame one pack of sauce per four nugget rule.
I hate it when the so called "same store" in one location has different rules than the other one. I also hate it even more when the reason there rules are different are because management in one store are human beings that understand and the management at the other location are some species of @#!hole aliens that think they are someone so special in this world making a difference because they hold the title of manager and they are making 35k a year!! I know these type because I have worked with them before and they think that are so special with there authority and all.... guess what..... there not!!
Oh by the way one for instance... a couple of years ago, one old navy would give a price adjustment within 14 days from purchase and the other only 10 miles away 7 days within purchase!
But the worst is when in one store you get different answers from different people and nobody seems to know exactly the proper protcol! But everyone thinks that they are right??? c'mon people... get on the same page!!
By the way.... I just re-read my comment and noticed that I better not have any authority in this life, because I used, there when I should have used their. Oh well just don't let Matt read this comment, he'd be disgusted with me!! :)
I think this is the main reason Derek is getting out of retail... out, out, out! Customers that can be a pain (not you, of course!), and red-tape everywhere as a manager. The joys of retail life!
SYTYCD was great last night. Loving all of Mia's routines, and the new couple who judged last night... their routines the last couple of weeks have been so entertaining!
But it is also one of the reasons I loved working in retail. Maybe that's why I'm such a customer service snob. I would have won awards for my customer service, especially in managerial positions.
(So what is Derek up to these days? Done with Office Max?)
He's moving on to HP...
I love that show. If your seriously getting a disk for .84 cents that's awesome. Cheapest rental for us is $2.99 per disk at holywood video. I am a huge Sex and the City fan. I got hooked from the TBS reruns
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