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Student Comparison/Contrast Essay #4 |
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Student Comparison/Contrast Essay #4 |
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A mainstream movie fan has made the decision to subscribe to an online rental service. With all the advertisements and promotions, selecting the correct one can be a daunting task. Having personally used both options, I’m very informed on the characteristics and features of each movie provider. In admitting the honest truth, both companies are more alike than different. However, there are significant distinctions that make one choice truly shine.
Cost, Delivery Time, and Customer Service
Blockbuster and Netflix are almost equal in these departments. As far as cost is concerned, there might be a dollar difference depending on the specific plan, but they are nearly identical. Delivery time may vary depending on your location, but a majority of movies ship within one to two business days. Thankfully, both providers have superb customer service. From your movie being scratched to dissatisfaction with the company, Blockbuster and Netflix are willing to help in any way.
Using the Website
A large amount of people struggle to effectively use the internet. When choosing your movie provider, the look and feel of the web site is very important. Browsing and choosing your movies should be done in an effortlessly, fun way. Netflix has the slight advantage on Blockbuster in this specific area. The sleekness and intuitive design of Netflix outperforms Blockbuster’s more difficult format.
Movie Selection
When both companies have over 60,000 titles, it’s hard to go wrong with either one. Nevertheless, Blockbuster has a huge advantage over Netflix in this department. For the mainstream movie watcher, the ability to view newly released movies is the most important aspect in choosing a provider. To view the newest releases on DVD, Netflix customers must wait 28 days longer than Blockbuster members. For moviegoers anticipating the new action-packed Bond movie, an entire month can seem like an eternity. Blockbuster wins movie selection by a landslide for the mainstream movie fan.
Claim to Fame
Blockbuster and Netflix each posses an enticing feature that separates it from the other. Instant Streaming is Netflix’s claim to fame. If you own an Xbox 360, Wii, or Playstation 3, you have the unlimited ability to stream movies and T.V. shows instantly to your big screen at home. Furthermore, you can also stream movies to your local computer or laptop with an internet connection. In response, Blockbuster customers have the ability to exchange movies received by mail to their local blockbuster store for a new release. Despite the fact that both companies have appealing, distinguishing features, one is truly better for the mainstream viewer. The selection of movies via instant streaming is below average to say the least. New releases are nowhere to be found and unknown independent films are very prevalent. Blockbuster’s in-store exchange capability allows the customer to choose from a newer and wider range of movies which meet the needs of a current movie fan.
In examining the different aspects of Blockbuster online and Netflix, we can come to the conclusion that both provide an excellent rental service. They are similar in several areas, and Netflix even has the advantage when it comes to using the website. However, Blockbuster is a far superior choice for the mainstream fan. It steals the show when it comes to movie selection, and its exchange policy defeats Netflix’s instant streaming capabilities in a head to head contest.