Let's talk about this

[Mr. Blonde]

Louis CK on Consumers and Capitalism (part 1/3) - YouTube

Louis CK on Consumers and Capitalism (part 1/3) - YouTube

[SittinOnDubsWGW]

On part 2 right now.

Agreed with their message. It's not the corporations fault, it's the consumers'. Example I'm going to use is restaurants. The sad thing about this, is most people will not "branch out" and try the local places that put out a better product, but more often than not would prefer to go to a chain place like a Chili's, only because they know what it is. It's a consistent product that will be the same everywhere they go.

I won't be surprised in our lifetime, if we see the majority of brick and mortar malls near extinction.

[Ugly Bastard]

Listened to whole thing. 25 minutes I'll never get back.

[DJ FC]

Regardless of Blockbuster these video rental stores were going to go out of business. Streaming over the internet killed that business model. And guess what? It's just 100% better.

[thekremlin]

Disclaimer: didn't watch.

When Amazon first came out, people predicted the end of the bookstore. And to a large extent, it did happen. Go into a Barnes and Noble store, and half the store is devoted to selling their version of the kindle. For a while they tried to sell themselves as a book/music store, but the physical music-retail store is pretty much dead too.

That said, independant bookstores have actually survived. These are the same places that were being put out of business by Barnes and Noble, now they're, I wouldn't say thriving, but surviving as a niche service. Amazon is an amazing website, but somehow they've failed to recreate the feel of browsing. It's actually kind of shocking, given everything else they have succesfully created.

I spend about 50 pounds a month in a local bookstore. The store usually has somewhere between five and a dozen people when I go in, most people probably only buy one book in a go. If they can avoid exorbitant rent locations, this is probably enough to get by.

[Saint DH]

Originally Posted by DJ FC

Regardless of Blockbuster these video rental stores were going to go out of business. Streaming over the internet killed that business model. And guess what? It's just 100% better.

Don't forget about the Redbox dvd rental machines. Those are also 100% better, too.

Blockbuster was a shitty company anyways. They charged customers shit tons of money to rent a shitty movie for two nights. They had "no late fees" that had late fees. Their customers weren't loyal and quite frankly hated the company.

There are plenty of video stores still in business. Family Video is still doing okay imo.

[DDTempest]

Oddly enough in the next few years a number of small independent retailers will probably be doing better than the national retailers. They are smaller and more agile in terms of adapting to their customer bases and have less overhead than big box stores.

Stores like Best Buy & Barnes & Nobles get saddled by their "infrastructure" costs ... massive rents, payroll, warehousing, and inventory costs quickly castrate these large companies. They cut costs where they can, often in wages and benefits resulting in shit employees that "just need a job" and could give a fuck less retaining customers through service.

[angry pancake]

Not sure how far flung the half price empire expands, but these places are everywhere. And awesome too. Half Price Books - Retail Store Directory

[Fruitacious B]

Originally Posted by Dirty Harry

Don't forget about the Redbox dvd rental machines. Those are also 100% better, too.

Redbox is shit. Unless you like unplayable discs....then it's golden.

Originally Posted by Dirty Harry

There are plenty of video stores still in business. Family Video is still doing okay imo.

I work there and can confirm this. By the end of 2011, Family Video will be the largest rental chain in the country once blockbuster finishes their transition to "Blue Box", which is exactly like redbox, but blue (actual Blockbuster stores will number less than 300). Thing is, Family Video hasn't hit either coast yet, so the only direction to go is up, the company's size has over tripled in the past five years. You aren't obligated to pay off your late fees before renting again, we'll clean off discs that don't play (and give you a free one for the trouble), and you can spend five bucks in the store and leave with potentially over a dozen movies.

And also, you can rent the new Batman game for five nights for about $3.50, which I just did, and must get back to now.

[Saint DH]

Originally Posted by Fruitacious B

Redbox is shit. Unless you like unplayable discs....then it's golden.

I've never had this problem, but I can see how it has the potential to be an issue.

And also, you can rent the new Batman game for five nights for about $3.50, which I just did, and must get back to now.

I didn't know you could rent video games from Family Video, and for so cheap, that's amazing. Blockbuster would charge you $10 per game for like 5 or 7 days, completely ridiculous. Redbox has video games now, but it's $2 per night. While that's not too bad, it seems like Family Video has them beat.

[Fruitacious B]

I should clarify that the $3.50 price is based on getting half price rentals, which you get for free for the first month, and pays for itself if you rent a few games or new releases in a month. You also get a free $1 movie rental with each game. Batman + Flight of the Navigator for under $4 seemed worthy to me.

[Repugnant Abomination]

Salt-N-Pepa - Let's Talk About Sex - YouTube

Salt-N-Pepa - Let's Talk About Sex - YouTube

[Ironic Mustache]

This Family video place sounds fucking awesome. The problem with Redbox is that sometimes you want to watch a particular movie they don't have. Netflix inevitably wont have it available for streaming, and so you're screwed. I used to have like 3 video stores within 5 minutes, and now I have to drive 20 minutes to get to the only one (which is a shitty blockbuster that for some reason decided that alphabetizing has become too much trouble).

Also redbox video games suck because you only get them for a night. I need at least a week for most games.

[Saint DH]

First off, redbox.com will solve your problem of the kiosk not having the movie you want. You might have to go to a different location than what you originally had planned, though.

And you can have the video game for as long as you want...for $2 a night.

[Ironic Mustache]

Originally Posted by Dirty Harry

First off, redbox.com will solve your problem of the kiosk not having the movie you want. You might have to go to a different location than what you originally had planned, though.

And you can have the video game for as long as you want...for $2 a night.

Most of the movies are the same regardless of kiosk. If one of them doesn't have Robocop, none of them are going to. And as for the $2 per night thing, remember this comment?

Originally Posted by Dirty Harry

Blockbuster would charge you $10 per game for like 5 or 7 days, completely ridiculous.

$10 for 5 days is not a great deal.

[Saint DH]

Oh I see, I thought you were talking about new releases that someone had already rented out from the particular kiosk that you were browsing, thus it was out of stock. I get what you're saying now.

[vaga1220 *]

They really should have kiosks dedicated to Robocop.

[Ironic Mustache]

I heard when Robocop retired he got a part time job AS a kiosk.

[Mr. Blonde]

Let's talk about this:

Fuck Samsung and their planned obsolescence. I won motherfuckers! : DIY

(consumerism/dishonest business practices abound)

[DJ FC]

How do you know that's intentional?

I mean, Samsung is known for being the highest quality electronics producer right now. Don't you think engineering faulty TVs kinda runs counter to their best asset (a reputation for the best electronics?)

I call shenanigans. Samsung did not make this TV fail intentionally.

Edit: LOL look dude aparently Samsung is fixing this issue.

OP kind of sounds like a ranty douche now.

Yep

[Mr. Blonde]

True, you might be right in this case.