Blockbuster Online

Blockbuster Online was the internet-based DVD-by-mail and digital rental service launched by Blockbuster Video to compete with Netflix in the mid-2000s. The service allowed subscribers to rent DVDs by mail with no due dates or late fees, with subscribers keeping movies as long as they wanted before returning them in prepaid envelopes.

At its peak, Blockbuster Online offered unique advantages over Netflix including the ability to exchange online rentals for in-store movies at physical Blockbuster locations—a feature called "Total Access." This hybrid model was genuinely popular with consumers who had local Blockbuster stores.

Blockbuster filed for bankruptcy in 2010, and the online service was eventually discontinued after the Dish Network acquisition. The service is no longer operational, making this entry primarily of historical interest to customers who may remember it.