An anonymous disgruntled employee sent us a long list of complaints about Hollywood Video, which can be summed up with “we’re desperate to earn some money, so any tactic is fair game.” Among them is this gem.
The Entertainment Weekly scam is coming back. Next week, the company is planning to roll out the EW “Free 8 issue, silence is acceptance” trial and force us to ask every guest if they’d like Entertainment Weekly. This is a practice which requires 100 percent compliance, so they’re firing and writing those people up who aren’t asking, and cutting the hours of those who don’t get people to sign up for it.
Here are more of the tipster’s complaints, which may not upset those of you who haven’t worked in retail—but those who have will feel his pain:
- Store-level employees are sometimes sent to cover shifts at other stores at the district manager’s request. They’re threatened with write-ups, reduced hours, or termination if they don’t agree. The employees aren’t reimbursed for mileage or gas, however.
- Quotas are being stringently enforced on upsells including the $10.99 bundle, movie sales, late fees, and Playguards (rental insurance).
- The Starlight Foundation no longer gets a cut of the Playguard fee (“The Playguards are pure profit to the company,” he writes), but employees aren’t allowed to mention that when pushing Playguard.
- Late fees are no longer “tracked,” but dollars per ticket are, “so for people low in those numbers, forcing people to pay late fees is very helpful.” Employees can no longer remove late fees.
- “If a guest returns a movie more than 12 days late, it goes to a separate screen, which serves to frustrate guests who believed that they’d paid all of their fees. We’re basically allowed to keep them confused to a certain point, as long as they’re not outright lied to.”
- “They’ve also stopped printing receipts in certain stores for certain purchases, so it’s beneficial for those who choose to shop there to make sure the transaction happens on their account rather than on the Cash Sale account (MR. CASH).”
- And, finally, the magazine “offer” is supposedly coming back.
We don’t know if these complaints pertain to every store or just the one where our tipster works. For the most part, they sound like the sorts of things a company does when it’s desperately trying to generate revenue, so we’re not really that surprised. But the magazine offer? Really? Has that ever been well-received by a customer who didn’t expect to be signed up for it?
If you’re in Hollywood Video next week, let us know if you get the magazine offer.
(Photo: Sister72)
“Store-level employees are sometimes sent to cover shifts at other stores at the district manager’s request. They’re threatened with write-ups, reduced hours, or termination if they don’t agree. The employees aren’t reimbursed for mileage or gas, however.”
This is SOP at Blockbuster too. Had to work 2 weeks at a store that wasn’t my own, and was 45 minutes away, because the DM had fired 90% of their staff.
Ha, explains why the closest Hollywood Video closed. I don’t think I know 1 person who walks into a movie rental store anymore… Last time I did, I think clear Pepsi was still on the shelf. (MAN, why did they ever let get of such a GEM?)
Hell, I still use rental stores. Or, I should say, ONE store. There’s a place right on my walk home, run by a couple of Russians. The selection is good, the prices are low, the people are friendly, and nobody tries to sell me squat.
That, and a lot of people I know have had lousy luck with Netflix movies actually getting to them. Not Netflix’ fault, the problem appears to lie with our area postal service…
*ever let GO of such a gem…. damn, I need more coffee.
Getting terminated from Hollywood Video would be a blessing…. Let them help you out the door.
Sticks up nose at talk of library to borrow movies.
Proceeds to walk in nearest branch.
I didnt even know there were Hollywoods still in business. We lost all of ours about 5 years ago
@farker: I do get charged tax from Redbox. I live in Massachusetts and the sales tax is only 5% so I don’t mind paying the nickel. However, I do get text messages every Monday from them (and Wednesdays now also) with promo codes for a free night’s rental. It’s really convenient for me, because a Redbox kiosk is about 25 feet away from my desk at work.
Go Celtics!
Go Sox!
Well I know of people who still think DVDs are too advanced for them and swear by their VHs tapes, so who knows what kind of people still rent movies for half of what they cost to see in the theaters.
Hollywood Video closed here late last year. I’d rented Highlander for 99 cents or something like that becuase the Mrs. had never seen it.
I turned it in the next day and started getting the prerecorded late fee calls later that week. I called the store and it was on the shelf and they said they’d take care of it. They started to have a going out of business sale.
Two days later I get a bill for $19.99 for the DVD. I called the store to complain and they told me to call Corporate because they’re closing.
Corporate verified the store was closing and cleared my account.
Redbox or Tivo/Amazon downloads for me.
@CaptZ: If that’s happening, I say go to a new store. We don’t have to sign anyone up to buy at my store, but we prefer you have a membership in case a return must be made(for that, we’re required to pull up an account besides cash sale. I don’t know why, but I don’t like it either).
@Joedragon: I lasted two weeks there in high school. That was all I could take of the tuxedo shirt, red bow tie, and vest with film reels on it. Also, I was stealing, but who wouldn’t in that getup?
@ARP: Hollywood Video was already bought out by Movie Gallery. The move was made to avoid a hostile takeover bid by Blockbuster.
Another company in the race to Chapter 7. Bad business model, bad leadership, low ethics- say hello to Mr. Liquidator sales guy.
Are you *sure* these claims are true and not imaginary or urban legend like the Best Buy employee’s allegations?
I worked at Hollywood Video back in high school about 10 years ago…and my local store manager wanted to give me a raise from $6 bucks (!) an hour, to a whopping $6.25 an hour, since I had worked there for a year already and was doing a good job…however, he sent in all the paperwork to “corporate” and they denied it! Bastards.
Such a good plan… will definitely attract new customers.
I tried Hollywood Video years ago. The very first time we returned a movie, their electricity was out (ice storm) but they were still open. Of course the movie never got “returned” into their system and they tried to charge me for it. I pointed out the day I returned it and the problem and they were just stupid about it. So, no more Hollywood for me. Only netflix during the summer and on demand any other time. And it certainly doesn’t hurt that my son works at the local theater and we get in free all of time anyway.
I only rented at Hollywood Video twice. I am so glad that they are gone from my city.
Wonder if the same thing will happen with Best Buy and their magazine scam as well…
Legal Note – if someone makes a claim against you, and you fail to deny it, or defend against it, the finding will go to the claimant. This is the doctrine they’re operating on. Silence is affirmative.
For No to mean No, you have to say No. If you need to say it with a cast iron skillet, say it with a cast iron skillet. And a lawyer.
I’m so tired of always being upsold new crap when I just want to make my purchases and get out. Especially when they push you “come on, it’s free!” and try to make ME feel like the bad guy.
Well, when we push a “Come on, it’s free!” it really is at my store, and if we don’t get enough stuff moved, we get in trouble.
I always point out “You’ll save 30 cents buy grabbing two popcorns and a soda since you’re already buying that candy.” Most people are happy to, the only people that didn’t are people that still don’t have a microwave.
We popped the popcorn then and there for them, and ended up with some very happy customers.
I work at a Game Crazy (obviously), and they force this crap on us all the time. If we don’t sell enough “indicators” for a number of weeks in a row we get fired. Indicators are the discount cards, warranties, pre-orders, etc. It is quite a stressful job at times, and I never feel good about constantly asking someone over and over if they would like to buy this, or this, or this. Luckily many of the things we have to sell are actually very useful for the customers, but it is still quite annoying.
@Lambasted and linbey: That’s what I thought! The one near my house is gone and I thought that was true everywhere! It’s funny cuz that store bought up all the old VHS tapes from this local video store that I frequented, where my friend worked, and that they basically put out of business with their 99¢ coupons, and then they themselves went bottoms up.
Do anyone still remember the Music+ stores? Tower Records took over its location, then also croaked, albeit many more years later. Surprisingly, the Wherehouse is still alive, though not at all advertised.
@B: Why even have cable?