Blockbuster Inc. (NYSE: BBI, BBI.B), founded in 1985 and headquartered in Dallas, Texas, is a leading global provider of in-home movie and game entertainment with over 7,000 stores throughout the Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia. The Company, one of the strongest and most recognizable entertainment brands in the world, reported worldwide revenues of more than $5 billion in 2008.
Blockbuster's stores are a ubiquitous neighborhood feature attracting over 50 million customers annually. Company-operated stores are open 365 days a year generally from 10 a.m. to midnight. Merchandise selection, quantity and formats are customized at the store level to meet the needs and preferences of local customers.
As the media entertainment industry has evolved, so too has Blockbuster. The Company is no longer just a chain of video stores. While transforming and diversifying its store-base continues as a company priority, Blockbuster now offers convenient access to media entertainment any where and any way consumers want it – whether in stores, by-mail, through vending / kiosks or digital download.
Blockbuster is the only company to provide convenient access to media entertainment across multiple channels, recognizing that the same customer may choose different ways to access media entertainment on different nights. Whether a customer selects traditional stores, by-mail, vending or digital download, Blockbuster is uniquely positioned as the only provider to deliver entertainment content across all channels – today and into the future.
On January 1, 2005, the Company eliminated late fees at its company-operated stores in the United States and Canada.
On November 1, 2006, the Company introduced BLOCKBUSTER Total AccessTM, a movie rental program that gives online customers the option of exchanging their DVDs through the mail or returning them to a nearby participating BLOCKBUSTER® store in exchange for free in-store movie rentals. With BLOCKBUSTER Total Access, customers no longer have to choose between renting online or renting in-store, and they never have to be without a movie. Blockbuster has the largest in-store presence of any company in the movie rental business, a growing online presence, and the capability -- currently, the only capability in the marketplace -- to integrate bricks-and-mortar with online.
In addition to the BLOCKBUSTER Total Access exchange program, the Company also continues to offer a variety of in-store programs at all of its U.S. company-operated stores designed to meet customer's needs. This includes its in-store movie rental subscription program, BLOCKBUSTER Movie Pass®, the Company's BLOCKBUSTER Game Pass® rental subscription program and BLOCKBUSTER Rewards®, a loyalty program designed to provide Blockbuster's customers with free rentals based on their number of in-store rentals. Additionally, the Company offers movie and game trading.
The Company continues to broaden its points of presence. In 2008 Blockbuster announced an alliance with NCR (NYSE: NCR) for vending, providing customers with a new and convenient option for accessing media entertainment.
Thinking beyond the box - in the first half of 2009 the Company announced strategic alliances with TiVo (NASDAQ: TIVO), Samsung and Motorola (NYSE: MOT). Blockbuster anticipates similar opportunities to position the Company as a leader in the distribution of digital entertainment.
Blockbuster is also committed to strengthening the communities it serves. The Company's outreach programs and partnerships are designed to deliver measurable, positive results -- on both national and local levels. Major national initiatives include alliances with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the Children's Miracle Network. Blockbuster has an active diversity and intercultural focus, supporting several national organizations including the NAACP, LULAC, GLAAD and the National Urban League.
The home entertainment industry has seen many changes, and will continue to change. Whatever direction the future of home entertainment takes, Blockbuster believes it has the assets that will enable the Company to bridge to the future. This includes THE brand that stands for rented movies and games, relationships with tens of millions of customers, strong relationships with the Hollywood studios and other content providers and entertainment marketing know-how.
Distribution Center
In 1998, BLOCKBUSTER opened a state-of-the-art distribution center in McKinney, Texas, just north of the company's Dallas headquarters. The 850,000 square-foot facility supports all company-operated stores in the United States.
