y son feel upon trying to exchange the item. I can only imagine the Cruella type looks he received from the degreed psychologist that is working part-time at a video store (must need gas money). This of course prompted a phone call and try as I might (even with the trump card of taking my business elsewhere) all I received was a half-hearted attempt at an apology to me, my son and my account. That it really isn't against me, but due to the fact that they only made $588mil net income CY2005, they evidently feel they have been ripped off so many times that all of their customers have to carry the burden of responsibility. What's wrong with this picture?Outside of their recent ‘no late fee’, everyone's 'local' video store has initiated a few 'new policies'.

I recently went to my local (albeit a nationwide conglomerate) video store to get a game for my son. This is certainly not an unfamiliar occurrence as he has had a game console before he could walk. As usual, I walk up to the counter to provide my video rental card (although everyone behind the counter knows me) and lo' and behold I am told that they need a 'major' credit card on my file to rent the game. What?! As it turns out (and not surprisingly) that this new policy is in place due to the fact that an undisclosed number of people are not returning their games (I always wondered what the insurance statistitions did on their time off). From a business stand point I understand. From a consumer stand point I think that it should be based on individuals. How the rest of consumers interact with video rentals is truly none of my concern. I have never kept a game or even a video and if I had, I would suspect that my account would be closed or significantly overcharged for the 'purchase'. This I can handle, if I mess up then charge me accordingly. But if a few (or even more) bad apples spoil the bushel, then why am I to be held responsible for them? Needless to say (with no uncertain amount of grumbling) I gave them my credit card to simply acquire a game.

You would think that this would be the end of my rant. Unfortunately it doesn't stop there. Last evening I went to my video/game rental behemoth to get another game title for my son (ok, it was for me also) and not paying close attention I inadvertently picked up an X-box game NOT an X-box 360 game. What was I thinking? Only to get the game home and realize a return trip is in order. Thankfully, my son has reached the ever cherished moment in a young man's life of having a driver’s license. I sent him on the journey to exchange the shortcomings of his father. Only to hear that when he gets back that my account has been 'dog-eared' with a notation that we may be trying to scam them with free credit rentals. What?! Evidently, there are some additionally unscrupulous characters out there that will play a game for 15-20 minutes only to return the game for an additional title so that they can play THAT game for 15-20 minutes and so on... and so on....

OK, I am far from perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but all you have to do is look at my account activity to realize that this a first occurrence and there is no level of abuse. But, nonetheless, my account has been tarnished. The worst part about this is how they made my son feel upon trying to exchange the item. I can only imagine the Cruella type looks he received from the degreed psychologist that is working part-time at a video store (must need gas money). This of course prompted a phone call and try as I might (even with the trump card of taking my business elsewhere) all I received was a half-hearted attempt at an apology to me, my son and my account. That it really isn't against me, but due to the fact that they only made $588mil net income CY2005, they evidently feel they have been ripped off so many times that all of their customers have to carry the burden of responsibility. What's wrong with this picture?

t returning their games (I always wondered what the insurance statistitions did on their time off). From a business stand point I understand. From a consumer stand point I think that it should be based on individuals. How the rest of consumers interact with video rentals is truly none of my concern. I have never kept a game or even a video and if I had, I would suspect that my account would be closed or significantly overcharged for the 'purchase'. This I can handle, if I mess up then charge me accordingly. But if a few (or even more) bad apples spoil the bushel, then why am I to be held responsible for them? Needless to say (with no uncertain amount of grumbling) I gave them my credit card to simply acquire a game.

You would think that this would be the end of my rant. Unfortunately it doesn't stop there. Last evening I went to my video/game rental behemoth to get another game title for my son (ok, it was for me also) and not paying close attention I inadvertently picked up an X-box game NOT an X-box 360 game. What was I thinking? Only to get the game home and realize a return trip is in order. Thankfully, my son has reached the ever cherished moment in a young man's life of having a driver’s license. I sent him on the journey to exchange the shortcomings of his father. Only to hear that when he gets back that my account has been 'dog-eared' with a notation that we may be trying to scam them with free credit rentals. What?! Evidently, there are some additionally unscrupulous characters out there that will play a game for 15-20 minutes only to return the game for an additional title so that they can play THAT game for 15-20 minutes and so on... and so on....

OK, I am far from perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but all you have to do is look at my account activity to realize that this a first occurrence and there is no level of abuse. But, nonetheless, my account has been tarnished. The worst part about this is how they made my son feel upon trying to exchange the item. I can only imagine the Cruella type looks he received from the degreed psychologist that is working part-time at a video store (must need gas money). This of course prompted a phone call and try as I might (even with the trump card of taking my business elsewhere) all I received was a half-hearted attempt at an apology to me, my son and my account. That it really isn't against me, but due to the fact that they only made $588mil net income CY2005, they evidently feel they have been ripped off so many times that all of their customers have to carry the burden of responsibility. What's wrong with this picture?

f grumbling) I gave them my credit card to simply acquire a game.

You would think that this would be the end of my rant. Unfortunately it doesn't stop there. Last evening I went to my video/game rental behemoth to get another game title for my son (ok, it was for me also) and not paying close attention I inadvertently picked up an X-box game NOT an X-box 360 game. What was I thinking? Only to get the game home and realize a return trip is in order. Thankfully, my son has reached the ever cherished moment in a young man's life of having a driver’s license. I sent him on the journey to exchange the shortcomings of his father. Only to hear that when he gets back that my account has been 'dog-eared' with a notation that we may be trying to scam them with free credit rentals. What?! Evidently, there are some additionally unscrupulous characters out there that will play a game for 15-20 minutes only to return the game for an additional title so that they can play THAT game for 15-20 minutes and so on... and so on....

OK, I am far from perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but all you have to do is look at my account activity to realize that this a first occurrence and there is no level of abuse. But, nonetheless, my account has been tarnished. The worst part about this is how they made my son feel upon trying to exchange the item. I can only imagine the Cruella type looks he received from the degreed psychologist that is working part-time at a video store (must need gas money). This of course prompted a phone call and try as I might (even with the trump card of taking my business elsewhere) all I received was a half-hearted attempt at an apology to me, my son and my account. That it really isn't against me, but due to the fact that they only made $588mil net income CY2005, they evidently feel they have been ripped off so many times that all of their customers have to carry the burden of responsibility. What's wrong with this picture?

n he gets back that my account has been 'dog-eared' with a notation that we may be trying to scam them with free credit rentals. What?! Evidently, there are some additionally unscrupulous characters out there that will play a game for 15-20 minutes only to return the game for an additional title so that they can play THAT game for 15-20 minutes and so on... and so on....

OK, I am far from perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but all you have to do is look at my account activity to realize that this a first occurrence and there is no level of abuse. But, nonetheless, my account has been tarnished. The worst part about this is how they made my son feel upon trying to exchange the item. I can only imagine the Cruella type looks he received from the degreed psychologist that is working part-time at a video store (must need gas money). This of course prompted a phone call and try as I might (even with the trump card of taking my business elsewhere) all I received was a half-hearted attempt at an apology to me, my son and my account. That it really isn't against me, but due to the fact that they only made $588mil net income CY2005, they evidently feel they have been ripped off so many times that all of their customers have to carry the burden of responsibility. What's wrong with this picture?

y son feel upon trying to exchange the item. I can only imagine the Cruella type looks he received from the degreed psychologist that is working part-time at a video store (must need gas money). This of course prompted a phone call and try as I might (even with the trump card of taking my business elsewhere) all I received was a half-hearted attempt at an apology to me, my son and my account. That it really isn't against me, but due to the fact that they only made $588mil net income CY2005, they evidently feel they have been ripped off so many times that all of their customers have to carry the burden of responsibility. What's wrong with this picture? This is their approach to customer service? Can’t take care of the deadbeats so treat ALL the customers as if they were.

Begs the question... are gas prices that bad that phsycologists need to work there?

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