No Late Fees = No Movies
Who saw this one coming?

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Blockbuster Inc. stores in several states are quietly resuming late fees for customers who keep movies too long, rejecting the video-rental chain's national advertising of "No Late Fees!" because they can no longer keep popular movies on their shelves.

Many Arkansas stores resumed the late fees Nov. 21 and charges will apply again soon at various stores in Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee. The Arkansas attorney general's office has heard complaints that the fees restarted without any notice.

Blockbuster last winter said it would drop late fees, but its fine print said the company would charge consumers if they kept the movies too long, then charge a $1.25 restocking fee if the movies were returned. In March, the Dallas-based company settled complaints heard in 47 states and authorized refunds for offended customers.

My wife and I were in Blockbuster the other day and she remarked that this no late fees thing wasn't working out so well, since there were no movies on the shelves. Who would have guessed that if there are no late fees that you'd sit on the movie for a week or so?