Blockbuster. . .

New article in NY Times.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/19/business/19digi.html?_r=1&ref=technology

As discussed at length Blockbuster is on the rocks.  Netflix wins. Redbox wins.

I think there are two lessons to be learned from Blockbuster and from Barnes and Noble.  The first is that being late to the party can be fatal.  Both showed up on the internet scene after their rivals, and as a result, they both seem to have lost.  The other is that, perhaps, it is best to stick to what you do best.  For Blockbuster that involves a large selection of movies available at a known location, and available as quickly as the customer can drive there.  Obviously they felt a need to respond to dwindling demand for that business, but maybe there is something to downsizing and fitting that niche.  As for now they may go the way of Circuit City.