DVD rental providers feedback

Reaper

Martin has missed a trick on pre-paying.

If you pay in advance some of the companies will give you good discounts. For example Screen Select is £74.95 for 6 months. That makes it £12.49/month for unlimited 3 discs which ought to put it top of the table.

Quiet_One

I am currently signed upto the blockbuster 1 month free trail with the Promotional Code: zaaj56 (from hotdeals.co.uk), and they have sent DVD's out on time and their web site is easy to use, im very impressed! Just be sure to cancel in time!

mistyarthur

I've been with several companies and had 2 dvd's go missing in the post both replaced by blockbuster and tesco with no cost.
I have been caught with one on returning dvd's before the end of the trial so it is worth checking.
Tesco were my latest trial and they firstly never started the trial, when i phoned to ask they said that it was my credit card! When they finally started they were fine up until I realised they had charged me when it was still supposed to be my free trial, when I emailed them they just added another ten days onto the next billing date instead of contacting me to see what I wanted them to do. They have also sent me a dvd that's not for rental!!! I know someone else probably put it there when they broke it but they should really check the dvd's when they come back, as it says in bright yellow on it that it's not for rental!

Taffy99

Sign up with Rpoints, then goto "Free Trials"
* Screen Select Trial will earn you £7,
* LoveFilm Trial will earn you £3
http://www.rpoints.com/?ruid=90396
- RPoints even give you a £5 welcome bonus for joining!

:xmassign: Jay

Taffy99

I recently signed up to 3 providers at once, 1 because i was getting paid to do it (see post above), and 2 just for experiments sake!
All 3 rentals were setup in November, choosing Top 10 new DVD rentals from each provider and next 10 older films (20 in list total).

ScreenSelect
LoveFilm
BlockBuster

ScreenSelect - Despatch speed ***** (1-day)
Film availability **** (Most top 10 on new releases)
- well it was only a limited 5 disc trial, so not really representative

LoveFilm - Despatch speed ***** (same/1-day)
Film availability *** (sometimes top 10 on new releases)

BlockBuster - Despatch speed *** (1-3 days)
Film availability ***** (Always top 10 on new releases)
- My recommendation

It's not surprising that if you want the best films, you may wait a bit for one to be returned (Blockbuster), but if you have a large WishList and don't mind what order you get them in, LoveFilm proved the faster turn-around.
For Terms & Conditions, BlockBuster has the fav. - they refund your subscription pro-rata if you cancel partway through the month - nice.
Also BB trial T&C give you time after the end of trial to return the discs.

kopicbloodaxe

LOVEFiLM gets my vote. To be honest they are the only online rental I've used, but I've been happy with service. I've been with them for about 6 months now.

I started with the 14 day free trial and cancelled on day 14. They had charged my debit card on the 14th day but gave me my money back - which was nice. A few weeks later I had an email from them saying they didn't like to lose customers and would I like a further 30 day free trial? Of course, I said yes! Since my total 44 day free trials ended I kept on with them and have varied between 2 and 4 DVDs at a time.

I even had a temporary upgrade (for 1 month) to 4 at a time for no extra charge because of a special offer they were running.

I find that 2 at a time is enough and can get through between 10 and 18 per month (theoretical maximum, assuming 4 per week and 4.5 weeks in a month).

Never had a disc that wouldn't play in my DVD player and as far as I know none have gone missing.

All that for £12.99 per month.

safebuyer

Dear All

I have been a member of four of the suggested DVD rental firms and now have dropped them all except SCREENSELECT. reason ... I get films on Monday and post them back next morning. wednesday i receive the next lot. Thursday 2nd lot go back Saturday morning I receive next three. I get 6 a week. 24 a month for £14.99.

However ... when i first started I got all the blockbusters I want. Now to make up my list (as the longer you are a member the more you have seen and the less you want from their list) I have added fishing and music videos as a third choice option.

IT IS MONTHS since I have received good films yet I talked my mate into joining and he got BATMAN, KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, ALEXANDER, MRS AND MRS SMITH etc. Now these have been on my list for months. I sent them a long email asking what was going on. I had tried leaving my selections with the MINIMUM but my "awaiting allocation" can wait days .... before a new DVD is sent. I have put 60 in my selection Blockbuster films, special interest and normal films. They just send first available special interest.

I am sure MARTIN and the rest of you will be amazed at their reply

"There are a number of reasons for this. In many cases, trialists are not very familiar with the way the system works, and view it in the same way that they would a high street store. This can mean that many people will register with us, only putting 10 titles onto their list, each of which are recent releases. This means that can be more likely to get new releases, as their list has proportionally more of them. As well as this, there is always the element of chance - it may simply be that you, as a long-term paying member, are due a dispatch in the morning, when we have literally no copies of 'Alexander' in our warehouse. We will then send something else from your list, only to find that in the afternoon we receive 15 copies of 'Alexander' in our returns delivery. A new trialist who joined at lunch may then be sent one of these copies.

However, at any one time the number of trialists versus paying subscribers is very small, and so most of the demand for these high-demand titles is from existing members. There are a number of reasons for this. In many cases, trialists are not very familiar with the way the system works, and view it in the same way that they would a high street store. This can mean that many people will register with us, only putting 10 titles onto their list, each of which are recent releases. This means that can be more likely to get new releases, as their list has proportionally more of them. As well as this, there is always the element of chance - it may simply be that you, as a long-term paying member, are due a dispatch in the morning, when we have literally no copies of 'Alexander' in our warehouse. We will then send something else from your list, only to find that in the afternoon we receive 15 copies of 'Alexander' in our returns delivery. A new trialist who joined at lunch may then be sent one of these copies.


So .... the important thing is .... If you only have three films a month off them you are more likely to get what you want but ... if like me you have their maximum subscription and return films promptly ... then you WILL be penalised.

I am going to become a DVD rental tart after christmas for three months and see who wins.

Lastly .... Screen select do ANSWER YOUR EMAILS PROMPTLY. 99% of the discs they send are clean and not scratched. Also they let you have a rental holiday .... if you are away from home where you can keep your membership active but only pay £1 a week whilst away rather than having to rejoin again.

Hope this helps and proves you DO get better service when on trail than when a member and if you do USE their service to your advantage ... you DO get penalised.

Happy Christmas
JB

CashSaver_2

I have used 1dvd.co.uk on an unlimited 2 dvd plan. So far, I have received most of my top ten films - nothing below number 5 on the list. If I send a DVD back on Monday, the new one arrives by Wednesday.

I have just started a free trial with screenselect as they appear to have a far better selection of boxsets. Just finished "The Wire" Season One. Another brilliant HBO cop drama.

mushy_2

been using the tesco dvd site since october averaging 2 to 3 discs a week.
i've not managed to get any discs off them that haven't been out for at least a year despite putting the ones i really want as top priority.
they just stay at the top of the list
has anyone had any current dvds from tesco?

Satchell's

Wasn't sure exactly where to post this....

Have just received this voucher to give to my "friends". Its for 3 months unlimited DVD rental from Screen Select. If anyone wants any - apparanlty you just go to their website and request one!

XG 253013

Helpline Number is 0800 2000 193