30 day Lidl Movies trial

thelostbeagle

I have been using LM service for almost two months – I’m running it in conjunction with lovefilm service to compare. As of today (Thursday) I have not received any disks from them for a week. For a 3-at-home package, this is very poor. Having spoken to them 3 times, I was first told it’s due to an internal technical glitch. However, as of today, the lady called Rachel (who’s probably the rudest call centre employee I’ve ever spoken with) told me there are no internal problems or delays and it’s all Royal Mail fault. What’s worse, I’m unable to cancel my account as, according to LM, they did actually post my disks on Monday. Needless to say, lovefilm have delivered 6 disks during this period without any problems or delays.
Two pound saving per month really does not justify switching to this horrible, horrible service from Lidle Movies.
AVOID AT ALL COSTS

Sue123

Unlike user thelostbeagle, I'm (still) a satisfied customer of Lidl Movies - but I do wonder for how much longer.

It's certainly not my job to defend them, but all I can say is that I've used them for over 18 months on the 'unlimited 3 disc' package. In that time I've received over 450 DVDs (I'm retired so have lots of time, and I'm a movie buff). There have been occasional problems (and I've posted about some of them in this thread) but in my experience their turnround is pretty quick, and when there are mistakes they offer recompense.

For example, I posted my last 3 discs on Saturday, they were received approx 1000 this morning and the next 3 despatched approx 1100 - or so their emails say. Last month there was a problem where apparently 3 discs were sent then immediately returned (I guess they never left the warehouse) and when I complained via the website I was offered an additional 2 weeks free rental, which is fine by me.

So I don't have a problem with the service, although I'm not disputing that others do. BUT - and it's a big but - users should be aware of the serious financial problems at the firm, since Lidl Movies is a 'white label' badged service and is/was fulfilled by Outnow Entertainment.

Outnow Entertainment went into administration in January 2011. The assets were bought in February 2011 by MBL Group, a wholesale CD and DVD distributor. A good home you might think, but unfortunately the next month (March 2011) MBL lost a major contract to supply Morrisons supermarkets. Given that this was close to 80% of their business, MBL is in serious financial trouble.

Quite what the future holds I don't know, but given that other DVD rental firms are in difficulty (Blockbuster going bust(?), Lovefilm acquired by Amazon) and the industry business model apparently moving to on-line and streaming video services (which I personally don't like) it may be that MBL are not long for this world... Not sure where Lidl Movies will end up, but since Tesco offers a 'white label' service from Lovefilm under the Tesco brand name, perhaps that's where everyone will end up, with a monopoly supplier.

I have read that Outnow has/had 8,000 customers, but don't know whether this includes the Lidl Movies brand. The relationship with MBL isn't on the Lidl Movies website, but is stated on the Outnow website. A quick Google will also verify what I've stated here.

At the moment I'm satisfied, but as a precaution I think I'll make a copy of my (fairly long) wants list from Lidl Movies just in case...

Kind regards

vicmac

Since January 2011 they have taken money from bank and not posting a single disc! Not a single answer to my emails and their phone number does not work!! The bank says that I have to cancel direct debit with them but Lidl movies are unreachable. Perfect formula for daylight robbery!
Keep away from them. Definitely.

JAG

vicmac wrote: »

Since January 2011 they have taken money from bank and not posting a single disc! Not a single answer to my emails and their phone number does not work!! The bank says that I have to cancel direct debit with them but Lidl movies are unreachable. Perfect formula for daylight robbery!
Keep away from them. Definitely.

I think your bank is incorrect.

You can cancel the direct debit yourself with your own bank. If you bank online you should also be able to cancel the direct debit yourself online. If they continue to take money after you have canceled the direct debit with your bank then your bank must refund you the money under the direct debit guarantee.

The only way they can continue to take money is if you authorised a continuous payment with a debit card. This method of payment must also be canceled with the company as well as your bank. But with direct debit you can cancel yourself for the payments to stop.

Sue123

vicmac wrote: »

Since January 2011 they have taken money from bank and not posting a single disc! Not a single answer to my emails and their phone number does not work!! The bank says that I have to cancel direct debit with them but Lidl movies are unreachable.

1. There's clearly something gone wrong here. You say you haven't received any discs at all? Just for the record, I have had 198 titles this year which works out at 21 per month, or usually 2 mailings each with 3 discs per week.

2. If you can't reach them on the published phone no, try ringing MBL Group on the geographical number 01772 455000

3. You haven't set up a direct debit. They accept card payments, and what you have entered into is a Continuous Payment Authority. Your bank is correct - you have to cancel it via the supplier. Google for "continuous payment authority" or search the forums on this site for the grim details.

I suggest that you formally write to
Outnow Home Entertainment Ltd
Unit 9
Enterprise Court
Lancashire Enterprise Business Park
Centurion Way
Leyland
PR26 6TZ

explicitly revoking their authority. I'd post a link, but as a new user I'm not allowed to, but user jimmysavillelld gives a helpful set of instructions in these forums on what to do in a post dated 19-03-2005, 1:43 AM (#41 in a thread titled 'Regular Payments off a Credit Card Discussion').

Hope this helps.

jbeebus1

I'm very glad I found Sue123's post. I was trying to log into my Outnow account earlier and website has gone. Completely. And so too have their customer service number (0844 3220240). I deduce from Sue123's information and the fact the site has vanished that Outnow has gone for good, and that the DVDs I posted back on Thursday are probably the last ones I'll ever see. I'm not due to be charged again by them until February, so I shall follow Sue123's advice and get something in the post to them revoking my regular payments. I will in the meantime try contacting MBL on Monday to see what's going on. Sue123, thank you for your post! And I hope others don't suffer at the hands of Outnow's caving.

jbeebus1

A further quick thought - I set my payment up using my bank debit card, so I guess I'll just cancel that so they can't take any more money from it. Not ideal, but I may have no other option.

kfoto

I joined Lidlmovies in July this year and took up their offer to pay for a year in advance and then get 3 months extra free.
I went to their website today and it does not exist. I phoned Lidl customer services only to be told the company they were using went into liquidation yesterday. Now I wonder if I will ever get a refund or not. If not then 4 months of DVDs will have cost me £161.46!!
Has anyone any ideas on this?

JAG

kfoto wrote: »

I joined Lidlmovies in July this year and took up their offer to pay for a year in advance and then get 3 months extra free.
I went to their website today and it does not exist. I phoned Lidl customer services only to be told the company they were using went into liquidation yesterday. Now I wonder if I will ever get a refund or not. If not then 4 months of DVDs will have cost me £161.46!!
Has anyone any ideas on this?

Did you pay via credit card? If so because it is over £100 contact your credit card company and they will be able to help.

If it was via Visa Debit card then you can do a chargeback. I believe this needs to be done within 6 months of the payment. Contact your bank/card provider.

kfoto

Hi JAG
Oh many thanks for this info. The payment was made using my Visa Debit card. I will contact my branch.