Amazon (Love film)

Azari

I've been using them for just over a year this time (I used them starting with Screen Select who then merged with LF [but it was obviously the Screen Select software they were using] for a couple of years around ten years ago) and on only one occasion did they not send disks out the day they got them back. (They also seem to get near perfect treatment from the RM in both directions.)

But this dichotomy of service happened right back when I first used them, when there would be rafts of people complaining about always having to wait days for new disks and yet mine and others would be sent the next day, almost without fail.

There was a lot of discussion on various web sites about why some people's service was perfect and others was appalling (and it seemed to apply to all the suppliers before they all got subsumed into Lovefilm) but no one ever came up with any sensible explanation for the discrepancy.

PhylPho

I never understood the ins-and-outs of the Amazon / Lovefilm acquisition / merger / wotever. First we had the appalling Lovefilm, which occupied so many complaint threads on here that the site was running out of room. Then we had Amazon, which was doing fine until it announced it was selling off its DVD rentals division to Lovefilm. I was one of many who complained to the OFT about that and asked for a referral to the Competition Commissioner. The OFT at that time didn't know what a DVD was and thought Amazon was a big river, so no progress was achieved.

Then, mysteriously, Amazon seemed to reacquire first its own former business and then Lovefilm itself.

And after that. . . I've no idea. I certainly have no complaint with the service other than the fact that you need to tread carefully: so slooooow is Amazon in stocking titles that when they're finally available for rental purchase they're also simultaneously appearing for nowt on Sky Action Movies (not Sky Box Office, or whatever the heck pay-per-view is called nowadays on Sky.)

I can't actually see Amazon scrapping its Lovefilm DVD mail rental business, and especially in the wake of the massive mistake it's just made in trying to lull Amazon Prime customers into forking out a vast amount more money on renewal for a compulsorily bundled-in streaming service 90% don't want nor ever asked for.

The backlash has certainly surprised Amazon's whizz kid middle management -- a reminder to Amazon's top management that you can easily lead an !!! to an MBA but that's no guarantee you'll ever make it think.

Annie1960

I've been with Lovefilm.com for a number of years now, and find the service has been exactly the same since the switch to Amazon. I only get 2 discs a month, so it may be different if you have more.

picklekin

It could just be coincidence, but we've had lovefilm for years and recently things have seemed very slow (I used to be so impressed, it felt like the turn around was so snappy, now its often a week to get a new disk) and then the other week we had our first "lost disk".They sent out another with no problem but I still had to chase.

bkkmei

I was also wondering if other people have had problems with the lovefilm service recently.

The turnaround is slower - they used to send out a disc as soon as one was returned. Now they seem to wait a day or two.

Plus whereas 99% of the time I used to get my highest priority titles, recently I haven't been getting any. Granted I don't have many in highest priority, but that has always been the case.

At the moment, as I am on a Prime trial, I'm charged GBP5.99 for Amazon Instant and GBP2.00 for the dvd rental (one disc at a time unlimited). If I take up Prime, then 2 quid a month for lovefilm dvds hardly seems worth their bother, so I do wonder how much longer they will continue this!

KxMx

Got to say I am still getting high priority titles and same day despatch when they get a title back.

minimad1970

KxMx wrote: »

Got to say I am still getting high priority titles and same day despatch when they get a title back.

The same for me, I'm really pleased with the service

System

Last week, I received a disc with a deep scratch. Didn't want to risk playing the disc in my DVD player and reported it faulty. The disc in question was from a TV season box set. I did request the disc to be sent out again. The replacement was issued - the next disc of the box set! Really useful!

I had one or two faulty discs that were part of boxsets when it was with LF and if there isn't another copy of the disc, LF sent me out a different title.

I was told by Amazon that if you have received a faulty disc in a boxset, you have to delete the title, then re-add the title remembering to delete the discs all you already seen (if Disc 3 was faulty remove discs 1 and 2) and put it on high priority.and the others on the same list on medium/normal priority.

One good thing about the Amazon taking over, is that I am able to delete the instant service as I never watched it This saves me £5.99 a month.

keyser666

They are still making money on the postal service as I recall so cannot see them canning it yet

System

Some titles they have on DVD are out of production or the licence to stream them online maybe impossible to get or not worth the money if its a quirky title.