Metropol

I have put together a website which compares and ranks the bigger online DVD rental companies. Its a minefiled and so I am trying to make things easier for customers like us.

I would really like your thoughts on the website and also any feedback you can share on your experiences on DVD rental.

http://www.uk-dvd-rentals-guide.co.uk

Many thanks
Pete

*cough* Spammer *cough*

What happens if/when a DVD goes missing in the post?

Are they cheap copies or the more expensive laquer coated ones you get in a rental shop?

I've thought about using the tesco service as I use their home shopping from time to time, but I like the immediacy of browsing the shelves of Blockbuster or using the VOD service on Telewest.

Chris wrote:*cough* Spammer *cough*

Actually I asked him over from the other place.

I have burning questions you know.

Chris.....I would say not say spam. I would have not have openly anounced it was my site otherwise....

But to answer your question Gavin...They seem the same quality as the ones on the shelf.

The problem with postal, is that if it goes missing they take the following stand point:

(i) wait a few days (usually four) and then the DVD is considered lost;
(ii) they then either post you another copy (if it got lost on the way to you) or they post you the next DVD title from your list. either way it can be annoying, but you are not held accountable for the cost of the disc;
(iii) if too many DVD's get lost then they reserve the right to cancel your subscription;

I think the servie is great. Youre right that thre is no immediacy, however, searching for titles is more effeicient and you can resreve titles that havent been released yet.

On the downside, you have to maintain a list of titles you want to watch, and there is no garauntee that you get them in your priorities order. Thats my biggest bug...but apart from that it is great.

Gavin Scott wrote:I have burning questions you know.

But if you're going to burn your own DVDs, why would you want to rent any?

Seriously though, a friend of mine's been using the Tesco system for some months now and he can't speak highly enough of it.

Indeed, it's probably more correct to say you can't shut him up about how wonderful it is.

Tesco, as usual have got the price absolutely spot on. Along with Sainsbury they offer 1 DVD at a time for £7.97 a month.....if you watch them straight away you could end up watch 2-3 a week or 8-12 month. Thats a big saving on going to a Blockbustor store.

Tesco, screenselect, MSN, Easy, iTV all use a company called video Island. So the difference is in the pricing and branding. I would agree that Tesco are good. Especially if you are a Tesco club card fan.....those points add up.

Tesco did with mobile too. They dont have a mobile network (they use mmO2) but they have ended up with around 750,000 customers!

Video Island had a fire in their warehouse a few months ago... only lucky for them that most of their DVD are "out" with the customers! Luckily, we were on holiday during the outage period so it didn't affect us at all. But their service has slowed down slightly, and not many new DVDs have been added probably as a result.

Sainsbury have just announced they are pulling out of online dvd rental. That leaves tesco as the cheapest in the market. Yet another industry conquered by Tesco

pete917 wrote: Yet another industry conquered by Tesco

The bigger the top the longer the drop!

Thats always going to be an interesting discussion.

We have all welcomed the big chains into our hight streets (so to speak) and they have done alot for consumer choice, availability and price. While all of those things are great, there comes a point when we start to understand what these things cost us. I guess for me, its the loss of the local retailer which often used to be able to provide expert advice as well as the pressure of the suppliers to the big chains.......

Dont get me wrong, I like what the big chains have done and I dont think they should be expelled from our markets. We just need to understand that we dont always get something for nothing!