Mail order DVD rentals

[lee635]

We're thinking of signing up with one of the online DVD rental houses, like Netflix. What's been your experience? How fast do the DVDs arrive? Can you get your top choices? Any problems?

[jimcx]

I've been using Netflix for a long time now. The worst part is that you actually forget that you've got 'rented' DVDs to watch!! At times, I've had a couple of DVD's for close to 4 months before I finally remembered that I had them, and found time to watch them!
When they first started, all DVDs were shipped / returned from / to the west coast, so they usually took 3-4 days in transit (I'm in Rhode Island). They now have an east coast depot, and shipping is 1- 2 days. I've dropped one in a mailbox on a Sunday afternoon, and received an email Monday afternoon that they had received it!

All in all, I've been very pleased with the service.

[Jacob S]

How many are you allowed to rent at once? How long do you have until you have to return the ones that you do have and what are the penalties?

[dtcarson]

Netflix rocks...been with them since May 2001. One disk got lost in transit to me, and took a month to arrive; recently, however, they have been coming/going in 2 days [3 if Sunday is included.]

You can have out anywhere from 2 to 8, depending on what plan you want. The new 2 plan sucks, however. The 'common' plan is 3 out at a time for 19.95 + tax/month. You may keep out those 3 for as long as you want....we have had one movie out for 3 months before. They don't send you another one until you send it back, however. As long as you pay the bill, they don't care how long you keep it out ;)
I'm in NC, recieving from the MD distro center; I believe there are at least 6 more, and know definitively of at least 3 more. [NY and CA]

The prices are:
13.95-Economy up to 2 at a time [this one, you can only rent 4 total a month]
19.95-Standard up to 3 out a time
29.95-Plus up to 5 out at a time
39.95-Ultimate up to 8 at a time.
Shipping both ways is included.
One caveat: they ship by the disk. So the Simpsons Season 2, 4 disks, would be 4 rentals. That's the one disadvantage, although for TV show sets, I think BuckBuster is doing the same [Band of Brothers, Sopranos, etc.].

Their selection beats the pants off of any of the local rental stores [unless you live, maybe, in a college town--in Athens, GA, we had some cool video stores, but not sure if they upgraded to DVD.]
When you put a disk/movie in your queue, it flags it with a status:
Available Now
Short Wait
Long Wait
Very Long Wait
If you let a 'wait' get to the top of your queue, they will look for it, I believe, for up to 3 days; at which point they ship the next thing in your queue, and put the 'wait' one back in the queue.
My queue currently has 110 movies; 17 of which are in wait status [mostly either brand new releases, or cult/anime/foreign movies.] Thats actually quite high, it's usually around 5-10 or so. But I just shuffle the queue around. If you HAVE to see 'Big Things Explode!' starring Vin Willis on release day or release weekend, you might be better off hitting the local stores. But if you have any flexibility at all, Netflix is the way to go.

I did recieve one disk that was cracked too badly to even watch. But I've rented probably 150 disks, so that's not too bad.
Selectionwise, Netflix is the best--I have heard it said that 80% of Blockbuster's business is based on 100 disks, while 80% of Netflix's business is based on 1000 disks [or something like that.]

And....this is within the rules, as far as I can tell: my inlaws, who live 3 miles away, are with NF also, so we share rentals sometimes--we lend them to each other then just drop them in the mail when we're done.

To me, the convenience of selecting [log on and pick a movie, or adjust the queue--but I also have always-on connection]; convenience of delivery [walk to the mailbox rather than wandering around blockbuster to see the one movie that is in stock]; convenience of return [drop in maibox], and selection [Svankmajer's Alice; .hack//Sign; Sex and Lucia; Triumph of the Will; anime, foreign, cult, etc.] are superb, and exactly what I would want, if I were wishlisting.

I'm sorry to have rambled--I usually do the same with negative opinions, but positive opinions are sometimes hard to find, and I really like Netflix, so I wanted to give you some examples.

Hope this helps, please feel free to ask any more questions or contact me offline if you like.

--Tony

[RandyAB]

I used to work at Netflix and my wife still does, so I might be a little impartial. But I really think this is one of the best companies out there doing the online rental thing. When I left they had over 11 warehouses across the country. Now they have a few more, and there was an article in the paper saying that they are going to open up two more each month for the rest of the year. So there is a good chance that one will be close to you. Like I said I am probably a little impartial, but with the free trial you really can't go wrong.

[Chris Blount]

I've been with Netflix since they started. Basically, they are the best. Go for it!

[Ryan]

A buddy of mine works for netflix and they've just brought a regional operations center online here in the Philadelphia area. Eric told me their goal is next day delivery from the time you pick a movie. They've located their center right near one of the two 'main' post-offices in our area. With bar-code addressing they are probably close to that goal. From the 'main' post office in Devon, PA by 9 PM - midnight, to your house the next day. I get my netflix the next day.

[Augie #70]

I just cancelled - too many of the movies I wanted had long wait times. I've seen most of the movies that I want to that have been previously released (former video store owner - I closed my store and took all of my inventory home) and now focus on the new releases.

My current plan is to wait to watch them on HBO.

[Jacob S]

It sounds pretty good if you can get your movie and dont have to wait over a day to get it. Don't Blockbuster have some type of deal similar to this?

[raj2001]

Netflix is great until you have to deal with the USPS.

If you have good, reliable mail delivery in your area, Netflix will be great. However, after moving, I quickly discovered that the post office in my new neighborhood isn't as reliable as the one in my old neighborhood. AS a result, some of my DVD's were lost (stolen?) and others were delayed.

Otherwise it's a great service.

[Jacob S]

Having it take one month for what was only supposed to take a day or two to deliver mail and having many letters opened and sealed back up that I was receiving and some mail not delivered at all or delivered several weeks late and Certified Mail not getting me a signature messing up, I do not trust the USPS.

[lee635]

I'm just not sure that a better deal wouldn't be to take the $15 to $20 a month and buy DVDs, new or used, then sell them on half.com or amazon.com once you've watched it. Heck, then you can keep the ones you like.

For example, I see Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon on Half.com for $7.50 plus $2.49 shipping (actually even less without the original case). Watch it, then put it back up for sale for $7.50 and basically you only paid $2.49 for the movie? Or keep it for 9.99.....