This is a lot like the other providers of DVD by post: Blockbuster, Tesco etc. It has 4 main stages.
*** How it works***
***Signing up***
First you have to select the deal that suits your lifestyle and free time. The options are:
£4.99 for 2 DVDs per month ( one at home at a time) £5.99 for 3 DVDs per month ( one home at a time) £7.99 for 4 DVDs per month ( two home at a time) £9.99 for 6 DVDs per month ( three home at a time)
I begun with the £7.99 for 4 DVDs per month but I actually found this too much. I like to watch a film per week normally on Friday while drinking too much alcohol. However, I usually found there was one week when I didn't watch one so I had one DVD left. You have to use your quota of DVDs within the time limit of a month or you will lose them. I have settled upon 3 DVDs per month at £5.99 and I find this much better quota but of course it depends on how much spare time you have and how many people in your household wants to watch DVDs.
You pay by direct debit and this is withdrawn from your account once a month on a set date. The payment has always been on time and for the correct amount. Even when I changed my quota I found the payments to be altered immediately at for the right amount.
***Choosing DVDs.***
Amazon has a list of over 40,000 DVDs. You have to select the DVDs you want to view and they go in your "Rental List". In your rental list you can rank the DVDs with number 1 being the one you want the most. Next to this it tells you how quickly you might expect the DVD (Now, Short Wait, Long Wait) or the release date. As those of you who have used other such schemes will be aware it is wise to have at least 10+ DVDs in your rental list so there is always one available to send to you.
***Arrival***
Firstly you are notified by email that your DVD has been dispatched. Your DVDs come by post in a very distinct orange envelope. Once you get your DVD the wise thing to do is to watch it. However unlike High Street chains there is no rush to return it. You watch it when you want and there are no penalties as there is no deadline to return the DVD. This is obviously a big advantage as we have all rented a DVD but found we couldn't for whatever reason watch it that night. This gives you the luxury to choose when you watch your DVD.
***Return***
Once you are finished with your DVD you return it to the bright, orange envelope and post it. It is already addressed so you merely have to seal it and sent it on its way. The postage is already paid which is handy. Once Amazon receives your DVD they notify you by email and send your next one. It really is that simple.
***Extras***
If you like the DVD you watch you can buy it at a 10% discount. I have never done this as I don't understand why anyone would want to own a DVD but I know others who have.
There is also a free trial offer if you sign up at the moment. If you sign up to the 2 DVD or 3 DVDs offer you get the first month for free. So this will give you a chance to sample the experience.
There is also an opportunity to recommend a friend like you do in Ciao. If you do this you receive a free month rental as well.
***My Experience***
I have to say I have been very impressed with this service. I have been a member for over a year and it has run very smoothly. To coin a phrase "it does exactly what it says on the envelope". It is considerably cheaper than renting on the High Street and there is no rush to watch a film which I think can take away the enjoyment of watching the movie.
I had one problem so far this year which coincided with Christmas. My DVD wasn't released for about 2 weeks because of the high sales demand Amazon were experiencing at this time. Not being one to miss an opportunity to moan, I moaned and moaned and in the end they gave me an extra rental free. This seemed a fair compromise and is the only time I've had any problems.
The biggest problem with Amazon is you might not get the DVD you want immediately. Obviously with new releases of blockbusters there is a huge demand and you may have to wait a while. If you place this DVD high on your priority list you will get it sooner than if it is towards the bottom. I have to say I haven't had to wait very long for any of my DVDs. Sometimes I've had big releases e.g. Star Wars, King Kong within a week of its release and I think the longest I've had to wait for a big film is about 3 weeks which I didn't think was too unreasonable.
Another possible disadvantage is that when there are two DVDs in a film you only receive one at a time and each DVD counts as one of your rentals for the month. If you are keen to watch a DVD about the DVD you watched then this could be a problem but any Extras are sufficient for me so this hasn't been a problem.
Having to watch a set number of DVDs could be a problem to some. You might find that you feel compelled to watch another DVD just so you use up your quota and get your money worth. This might result in you watching DVDs you might not otherwise. Conversely this can also be an advantage. I have watched a number of DVDs I wouldn't have selected from a store but I have in fact enjoyed! In selecting your DVDs Amazon have a selection of reviews to help you but I would approach them with caution as I've found them very unreliable. Ciao's DVD reviews are probably a more reliable source as a whole.
***Conclusion***
I would recommend this service. It's cheap, flexible and easy to use. If your interested in joining go to
very helpful
