RentMyDVD - I'm not impressed (1 Viewer)

[ScottH]

About four months ago I made the switch from Netflix to RentMyDVD, and now that I've had those four months to evaluate, I have to say I don't think my experience with them has been any better than Netflix. Maybe in the first month or so it seemed somewhat better (which is why I switched), but they seem to be falling into the same drab that Netflix got into. I just noticed they don't allow you to add NEW movies to your wish list anymore. Netflix did the same thing to me. I'm also noticing that a lot more movies are coming up "Out Of Stock" a lot more than there used to be. In my queue of 50 movies (another gripe - why can't I put more than 50 in my queue?), FOUR of them are listed as "Available". Granted, about half of the movies aren't out yet, but that's 4 movies out of about 25 that have been released. And what is it about the movie 'The War Zone'? When I was with Netflix I had that movie in my queue months before it came out (about a year ago), and it was always out of stock. Now it's been in my queue with RentMyDVD since the day I joined and it's been out of stock.
So has anyone who decided to stick with Netflix noticed an improvement over the last few months?

 

[Michael Reuben]

I just noticed they don't allow you to add NEW movies to your wish list anymore.

I've done so as recently as yesterday (7/29/01).
M.

 

[ScottH]

Michael,
What movie? I just tried it with 'The Score' and 'A.I.' and all that's there is a little icon that says N/A. It seems as though all of the movies that don't have release dates set for DVD, show up as N/A. You used to be able to add them to your Wish List. Or did they just change the interface and I'm too slow to figure it out?

 

[Michael Reuben]

It seems as though all of the movies that don't have release dates set for DVD, show up as N/A.

I don't think I've ever tried to add a movie without a release date; I wasn't even aware they were listed. Most recently, I added Time and Tide, which isn't out until next week.
M.

 

[ScottH]

Being able to add a movie right when it comes out is a good way for me to keep track of the movies I want to see. Until last week, I could do this with RentMyDVD, and it was one of the big reasons I made the switch from Netflix. In any event, I'm keeping my RentMyDVD subscription (for now), but I just signed up for my first month free at DVDBarn.com. I'll keep you posted.

 

[Michael Reuben]

Until last week, I could do this with RentMyDVD, and it was one of the big reasons I made the switch from Netflix.

I guess it all depends on your priorities. I dropped Netflix because returns from NYC to California took too long in the mail, and Netflix then took up to a week to send out my next disc. My returns get back to RentMyDVD's East Coast warehouse in two days, and they always mail the next disc the same day. So, for my needs, they're terrific.
M.

 

[ScottH]

I guess it all depends on your priorities.

Very true, but I think we'd both agree that DVDs being "in stock" is a high priority, and 21 out of 25 "released" movies being "out of stock" is unacceptable to me. But if you're not running into that problem, then more power to ya.

 

[Michael Reuben]

I think we'd both agree that DVDs being "in stock" is a high priority

No question. At Netflix, I could rarely get recent releases. At RentMyDVD, I've had no trouble at all. Currently I have Before Night Falls, Proof of Life, Monkeybone, Save the Last Dance. With Netflix, I'd have been lucky to have even one of those.
M.

 

[AdrianJ]

My only complaint with RentMyDVD is that they don't carry many smaller titles. I think this would be the perfect area for a rent-by-mail company. After all, I can walk down to Blockbuster or another big chain and rent ANY new, big-budget release. But where can you rent "City of the Living Dead"???? I was hoping that RentMyDVD would be the place. I have "Candy" and "The Thing With Two Heads" on the top of my queue because they were listed as "Coming Soon" when I first joined. Now they are listed as "Not Available"!
I agree that the queue of 50 is too small, but I'm not sure why you need to put movies that just came out in the theater into your queue. Personally, I just go see them at the theater!

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Adrian Jones

 

[Joe_Rod]

I'm about to drop Netflix because it takes too long to get my next discs in the mail. It's taking 12 days to receive a disc and 10 to return it. I'm watching less a month than just going to my local video store and paying more.
I might try RentMyDVD to see if there is any difference.