What's your experience with pre-ordering? (1 Viewer)

[Vincent Matis]

Back in "the old days" ('97 and early '98), DVD were produced in short supplies and for the most popular titles, quickly on back-order...
I remember I had to wait several weeks for LA Confidential because I didn't pre-order... More recently (2 years ago) I also had some trouble with some Disney Treasures DVD (forgot they were released!!).
I pre-order ever since...

Cheers,

Vincent

 

[MarkHastings]

(forgot they were released!!)

There's a great reason if I ever saw one. Considering all the new titles that are being released, you can easily forget about something that you've read is available for pre-order and then have to wait like 6 months for it to hit the stores.

Sure, I doubt that I would EVER forget to order any LOTR DVD's, but there are a few of the lesser titles that can easily be forgotten about. Throwing them into a pre-order list just makes it easier to keep up with all the current announcements.

Read about the announcements, pre-order it (getting it out of the way) and continue on looking for MORE announcements.

In a way, it's a slight sickness, but it's a FUN sickness

 

[DonRoeber]

I used to preorder just about everything. But recently, my schedule as freed up a bit, and I can make it to Best Buy almost every Tuesday, so I don't preorder as much. I read Dave's Roundup on Sunday, and preorder if it's cheaper online.

Some things I always preorder, like the X-Files boxed sets, since I can get them cheaper from canadian retailers, and don't care as much about delivery time.

 

[Dave Poehlman]

Well, I did manage to muster the courage to click the checkout button. (except it was at DeepDiscountDVD... hey 5¢ is 5¢!) Thanks guys!

Now I can forget that I've preordered it and it'll be like Christmas in November!

 

[Stephen Heath]

Now I can forget that I've preordered it and it'll be like Christmas in November!

Or be like someone whom I shall not name and forget you had it preordered and buy two copies =p Thankfully one made a good birthday present for my mom =p

 

[MarkHastings]

I did manage to muster the courage to click the checkout button.

Good job

Welcome to the dark side You'll be receiving your "I buy Online" t-shirt in the mail as well as pamphlets on the joys of pre-ordering

 

[Glenn Overholt]

As you can see, this has its ups and downs. I wanted to add this.

As for returning disks that didn't quite make it to your house in the condition that you expected them to be in (Panting for air!) department.

With DVD Empire, I put the disk into a 5 x7 envelope, put their sticker on it along with 5 stamps and drop it in the mailbox. It really isn't hard at all, but you don't get that one right away.

I've ordered about 600 from them, and have returned 2 due to a spindle breakage that send the disk on a wild ride through our postal system.

On-line stores are great for the non-so-common titles too.

I get mine about once a month with a huge order too. This does save a bundle on shipping charges.

Lastly, I don't think that anyone has mentioned getting them delivered yet.
If someone is at your house during the day or you can get them sent to work without a hassle from your boss, then you don't have a problem, but you don't want them left outside in plain view of the traffic all day. It's not a really good idea.

Glenn

 

[Jeff_HR]

B&M's have everything in good supply and at cheaper prices

In regards to having everything in good supply, the DVDs that you are referring to must be strictly the latest & not so greatest film designed for the short attention span MTV generation fresh from its theatrical run. I can go to my local B&M and find 5001 (a "slight" exaggeration!) of these latest & not so greatest films designed for the short attention span MTV generation fresh from its theatrical run in DVD form. But if I want a beloved catalog title DVD, I'm EXTREMELY lucky if they have 1 copy. Pre-ordering is just about the only way to get my catalog titles without relying on B&Ms. I use DVD Empire almost exclusively.

 

[Bruce Hedtke]

Usually when I go to a B&M, it's mainly to check to see if they are carrying a film I've already bought. As Jeff said...if it's a new release, no problem but if you want foreign or indie titles, B&M's are dicey at best. Hell, it's been only just recently that Best Buy has carried Mystery Science Theater titles...and Circuit City still doesn't here.

Bruce

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I don't know if my "dilemma" is unique, but I think the shipping charges are outrageous for most places and if they offer free shipping, it's for the horrible Standard or Media Mail method.

I do not find these shipping methods "horrible". The product may take a couple of extra days to arrive, but I have patience. I do not need all of the new releases on their release date. How many people actually sit down and watch all their new purchases on the Tuesday they get released? In my case, I may not get around to watching anything until the weekend.

 

[MarkHastings]

I do not need all of the new releases on their release date.

I'm with Scott. I used to NEED all of the new releases right away, but once I realized that those "new releases" would sit on my shelf for weeks (even months) before I got around to watching them, I quickly realized that waiting a few extra days for them to arrive (in order to get free shipping) was definitely worth it.

The other thing about shipping costs: This is also a good reason to order monthly (as I explained in an earlier post). If I didn't put all of my purchases into one big order and just bought 1 or 2 every time I wanted a movie (i.e. $5 in shipping on a $20 total is definitely not worth it), the shipping charges could add up quickly, but doing it monthly isn't as bad because the $5 shipping (on an order of $150) isn't too bad.

 

[Jodee]

Also, DVD Empire has free shipping (on 4 titles or more), Amazon has free shipping (on orders over $25) and Deep Discount DVD is always free shipping.

I can't remember the last time I paid shipping charges to get a DVD.

 

[Terry Hickey]

I pre-order catalog titles, because usually they are cheaper on-line, plus Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Circuit City may or may not stock them. Also, driving 40-80 miles one way can be expensive just to go shopping for DVD's.
Ordering on-line is less expensive and I have had real good luck with DVDPlanet.

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

The main advantage of it, is that if you buy a lot of DVDs/CDs, then you don't have to worry about having to remember all the stuff you want to buy. But again, if you check the 'recent releases' every day/week, then it shouldn't be a problem. Good for absent-minded goons like myself! :p)

I've got about 18 DVDs on pre-order at the moment projecting forward to November! :b


Gordy

 

[MarkHastings]

The main advantage of it, is that if you buy a lot of DVDs/CDs

Yes, this is definitely what we are talking about here. If someone occasionally buys movies (i.e. 1 or 2 per month), then maybe it's just easier to go to Circuit City.

 

[Matt Stone]

I really agree Gordon and Mark here. I have a really hard time remembering to buy the new releases that I want, so it works well to just preorder it when it gets announced.

 

[Jeff_HR]

If someone occasionally buys movies (i.e. 1 or 2 per month), then maybe it's just easier to go to Circuit City

That is making the large assumption that the Buyer for the B&M in question has actually decided that the particular B&M should receive the titles that a person is looking for.

 

[Bruce Hedtke]

I've got about 18 DVDs on pre-order at the moment projecting forward to November!

Amateur! I'm just kidding...I'd hate to go and tally up what I've got ordered If I did, I'm sure I'd delete half of what's there and beg forgiveness from my wallet.

Bruce

 

[Tom Tsai]

I preorder 2/3 of my DVDs and haven't had any problems yet.

 

[CraigF]

OT - Tom, if you're still reading: I believe it was you who gave me a phone number for Alliance Atlantis to get a corrected cover for the Criterion "Traffic". I seem to have lost the number, and couldn't remember the thread topic, could you please post it again. I called once but haven't got the cover yet, want to check up... Thanks.