Amazon Online DVD Rental Service Review
Published: 21 February 2008 By MoneyhighStreet Staff Leave a Comment
Watching a movie on DVD is an enjoyable way to spend an evening, however is it better to rent the DVD from a high street chain such as Blockbuster or rent it over the Internet? We review the Amazon online DVD rental service in this article.
For many years, renting a DVD has entailed a trip to the local high street where large chains such as Blockbuster have increasingly squeezed the small independent rental shops out of the market. With their massive buying power, Blockbuster stock large quantities of the latest films and a wide range of older movies and video games too.
Internet only DVD rental services have been springing up in recent years and have started to offer a real alternative to the high street chains. It was only a matter of time before Amazon used its dominating position in the DVD market to develop its own rental service, but is it any good?
How DVD rental works
DVD movie rental services are based around a wish list of films that you create. Amazon claim that they have 40,000 titles available, and you can even add unreleased films to your wish list. Once your list is compiled, Amazon will then automatically send you films from it, depending on your subscription levels. You can add to or delete films from your list at any time.
Amazon sends a DVD from your list by first class post to your home and you can then keep that film for as long as you like. The DVD actually arrives in a clever paper pouch that is used to return the disc simply by tearing off one sheet of paper and resealing the envelope. The postage paid return address is already printed on the envelope so there is nothing to write and no postage to pay.
You simply post the disc back to Amazon and as soon as they receive it, they notify you of its return by email, and immediately send you another film from your list. This process works well and is surprisingly quick and easy.
How much does it cost?
Unlike high street rental shops, online DVD rental services charge you a monthly subscription. There are various subscription levels which dictate how many films you can hold at any one time and how many films they will send you each month.
Amazon's charges start at £3.99 per month and for this they will send you two films each month and you can hold one film at any time. Their charges range up to £14.99 per month and for this they will send you unlimited DVDs and you can have three at home at once.
As the latest movies cost around £4 per night to rent at Blockbuster you can see that online DVD rentals are a very cost effective way of renting. If you only rent occasionally, however, you would be better renting from the high street rather than subscribing to an online service.
Is the Amazon service better than high street rentals?
As a reasonably frequent renter of DVD movies, our experience is that the Amazon DVD rental service is actually far more convenient than renting from Blockbuster on the nearby high street.
We have also seen the latest films that we could never get hold of in Blockbuster as they had very limited stocks or were always rented to other people. As we are on the £11.99 plan which allows unlimited DVD rentals each month, we have been more adventurous with our choices and have seem some great movies that we wouldn't have chosen at Blockbuster. After all, if a movie is no good, then stop it and send it straight back to Amazon. It hasn't cost you anything!
If you live a long way from the local high street rental store, or there are parking problems, then online DVD rental services are a no brainer.
So far the service we have received from Amazon has been flawless. Our Blockbuster membership card has been tossed into a drawer and will probably remain there for a very long time.
