Lovefilm?

Has anyone tried this service?  I used to use Netflix when in the States.  Mr. Moggs even enjoyed the service during his trips to the US.  We've been renting DVDs straight from a Blockbuster store, but the selection isn't that great, and it turns out to be more expensive than the plans offered by Lovefilm and Amazon.  We don't currently have a computer that is new enough to do direct downloads, so a downloading service is sort of out of the question at this time.

We are considering signing up for Lovefilm once we've used up our remaining Blockbuster vouchers.  Amazon is a bit cheaper, but Lovefilm also offers games.  I was wondering if anyone has had experience with this service (or even can compare them to Netflix). 

I'd be grateful for any information.

Discussion of all online DVD rental options...
http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=37142.0

Discussion of Amazon DVD rental...
http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=38284.0

I have Amazon and really like it, although the service has been slower than usual ever since the postal strike.  I used to get DVDs exactly 2 days after a return, but now it takes up to a week!

Sorry about missing the earlier threads.  I did a search for Lovefilm and only came up with one thread.  I might have accidently checked this sub-forum only, though.

Thanks for the response.

We have & like Lovefilm, and I think I posted as much on the other threads.  We're not terribly picky or fussy as to the service provided & it's been fine for our needs.

Sorry about missing the earlier threads.  I did a search for Lovefilm and only came up with one thread.  I might have accidently checked this sub-forum only, though.

That's no problem, I only knew they existed because I had posted on both 

Forgive me for writing a book on this, but I gotta say why lovefilm was so awful. I had lovefilm earlier this year. I think it's the worst one out there, and be careful because many other home rental services are powered by lovefilm (like Tesco). The reasons it's bad are (unless they've changed since June of this year): first off, they didn't let you list the films you like in numerical order. And this matters if you like to add movies to the bottom of the list just to remember that you'd like to see them at some point, and then lovefilm skips your top priority movies and sends you the movie that was lowest in your mind. Anyhow, numbering them makes a difference, and both Amazon and Blockbuster lets you number choices.

The worst thing is that if you want to cancel lovefilm, you have to call on the phone and it's a long process and they keep calling trying to get you back (blockbuster and amazon both let you quit online, and neither one has called back to harass us -- I tried amazon and quit in the summer because at that time they didn't have an unlimited plan, and I'm back on Amazon now because they started an unlimited plan). Also, if you you send back a film and lovefilm never receives it, you have to call them and wait for them to send you a form to fill out. They don't have this form available online, you have to call. One time I called them for the form and they never sent it. I got the movie a couple of days after I called, so it turns out I didn't need it -- but if they had actually sent the form when I asked for it, I would've received it at some point. Both Amazon and Blockbuster will let you report a disc lost in the mail on their Web site, no need for a phonecall or a form. I would avoid Lovefilm like the plague, because customer service is important.

Blockbuster is good, but if you check out a lot of movies they eventually stop sending you many new releases. You'll still get a lot of movies, but they'll only be older ones. Which is why we recently switched to Amazon. Amazon is also good, but they make sure you can't get as many movies (they take a long time to mark the movies as received and then dispatch new ones, whereas Blockbuster would get it the day after you mailed it and send another one out the same day), but we still get enough movies, and they're new releases, that we are satisfied for now. If it gets to where we can't get new movies anymore, we'll switch back to Blockbuster.

Conversely, we've had no problems with lovefilm customer service.  They've been reasonably good about any issues (missing DVDs or whatever) that arose in the past, and we've quit their service once before with no real problems or hassles whatsoever.   We quit that time because we weren't watching many DVDs in the summertime & our DVD player back then was crappy too.

Lovefilm has a priority system -- where you indicate which films you want to see as a High Priority, Medium & then Low (but no numbering as groovy_yank said).  We're a little weird/unusual though because we more or less put everything on Low Priority -- this is because my husband likes to be surprised at whatever turns up, rather than knowing what to expect.  Lol!  Although when I have put something on High Priority before, we've usually always received it.  Then again, we don't always have the newest releases on our list either (we're probably unusual that way too!) cos we're still catching up on older films plus a lot of foreign & artsy films that may not necessarily be in high demand.

If we had been unhappy with Lovefilm's service, we would have switched but as I said -- it's been fine for our needs.

I had a huge problem with lovefilm. I returned a dvd that they claimed they never received, even though it  showed on their website that they did receive it. They started claiming they never got it when I closed my account. After telling them that they did get it and told them to look at my "returned dvds" account,they claimed it must've been an error and that they dont have the dvd. They then sent me a form to fill in for lost dvds in the post. I filled it in and sent it off...and guess what..they didnt receive that either...so they charged me £20 for the dvd that they claimed they never received and refused to refund it to me even after 20-30 phone calls and 50 emails. I gave up. I was being charged more to call them then the dvd itself.

Amazon I've had no issues with what so ever.

FYI, check online for voucher codes to get free trials. Here is a link that offers one month free trials to Blockbuster (and one at the bottom says it's for two months, though with these online vouchers some don't work so you'll just have to check to see if it's good):

http://www.myvouchercodes.co.uk/Blockbuster--188.html

Amazon offers a two-week free trial. It doesn't seem they offer any voucher deals for longer free trials, but two weeks is enough to see how they operate in general. You'll find deals on lovefilm too, but they really aren't worth it, imho.

Have you joined the library?  My local library has a brilliant collection of DVD's and CD's...as well as books, natch!


Vicky

Have you joined the library?  My local library has a brilliant collection of DVD's and CD's...as well as books, natch!


Vicky

I joined as soon as I had proof of address.  Unfortunately, the two branches that are nearest to me are not going to be a great replacement for DVD rentals for us (but if someone knows which branch of the Westminster library is the biggest, I'd love to know.  Mr. Moggs doesn't know).  The selection just isn't there for us as we rent at least 2 a week (movie night is a solid tradition with us).  Good suggestion though.

Thanks everyone for the responses so far.  Haven't decided what we're going to do yet, and we still have a few vouchers left for Blockbusters.  I didn't even consider Blockbusters for a mail it in plan because their US plan was a little wonky.

I imagine it's Victoris Street.  I have been meaning to join there for ages so i'll check it out for you if you like (my office is just around the corner).

Edit:  according to the website, St John's Wood branch specialises in DVD's and videos. http://www.westminster.gov.uk/libraries/findalibrary/stjohnswood.cfm

Vicky

St Johns Wood branch does have some really good movies - it's not free (from what I recall) but certain inexpensive.

Fully acknowledging that some of you are not Lovefilm fans for all the reasons you outlined above and that it may not be worth it...  Having said that, if anyone is interested in finding out for themselves, we got a voucher recently from Lovefilm for giving away that gets you 3 free months' trial membership.  (Actually, we got two vouchers, but Moggs has already spoken for one.)

As I've said, we've had no problems with them -- that doesn't mean you won't or that you will.  But if anyone wants to use the remaining voucher (before I bin it), send me a PM & I wll PM you with the code you input to sign up.

Apparently you can get both films and games from Lovefilm, which I've been told that some of the other services don't offer.  I'm not a gamer, but for anyone who is - that might be a plus.

They are sending these vouchers out en masse, so you don't really need a special code to sign up.  Just Google for it & you'll find the web address for free sign-up.  (also, check out the forums at MoneySavingExpert.com for a billion and one other awesome deals like this!!)