Wally World vs. Netflix?

[Madz]

I just came across this DVDWeekend ( http://www.dvdweekend.com ) run by Wal*Mart. Seems to be the same thing as Netflix, which I've had for awhile. Has anyone tried it and if so, how would it compare (time to delivery, etc.)? There's a 30-day free trial but I've love a bit of insight from others.

[homey]

I just came across this DVDWeekend ( http://www.dvdweekend.com ) run by Wal*Mart. Seems to be the same thing as Netflix, which I've had for awhile. Has anyone tried it and if so, how would it compare (time to delivery, etc.)? There's a 30-day free trial but I've love a bit of insight from others.

I've been with Walmart DVD Rental since October, 2003, after being with Netflix and Filmcaddy. I'd rate them 1) Walmart, 2) Filmcaddy and 3) Netflix.

Walmart's selection isn't quite where Netflix' is, but delivery times are very quick and the service has been excellent. I don't have a complaint abuot them.

HTH,

H

[winifreid]

Don't know about the site yo post, but there is a long thread about just this subject. You might want to just check it. Or just try both. I use both, but after the trial period, walmart has really slowed down. Netfix has a bettter selection and a better website. I will probably drop Walmart after a another month if they don't speed up the turn around. You should just try both since the turn around really depends on where you live.

[Capt_Diode]

Madz,

Wallmart offered a 30 day trial last year. I gave it a whirl but found the turn around to be about twice the time as Netflix. I live in South Florida and there is a Netflix site in Ft. Lauderdale, so turn around can be as little as two days. If Walmart had a center in South Florida I'm sure the turn around would have been quicker. I would check the locations for each to see which was closer to you. I also noticed that Walmart was cheaper.

As for titles I found them to be similar but Netflix still has the edge. This year I have noticed that Netflix has started adding delays. When I return multiple movies at the same time, one is always delayed a day. I have complained to deaf ears. I guess they are trying to save money on shipping.

Regards,
Captain Diode

[EAO]

I have noticed this delay also when they get back multiple movies. I'm tired of it. Raise rates and cut service.

I'll be dropping them shortly. They don't deserve my $ if they think they can play games like this.

[mob]

you can go to blockbuster and sign up for a monthly membership of $19.95/month.

It's just like netflix only better since there is no delivery time. You simply drive to your local blockbuster and you can take out 2 movies at a time, keep them as long as you want, and there is no limit to how many movies you can get within a month.

way better in my opinion.

[disturbed1]

I tried Walmart, didn't work well for me. Too slow of a turn around.

Also tried Gameznflix. What a joke, 90% of the site isn't even coded properly, plus, they offer titles that they do not have in inventory, and place them in your que while shipping you nothing. I signed up for a free trial and placed 30 items in my que. Forgot about the account, since I never recieved anything, until I was billed. Cancled right away. 1 week later, I recieved a PS2 game in mail Shame, because they list alot of TV on DVD movies, and have a decent collection of games, even PSOne games. I may give them a go later this year to see if they've worked the bugs out.

Netflix has been great for me. If I mail out 8 movies on Monday, I've got 7-8 new ones in my mailbox on Wed.

I also have the Blockbuster movie pass. I use this to watch all of the newest releases, and Netflix to watch all of the TV on DVD collections, and the oldies but goodies.

It depends on how far away you live from one of the warehouses. Netflix's is 200 miles away and in the same state, that's why I get a quick turn around. Walmart's closest was 3-4 states away.

Walmart also has issues with Mastercard. I won't get into the reasons here, but Mastercard says it's a problem with Walmart, and Walmart says it's Mastercard's fault

[Supreme2k]

Blockbuster's Movie Freedom plan is $25.95, $19.95 for video games.

Much better deal, except for selection (w00t! Netflix). We've stopped watching broadcast television for the summer (maybe longer), and since Blockbuster is 3 blocks away, we often get 2-3 rollovers a day. Though we are waiting for the obnoxious fat lady to ask "Are you copying these?"

[lordsmurf]

Just learn where your centers are. Mine's less than 50 miles away, and it uses the same USPS hub (not PO, hub) as I do, so I get discs the next day. I often get the "we're shipping out" e-mails after the discs are in my DVD player.

[dafoe]

Run from Netflix! I have been with them on and off for a year and a half but only because they are the closest online rental company. It has been one problem after another.

Let me describe the latest issue:
After it became clear that they were holding the returns for at least a couple of days, I began sending all my movies back in one envelope so that I could include delivery confirmation.

This kept them honest until last week. My account was set to re-bill on June 4th. On June 2nd, at 7:20 am they recieved my last batch of movies. However, they did not report them as returned.

That evening I sent an email regarding the sitution. The reply was a form letter that had no relevance to my situation.

On June 3rd, by mid-afternoon, the movies still hadn't been reported as recieved.. After a Google search I found Netflix's "customer service" number- they wont post it on thier website.

I called them, and was put on hold for 20 minutes. When somebody finally did pick up the phone they were unwilling to take care of the problem.

Thier excuse? We don't pick up the mail everyday. They actually had the nerve to blame it on me. Because In didn't send the movies back in tHe red (convienently untrackable) envelopes. They only pick up the red envelopes everyday. I smell BS!

After arguing with this jerk for 5 minutes, I finally said "These movies have been in your PO Box for 2 days. It's certainly not my fault that you don't pick up your mail. Can't you just send out the movies today that should have shipped yesterday?"

His response was "As soon as the movies are checked in will send new ones." It was like talking to a brick wall.

At this point I was furious. I told him that I was tired of this crap and that I wanted the account canceled before it rebilled the next day. He agreed (to cancel) and asked If there was anything else he could help me with. I was a little shocked by this question. Don't you have to help somebody in the first place before you can help them with something "else?" I responded No. Bye. and hung up the phone .

On Saturday I discovered that this jack-off never even canceled the account! I immediately sent an email to Netflix describing the situation.

It is now Tuesday and I have not heard one word fron them.

I will be surprised if I don't end up having to chargeback my card.

Netflix is constantly pulling bullshit like this because they think thier customers are too dumb or powerless to do anything about it.

The motto at Netflix is: The customer is always wrong.

I tried Walmart.com. They are fairly slow because they are so far away but unlike Netflix, I had no problems with them..

[Viper10000]

I think Netflix score their customer to some type of point system. If you don't sent back a lot (i.e. keep the dvd for a while), whatever you tell them they will listen. Also, if you are in a high-pay plan, for example the $50 8-DVD plan, they will treat you very well. I did not have any problem like Dafoe has described, because I did not sent back very often, so to Netflix I was a "golden" case. So if I want another DVD, sometimes I just said I already sent back, they will automatically sent me the next one with no question asked. Sometimes, I did not sent the one I suppose to sent back real late, and I did not even heard any complaint from them. Besides, I'm in one those 8-DVD plan. and there 2 DVDs i have kept for months now.

[Rookie64]

I've tried a number of online rental services, and gotta say Netflix is still faster than any other.
I've been renting from them for a couple years, and they've improved as far as availability goes.
Only real complaint I have is that they tend to pull some titles from their inventory at any given time...which can be a bit frustrating.
But overall, they still have one of the biggest selections and you're almost sure to get the titles you want - if there's anything you have to wait on, it's usually available again in a few days or less.


Walmart is not the greatest - but they follow in second for delivery.
They have a pretty good altnerative selection...offering a lot of B-movies and older titles that Netflix doesn't carry.
A couple things I don't like about them is they don't stock enough of certain titles and you are kept waiting for some - their short wait often means 3 or 4 months...and even longer.
There were some titles I gave up waiting on and either bought them or rented from some place else.
The thing I don't like the most is the amount of damaged discs I receive...and when you report the disc being damaged, they do NOT send a replacement for it...you have to wait until they receive the returned disc before you can get another one, and you have to select the title all over again if you want a replacement.
Then you're screwed out of a rental for that week...and that's happened far too many times in a short period of time.
They've also sent the wrong title a couple times - say you wanted the original version of a certain movie that had a remake...and you speciffically selected the older version...well guess what they sent...the remake that you have no interest in seeing.
If I wanted THAT version, I would've selected that version in the first place.
And when they get it wrong, they still don't replace the movie and you're screwed out of getting a rental for that week.

I agree with disturbed1 about GamesnFlix - I really don't think they have much in their inventory.
I selected 3 titles, and they said they were ordering all 3 just for me...and kept me waiting for 3 months and still haven't sent any of those 3.
I could've bought all 3 eleswhere myself and had them all in less than a week.
Forget about joining them.


FilmCaddy has a fairly good selection and carries a number of titles that Walmart and Netflix don't have.
So far, no problems with them.

GreenCine - has the best selection of out of print and obscure titles...however, expect to wait on many of those.
They're a bit slow but worth the wait if you take advantage of what they have to offer...plus they have good packaging which helps prevent discs from being damaged in the mail.
They also allow their members to interact wit each other and have forums on their site.
They also carry adult titles, if you're interested in such.


DVD Avenue - has a so-so selection and also carries adult titles.
They send 4 at a time and put 2 in each envelope...and use padded envelopes to prevent discs from being damaged in the mail.
However, they place sticky labels on all their discs...and some DVD players have trouble reading through stickers.


QwikFlicks - puts 2 discs in one envelope and aren't too slow...but they have a very limited and general selection of titles...and have long waiting periods on many titles.


Hollyweb - has a very limited selection/mostly very general titles.
Not worth it unless all you're interested in is big budget movies and don't have any local video rental stores.

[qpskfec]

Anyone know where walmart ships from if the customer lives in the Los Angeles area?

[Shocker Milwaukee]

I'm on the 8 DVD plan, and it's obvious that Netflix frowns upon customers with quick turn-around. Like many others have stated, when you send several discs back at once, they "mysteriously" arrive on different days. I complained initially, but they don't care. My service improved a couple of months ago when my shipping center changed from Paducah, KY to Duluth, GA, but they've gone back to their old ways of "holding" discs in your queue. The truth is that they don't honor their contract. The price hike was the last straw; Goodbye, Netflix!!!

[AarontheRipper]

Anyone know where walmart ships from if the customer lives in the Los Angeles area?

city of industry

[FuzzyLemming]

for Canadians: www.zip.ca

it's new and seems to work ok for me. lots of TV shows, and good turn around. basic plan is 4 DVD's at a time. i mail 'em back same day (usually), no problems getting the next one(s) fast.

Also, there is a rumer that McDonalds will provide a DVD vending machine (credit card), $1/day up to $25 if you don't want to return it.

[rwesley21]

neflix has great turnaround time for me. i live in tucson and they have a warehouse in phoenix. so every other day i get movies. real good selection and turnaround time. i hear walmart no matter where you are has slow turnaround times

[redwudz]

Netflix, 3-4 day turnaround, no major complaints.

[bbllc]

Netflix's turnaround is usually 1-2 days. The distribution center is less than 1.5 hours away. I usually wait to send all of my movies at the same time, and I never have had any problems with the next movies in the queue shipping out together.

[ngofear]

I live an hour from L.A. and Wal-Mart does not ship from City of Industry (this is where the dvds are returned), they are shipped from Carrolton, Georgia. I've recently begun their free trial and it takes about three days to get a DVD, then only 1-2 days to return them. Here's a stat. If I get a DVD and ship it back on the same day, I can get up to 3 DVD's a week through Netflix, but only 1 a week through Wal-Mart. However, every once in a while, Netflix will hold some DVDs an extra day...which bites.

[piggymouth]

My experience with Netflix has been about the same. When I was on the "Five out at a time plan" it seemed to me that the service was speeder. I have switched from the Five to Three plan and the service sucks along with it. Here's what's happening and I know from other posts that I have read it's happening to more than just me.

I finish watching my movies and the fastest way for me to get my movies back to them is to drop them off at the post office drop boxes. I tried the one down the street from me and it took "two weeks" for my DVD's to be marked as returned.

I took them to the post office on Monday. Today is Thursday and they won't ship my movies until tomorrow. So I have to wait a whole week for a freakin turn around time which sucks. They were never like this. Something indeed has happened within internal operations. I used to be able to get two DVD sets a week with the three plan but not anymore. It just shows you get what you pay for. Maybe they are cutting shipping costs or making sure that members don't get carried away with there rentals. Perhaps they are thinking we are not keeping the movies long enough but if that's the case, why do they say "We will ship you new disks when we receive your old ones". Go Figure

When you e-mail them to complain about the problem (as people have done) they say the same poor lame a@# excuse.

Like I said eariler, "There must be something going on within internal operations". Not everyone has experienced this problem.

There was a post that I read on here from a member and he lives a couple of blocks away from the DVD Warehouse where they ship from. He said in his post that they would intentionally hold the DVD's instead of shipping them out the day they receive them. Wonder why that is?

Just my two cents worth. Anyone else seem to have the same problem? Or know that they are holding discs the same day they get them?


PM

[makntraks]

Though we are waiting for the obnoxious fat lady to ask "Are you copying these?"

Well inquiring minds want to know - ARE YOU???

makntraks

[Madz]

Our Blockbuster now offers the Movie Pass ($24.95/mo. for 2 movies @ a time). But they still don't have Netflix's selection. Turnaround has always been good for me (1-2 days). The ditro center is Worcester, Mass. (~ 100 miles away from me).

[Bob W]

I dumped them both as it was taking a good ten days (and sometimes more) to turn around DVD's.

[Supreme2k]

Though we are waiting for the obnoxious fat lady to ask "Are you copying these?"

Well inquiring minds want to know - ARE YOU???

makntraks

Tonight, someone came really close. I rented a couple of half hour "movies" for my daughter at 11am. We brought them back at 4pm for some more adult fare (no, shame on you). The guy says "You must live real close. It doesn't seem like you had enough time to watch these." My reply:"We both live close to here and we watched the 78 minutes combined of those videos. If you got something to say, say it. The Pass is for unlimited rentals, right?" He stammers and says, "No. No, I sometimes watch 3 or 4 movies a day " I guess he didn't notice that neither of the videos was The Two Towers :Extended edition

[Rookie64]

guy says "You must live real close. It doesn't seem like you had enough time to watch these." My reply:"We both live close to here and we watched the 78 minutes combined of those videos. If you got something to say, say it. The Pass is for unlimited rentals, right?" He stammers and says, "No. No, I sometimes watch 3 or 4 movies a day " I guess he didn't notice that neither of the videos was The Two Towers :Extended edition

There's no law that says you have to watch the full disc of something you rented.
Heck, I often forward through stuff if it's not worth my time...sometimes you just want to watch certain scenes or even just the extras if it was a movie you've already seen many times before.

And what if someone in your family or a friend happened to rent the same title the same day...who says you have to watch the one you rented?

Some people rent movies to scan or screen the product to decide on if it's something they'd want to buy or not.
Or maybe you're just renting it to do a review for a website or for some quick reference on a project.

There are hundreds of reasons for renting movies - not just for entertainment.


Netflix does however plant spyware/cookies to see what sites you visit....so if they see how often you visit this one, I guess that could explain why some are getting delays on their rentals.

Either empty your cookies folder or search for any cookies named mediaplex or media and delete those.

[Madz]

Netflix is one thing but I'd be curious about Blockbuster's reaction to a guy who comes in the store EVERY day to exchange two rentals. There's the possibility, therefore, to get 60 or 62 rentals per month (56 in Feb. )! As for Netflix, I often return them in a day or two, just to get the most bang for my buck.

I have never, ever copied a rental; I stick to the "fair use" for owned disks and am only protecting my investment. Also, I like to sample before I buy and Netflix has alot of things Blockbuster has never had (those rather expensive TV boxsets, for example). Another example: I wanted to check out the load of extras on the Back To The Future Trilogy (widescreen) box and BB didn't have it for rent. They had it for sale only and it was the fullscreen version. So I got the 3 WS's at once from NF, was impressed, and bought it online a few days later.

Finally, Mozilla Firefox (sans Firebird) is my browser of choice and I have it set to prompt me to accept or deny every cookie. I rejected the "mediaplex" cookies after hearing about them elsewhere.

[Supreme2k]

Netflix is one thing but I'd be curious about Blockbuster's reaction to a guy who comes in the store EVERY day to exchange two rentals. There's the possibility, therefore, to get 60 or 62 rentals per month (56 in Feb. )!

That's my scenario. Since we are going with broadcast blackout this summer, it's 2 (and sometimes 4) rentals a day.

[4smiley20]

Netflix planting spyware to try to figure out if you copy their movies???????????

That is absolutely ridiculous.

[Turbo245]

Been with NetFlix almost since the beginning...Fast turn around here(Tacoma,WA) with a new HQ in town...
Ron