Australian Webflicks online DVD rental

[bartman]

This is one for fellow Australians or anyone who uses/has used Netflix.

Has anyone out there tried the Australian Webflicks online DVD rental service??? It looks and sounds identical to the Netflix service in the USA.

The idea of paying $38 odd dollars for 3 DVD's and no late fees sounds good but I am wondering about the possible pitfalls, i.e If I hire 3 DVD's and keep them for a couple of weeks and get another three then that is around $6.30 per DVD. This compares with Video Ezy at $3 for a weekly and new-release at $6 per night but gets better if I keep requesting new DVD's frequently (the more the merrier, being a subscription service). Has anyone been caught out with a bunch of DVD's and not sent them back for a while??? because this would rack up the bills.....by my calculations $38 is the same as 12 and a bit weekly hires so I would have to do that or better to make it worthwhile.

[pacmania_2001]

Hmm... this will be interesting to see how it goes.

I might sign up for a free trial and check out what their service is like.

[bartman]

I signed myself up for the free trial yesterday and picked out 20 DVD's. It will be interesting to see how it goes. I have a Video Ezy only 5 minutes from where I live so I will have no problem ditching the service if it doesn't turn out to be good value. I think the thing that will break the value of the service will be DVD turnaround time, i.e. if it takes to long then it limits the number of DVD's you can view per month. I live in Canberra and I doubt they have a warehouse here, so it would be at least a day or two each way (assuming the DVD comes from Sydney or Melbourne).

Based on Video Ezy's $6 for new releases and $3 for weekly hires, you would have to watch either 6 new release DVD's or 12 'regular' DVD's each month to break even.....if the turnaround time can't cope with that then there is no point (unless you live in the sticks and have no other decent option)

[pacmania_2001]

I would be more interested in getting rare titles from them that my local video store doesn't have.

Otherwise (like you said) the DVD turn around time would have to be pretty good because I also live only 5 minutes away from a video store and they only charge $2.95 for a new release movie (albiet a small number of copies). Does it say on that site at all where the distribution centre is?

[bartman]

Does it say on that site at all where the distribution centre is?

Not that I can see....although they say that the whole shebang started with a couple of uni kids in Melbourne and went from there. I would assume they would have a centre in Melbourne and maybe Sydney...they have a couple of testimonials from people in WA as well so they might have one in Perth but they have only been around for a year. They have around 6000 titles which is only 1/3 of what Netflix has but is a lot more than my local video store.

The website is http://webflicks.com.au/ for those reading that don't know.

[bartman]

Well, I got home from work today to find 3 DVD's in my mailbox.....they were in a cardboard slip each. No covers or anything, just the DVD.

The return address is Clayton South in Victoria.....I'll watch a couple this weekend and see what the turnaround time is.

[pacmania_2001]

Alright, let me do the maths here. I live in Brisbane so from Melbourne it will take approx. 2 days (unless they use next day shipping). You are allowed three DVD's at a time (correct?) so:

2 days to get here, 1-2 days to watch, 2 days back so that is 5-6 days total.

30 days divided by 5 = 6 lots I can recieve.

6 lots X 3 DVD's per lot = 18 DVD's a month

$38 divided by 18 = $2.11 a DVD

Compare that to my local store ($2.95) I am saving $.084 cents a rental or $15.12 a month. Hmm... not bad, will have to give it a go.

[pacmania_2001]

Just did some more browsing around their site. It seems that they consider a 2 disc release (such as Gangs of New York) or 3 disc release (say The Simpsons) as separate discs. Thats not too good

[bigmicka]

thanks for this info guys. im from melbourne and i will give it a go.

mic

[bartman]

It seems that they consider a 2 disc release (such as Gangs of New York) or 3 disc release (say The Simpsons) as separate discs. Thats not too good

Yes, I noticed that as well. My local rents season DVD's seperatly (like ST:TNG) but if it a 2 disc set they do it as one rental...actually, their policy is 1 case, 1 rental.....I got the lethal weapon series (all 4 movies) for $3 once......so I was a bit supprised that a movie and its extras disc were treated as a seperate rental each. It doesn't really matter though since I'm more interested in all the other stuff that I can't get at my local....like the great planes series (18 DVD's in all)

You are allowed three DVD's at a time (correct?)

They have seperate plans...you can do anything from 1 DVD at a time to 8 at a time.....for different costs of course (the latter is over $70 per month I think)

[bigmicka]

hey guys,

are you supposed to get a confirmation email after signing up? i thought i read it on the page, but no email. i have written a letter to there help line, but i suspect no ones home.

thanks

mic

[bartman]

are you supposed to get a confirmation email after signing up?

I got a "click here to confirm registration" email after only a minute or two. That afternoon I got a "welcome" email and the next day I got one telling me what DVD's they sent me.

When they asked you for your email twice did you actually type it in the second time or did you just cut and paste?

[bartman]

a little update....

I posted my DVD's back on monday and marked them as returned on the webflicks site, only yesterday (thursday) did I get an email saying "thanks" and letting me know what was coming next. Hopefully there will be three more DVD's waiting for me in my letter box when I get home from work this afternoon.

Based on the turnaround time, it looks like webflicks only just beats Video Ezy for value. Bassed on $3 weekly hire from Video Ezy, Webflicks comes in at roughly $2.90.......this assumes that I get my DVD's on Friday, watch them on the weekend and post them back on Monday.....If I keep them for any longer than that then Video Ezy works out cheaper.....

So far the positives for Webflicks are a larger selection (especially for doco's and old movies) and cheaper new-release rates.

[bartman]

Hmm....omly one DVD in the post

Hopefully the other two will arrive Monday....if this is the norm then I'm better off going to my local...at least I don't have to pay anything if I don't have (want) anything out....

[bigmicka]

sorry for not replying. for some reason the confirmation email didnt get to me. I have since talked to them and have sorted this out.

Bartman the delivery is a little slow. my first batch of dvd's got sent on tuesday, i didnt get them until thursday, i expected it on wednesday as its just on the other side of town.

speaking to Rebekah, if you build a reputation for being honest on your returns screen when you put it in the post, they will start sending you dvd's when they havent received the dvd's just with your confirmation. so you should be able to get more for your money through them.

mic

[bartman]

I wonder how long it takes to build up your returns reputation???

[bigmicka]

im guessing when you start to pay.

mic