How to Find the Best DVD Rental Option For You
The DVD rental industry continues to grow.
The local video store used to be the only option for those wanting to rent a movie, but now online rental stores are proving to be stiff competition to their brick-and-mortar counterparts.
Some online merchants have aggressive pricing, offering unlimited downloads for the price of a few new DVDs.
The online sites are also offering more perks to entice customers to move away from the DVD store down the street.
Promotions such as unlimited movie rentals, free shipping and pickup, previews of upcoming movies, recently released movies, membership trials and flexible plans have made several sites popular, according to consumer surveys.
With all the promotions and sales gimmicks, shopping around and doing your research can help you find the best deal.
Some businesses offer free trials so you can see if the service best meets your needs.
What type of service should you get? Is a store or online service better? There are several things to consider: Shipping Speeds vs.
In Store Rentals The advantage of the brick-and-mortar store is that it's down the street.
You can satisfy any urge to watch a certain movie simply by going to the store and returning with a DVD.
Online services, though, rely on the U.
S.
Mail, and it may take a day or so to get a DVD delivered to your house.
The Convenience Factor Convenience is where online DVD rental services really excel.
You can browse for DVDs from your own home computer, and you can spend as much time as you want.
Can't decide? Simply put a title in a queue, and it will automatically be delivered to you after you are through with your current selection.
When you're done, you can simply return the DVD via a prepaid mailer.
How Much Does It Cost? Pricing is still competitive between the two business models.
Online services offer a set monthly fee, sometimes with unlimited rentals.
Stores, on the other hand, offer many promotions such as rent three, get one free or bargain prices for older movies.
Which Has a Better Selection? Stores are limited in that they have a finite amount of shelf space.
Online rental services, however, do not have this problem.
Users can browse thousands of titles quickly and search for particular titles very quickly.
So Which is Better Overall? If you're wanting convenience, then online services are the way to go.
But if you want to watch a movie right now, you'll still have to go down to the corner store to get a movie.
Some online services are testing downloads, though, so stores may have to counter with additional features.
also, there are programs like Blockbuster's successful "Total Access" membership that is a hybrid of the in-store and delivery models.
That membership allows you to rent both ways, which is perfect for any need.
The local video store used to be the only option for those wanting to rent a movie, but now online rental stores are proving to be stiff competition to their brick-and-mortar counterparts.
Some online merchants have aggressive pricing, offering unlimited downloads for the price of a few new DVDs.
The online sites are also offering more perks to entice customers to move away from the DVD store down the street.
Promotions such as unlimited movie rentals, free shipping and pickup, previews of upcoming movies, recently released movies, membership trials and flexible plans have made several sites popular, according to consumer surveys.
With all the promotions and sales gimmicks, shopping around and doing your research can help you find the best deal.
Some businesses offer free trials so you can see if the service best meets your needs.
What type of service should you get? Is a store or online service better? There are several things to consider: Shipping Speeds vs.
In Store Rentals The advantage of the brick-and-mortar store is that it's down the street.
You can satisfy any urge to watch a certain movie simply by going to the store and returning with a DVD.
Online services, though, rely on the U.
S.
Mail, and it may take a day or so to get a DVD delivered to your house.
The Convenience Factor Convenience is where online DVD rental services really excel.
You can browse for DVDs from your own home computer, and you can spend as much time as you want.
Can't decide? Simply put a title in a queue, and it will automatically be delivered to you after you are through with your current selection.
When you're done, you can simply return the DVD via a prepaid mailer.
How Much Does It Cost? Pricing is still competitive between the two business models.
Online services offer a set monthly fee, sometimes with unlimited rentals.
Stores, on the other hand, offer many promotions such as rent three, get one free or bargain prices for older movies.
Which Has a Better Selection? Stores are limited in that they have a finite amount of shelf space.
Online rental services, however, do not have this problem.
Users can browse thousands of titles quickly and search for particular titles very quickly.
So Which is Better Overall? If you're wanting convenience, then online services are the way to go.
But if you want to watch a movie right now, you'll still have to go down to the corner store to get a movie.
Some online services are testing downloads, though, so stores may have to counter with additional features.
also, there are programs like Blockbuster's successful "Total Access" membership that is a hybrid of the in-store and delivery models.
That membership allows you to rent both ways, which is perfect for any need.