HollyWebDVD: Canadian Online DVD Rentals Part 2

(Part 1 is now closed due to length - check it out here)

http://hollywebdvd.com


$26/month for an “unlimited” number of DVDs per month -- 4 in your possession at any one time. You can rent the DVDs as fast as CanadaPost can deliver them and can return ‘em. There’s no monthly limit. You can cancel any time you like.

HollyWebDVD is located and ships from Edmonton, Alberta.

Actually, I would like to clarify this further. Costa (aka Juju) has been more than helpful for us. Besides the great discussion here (from which we have made many suggested changes), he has personally made a bunch of recommendations which have helped us to become more DVD-enlightened

We would like to thank Costa and regret that we messed up our timing on the recent promo change. Of all the forums that myself or other Hollyweb team members monitor, this is by far the best one. . .and most enjoyable.

Originally posted by Steve Sorry: we're a little behind here. We are temporarily offering a new incentive for new clients of RFD and Juju's: One month free service. The Juju code is JUJULOVESDVD. Although there is some overlap, there are separate codes for each site. Note that this promotion will be limited time. . . We screw up once in a while, but not for lack of effort Cheers! Steve JUJULOVESDVD

Hey Steve,

This is a cool.. I have been reading the discussion thread in GFL, and I always wanted to try this out. But, I wasn't sure if this would work well, and worth the money... With this 1-month free promotion, I just signed up to try it out..

A few Questions:
1) Are you shipping out 3 discs at a time?

2) How do I verify the 1-mont free promotion code works? I can't find anyway to verify the promotion code is in effect after I logged in.

3) IF I don't think this suits my purpose, I assume I can cancel the account after the 1-month free trial, and there is no further obligation, right?

Originally posted by Steve Actually, I would like to clarify this further. Costa (aka Juju) has been more than helpful for us. Besides the great discussion here (from which we have made many suggested changes), he has personally made a bunch of recommendations which have helped us to become more DVD-enlightened We would like to thank Costa and regret that we messed up our timing on the recent promo change. Of all the forums that myself or other Hollyweb team members monitor, this is by far the best one. . .and most enjoyable.

Well Steve,

This is great of you to give this deal to generate new subscribers from the bowl, but I have to admit to being a little miffed that you are now giving a free month, whereas those of us that jumped on the bandwagon in July and have been recommending your business on the forum had to settle for the discount offered back then.

In the long run, loyalty will be more important to your success than new customers who may not continue past the first month.

Brian
[Slightly dismayed that his wife's picks (Chocolat?!) have shipped and he is still waiting for his...]

Originally posted by brash Well Steve, This is great of you to give this deal to generate new subscribers from the bowl, but I have to admit to being a little miffed that you are now giving a free month, whereas those of us that jumped on the bandwagon in July and have been recommending your business on the forum had to settle for the discount offered back then. In the long run, loyalty will be more important to your success than new customers who may not continue past the first month.

i was a little miffed at this too, although i do understand that you have to do stuff like that to attract new business. i had another question that deals with price. on the banner up top it still says 24.95, but the writing on the main page says 29.95?!?

also a suggestion:
on the backs of your envelopes you have stuff advertising hollywebdvd, but did you ever think of renting out the ad space to various businesses? unless you were going for that postal worker market

don't know if it's feasible since it would involve printing up new envelopes, but something to think about in the future to help with your profit

kim

to the forum kmacp.

Originally posted by NakedGord Steve: Right now I'm living in a ghetto and don't want to take the chance of getting 'em lifted. I'm moving (soon I hope ) but till then would you guys be opposed to sending 'em to a university postal department so I could grab 'em at the station till I move? I'll bet there anyway so as long as you guys don't mind then that could work out nicely.

Sure. I mean. . .where could a naked guy hide DVD's anyway. . ?

Hey Steve,
have you guys thought of putting up a movie review system where renters can post reviews and rate movies (eg. 1-5 stars)?

Originally posted by skichick Hey Steve, have you guys thought of putting up a movie review system where renters can post reviews and rate movies (eg. 1-5 stars)?

It's actually in the works, but there are a few items to be completed before it is done.

Our next major project for the site is the sale of new and previously viewed DVD's.

The minor improvements continue. . .

Thanks for the suggestion!

hey steve,
I'm assuming there's delays in mailings due to the fact there are limited airplanes right now?

kim

Is everyone else having a problem getting their top picks from hollyweb? Also on three occasions two of my discs have been received at the same time by hollyweb. On all occasions only one discs is mailed out that day and the next is mailed out the next day. Wondering why?

Originally posted by str8jkt Is everyone else having a problem getting their top picks from hollyweb? Also on three occasions two of my discs have been received at the same time by hollyweb. On all occasions only one discs is mailed out that day and the next is mailed out the next day. Wondering why?

Its probably too early for us to tell about the delay in mailings due to no airplanes, but it is a possibility. . .

In terms of your top picks, we are implementing a new inventory ordering system as follows: Our software is ordering additional copies of titles that are in the top 3 of any queue where our demand quotient (calculated from aggregate queues) is too high compared to our stock. We're hoping this will improve the situation. However, in cases where our stock is sufficient, you may not receive your top pick immediately anyway, depending on how it circulates.

Currently, our software will ship anything in your top 15 -- nothing below that. We are also working on a more sophisticated DVD allocation method. For example, we may dictate that you must receive one of your top 3, one of your top 10 and one of your top 15. Although this sounds simple, it is quite complex to implement and we are working through it. We will be advising as soon as something is in place.

Therefore, in general we are satisfied with our fulfillment, but we will be implementing a couple of improvements over the next couple of months.

Thanks for the continued comments!

Originally posted by str8jkt Is everyone else having a problem getting their top picks from hollyweb? Also on three occasions two of my discs have been received at the same time by hollyweb. On all occasions only one discs is mailed out that day and the next is mailed out the next day. Wondering why?

BTW, I just checked and I believe you got your #1 today. Hopefully, we can continue that trend

Hollyweb DVD is now requesting 5 business days or 1 week prior to your anniversary date to cancel your account not 5 days as they had previously stated. I am glad I canceled a day earlier since I was not informed of their policy change

Originally posted by kmacp hey steve, I'm assuming there's delays in mailings due to the fact there are limited airplanes right now? kim

It looks like there are delays... See the press release from Canada Post here:
http://www.canadapost.ca/personal/c...-e.asp?prid=511

I have sent a DVD back early this week, and it looks like it still hasn't got back...

Originally posted by gilsan Hollyweb DVD is now requesting 5 business days or 1 week prior to your anniversary date to cancel your account not 5 days as they had previously stated. I am glad I canceled a day earlier since I was not informed of their policy change

It was not notified because it applies to customers signed up after the change and it is a one business day difference -- only because a few people were confused about the 4 day count. We are actually allowing a one day grace as well.

The reason for the lag period is that our DVD's must be returned within 2 weeks. This means we will not have our DVD's returned until 1 week into what would have been your next billing period.

All in all, a fair policy I think.

I just checked my rental queue and it appears that hollywebdvd has removed several movies from my list. One of which has been my 2nd choice since I signed up. I have never recieved any of my top 3 choices to date. Why list movies for rent when they're not available and then say that you will special order them, then remove them from people's queue's?

Anyone else having troubles getting the HollyWebDVD website today? I can't seem to get there at all right now, and earlier it was really slow and couldn't do much of anything.

Thanks!

Originally posted by Lint223 Anyone else having troubles getting the HollyWebDVD website today? I can't seem to get there at all right now, and earlier it was really slow and couldn't do much of anything. Thanks!

There is a major virus hitting most Internet backbone providers in our area today. We have a very quick, raw connection, but this particular problem is hitting everyone equally as it is the Telcoms that were targeted. It is not a Hollyweb issue.

I assume it will be corrected shortly.

Originally posted by Lint223 Anyone else having troubles getting the HollyWebDVD website today? I can't seem to get there at all right now, and earlier it was really slow and couldn't do much of anything. Thanks!

It's not you, I had the same problem with the site being really slow and giving me errors. I was able to use the site with patience though, and I noticed they've added options to increase the number of movies you have out at a time for increased rates. While this had been mentioned before and works for me in theory, where they don't seem to have the inventory to send me anything in my top ten as it is, I question whether this is really a practical option.You don't get all that much of a per disc discount either.

I've also been getting e-mails whenever I drop below 15 DVDs in my queue, warning me that my account may not operate properly without that many. What does that mean? It seems a lot to expect that I think of 15 movies I want to watch at any given time. I don't walk into the video store with 14 backup choices, and I've had over ten consistently, and the same top choice for almost two months. And I also note I was only sent a DVD today after I added some titles to my queue to bring me above 15, and then it was one that I added(#14). Is that what not operating properly means?

I assume the even slower delivery times lately are due to the American tragedy and general mail slowdowns, so I can forgive that. Still, I don't mean to be harsh but I can't help but feel like I'm dealing with some guy lending out his personal collection (sorry Steve, I can't help it).

Ouch!

I assure you this is way too many DVD's for a personal collection. This is, in fact, a real business with a staff of 7 and growing and a lot of movies! You just get to deal with me because I like to hear the feedback straight from the source.

Anyway, we do have low stock or even no stock on certain "less popular" titles. We regularly order movies from the studios that are in the top 3 in any given queue where we have low or no stock; however, these can take a bit of time to arrive. We have recently upgraded this system and are also working on a notification feature where you are notified that your top pick is coming. I think you'll find it works reasonably well, but it will take about 3-4 weeks to take full effect. In preparing for this business, we built some very flexible software, which allows us to change our logistics and shipping systems as we learn more about the business. Unfortunately, this is a new business model and we don't know everything yet.

This also explains the previous complaint. During this implementation, we accidentally "deactivated" some movies. They will be reactivated shortly and may be added back to your queues.

To be clear though, we are not the "guaranteed" rental service. Our business works based on circulating movies and, if we deem that we have sufficient inventory compared to our "demand calculation" from clients aggregate queues, we don't buy any more. We think its a decent service with decent value. Our clients are turning over 8 movies a month and getting good variety.

Thanks for the continued comments. We are making continual changes based on this feedback and are continually improving. . .we think!

Thanks for the update Steve! It's great having you here to discuss what's happening with HollywebDVD and answer our questions. Just wondering when we'll have the ability to rent the 2nd DVD of 2 DVD sets, or just be able to get both at one time!?

Thanks again!

Originally posted by Cyanne It's not you, I had the same problem with the site being really slow and giving me errors. I was able to use the site with patience though, and I noticed they've added options to increase the number of movies you have out at a time for increased rates. While this had been mentioned before and works for me in theory, where they don't seem to have the inventory to send me anything in my top ten as it is, I question whether this is really a practical option.You don't get all that much of a per disc discount either. I've also been getting e-mails whenever I drop below 15 DVDs in my queue, warning me that my account may not operate properly without that many. What does that mean? It seems a lot to expect that I think of 15 movies I want to watch at any given time. I don't walk into the video store with 14 backup choices, and I've had over ten consistently, and the same top choice for almost two months. And I also note I was only sent a DVD today after I added some titles to my queue to bring me above 15, and then it was one that I added(#14). Is that what not operating properly means? I assume the even slower delivery times lately are due to the American tragedy and general mail slowdowns, so I can forgive that. Still, I don't mean to be harsh but I can't help but feel like I'm dealing with some guy lending out his personal collection (sorry Steve, I can't help it).

Cyanne:

BTW, we do have several on order that are in your queue. We own almost all the titles, and have extra inventory on order for a few for 14 of your top 15.

Hopefully, we'll catch up to you. Sorry for the delay on your top picks.

Originally posted by Steve Cyanne: BTW, we do have several on order that are in your queue. We own almost all the titles, and have extra inventory on order for a few for 14 of your top 15. Hopefully, we'll catch up to you. Sorry for the delay on your top picks.

Thanks for the personal response Steve, I do appreciate it. I didn't mean to be harsh so much as just honest about how I was feeling. I haven't cancelled or anything, but I must admit to some frustration. And yes, I agree that compared to regular rental prices, yours aren't bad - but then I never used to pay those anyway (I'm a Tuesday special kind of girl). I'm sticking it out for a while longer though, and hoping things improve.

Originally posted by Cyanne Thanks for the personal response Steve, I do appreciate it. I didn't mean to be harsh so much as just honest about how I was feeling. I haven't cancelled or anything, but I must admit to some frustration. And yes, I agree that compared to regular rental prices, yours aren't bad - but then I never used to pay those anyway (I'm a Tuesday special kind of girl). I'm sticking it out for a while longer though, and hoping things improve.

Thanks, we appreciate it. It wasn't really harsh anyway, just honest!

mailings

Quick question going out to the Hollywebdvd rep. who frequents these forums...

Last week I was informed that my first "shipment" had gone out. It was 3 dvd's (obviously). Yesterday it came in... but only 2 envelopes (hence 2 DVDs) were in my mailbox. Is that normal? Aren't all 3 supposed to come at once? Do you think someone in the post office might have stolen them? What would I do if I don't get it today and don't get it for the rest of the week... ?

Re: mailings

Originally posted by locutusx Quick question going out to the Hollywebdvd rep. who frequents these forums... Last week I was informed that my first "shipment" had gone out. It was 3 dvd's (obviously). Yesterday it came in... but only 2 envelopes (hence 2 DVDs) were in my mailbox. Is that normal? Aren't all 3 supposed to come at once? Do you think someone in the post office might have stolen them? What would I do if I don't get it today and don't get it for the rest of the week... ?

We lose very, very few DVD's. You will likely receive it today or tomorrow. They don't always arrive at the same time even though they were mailed at the same time.

However, if you have not received it later this week, e-mail us at customerservice@hollywebdvd.com.

I ended my membership this month but had two odd things happen with the quitting of the group you can take what you want from this

I sent back my final DVD on Monday (ie put in mailbox) and received word Thursday 2:17 pm that they had received my movie back that is 4 days for them to receive it every other DVD I sent back to them took 7-10 days for them to receive. I used the same mailbox every time

The second thing that happened is before I quit my membership Aa DVD had been "sent out" to me. It was sent on the September 12 I received a e-mail on the September 19 that they had received I am glad they did because I never saw it.

This may answer why the turn around time was so slow, and I am sure steve will be be here with some smart answer, but it won't restore my faith that they were taking their sweet time receiving and actually mailing out DVD's

I too cancelled my membership this month. It took about 3 days for them to receive any DVD's I sent back but at least 4 days to get new DVD's. I found that with the turnaround time of getting new DVD's it simply isn't worthwile to enroll in this program. I went through 6 DVD's this month but I felt like I had to watch them as quickly as possible in order to make it worthwhile. It's a very convenient system and I like the concept but know I won't watch enough movies in a month to justify the $25/mo fee. Also, I rarely got a DVD from my top 3 choices. I'd rather walk to the video store and get the movie I want than watch what is sent to me. Thanks for letting me try the service though Steve!

Originally posted by skichick I too cancelled my membership this month. It took about 3 days for them to receive any DVD's I sent back but at least 4 days to get new DVD's. I found that with the turnaround time of getting new DVD's it simply isn't worthwile to enroll in this program. I went through 6 DVD's this month but I felt like I had to watch them as quickly as possible in order to make it worthwhile. It's a very convenient system and I like the concept but know I won't watch enough movies in a month to justify the $25/mo fee. Also, I rarely got a DVD from my top 3 choices. I'd rather walk to the video store and get the movie I want than watch what is sent to me. Thanks for letting me try the service though Steve!

I was using the free trial and decided not to continue after it expires... Some reasons I sent to Steve when I cancelled:

1) Long turnaround. The mailing take almost up to 10 days for round trip.. (even if I watched it the same night I got it, and returned it the next day).. Sometimes it's faster, but it's kind of unpredictable.

2) I only managed to get 6 movies (the last one still hasn't arrived yet)... And, movies sometimes arrive at the wrong time. (I meant when I was busy)

3) I have better control with my local video stores. Ican rent exactly what I want, and when to rent it... instead of hoping to get it from the mailbox after work.

4) Price is not really cheaper. Older movies are actually cheaper at Rogers ($11.99 for 7 older DVDs for 7 days).. For the new ones, hollywebdvd is a bit cheaper (assuming 6 movies), but you may or may not get the new releases in your queue.

But, I do have to praise the service. Steve seems to be really friendly , and they do carry older stuff that I can't find in my local Blockbuster and Rogers.. Also, for people won't don't want to drive/walk to the local stores, it's a bit more convenient..

A few comments

Well, we are experiencing some difficulty with the postal service, which seems to have been affected significantly by the events of September 11 (see previous posting with press release link)

In any case, the comments are all good. I will point out that our system displays the exact date and time of shipment. The DVD's are shipped at that time. In almost all cases, we ship a replacement the same day as we receive a movie back. Occasionally however, we ship the following day.

We are still working on improvements to our demand prediction model, which will improve you receiving your "less popular" #1 picks. However, many have been sent just recently.

In any case, we are attempting to establish several regional fulfillment centers in order to solve the longer delivery times in certain areas. This is especially important in light of the changes in the postal service this month.

Although we do not warrant that the service is perfect, we think its pretty good and we are definitely working to fix some of the problems -- mainly fulfillment.

Thanks for the continued comments

Re: A few comments

Originally posted by Steve Well, we are experiencing some difficulty with the postal service, which seems to have been affected significantly by the events of September 11 (see previous posting with press release link)

??

My last DVD (I ended my membership) I sent back to you was sent Monday Morning and you sent me a message Thursday 2:00 in the afternoon that you received it
That is 2-3x faster than any DVD I sent beforeand that was Sept 24/01 It obviously wasn't affected by sept 11/01

Re: Re: A few comments

Originally posted by gilsan ?? My last DVD (I ended my membership) I sent back to you was sent Monday Morning and you sent me a message Thursday 2:00 in the afternoon that you received it That is 2-3x faster than any DVD I sent beforeand that was Sept 24/01 It obviously wasn't affected by sept 11/01

Great! That's a good sign for us. In addition, we hope to be shipping out of Ontario shortly anyway. We find that "local" fulfillment centers will result in 2-3 day delivery times, which we think makes the service a really good deal.

For better or for worse, we are completely dependent on the postal service for the success of our business.

Delivery times seems to be very inconsistent. For the past month it's taken 4-6 business days for a DVD in either direction.

But my last two shipments have been faster:

- They sent Monday -> recieved by me on Thursday
- I sent back on same Thursday night -> received on following Monday by Hollyweb!

I hope this continues, but you never can tell with Canada Post. Can't wait for the eastern fulfillment centre!


My reasons for using Hollyweb:

1) 9 DVDs per month = $2.75/DVD --> better than my video store

2) I'm busy --> I don't like driving to the video store, renting, then rushing back the next day before the cutoff time (with the fear of late fees too). I like getting discs and watching/returning them on my own schedule.

3) lots of obscure titles --> this is my favourite aspect of the service because I would otherwise have to rent these obscure titles on VHS if I wanted to see them ( )


I think it also depends on your need for "instant gratification". As with any mail-order service, you are forced to be patient and be at the mercy of the shipments. As fb288 mentions, this isn't always compatible with your busy schedule (i.e. those times when you need a "movie fix" ).

To be honest, we had a bunch of slow delivery comments over the past 3 weeks, but this is understandable.

Canada Post has assured me that they are getting back to normal, but much of the mail that was previously going air was going ground, resulting in an overall slowdown.

For the most part, our clients understand what happened and we appreciate the patience.

Some Kudos to HollyWeb

Hey Everyone, I wanted to put in a good word for HollywebDVD.

I recently received a bad disc. I sent them and e-mail and got almost an immediate response from Steve and they gave me a credit for the bad dvd (I had gone out and rented it), and apologized for the delay in receiving some of my top pics (I have some very obscure selections) and advised that they were ordering additional copies. I consider this excellent service, and will be sticking with Hollywebdvd.

Also the turnaround time has improved substantially. Recent movies have taken 2-3 business days to get to me.

Re: wow

Originally posted by locutusx wow, i'm glad i researched this company before trying em out! thanks guys! btw looks like hollywebdvd is the only choice for this kinda stuff in canada... i tried em out for a month (free first 2 weeks) but had to cancel because i live in ontario and it was taking at least 5 to 6 days for them to send me stuff. not to mention the movies i wanted were not in stock.

I would consider trying them again. The mail service has improved a lot, I seem to be averaging 3 business days each way now. They have also been very good about trying to improve their inventory based on demand, lets remember that this is a new venture and will have some growing pains. Overall, I am still giving Hollywebdvd a

heh. i dont think you quite understand. did their mail service improve within the last 5 days? because that's when i cancelled.

and it's not just me who has this problem. plenty of other Ontarians too.

I think I will give them a second chance, but not right away. I'll wait till 1Q 2002 and then check around, see what people say. The site isn't completely finished anyways. the option to purchase pre-owned stuff is still not in place.

i know eventually they'll be ready for mass consumption, and by then i'll probably be ready to sign back on.

They were planning on opening an Ontario distribution center in the near future. That should really help things for un out this way.

Originally posted by locutusx heh. i dont think you quite understand. did their mail service improve within the last 5 days? because that's when i cancelled. and it's not just me who has this problem. plenty of other Ontarians too. I think I will give them a second chance, but not right away. I'll wait till 1Q 2002 and then check around, see what people say. The site isn't completely finished anyways. the option to purchase pre-owned stuff is still not in place. i know eventually they'll be ready for mass consumption, and by then i'll probably be ready to sign back on.

It's not their mail service, its Canada Post. Right now, mail service hasn't exactly been reliable. Every anthrax scare can add a day to your mail time. Sometimes it takes 5 days, sometimes 2. That's the postal service.

A lot of people signed on for the one month using the coupon and bailed after a month. In my opinion that's not enough time to make a fair evaluation of the service. I have had every problem you have had but, I feel they have balanced out over the three months I have been using Hollywebdvd.

Anyway, my point is, sometimes the mail is fast, sometimes slow. It doesn't matter where the distribution centre is. You won't exchange enough movies in a four week period to establish a good average. Personally I think that Hollywebdvd is turning into a good value for me. They have been getting my requests to me, not all at first, but they are ordering more discs to meet demand, and I have very obscure choices.

To be exact in the 88 days since I signed up I have received 18 dvds. In those 88 days there has been 12 weekends and 3 holidays, leaving 61 actual business days (88-24-3=61). 61/18=3.39 days pre dvd.

So I stand by my recommendation. I think that Hollywebdvd is a service which has value for me (Belleville's video stores are not exactly great for selection), and I am willing to support them through some growing pains. If everyone waited for a new company to be perfect, then there wouldn't be any new companies, would there?

Blockbuster is done considerably well adding to its collection in Belleville (not that I rent much anyways). You should still count the weekend and holidays in your math as these are days you are waiting that you could have gone to Blockbuster and received immediate gratification from. I have 3 of my DVD's returned by the post office citing "Dimensions" as invalid for the postage, thus this added numerous days to my turnaround. Non of the delays are the fault of the business directly, however nontheless, they effect the quality of service (much like where I work -- when the main T1's to the internet are down, clients call me all upset eventhough the problem is further up the stream than we are responsible for. Their comes a point where people do not care about the source of the problem, they simply care that thier is a problem). With hollywebdvd the source is Canada Post, however they are also part responsible as they setup distribution on the other side of the country. If they deem that part of the country their primary market, that makes sense, however Ontario - east is a big market to miss. They really need need to get the eastern distribution open, or they should change their maximum number of DVD's at a time to 4 or even 5. IMHO

The Belleville Blockbuster's DVD selection seems more of a case of of quantity vs quality. Other than titles they add as new releases, a lot of the DVDs they have tend to be ones that can be purchased at Walmart for $14.99. I rarely find what I'm looking for their. Hollyweb has a lot of titles I can't find here.

my view...

I can see how you would be more enthusiastic about Hollyweb, seeing as how you live in a small town (Belleville is small is it not?). I live in Mississauga though, and work in downtown Toronto. There is no shortage of DVD rental stores for general consumption in either of those places; my primary reason for signing up with Hollyweb was a price advantage of some sort and the idea of easily getting "rare" titles, such as Criterion Editions that normal rental places don't carry, and I could rent them to "screen" my future purchases.

As I mentioned earlier, I didn't get any price advantage because of the delivery time - which won't be improved anytime soon (at least not this year) with all the new security precautions mail carriers are taking, since the Anthrax scare doesn't seem to be fading any time soon.

Also I was unable to get any of the "rare" dvd's that so appealed to me about Hollyweb's catalog. Sadly, all ~6 dvd's I recieved were from the 12th to 18th place in my queue list. They were DVDs I could have gotten at a local video store. Some of them were things I didn't really want but I just stuck them in my queue because I couldn't find anything else that I want and honestly I didn't think that I'd actually get #18 (or whatever) on my list, it seemed so far down!

Anyways, I didn't get a "free ride" with Hollyweb (only used a free 2 weeks coupon) and so I got 6 DVDs for about ~$14. Which is ~$2.30 per DVD. So it was a good deal, while it lasted. But really only 3 of those 6 DVDs were movies I actually wanted, the rest were "fillers".

So to sum things up, I stand by my opinion that Hollyweb certainly has the potential to be the best of breed for online internet rentals in Canada, but given current conditions I can only recommend them as a "hold" if you are living in a major metropolitan centre.

If you live in a smaller town, things are obviously different. I go to university in Waterloo and who knows I may pick up a subscription again when I return to school. The 2 closest rental places are both at least 45 min. walk so I wouldn't even bother going there on a regular basis unless I had a car.

Originally posted by brash It's not their mail service, its Canada Post. Right now, mail service hasn't exactly been reliable. Every anthrax scare can add a day to your mail time. Sometimes it takes 5 days, sometimes 2. That's the postal service. ~ snip ~ So I stand by my recommendation. I think that Hollywebdvd is a service which has value for me (Belleville's video stores are not exactly great for selection), and I am willing to support them through some growing pains. If everyone waited for a new company to be perfect, then there wouldn't be any new companies, would there?

Re: my view...

Originally posted by locutusx But really only 3 of those 6 DVDs were movies I actually wanted, the rest were "fillers".

Sorry, but this isn't a valid point, IMHO. If you didn't want them, then why did you put them in your queue at all? There's no forced minimum for your queue so there's no need to put in "fillers".

Even if you thought you'd never get them, if you would continue with the service you'd eventually reach #18, so you'd have to go back to remove them from queue. Why bother putting them in in the first place?

You can't blame Hollyweb for sending you what you asked for.

Re: Re: my view...

Originally posted by GoldfishLegs Sorry, but this isn't a valid point, IMHO. If you didn't want them, then why did you put them in your queue at all? There's no forced minimum for your queue so there's no need to put in "fillers". Even if you thought you'd never get them, if you would continue with the service you'd eventually reach #18, so you'd have to go back to remove them from queue. Why bother putting them in in the first place? You can't blame Hollyweb for sending you what you asked for.

Sure it's a valid reason. Steve himself said that your queue should have at least 15 items in it, so that they would be able to "fill" your orders. So I filled it up with more than 15 items to be safe. Good thing I did or my first order would have been delayed. He either said that here, or at canadiandvdgroup, or at redflagdeals forums. Can't remember which. Well, he might not have said it, but someone certainly did quote a Hollyweb rep who said that. So there!

Also, I wouldn't have eventually gotten to #18 (if they were well-stocked) because they are (or they SHOULD BE) ordering new movies all the time (something like 10 - 15 new dvds are released per week)... and I would certainly have ADDED something from those new releases to my queue...

Re: Re: my view...

Originally posted by GoldfishLegs Sorry, but this isn't a valid point, IMHO. If you didn't want them, then why did you put them in your queue at all? There's no forced minimum for your queue so there's no need to put in "fillers".

Isn't there? The instant my queue drops to 14 I start getting e-mails warning me: " If you have less than 15 DVD selections in your queue, your account may not operate properly and you may not receive 3 movies at all times." And not just one e-mail, daily e-mails. I e-mailed them two and a half weeks ago and asked how, specifically this would affect my rental service, but I never got a response. I have a feeling this is going to be my last month, at least until reports improve. I'm getting frustrated with having the same top selection for three months. I too often use the service as a sort of preview service, to try out movies I'm thinking of buying, but it doesn't work if I have to wait months and months to see them. I'm thinking it may be more cost-effective to buy all the ones I expect to like and just resell the ones I don't.

Re: Re: Re: my view...

Originally posted by Cyanne Isn't there? The instant my queue drops to 14 I start getting e-mails warning me: " If you have less than 15 DVD selections in your queue, your account may not operate properly and you may not receive 3 movies at all times." And not just one e-mail, daily e-mails. I e-mailed them two and a half weeks ago and asked how, specifically this would affect my rental service, but I never got a response. I have a feeling this is going to be my last month, at least until reports improve. I'm getting frustrated with having the same top selection for three months. I too often use the service as a sort of preview service, to try out movies I'm thinking of buying, but it doesn't work if I have to wait months and months to see them. I'm thinking it may be more cost-effective to buy all the ones I expect to like and just resell the ones I don't.

You get warning emails? I never knew this was being done. My list is always in the 40's so I never got that low.

Sorry LocutusX! My mistake!

Re: Re: Re: Re: my view...

Originally posted by GoldfishLegs You get warning emails? I never knew this was being done. My list is always in the 40's so I never got that low. Sorry LocutusX! My mistake!

While we are definitely not the "guaranteed rental program" for your #1 pick, we are trying. We do not stock 1 disk for everyone that has requested it -- the basis of our business is that we need to circulate disks. Our demand calculation forces us to purchase enough to "hit" all the customers who have a movie in their top 3 position within 45 days. However, a client can still get unlucky if it goes to somebody else! We are building a more complex model that will hopefully increase everyone's "happiness"

In terms of an eastern distribution center, we have recruited a significant player in the video rental business in Canada to help us decide on a distribution model. It is a top priority for us and I hope to make some decisions shortly.

In the meantime, we thank everyone for their support and comments. Our growth proves that there is interest in this model, and we are committed to perfecting the mechanics of the business as soon as possible.

postage increase?

the last two dvd's i got on friday had extra postage on them... i think it was like 27 cents or something... but the envelopes that i'm to return them in just have the normal amount on them?
what's going to happen when i try to mail them back?

also how many dvd's can i return in one envelope? it says up to 3, but i seem to recall someone saying that the one disk JUST gets covered by the postage that's on the envelope, so i'm a little concerned.

thanks,
Kim

Re: postage increase?

Originally posted by kmacp the last two dvd's i got on friday had extra postage on them... i think it was like 27 cents or something... but the envelopes that i'm to return them in just have the normal amount on them? what's going to happen when i try to mail them back? also how many dvd's can i return in one envelope? it says up to 3, but i seem to recall someone saying that the one disk JUST gets covered by the postage that's on the envelope, so i'm a little concerned. thanks, Kim

1) 27 cents? You mean there was a 46 cent stamp + 27 more?

2) Yes, only 1 disc per envelope. Steve had mentioned that they were going to change this point on the site, but apparently it was overlooked.

Re: Re: postage increase?

Originally posted by GoldfishLegs 1) 27 cents? You mean there was a 46 cent stamp + 27 more? 2) Yes, only 1 disc per envelope. Steve had mentioned that they were going to change this point on the site, but apparently it was overlooked.

We originally had our package approved by Business Services within Canada Post. However, we have found that occasionally an overly aggressive postal worker returns an envelope. We are currently trying to get an overall "ruling" approved and sent out to all offices; however, this is Canada Post we're dealing with

In the meantime, our mailing volume at this end is significant and we are concerned that it will get "noticed" and we'll have problems. Although the extra 27 is not supposed to be required, we decided to add it to ensure no mailing problems for our clients from our end. From your end, we rarely have any problems as you are only mailing one or 2 at a time, which doesn't attract extra attention.

To make a long story longer: We are hopeful that we'll get a blanket ruling and go back to the regular rate, but in the meantime, we don't want to take a chance.

We do suggest only one DVD per envelope. The instructions on our envelope will be changing on the next print run.

Just wondering if your customer service is functional? Sorry to sound rude but I have emailed twice now with issues. The first one cleared itself up but this one still hasn't. I emailed on Nov. 8 and still have not heard back a response.
I will post it here hoping you might check back here quicker than your email.


There seems to be a problem somewhere. I was shipped out three dvd's all at the same time..
Usual Suspects, Clerks, and Road Trip. I have so far only received Usual Suspects which I returned and then received Driven, which I also received, watched and returned. I got the email message today that you had received this and are now sending out my new dvd. So there has been two returns and I still have not seen dvd's that were sent on Sept. 12.

Did these get shipped out? I haven't had a problem with the mail so far as all the other dvd's have been received and sent without any problems.

Is there any way to check into this and see what has happened?


Since then I have had one of the two missing dvd's arrive really beat up from Canada Post. It is really damaged on the one side and the envelope that it came in is ripped up as well as the plastic sleeve. Can someone please respond to my emails or posts? This is getting a little frustrating as it has been over a month and I have only been able to work with one of the three dvds

Originally posted by str8jkt Just wondering if your customer service is functional? Sorry to sound rude but I have emailed twice now with issues. The first one cleared itself up but this one still hasn't. I emailed on Nov. 8 and still have not heard back a response. I will post it here hoping you might check back here quicker than your email. There seems to be a problem somewhere. I was shipped out three dvd's all at the same time.. Usual Suspects, Clerks, and Road Trip. I have so far only received Usual Suspects which I returned and then received Driven, which I also received, watched and returned. I got the email message today that you had received this and are now sending out my new dvd. So there has been two returns and I still have not seen dvd's that were sent on Sept. 12. Did these get shipped out? I haven't had a problem with the mail so far as all the other dvd's have been received and sent without any problems. Is there any way to check into this and see what has happened? Since then I have had one of the two missing dvd's arrive really beat up from Canada Post. It is really damaged on the one side and the envelope that it came in is ripped up as well as the plastic sleeve. Can someone please respond to my emails or posts? This is getting a little frustrating as it has been over a month and I have only been able to work with one of the three dvds

Hmmm. You're correct about the lost e-mail. My apologies. I have located it and will respond directly so you can beat me up in private

We have several people that monitor customer service. I have circulated your e-mail in order to track down why there was no response.

Its been a month since any discussion about HollywebDVD. As Steve monitors this thread, I thought I would ask a few questions that i did not find answers for on the website.

I read "However, once you've been a member for one month, you will have the opportunity to upgrade your plan to include up to 10 DVD's at a time! "

What are the costs associated with increasing the number of DVDs on hand beyond the normal 3 ?

Have you made an progress towards opening an Eastern distribution centre -- if so, do you have an estimated start-up date ?

Have you started selling "Previosuly Viewed" / "Previously Enjoyed" (or what ever you want to call them) DVDs ?

Thanks again !

Originally posted by Chuck Its been a month since any discussion about HollywebDVD. As Steve monitors this thread, I thought I would ask a few questions that i did not find answers for on the website. I read "However, once you've been a member for one month, you will have the opportunity to upgrade your plan to include up to 10 DVD's at a time! " What are the costs associated with increasing the number of DVDs on hand beyond the normal 3 ? Have you made an progress towards opening an Eastern distribution centre -- if so, do you have an estimated start-up date ? Have you started selling "Previosuly Viewed" / "Previously Enjoyed" (or what ever you want to call them) DVDs ? Thanks again !

Hello Chuck. . its been a while!

We have multiple plans available as follows:
3 DVD's $24.95
4 DVD's $31.95
6 DVD's $44.95
8 DVD's $59.95
10 DVD's $74.95

We have been in discussions with Canada Post for quite a while now. They are supposed to finalize their proposal to us to solve the "extra day or 2" to eastern Canada in the next couple of days. We will have a solution in place for eastern Canada as well as a duplicate in the eastern US by January.

Also, watch for a new type of membership plan in January! We are currently building the back end support for it, but it will be an alternative to our existing Unlimited program. . .

We have not, however, made much progress on DVD sales. We do not intend to initiate this until we are able to vertically integrate our various suppliers. Unfortunately, they are not as technically advanced as we would like and this has not materialized yet. However, we have quoted and sold a number of DVD's "manually." That is, if a member has a rented DVD that they do not want to send back, we have occasionally sold it to them on a manual basis. A full-scale sale section will not happen until after January, as we are busy with the 2 major enhancements described above.

Thanks for the note!

Since this forum is back at the top, I thought I would jump in and once again voice my recommendation of Hollywebdvd. Although the mail time isn't ideal, it has improved substantially in recent months my last DVD was mailed on Thursday by Hollywebdvd and I received it Monday.

The big thing that keeps me with them has been the customer service, I have had two problems since I started (one scratched disc, and one wrong disc) and Steve has been very quick in responding in both cases and addressing the problems.

Originally posted by brash Since this forum is back at the top, I thought I would jump in and once again voice my recommendation of Hollywebdvd. Although the mail time isn't ideal, it has improved substantially in recent months my last DVD was mailed on Thursday by Hollywebdvd and I received it Monday. The big thing that keeps me with them has been the customer service, I have had two problems since I started (one scratched disc, and one wrong disc) and Steve has been very quick in responding in both cases and addressing the problems.

Thanks again! Actually, Canada Post believes that they are going to be able to shave a little off our delivery time as part of their "solution." We'll let you know.

I came across this article about Netflix - they offer a similar (or the same?) service as HollyWebDVD.

The author is enthusiastic about the overall concept. There may be some points here that you can incorporate into your own marketing materials, Steve. Or some strategic ideas....

By the way, I guess this post could also qualify as a freebie for Darwin Magazine -- just click here.

Originally posted by ldgfl I came across this article about Netflix - they offer a similar (or the same?) service as HollyWebDVD. The author is enthusiastic about the overall concept. There may be some points here that you can incorporate into your own marketing materials, Steve. Or some strategic ideas.... By the way, I guess this post could also qualify as a freebie for Darwin Magazine -- just click here.

Thanks! It is an interesting article.

Synchronicity strikes ... here's another one on the same topic.

Hey guys...
i was wondering if anyone noticed that about half the movies listed (ok i'm probably exaggerating) don't have any info except for genre and length...
i'm just curious because a lot of times someone will recommend a movie to me and i go check if hollyweb has it and then add it to my queue... except 2 weeks later i don't always remember what the movie's about and i have to go to imdb.com or somewhere else to see...

so steve, if you're still around care to enlighten me?

thanks,
kim

Originally posted by kmacp Hey guys... i was wondering if anyone noticed that about half the movies listed (ok i'm probably exaggerating) don't have any info except for genre and length... i'm just curious because a lot of times someone will recommend a movie to me and i go check if hollyweb has it and then add it to my queue... except 2 weeks later i don't always remember what the movie's about and i have to go to imdb.com or somewhere else to see... so steve, if you're still around care to enlighten me? thanks, kim

Guilty as charged. Our database is fairly complete in terms of the titles and basic info, but the detailed information is being entered on a gradual basis by our database managers. Gradually, it will be totally complete, but you can still rent any movie you'd like - regardless of whether the detail is there.

Wouldnt it be easier to purchase the rights to download the info fom the IMDB . Probably cheaper than entering all the information in manually. All the IMDB is available for download for personal use, however i would have to guess you would have to pay a fee to use it for commercial purposes.
Take a peak
here

Originally posted by Chuck Wouldnt it be easier to purchase the rights to download the info fom the IMDB . Probably cheaper than entering all the information in manually. All the IMDB is available for download for personal use, however i would have to guess you would have to pay a fee to use it for commercial purposes. Take a peak here

We did evaluate their service, but decided against it at the time for various reasons. We may do something in the future, but we are also interested in controlling our own database, which movies are displayed, how they are categorized, etc.

Anyway, it was a difficult decision, but we have gone this way for now. . .

Coupon code doesn't seem to work

JUJULOVESDVD says expired or invalid coupon.
Are there others or is the promo over?

Re: Coupon code doesn't seem to work

Originally posted by ledorky JUJULOVESDVD says expired or invalid coupon. Are there others or is the promo over?

Hmm,

This should still be valid -- I'll get back to you.

Re: Re: Coupon code doesn't seem to work

Originally posted by GoldfishLegs Hmm, This should still be valid -- I'll get back to you.

Sorry Juju and friends. The coupon had expired, but will be reactivated this morning.



Thanks for the notification!

Looking for Update on HollyWeb DVD

Hi, I just found this message board and am interested in renting DVD's online. Just got a DVD player for Christmas and I have to drive 45 min. to the nearest place that rents DVD's.

Is there a coupon code that is still valid? (what is it and what is the deal?)

Any luck on the Ontario distribution centre? (I'm from Ontario)

Thanks for the info!

Re: Looking for Update on HollyWeb DVD

Originally posted by frogger Hi, I just found this message board and am interested in renting DVD's online. Just got a DVD player for Christmas and I have to drive 45 min. to the nearest place that rents DVD's. Is there a coupon code that is still valid? (what is it and what is the deal?) Any luck on the Ontario distribution centre? (I'm from Ontario) Thanks for the info!

Frogger:

Enter code: JUJULOVESDVD for half price on the first month. We are just about done with Canada Post, which believes they can cut a day off our delivery time to Ontario. Its not bad anyway, so this will be very good. They have actually insisted that if we mail at the correct time and location, it will be almost as fast as mailing from Ontario. We'll see. . .

Given your drive time, this should work very well for you!

Re: Re: Looking for Update on HollyWeb DVD

Originally posted by Steve Given your drive time, this should work very well for you!

Hey, I live 5 minutes from a video store and Hollyweb still works out well for me!

Seriously though Steve, I've been with you since August and I prefer this over the driving -> parking -> renting -> rushing-to-return-it routine anyday. DVDs surprise me in the mail, and the mailbox is close so returns are a 1-minute walk to the corner and back.

Hope this business is sustainable for you since I'm spoiled now.

Re: Re: Re: Looking for Update on HollyWeb DVD

It better be sustainable. . .we own way too many DVD's to turn back now

We've had a few hiccups, as all the Juju fans know. . .(Canada Post.. . .grrr ), but we're grinding it out and, for the most part, our clients seem happy.

We will be announcing a new membership plan shortly (in addition to the current Unlimited Plan) as well as a video game plan, for PS2, X-box and Gamecube. More ways for us all to spend more time in front of a screen

Re: Re: Re: Re: Looking for Update on HollyWeb DVD

Originally posted by Steve We will be announcing a new membership plan shortly (in addition to the current Unlimited Plan) as well as a video game plan, for PS2, X-box and Gamecube. More ways for us all to spend more time in front of a screen

Consoles - why didn't I think of that? This would have been great in my old NES days... would have gotten more sleep instead of rushing to finish the games in the 2-day rental period.

Question about multi disk sets

I have been browsing the website, and noticed that some movies that are split into multiple disk sets, appear to need to be rented separately.

What I'm wondering, is if I want to get lets say Godfather part 2, I need to request both part 1 and part 2. Does this mean that I could end up receiving part 1 only, then have to wait for part 2?

So theorectically, I could order Godfather 2, Disk 1, Godfather 2, Disk 2, Pearl Harbour Disk 1, Pearl Harbour Disk 2, and some other 2 disk set, and end up getting 1 disk from each set sent to me, (3 discs in total) And have 3 unwatchable movies until I return one of them and have another disk sent out.

Also, I'm wondering about how many copies you susally stock of newer releases. I have read in previous posts that you obviously do not stock 1 copy of each title for each user, but are we talking like 20 copies of new releases?

Thanks

Re: Question about multi disk sets

Originally posted by Unregistered I have been browsing the website, and noticed that some movies that are split into multiple disk sets, appear to need to be rented separately. What I'm wondering, is if I want to get lets say Godfather part 2, I need to request both part 1 and part 2. Does this mean that I could end up receiving part 1 only, then have to wait for part 2? So theorectically, I could order Godfather 2, Disk 1, Godfather 2, Disk 2, Pearl Harbour Disk 1, Pearl Harbour Disk 2, and some other 2 disk set, and end up getting 1 disk from each set sent to me, (3 discs in total) And have 3 unwatchable movies until I return one of them and have another disk sent out. Also, I'm wondering about how many copies you susally stock of newer releases. I have read in previous posts that you obviously do not stock 1 copy of each title for each user, but are we talking like 20 copies of new releases? Thanks

One of the changes we are working on is how we handle 2 disk sets, of which there are more and more. For now, if there is just bonus material on disk 2, you must rent it separately, but we usually make sure it is sent with disk 1 if disk 2 is in your rental queue. If disk 2 is required to finish the film, such as Godfather II, we always send it with disk 1, whether its in your queue or not.

In answer to your other question, for the big hits, we may even have more than that. For really obscure titles, usually only one, but it seems to work in most cases. Occasionally, we don't have even one copy, but if it is in anyone's top 5 selections, extra copies are automatically ordered if we do not own it or if aggregate demand is too high for the number of copies we own.

I hope that helps

Will you be acquiring more Anchor Bay and Image titles? What's your policy on unrated versions? I noticed you only have the "R" Caligula.

Originally posted by ChicoFox Will you be acquiring more Anchor Bay and Image titles? What's your policy on unrated versions? I noticed you only have the "R" Caligula.

Sure. Just send an e-mail to movierequest@hollywebdvd.com with the title you're looking for. If we don't have it, we'll try to find it.

In terms of unrated, we do stock this in many cases, but admit we are trying to limit our number of versions of each movie. I'll look into Caligula.

Turn Around Time for Rural Quebec

I am wondering what the turn-around-time would be for someone in rural Quebec (Cantley which is 26 km north of Ottawa). I tried DVDHype (do not know if it still exits) and was disappointed with the results. For example when I ordered from DVDHype on a Sunday I would not get the movies for the following weekend. The coupon code available on this site makes it attractive to try out HollywebDVD but I am cheap and do not want to waste money on something that has no chance of succeeding.

Any help would be appreciated.

Chris

Cheap or not, you are only paying $12.50 for your first month of rentals. You are going to get 3 DVD's to start, so right there alone, you have saved money over the $15+ you would have dished out at Blockbuster.

I would suggest taking the introductory month and then judge from their how good/bad CanadaPost is at getting the DVD's to your location.

New Deals?

I am in the middle of my first month, but I don't know if I am going to continue with it. I live in Newfouldland, and it takes almost a full week for the movies to get here, and then I watch them, and it will probably take a full week to get back. Assuming that I watch the movies on the day that I get it, I will likely only get six a month, if I am lucky.

I am very interested to see what the new deals are, so if anyone has any idea what they might be, please post. It may save HollywebDVD a customer if I can justify the cost...

Thanks!

Delivery and New Deals

3 new programs are on the way shortly:

1. Canada Post is supposed to provide us with a direct "bin" to Toronto for all eastern Canada mailings. This should happen in the next couple of weeks. They say it will knock a day or so off mail time. This would allow our Newfoundland customers 4 day delivery time -- if it takes 5 days now. At 4 days, we think the service is good. To be frank, we think it works at 5 DVD's per month -- as this is approximately the same cost as renting 4 plus the inevitable late charge. However, most of our clients are able to turn over more than 5.

2. New "Classic" Membership plan. Details are just being finalized, but suffice to say: No monthly fee, no late fees, no due dates. This will be the plan for those who do not watch enough DVD's for the Unlimited plan or for those concerned about delivery times.

3. Video games on the big 3 consoles.

We are also considering annual or semi-annual prepayment discounts, but this has not been finalized either.

I hope that helps. (BTW, we ship movies the day you get the e-mail saying they were mailed -- there is no delay at our end)

Purchase section

Oh, forgot one more development

Our programmers are also going to finish our purchase module -- allowing sales of DVD's. This will allow not only sales, but "Try before you buy." That is, there will be a button beside your "Shipped Titles" in Shipping Status. You will click this button to keep the rental disk you have. We will mail the case and another rental.

This will be operational in February as well. Judging from the amount of e-mail we get regarding purchases, we think this willb e popular!

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: my view...

Originally posted by Steve While we are definitely not the "guaranteed rental program" for your #1 pick, we are trying. We do not stock 1 disk for everyone that has requested it -- the basis of our business is that we need to circulate disks. Our demand calculation forces us to purchase enough to "hit" all the customers who have a movie in their top 3 position within 45 days. However, a client can still get unlucky if it goes to somebody else! We are building a more complex model that will hopefully increase everyone's "happiness"

i was wondering how the new plan is going...
my top three movies aren't what i would consider high demand ones... yet they seem to have been hanging out as my top three for quite some time.

for the past month i've been shipped #4 (pretty good), #6, #8, #10, #13, & #17
now these are all movies i wanted to see anyway, so i'm not really complaining... i'm just wondering how long it'll take to see my top three.. and if you only monitor the top 3 then if i've had a movie sitting at #5 for 80 days (hypothetically) it doesn't get counted as being waited for until it's hit the top three ? ...
so bascially i was wondering if you've built the "more complex model" yet

New Programs

Those definitely sound like good programs, especially the one that allows you the option of buying the DVD (as well as the one that cuts down on the time it takes to get the movies to me).

I'm glad that you haven't fallen into the trap of offering something and then being unresponsive to the needs of customers. Keep up the good work!

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: my view...

Originally posted by kmacp for the past month i've been shipped #4 (pretty good), #6, #8, #10, #13, & #17

I would like to look into that. It is too long. Please e-mail me your name to steve@hollywebdvd.com.

i just wanted to say that steve's done an excellent job looking into any problems i've had over the last little bit...

kim

Update from Steve

I thought I would finally confirm 2 long-awaited changes that we have made:

1. DVD Purchases: You may now purchase new and PV DVD's from Hollyweb, including several weekly Super-Specials on both New Releases and PV's.

2. The new Classic Membership plan is operational, allowing you to rent in a more traditional fashion, but with a couple cool modifications: No due dates, no late fees, and the opportunity to buy the rental movies in your possession - at a PV discount.

You can still get half price on our Unlimited Rental membership by entering coupon: JUJULOVESDVD

Steve,
First of all, thanks for all of your help with my account.

Second thing is a question. What I was wondering was if there was a page on Hollyweb that just listed the PV DVDs? I see them scrolling at the top of the page (or they used to anyway, none scroll for me now), and I know that if you actaully click to buy, it will tell you if it is available PV, but is there a way to see all that are available PV together?

Originally posted by movieking Steve, First of all, thanks for all of your help with my account. Second thing is a question. What I was wondering was if there was a page on Hollyweb that just listed the PV DVDs? I see them scrolling at the top of the page (or they used to anyway, none scroll for me now), and I know that if you actaully click to buy, it will tell you if it is available PV, but is there a way to see all that are available PV together?

That will be up sometime today. It will be a menu button once you're logged in and will list all of our New and PV Specials, plus all other PV's that are discounted.

We're working to get all the functionality working very shortly, but if you have some more suggestions, that would be

If you purchase the PV DVD's... like the "i'm keeping it" option... it's just the DVD then, no case?
and how do we know how much it's going to cost... when i went there were just the two options "Rent" & "Buy" but no price listed.

Thanks,
kim

Originally posted by kmacp If you purchase the PV DVD's... like the "i'm keeping it" option... it's just the DVD then, no case? and how do we know how much it's going to cost... when i went there were just the two options "Rent" & "Buy" but no price listed. Thanks, kim

Kim:

Just click Buy and it will show you the pricing and options with respect to the DVD case. You can choose to not have it shipped or have it shipped by a variety of methods -- most likely just ground.

okay, thanks steve... i was a little worried to click on buy in case it just went ahead and bought it

I see that the new section is up for DVD sales for new, discounted and PV. I have to say, the prices are obscene!

I noticed that some of the DVDs are done by Disk One and Disk Two, in the cases for 2 DVD sets. Like this:


Moulin Rouge - DISK 1 C$ 28.99
Moulin Rouge - DISK 2 C$ 35.99

So does that mean that to get the full set, you need to pay $65? Or buy buying DISK 2, do you also get DISK 1? Also, if you only wanted the first DVD, how does the packaging work, since they are typically come in one DVD case that holds 2 DVDs?

Spartacus for $56.99? USED I don't know if you have some kind of pricing formula based on the cost of the DVDs, but I can honestly say that I have seen the overwhelming majority of those PV DVDs cheaper to buy new than on the board.

What's up with the atrocious prices

Originally posted by movieking I see that the new section is up for DVD sales for new, discounted and PV. I have to say, the prices are obscene! I noticed that some of the DVDs are done by Disk One and Disk Two, in the cases for 2 DVD sets. Like this: Moulin Rouge - DISK 1 C$ 28.99 Moulin Rouge - DISK 2 C$ 35.99 So does that mean that to get the full set, you need to pay $65? Or buy buying DISK 2, do you also get DISK 1? Also, if you only wanted the first DVD, how does the packaging work, since they are typically come in one DVD case that holds 2 DVDs? Spartacus for $56.99? USED

This is rather embarassing. We imported a database and it appears to have scrambled a few prices. Spartacus is fixed now and is about $20 bucks. It appears that all of our multi-disk sets were scrambled. Until we do a major fix in the next couple of weeks, each disk of a multi-disk set will show the price of the whole set. (ie- Moulin Rouge is $34.99 for the 2 disk set brand new)

In any case, most of the pricing is correct, so we are leaving them up. The incorrect pricing will be fixed shortly.

In general, our PV pricing is less than new at the major retailers, but is not discounted too much as we are growing our rental base and really don't need to sell them that badly. . .


[EDIT by GFL: fixed the quote]

Negative Option Billing

It seems HollyWebDVD is taking a page from the Rogers Communications School of Business Ethics. Today its customers were notified that they were being automatically "upgraded" to a 3 DVD + 1 Plan at an extra cost of $1/month. The e-mail is quick to point out that if you have a problem with this all you have to do is send them an e-mail. Although the dollar amount is small I have a huge problem with any company deciding what I want especially when it costs me more money. I will decide if the new plan is worthwhile, not some corporate head!

When will companies learn that NEGATIVE OPTION BILLING IS WRONG!!

Disgruntled HollyWEB DVD Customer

I just noticed this as well, and totally disagree wtih it. Negative Billing is just plain wrong. To make the customer take action to avoid being upgraded to a different amount is just wrong, regardless of how good the deal is (I do think it is a good deal). However, the way that Hollyweb doing it is wrong, and really steams me. I don't know for sure, but isn't negative billing illegal in some places in Canada?

Steve, why has this been done? Why not just offer the new plan for an extra buck, and let those interested sign up, and those not interested, not do anything, and remain on the old package?

I have to agree with the guys above. If the original rental agreement was a simple contract, taking more than the amount agreed upon shouldn't be allowed.

No one likes negative option billing accept the company implimenting it.

hi,
just wondering if anyone in the Maritimes is using this? I think it looks good but I would like some comments from people in my area who have used it. I only want to join because it looks like the price works out to be much cheaper. The movie store is just down the road so I don't mind walking there. So if the mail time is to long well......it might not be worth it for me to sign up.

Any info would be a help, thanks a lot

Negative Option Billing Illegal in Alberta

A quick search using Google (negative option billing canada) turned up this article: http://www.canoe.ca/CNEWSMediaNews0...readers-cp.html

Basically Readers Digest was fined $11000 in an Alberta Court for using negative option billing (January 2002). According to the article NEGATIVE OPTION BILLING became illegal in Alberta in September 1999. The only other province with a similar law is BC. Lucky for us HollyWebDVD is located in Alberta but you would think a law would not be necessary after all the bad press the cable companies received.

I am forwarding the e-mail I received from HollyWebDVD to Alberta's Government Services. Let the professionals deal with the company. The person for others to contact is Mr. David Coutts, Minister of Government Services. 203 Legislature Building, 10800-97 Avenue, Edmonton AB T5K 2B6 415-4815. You can also use this link for an online complaint form. http://www.gov.ab.ca/home/contact_information/

Just address it to the proper Minister and add in the e-mail from HollyWebDVD.

Why not waite and see what Steve has to say.

Originally posted by Chuck Why not waite and see what Steve has to say.

Wow! We thought it was a no-brainer! I guess that was incorrect. We actually launched this to a group of clients in the US earlier and it was roundly accepted as a bonus. Believe me when I say: $1.00 for the extra disk is not profitable for us. We wanted to make a permanent compensation for the occasional Canada Post delay.

Furthermore, if there is a client who did not wish to have this change, we put an e-mail link right on the notification e-mail that went out. It would take approximately 10 seconds to send the e-mail back saying "No thanks." To date, we have 1 "No Thanks," which I sure is one of the above posters.

I understand the concern about negative billing and agree with it. This was intended to be a bonus that everyone would love. I can say very definitively that it has been received as such, with the above exceptions.

In any case, if somebody doesn't like it, they can change it back online or by e-mailing us. We will thank you for it as it is not a profitable change for us.

For those few dissatisfied by this change, I apologize for the inconvenience. For the rest, enjoy the extra DVD's.

Originally posted by Steve Believe me when I say: $1.00 for the extra disk is not profitable for us. We wanted to make a permanent compensation for the occasional Canada Post delay.

hey,
the one thing that caught my eye though was "limited time offer"... does this mean that it's going to raise to more than a dollar extra a month?

thanks,
kim

Originally posted by kmacp hey, the one thing that caught my eye though was "limited time offer"... does this mean that it's going to raise to more than a dollar extra a month? thanks, kim

Nope. We're just reserving the right to change it for new clients in the future. (ie- New clients in the future may only have access to the Original 3 Disk plan) This 3+1 is intended to be long term. As I said, despite our best efforts with Canada Post, there is still the occasional DVD that is delayed for a week or 2. (Although they are not bad overall) This extra disk is intended to compensate for this.

Steve, it actually is a no-brainer for most people. But the principle of the matter will no doubt irk some -- this thought came to mind when I read the email. Hope the backlash isn't too great.

Personally I think it's an even better deal now.

Originally posted by GoldfishLegs Steve, it actually is a no-brainer for most people. But the principle of the matter will no doubt irk some -- this thought came to mind when I read the email. Hope the backlash isn't too great. Personally I think it's an even better deal now.

Agreed. We made an assumption, but perhaps should have made it a manual opt-in that clients would have to do themselves. Perhaps we out-thought ourselves. . .

It does not matter how easy it is to contact HollyWebDVD and cancel this "bonus offer". The fact of the matter is that this is an example of negative option billing and it is illegal in Alberta. The cable companies used the same arguement that all you had to do was make a simple phone call. The example that only one person has returned an email saying "no thank you" shows exactly why companies resort to negative option billing. Case after case study shows that negative option billing is a profitable tactic for companies to use.

Hopefully people on this site do not take this too personally but while HollyWebDVD has been a terrific company to deal with in the past, negative option billing is not a good thing and it should be stamped out whenever it rears its' ugly head.

It is a good deal, however you do have to leave the decision to the customer (especially in this case if adding the extra DVD results in less revenue per client for you -- you are better off not having people "opt in").

Agreed. I don't think that anyone is saying that it is not a good deal. We just seem to think that it is not right to charge people extra money that they have not agreed to, because you and others may deem it to be in their favor. Ultimately, it is up to them, since they are the one paying.

Considering the possible legal issues surrounding this matter -- recinding the offer in its present form (with an apology) would be the best option. In the next email, have a simple "click here" to Opt-in would be the right solution.

Time to save face before it becomes a bigger problem than just a few annoyed people in this forum.

How long does it take for the mail to get to Nova Scotia? ( I relize we're working with Canada Post but I'm just looking for an estimit)
Also, if I'm just signing up now can I get the 4 movies for $26/month.
Thanks for the info

Looks like a deal to me

Belle,
I am in Newfoundland, and it really varies (as Steve has said). I have gotten movies in as quick as three working days, but others have taken 14 working days. I would say that a good estimate based on my experience is 5 or 6 working days to NF. The fourth DVD for an extra buck is a great deal but the way it was done probably wasn't the best way to go about it

I don't think that there needs to be any complaints or lawsuits or anything like that. I think that Hollyweb and Steve were legitimately trying to give their customers a good deal. Hopefully, they won't get soured by the negative feedback (which I also chimed in with), and stop trying to give customers deals

Originally posted by Belle How long does it take for the mail to get to Nova Scotia? ( I relize we're working with Canada Post but I'm just looking for an estimit) Also, if I'm just signing up now can I get the 4 movies for $26/month. Thanks for the info Looks like a deal to me

Belle, here in Montreal, I average 9 discs a month (I'd extrapolate 12 with the new deal).

Figure a couple less for you since your farther from AB.

Try it out with the half-price code ( JUJULOVESDVD ) so you don't lose out all that much if the mail takes too long.

Hopefully people on this site do not take this too personally but while HollyWebDVD has been a terrific company to deal with in the past, negative option billing is not a good thing and it should be stamped out whenever it rears its' ugly head.

I can say for certain that we will not be implementing anything in this manner again; however, reversing it would be extremely difficult as we have sent out a whole bunch of DVD's and. . .frankly, 99% of our clients would be unhappy and inconvenienced if we did.

We made the change based on our right to change the terms and conditions of our offering. Negative billing did not come to mind - doing our clients a favor was all we intended. No offence taken - the reverse billing is an excellent point.



[EDIT by GFL: fixed quote ]

Thanks for the information guys!

Now what's this about games....


hehe

Now what's this about games.... hehe

They are on the way. We intend to offer a games rental plan for XBox, Gamecube and PS2 that will be unique and an exceptional value.

But first we'll try to recover and catch our breath from the two major changes we just did. . .

Originally posted by Belle How long does it take for the mail to get to Nova Scotia? ( I relize we're working with Canada Post but I'm just looking for an estimit) Also, if I'm just signing up now can I get the 4 movies for $26/month. Thanks for the info Looks like a deal to me

Hiya Belle,

I'm in NS as well, and have been on a 4/month plan for awhile now. I love it!! It takes usually 4 days in the mail each way, sometimes 5. This gives me 2 DVDs every weekend. I usually get them on wednesday or thursday, watch them over the weekend, and stick them in the mail on Monday morning. Steve usually receives them on Friday and sends out my next 2. By this time I have already received my next 2, and thus the cycle continues.

My only complaint with the service, as I'm sure everyone else has this one, is that it sometimes takes quite awhile for my top 5 to get sent out. I fully understand that this is a supply/demand thing, and it is not possible to have enough copies of a particular DVD to fulfill everyone's order. Unfortunately my #1 pick since I signed up is Glass House, and I have yet to get it since January.

That being said, for the last month all of my choices have come out of my top 10, including many new releases during their release week. For some reason tho, this week I have been sent a DVD that was at # 20 or so I think. Weird, but hey, its on my list, so I guess I want to see it.

-SS

Originally posted by SecretSauce Hiya Belle, I'm in NS as well, and have been on a 4/month plan for awhile now. I love it!! Unfortunately my #1 pick since I signed up is Glass House, and I have yet to get it since January. That being said, for the last month all of my choices have come out of my top 10, including many new releases during their release week. For some reason tho, this week I have been sent a DVD that was at # 20 or so I think. Weird, but hey, its on my list, so I guess I want to see it. -SS

Normally, nothing lower than 15 will be sent, unless it is triggered manually by a shipper. This happens rarely, when we can not fill somebody and do not expect a backorder in by the following day.

Ahh, the infamous Glass House. . .it has been on backorder for quite some time. So everyone is aware, anything in your top 5 where total demand is too high for the number of copies we own is ordered automatically - so you will get it at some point. Until then, we'll ship you a couple from below that. As well, we'll buy it even if you're the only one who wants it.

Originally posted by Steve Normally, nothing lower than 15 will be sent, unless it is triggered manually by a shipper. This happens rarely, when we can not fill somebody and do not expect a backorder in by the following day. Ahh, the infamous Glass House. . .it has been on backorder for quite some time. So everyone is aware, anything in your top 5 where total demand is too high for the number of copies we own is ordered automatically - so you will get it at some point. Until then, we'll ship you a couple from below that. As well, we'll buy it even if you're the only one who wants it.

Hiya Steve,

I hope you don't think that this was a big complaint. I am completely satisfied with the service and am trying to convince friends to join. I have had great luck in the last 6 weeks with choices that are being sent to me, including many new releases during the release week.

I fully do not expect to always get my top choice, just the same as if I went to a video store locally and wanted to rent something.

I was only surprised that I was sent something from so far down on my list, as there are many older titles above it.

Once again to the entire world!!! Hollyweb is great!!! the 4/month plan is ideal for us maritimers!!!!

Join Now!!!!

-SS

Originally posted by SecretSauce Hiya Steve, I hope you don't think that this was a big complaint. I am completely satisfied with the service and am trying to convince friends to join.

No worries! We value the feedback anyway. We have made many changes to our site and backend software based on comments from this forum. It is definitely the best DVD discussion group that I have seen

Keep it up -- both members and Juju!

This could be interesting for the online rental places

Blockbuster to Test Subscriptions
Thursday April 25 4:28 PM ET

DALLAS (AP) Blockbuster Inc. officials say they believe that more people would rent movies if
they didn't have to return the tapes and DVDs a couple days later.

The chain plans to test that theory this summer by letting some customers pay a subscription
fee and keep a handful of movies as long as they want without paying late fees.

The Dallas-based entertainment giant has profited by devoting more shelf space in its stores to
DVDs. Now it wants to head off competition from pay-per-view on cable and mail-order rentals
from companies such as Netflix Inc. that offer more convenience.

Under an approach to be tested in one city
this summer, customers would pay a
monthly fee ranging from $19.99 to $29.99
to cover unlimited rentals for that month.
For the smaller fee, they could get two
movies at a time, for the larger fee they
could rent three or four titles together.

Blockbuster also will test a variant in
which customers would pay a yearly fee of
perhaps $49.99 to $59.99 and get to keep
up to three movies as long as they want.
They would still pay a rental fee, typically
$3.99, when they check out each movie.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by zoro69
This could be interesting for the online rental places

Blockbuster to Test Subscriptions



Always go with the underdog. . .

This is great because I just love those edited for BlockBuster rentals

I just signed up for this unlimited rental plan yesterday (May 27th), and have filled up my queue to over 15 DVDs.

Can anyone tell me typically how long it takes for the first shipment of DVDs to go out.

Also, I just checked my anniversary date, and noticed it was listed as the 27th. The FAQ on this thread says that the anniversary date is when the first shipment of DVDs is shipped. Has this changed?

Originally posted by Unregistered I just signed up for this unlimited rental plan yesterday (May 27th), and have filled up my queue to over 15 DVDs. Can anyone tell me typically how long it takes for the first shipment of DVDs to go out. Also, I just checked my anniversary date, and noticed it was listed as the 27th. The FAQ on this thread says that the anniversary date is when the first shipment of DVDs is shipped. Has this changed?

Welcome! I thought I might as well step in here. The billing anniversary is actually the day you are billed, which was today. We will change the display on the site, which is actually showing your signup date. This is confusing, obviously.

I think I know which customer you are as there was only one that signed up yesterday, but was not activated until today. If so, your 1,2,4 and 5th picks were sent earlier today.

Hope you enjoy the service!

did everyone else just get a mailer for A Beautiful Mind from Hollyweb?

"Order for a limited time for only $28.99 (New) or $29.99 (Previously Viewed)"

why's the new price less than the PV?

"Order for a limited time for only $28.99 (New) or $29.99 (Previously Viewed)"

why's the new price less than the PV?



That, of course, is an excellent question. This was an automated e-mail that we just built and, obviously, our software guys did some funny math.

It was built to pick the best pricing for New and PV, but since this is brand new and we have it at a low new price. The mail should not have displayed the PV price.

Oh well. . .it makes the New price look even better.

Anyway, our customers are sharp. We had a bunch of e-mail within minutes. .

Have a great weekend!

Hi Steve and everyone,
I received, watched and returned 3 DVDs last week. I received 3 DVDs in the mail this morning that were returned to me due to insufficient postage. This is a real drag. It means that I will have lost some valuable rental time with these three DVDs travelling back and forth in the mailstream. The three DVDs have been post marked and contain a postal sticker indicating incorrect postage. I placed all three DVDs in a mailer and sent them back to you with postage out of my own pocket. What is Hollyweb's policy in a situation like this? If the post office returned one DVD, it probably wouldn't have been any big deal, but three DVDs peeved me more than just a little. Has this happened to anyone else? Thanks...I appreciate any information you can provide.

Yes , this happened to me. As long as you let Steve know, he will deal with it. When I had my problem, he wanted my postal outlets phone number as he was going to deal with them directly. He also adjusted my account to make up for the lost time.

I get the full range of emotions when I hear about this. We have very rare instances of this still and we have not finalized a solution with Canada Post. Hopefully, there are no Canada Post employees here. . .but they take about 4 weeks just to find the time to call us back. However, when they do, they insist they are making progress and a solution is imminent.

Anyway, please e-mail me directly at steve@hollywebdvd.com and I will take care of it for you.

In the meantime, a reminder to any other clients here: Notwithstanding what the envelope says, please put only 1 DVD per return envelope.

Does Hollywebdvd have a "Request a disc" feature?

and if so is it a pretty good shot that'll it be ordered (if it is still in print).

After all the St:TNG discs and now The Jeffersons and Sanford and Son I finally think that there is enough on my want list to make the quere work.

Thanks 4 any info.

They do: movierequest@hollywebdvd.com

I've never used it though so I don't know what their criteria is -- I assume they'd wait for a few requests before ordering a disc.

Steve will probably answer in this thread soon...

Originally posted by GoldfishLegs They do: movierequest@hollywebdvd.com I've never used it though so I don't know what their criteria is -- I assume they'd wait for a few requests before ordering a disc. Steve will probably answer in this thread soon...

kewl that they do. Hopefully Steve will have more info. I wonder what they're research dept uses as to what discs would be of interest.

The site lists The Jeffersons but does not list Sanford and Son. Both are released by a major studio (Columbia) and have been sold tag teamed - both released on the same day, "Buy both at Amazon for $X", etc. so hopefully Sanford just never came up. .

I'm really just interested in artsy releases that the local Blockbuster/Jumbo would carry or that Ebert reviewed and a few Criterion/Image discs (still in print) not really wacky obscure discs or R2's or something.

Originally posted by GoldfishLegs Steve will probably answer in this thread soon...

***cough***

Originally posted by NakedGord ***cough***

I love it! More words would have been less descriptive!

Our movierequest@hollywebdvd.com is monitored, but on a "batch" basis. We wait for a few and then submit them to our suppliers for backordering. If they are available, we order them immediately. If not, they are added to our "search" list, which is circulated periodically among our suppliers. Unfortunately, movies are often discontinued or placed in moratorium by studios without notice. As well, some are available in the US, but not by the Canadian studio distributers.

We appreciate your suggestions and attempt to add and order any that are available.

Have a great weekend!

Steve, *dude*,

I just got another e-mail that advertised a DVD as $25.99 new and $26.99 PV. That's the *third* time this mistake has occurred. I've considered signing up but if you can make this mistake, how do I know there won't be a wrong charge on my CC bill?

You have to watch for these things and then TAKE CARE OF THEM. It's just good customer service.

Phil

Originally posted by Philsy Steve, *dude*, I just got another e-mail that advertised a DVD as $25.99 new and $26.99 PV. Phil

I have personally kicked the !@$ of the offending software dude. It is simply a click of the mouse to turn off the PV price, but he missed it. It is unacceptable.

It really does make HollywebDVD look pretty bad in my opinion. Like it was already said, if you can't control a regular recurring problem that you already know about, I would not have much confidence in dealing with the company for any other problem. Here's hoping that it doesn't turn any more of your customers off...

Hey, any updates on this? How's their service?

I used this Hollyweb DVD when it was first posted and found that the turn around time for DVD's was to slow.

I think they are located in the west and I am in Ontario, and that may have contributed to the slow down. The other thing I didn't like was that all the 2 disc DVD's were sent out seperately, (counted as two seperate rentals).

I have since tried Movies for Me and have been very happy with their service (they are located in Ontario)

I used HollywebDVD when they first came out too and found them to be a bit slow...also when I emailed on customer service it took a while to get a reply...can't comment on their service now, as it was about a year ago.

I use dvdflix.ca now and they are AWESOME! Turnaround time is about 2-3 days. For example, I get on Monday, return Wednesday morning and have another one on Friday. Not too shabby! I've noticed that holidays are slower (obviously), but still pretty quick. I sent some DVD's out Wednesday on the week of the holiday and had ones back by the following Tuesday.

It is also 3 out for $19.99 a month, which I have found is the most inexpensive deal out there. They also give you a free two week trial...total cost was $21 and change per month...

Website is http://www.dvdflix.ca

I used to be with HollyWeb DVD and was pretty unimpressed. Very slow and their selection wasn't great (at least for my tastes). I'm now with Zip.ca and I'm really happy with them.



Phil

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