Do any of the special deals on DVDs work?

[Guest Downhome]

Have any of you guys ever tried this? If so, which ones actually work and which ones are actually worth getting into?

 

Sincerely,

...Downhome...

[Guest Bruiser Chong]

Are you talking about something like Columbia House? If you are, I hear that's actually pretty good and if you do it online, there are codes and the like that can be used every now and then to get even better deals.

[Guest razazteca]

But the shipping cost can add up on those membership buying clubs.

[Guest Eagan469]

http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/printthread.p...threadid=107726

[The Dames 0]

I did Columbia House....

 

Let me just explain to you how it works really quick. You choose from their catalog of DVD's, which is pretty big, 3 movies that you get FOR FREE. All you have to do is pay shipping. By doing so, you're required to buy 4 movies at regular price, which is VERY overpriced.

 

 

If you get a 4th DVD with your initial shipment for 14.99, then you only have to buy 3 movies at regular price for the duration of your membership, which is 3 years.

 

Naturally, I chose 4 of the most expensive DVD's in the catalog, which would cost about $100+ if I purchased them in a store. I'm talking Men In Black: Limited Edition, Seven Platinum Edition, Mallrats, etc. Movies that are overpriced to begin with. So, I paid about 20 or so total. Shipping plus the extra fee for the 4th movie. Saving about 80 bucks.

 

Now, here's where things get kinda weird.

 

Every 3 weeks, they send you a catalog with a "Directors Selection". CH gets their inventory VERY late, so if Spiderman came out on DVD in January, they'd get it in April. Now, as someone who purchases movies when they're released, this does nothing for me.

 

With every packet, there is a special of some sort. "Buy 2, get 1 at 14.99" or "Buy 3, get unlimited at 14.99" or something like that." Sounds ok, but the movies are so overpriced that you're not saving shit.

 

Here's the catch...and the one that pisses me off the most.

 

With each packet, if you don't return the slip letting them know that you do NOT want the Director's Selection (or let them know online), then they will send it to you. Now, it sounds easy, right? Well, sometimes you forget and then there's a DVD in your mailbox. Keep in mind that most of the time, what they sent you is something that you already have.

 

So, how much does one of these Directors Selections cost you? Well, they sent me Oceans Eleven. Granted, I didn't have it, but I didn't want to pay for it, Columbia House style. With shipping and their overpricedness....30 beans.

 

FUCK THAT.

 

Keep in mind, you have to purchase 3 movies at regular price.

 

I told my mom to send it back, but she forgot. I didn't know...she put it away. Eventually, 30 days passed by and I CANT send it back, so I'm stuck paying 30 for this piece of shit. Not saying it wasn't good....but not 30 beans good.

 

So, since I didn't send it back...and I didn't pay for it. They canceled my contract and expect full payment of the entire contract. 3 movies worth or about 90 bucks. I still get to choose 2 other movies and I'm going to make sure they're expensive as fuck.

 

Bottom Line....Columbia House. Seems like a good idea.

 

Don't do it.

 

Dames

[Guest RedJed]

A good way to avoid that Directors Selection mess is to sign yourself up with an online CH account. They usually will send you a email letting you know if a Directors Selection is released, and you just quickly go to the site and decline it. I used to get in that trap of having them sent to me, and I would always just throw a return to sender on them real quick.....lol occasionally I would even open the package strategically to see what DVD is in there......and 9 out of 10 times I didn't want to keep it so I would glue the package back up and return it to them. If you continuously keep sending DVDs back to them though they get pissed, but there is really nothing they can do about it.

[The Dames 0]

Hey, I WAS doing it online, but I just got forgetful. Oh well.

 

Dames

[Guest NoCalMike]

Here is how to do it.(I learned this in Business Law class). Get someone under 18 to sign up. Get your free movies. When the bill comes in for the required buying call up Columbia House and chew them out for allowing a minor to sign up. tell them that because this person is under age, the contract is not valid and it is the companies bad for accepting a contract with a minor. You will owe NOTHING, and they may ask you to send the movies back, but they aren't going to come after you. Works EVERYTIME.

[Guest Lethargic]

I think it may have been a while since Dames was in Columbia House as most of what he said has been changed. I've joined and quit three times in the past few months. With the codes and deals and everything I got about 30 DVDs and it averaged out to right at 7 dollars a piece for each of them. And that's including DVDs that go for 30 dollars or more at the store. With CH I got those DVDs for around $210 total. In a store I would've easily paid 500 or 600 for those. After you use that good code from the site listed above and you get your free DVDs, plus buy 1 at 10 and 1 at 15, you only have to buy ONE more DVD in the next 2 years or whatever it is. And if you wait for the right time you can get a buy one and get 2 at half off deal and things like that. They also have a new bargain bin section on the site with DVDs as low as 6 dollars. Shitty ones, but cheap ones. Once you buy something in one of those deals, you've fulfilled your membership so you can quit and rejoin, getting more free ones.

 

First of all, like I said above, you don't have to buy 4 DVDs at full price anymore. The enrollment offer has been changed. It's now 5 DVDs for 50 cents each. After you that you have to buy 3 at regular price (19.95) in the next 2 years. BUT, you can order your first selection right off the bat for only 14.95 and your second one for only 9.95. After that you are only commited to buying ONE 19.95 DVD in the next 2 years which isn't that big of a deal. Plus there are codes on that site that give you this same deal but without shipping. So you get 7 DVDs right off the bat for under 30 dollars.

 

The club isn't so overpriced as it was a year ago. Prices now are much more affordable. Movies that used to cost 23-25 dollars are now under 20. Even pre-releases. Prices are a lot more similar to what they are in real stores now.

 

They don't send out that mailing every 3 weeks anymore. I've only gotten ONE mailing from them in the past few months and you don't have to reply to the card anymore. The club has shifted to almost being completely online. You can do all your ordering and everything online. To decline the director's selection DVD, all you have to do is click no. No more sending in cards or none of that shit.

 

There is no wait anymore for new releases. As soon as they're released, CH has them. I pre-ordered Road to Perdition from them. I ordered it on the Monday before the Tuesday it was released, I received it on that Thursday. That's only a 2 day wait.

 

Bottom line, the club is different today, a lot. It's a lot different even from just a year ago. It used to be an inconvenient, overpriced hell hole. Today it's the easiest and cheapest way there is to beef up your DVD collection. I just completed ANOTHER fulfillment and if I had anymore money, I'd do it again.

[The Dames 0]

Dammit....why couldn't they do this before!

 

Dames

[The Dames 0]

Straight from Columbia House:

 

You get 5 DVDs for 49¢ each plus shipping and processing.

As a Club member, all you need to do is buy 4 more movies in the next 2 years at regular Club prices (currently as low as $19.95 plus shipping and processing). You may cancel anytime thereafter.

 

ADVANCE BONUS OFFER!

 

Take a 6th movie now for $14.95 (plus shipping and processing)and have to buy only 3 more movies (instead of 4) in the next 2 years. Plus, You can even take a 7th movie for the special price of $9.95 plus shipping and processing.

 

Membership means you're eligible for private Club offerings and special sales!

 

You will receive a free DVD Club magazine about every 4 weeks, as well as some Special Selection mailings. That will give you up to 17 buying opportunites per year! If you want the Director's Selection, do nothing ---it will be sent automatically. If you prefer an alternate selection, more selections or none at all, just mail the response card or visit our web site by the date specified. You will always have at least 10 days to decide. If not, you may return the Director's Selection at our expense and we will credit your account.

 

Your introductory package is sent on a 10-day trial basis and includes complete details of membership. If you are not completely satisfied, you may return that package at our expense to cancel your membership and we will credit your account.

 

Offer limited to customers of the contiguous United States and may be withdrawn at any time. Residents of Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, U.S. territories, APO and FPO addresses, please write or e-mail us for a separate offer. (Applicable tax added to all orders).

 

All applications are subject to review. Columbia House reserves the right to request additional information, to reject any application or to cancel any membership.

 

 

Doesn't sound much different...

 

Dames

[Guest Downhome]

So much information, thanks guys. Maybe I should just go buy all of the DVDs, lol.