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Topic: DVD vendor games

Greg Mueller
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1687
From: Port Gamble, WA
Registered: Jun 99

posted 11-30-2005 11:37 AM

I have always bought DVDs from Deep Discount DVD as they offer free shipping, no taxes and usually the best price. It used to take 5 days or so to get a DVD from them and they used to let you know whether the item was in stock or not, in the item description, so you knew before you ordered.
Something has changed there. Now it takes twice as long (or more) to get the DVD and they don't tell you if it's back ordered or not until a couple of days after you have ordered. I find that very irritating.
Other vendors seem to be playing this game too. I ordered a couple of items from "Movies With a Smile" and a few days later got a note saying they were back ordered and did I want to cancel?
It's not like it's life or death to get the DVD, but I just find this type of business practice somewhat dishonest.
Anyone else running into this type of thing?

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Wayne Keyser
Master Film Handler

Posts: 272
From: Arlington, Virginia, USA
Registered: May 2004

posted 11-30-2005 09:46 PM

I haven't actually visited their place of business, but I'm willing to bet this problem comes from "farther up the chain."

I do business with deepdiscountdvd too, and have been very satisfied. But I don't believe anybody but Amazon actually stocks (at all, even 1 copy) every title they offer - service from the big distribs (or should I say "distrib") has, I believe, been pretty good for fulfilling retailers' daily orders on a basis of "nobody's gonna know, mostly, if it takes us a day or 1 1/2 days to get the item and then send it out" basis.

I suspect that for some reason (like maybe the final death of VHS) the gift-shopping season has put a crunch on previously adequate "just in time" resupplys.

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David Stambaugh
Film God

Posts: 4021
From: Eugene, Oregon
Registered: Jan 2002

posted 11-30-2005 10:59 PM

I've purchased from DeepDiscountDVD several times. I always use the free shipping and it takes almost 10 days for the item to arrive. Never any problems other than the slow delivery and that was by my choice so I don't blame them.

I read somewhere that DDDVD does business under several other different Internet storefront names.

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Anslem Rayburn
Master Film Handler

Posts: 476
From: Yuma, AZ, USA
Registered: May 2002

posted 12-01-2005 01:27 AM

Is there a reason that you guys use Deep Discount DVD? I looked at their site (briefly) and didn't see anything great about their prices. Do they stock some hard to find items, or is there something I'm missing?

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Mitchell Dvoskin
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1869
From: West Milford, NJ, USA
Registered: Jan 2001

posted 12-01-2005 08:27 AM

None of the big on-line retailers, including Amazon, stocks the DVD/CD's they sell. They all use drop ship wholesalers who pack and ship the product directly to the customer for them. Some of these wholesalers are better than other when it comes to keeping track of their stock in real time.

The thing about deepdiscountdvd is that they offer no tax and free shipping, with no minimum order.

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Greg Mueller
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1687
From: Port Gamble, WA
Registered: Jun 99

posted 12-01-2005 08:29 AM

I have always found DDD to be the cheapest. The free shipping, no sales tax combination has put them below anyone else's bottom line. If there is someone else with a better deal, I'm all ears.

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Anslem Rayburn
Master Film Handler

Posts: 476
From: Yuma, AZ, USA
Registered: May 2002

posted 12-01-2005 10:53 AM

I guess I was just comparing the website to real stores. Wal Mart, Target, etc. all are cheaper than DeepDiscountDVD, even after you add sales tax. I usually either buy something when it first comes out (and is on sale) or wait 7 or 8 months when it usually hits the clearance racks at the big box store.

Either that, or I go through Columbia House. I get the introductory offer (usually 5 or 6 DVDs for 49 cents each) then buy the 3 at $20. Thats 8 DVDs for about $75. Then I don't buy anything from them for 6 months or so. They normally send me a "Please come back" package that offers the same deal as when you sign up, and I do it all over again.

I will say that I browsed some other on-line retailers, and DDD was easily the cheapest.

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Mike Heenan
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1896
From: Scottsdale, AZ, USA
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 12-02-2005 05:37 PM

DDD rules. Another good site is Digital Eyes, they're cheap as well. I once thought Columbia House was a good deal as well, but when you add in their exorbitant shipping (maybe they've changed this I dont know), none of the dvd's seem like bargains anymore.

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Greg Mueller
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1687
From: Port Gamble, WA
Registered: Jun 99

posted 12-18-2005 10:41 AM

Movies with a Smile [thumbsdown]

If you're cruising the net looking for good prices this place usually comes up as one of the cheapest. I ordered two boxsets on Nov 20th. 2 days after I placed the order I got an email saying they were out of stock. They finally shipped one of the boxsets on Dec 1. The other is still on "back order" (on Dec 18) I have noticed they have raised the price since I ordered. When I inquire as to the status they always ask if I want to cancel the order. They provide no contact phone #. I notice now that they no longer say if the item is in stock or not (they used to) before you order. I wrote and asked for a phone # and they responded saying they didn't have one.
It's been a month and I think I'm being sand bagged. Good prices are great, but not if you never get the stuff

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James R. Hammonds, Jr
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 931
From: Houston, TX, USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 12-19-2005 02:37 PM

They didn't charge you for the unshipped item yet did they?
Hopefully you at least have that working for you.

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Greg Mueller
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1687
From: Port Gamble, WA
Registered: Jun 99

posted 12-20-2005 12:52 PM

I used a credit card, whos billing closing date was the day I placed the order, so I have to wait for the next bill (issued today)to see what's going on.
I wrote and cancelled the order today as it has been a month and I found the same item at Overstock.com for a couple bucks more.
They (MwaS) kept telling me it was a supply problem, but I looked over at ADV and they have it in stock and they supply Movies with a Smile, so I think they just didn't want to honor the price I ordered it at. Their tactics worked, but I'll never order from them again

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