By Nikki Phipps
Did you know renting movies online has become more popular in recent years? The average cost of seeing a movie in a theater has nearly doubled; therefore, many people have chosen to take the alternative approach—renting movies instead.
Renting movies from the video store is still common; however, it doesn’t offer the same convenience as renting movies online. First, you must drive all the way to the store. And once you get there, you’re faced with the possibility of not finding exactly what you’re looking for. Then, after searching for what seems like hours (and sometimes is), you may find yourself waiting in long check-out lines.
If that weren’t enough, try forgetting your account number or ID. Now you may experience a lengthy interrogation process, or worse, if you haven’t rented anything in a while, you may be expected to take some extra time to re-apply for new membership.
On top of all this, there’s the late fees should you either forget to bring the movies back or the car breaks down, leaving you without transportation and unable to return the movies. Either way, just one or two days can quickly add up.
On the other hand, with online rental companies, there’s no driving. They also offer a wider selection of movies to choose from, quickly and easily. After signing up for their service, you simply log on and browse through the selections, which are usually listed in both genres and sub-genres. Choose your movie and that’s it.
And as a bonus, with every selection, there’s the option of checking current reviews. No more long searches, no more long lines, no more unexpected hassles, and best of all, no more late fees. In fact, most of the leading online movie rental companies such as Netflix and Blockbuster online, have no due date or late fee worries.
You should, however, do your homework, researching these online companies thoroughly. Look out for and be aware of the fine print. There may be some of the smaller online rental companies out there charging up to $1.50 per movie for additional viewing.
Along with the convenience of renting a movie from the comfort of your home is the cost. With various payment options that suit nearly any budget or individual viewing habits, you are pretty much guaranteed to find something meeting your needs. You can rent a single movie at a time or get a monthly plan, which can include up to 3 or 4 movies out at a time. Many of the online rental companies also offer free trial periods with monthly membership fees as low as $15. Even better, with competition booming, lower prices are inevitable. Considering the fact that you may already be spending $20 or more per month on movies or the fact that postage is paid both ways, online movie rentals can be quite a bargain.
For even more convenience, there’s also the option of creating a wish list, or queue, to keep the movies coming. Once a movie is returned, another from the list is sent out as they become available. Email confirmation is sent both ways as well. Of course, as with any business or service, there may be downsides. Unless you’re a new member, some of the new releases may be harder to come by. Most of the availability is dependent on the returns from other members. Also, unlike video stores, you don’t get to view movies right away. Most online movie rentals are delivered within 1-3 business days, and depending on availability, viewing the top movies on your wish list may not happen as soon as you would like. DVDs can also get easily scratched or damaged from continual handling through the mail.
All in all, however, the good far outweighs the bad. Renting a movie online offers something neither a theater nor video store can—convenience at a reasonable price, no long lines and no late fees.
