The Advantages of Online Movie Rental

Thanks to the Internet, movie rentals have become far more affordable and convenient, while the selection of films has improved. Netflix and Blockbuster, two major competitors in the online rental market, offer similar competing packages that allow users to take out unlimited movies for a single monthly fee. Customers are limited only by how quickly they can watch their films. Regardless of the vendor, there are numerous advantages over traditional store rentals.

Convenience

Instead of driving to a local store and paying to take a movie home for a few days, customers can log onto their website of choice, read a few reviews and have a DVD or Blu-ray disc sent straight to their mailbox. A prepaid return envelope is used to return the disc, and the next film in a user's queue will automatically be sent. Recommendations are given on the home page based upon previous rentals, and trailers are offered on each movie's page. Every aspect of renting movies has been simplified.

Selection

Traditional rental outlets offer walls and walls of popular movies. A new hit might fill an entire shelf, while one scratched copy of a classic floats around the store. These stores are limited by space, and niche movies are frequently shafted. Alternatively, almost anything can be found on Netflix and Blockbuster's online rental services. Instead of a single storefront, discs for online rentals are stored in warehouses with titles ranging from obscure Estonian films to the latest new release. Because warehouses are scattered all over the country, there will almost always be a copy of what you need in stock.

Streaming

One of the newest and most promising advances in online movie rental is video streaming. This feature, offered for free with a monthly subscription to Netflix, allows users to play movies instantly on their computer or TV using an Internet connection. Simply click the "Play" button and the movie starts. With the purchase of a little hardware, such as an Xbox 360 or a device designed specifically for Netflix streaming, the videos will play on a TV with quality indistinguishable from that of a DVD. Movies available for streaming are mostly limited to older releases, but the library has recently seen rapid growth.

Price

While the prices vary between Netflix and Blockbuster, they are both undoubtedly cheaper than traditional rentals. Monthly plans vary depending on how many discs can be checked out at a time. For example, it may be $10 a month for one disc or $20 a month for three. With the one-disc plan, a user can rent unlimited movies over a month, but only one at a time. Because of the time it takes for postage, this will usually get a user seven or eight films a month. Compared to traditional rentals where each movie costs $5 or more, online rentals are a bargain.

Late Fees

Many fees associated with traditional rentals are no longer acknowledged by online vendors. Late fees, for example, are nonexistent. Although you will not be able to exchange your disc for a new one, there are no time limits in which you are required to return a movie. Even other fees, such as those for a damaged disc, are largely ignored. As long as it doesn't happen too frequently, stating that a disc was unsuitable for use will typically result in a replacement being hastily shipped without question.