DVD Rental

The Convenience of Online DVD Rental

If you're a movie lover or an internet lover, you've probably heard about the newest way to rent DVDs, from an online DVD rental store. Should you try this out? It depends on how, and how often, you like to rent movies. There are two main factors to consider when deciding whether to rent movies online: cost and convenience.

Cost-wise, online DVD rental might be right for you if you are a heavy DVD renter. If you rent more than three DVDs a month, you can probably justify spending the monthly fee that most online DVD rental companies charge. At the usual $15-20 per month DVD rental rate, if you rent more than three a month, you've saved money over the usual $4-6 it costs on a per-movie basis at your local DVD rental store. If you only rent one or two movies a month, however, sticking with a "bricks and mortar" DVD rental store might be best for you.

If you like the idea of browsing a list of movies online, and having movies delivered right to your door instead of going to a store to see what the selection is, check into an online DVD rental company. It's very convenient. Usually, each DVD you order is shipped in a prepaid return envelope, so it's just a matter of dropping the DVD back in the mail when you're done watching it. Drop-off is only as far away as your mailbox.

If you've decided that online DVD rental is right for you, you now need to decide which company to rent from. When you're narrowing down your choices, there are some tips to keep in mind.

Find out what the company's return policy is. Most online DVD rental providers allow you to keep each movie as long as you like, but only allow you to rent a certain number of DVDs at a time, usually 1 to 5, and you can determine which is right for you. The best companies don't charge late fees, as there is no such thing as keeping a movie too long. As long as you've got a movie on your list and keep returning the ones you've watched whenever you're done with them, you'll keep getting new movies every time you send one back.

Check the company's website to see if they offer the kinds of movies you are looking for. Many specialize in certain genres, and many have more than one copy of recent releases, for example. If the selection listed looks right to you, you've just narrowed down your choice.