DVD's by mail to Canada (AKA "Netflix Canada")

[aud19]

Wondering what if anything my fellow Canucks are using for DVD delivery in Canada (as NETFLIX seeme to refuse to do business here :evil: ).

The two most promising services I've been able to locate are the following:

https://www.zip.ca

and

https://www.dvdflix.ca

Zip seems to have a larger selection and more flexible (though not necessarily cheaper) pricing. Both have a two week free trial.

So has any one used either of these or any other service they'd like to recommend?

[Ovation]

I use Zip.ca and I am very happy with them. They carry almost all the HD DVD and BD (though I don't have a BD player yet) titles ever released (it's why I joined up with them initially as my local store only had 10 titles when I got my player while Zip had over 350). Service is good, one problem disc was substituted by giving me an extra rental on top of my package at no charge and with a high priority request for another copy of my original rental. The system is easy to use and the lack of a deadline to return a title is great (for me--with two young kids, I don't always get to watch a film the day it arrives at home).

One caveat--the order of your selections to be delivered is at the mercy of what is most available. If you want to rush a title, they offer that for a surcharge. I've not used that (if I'm in a rush, I'll go the local store). You can move things around on your ziplist (I've done that and received titles I added more recently more quickly that way) but the list is not searchable and it is a bit cumbersome. Overall, though, no complaints and a very happy customer.

ETA: I kind of like the "surprise" nature of the mailings (though I'm probably in the minority for that). I have over 340 films on my list already, so I'll be busy for some time to come.

[aud19]

I'd actually probably like the the "surprise" too I don't really care if I see the latest and greatest as long as I get to watch it sometime

Just found out Rogers offers the EXACT same service through Zip.ca as well...kinda weird but makes me feel a bit more comfortable with it being a "known" company.

https://www.rogersvideodirect.ca

[Ovation]

Ah, well Rogers isn't very active in Quebec (except for phones) so I wasn't aware of their option.

[George Bellefontaine]

I only rent a couple of flicks a week so I just use the local establishments.

[Ovation]

Until I got an HD DVD player, I was content with my local store as well. However, they only got about 12 titles (and don't have them anymore) and their BD selection is quite small. The ability to rent a variety of titles on HDM is what motivated me to join zip.ca. Once I joined, I discovered their huge catalogue of SD films as well and it's been a while since I went to the local store (though I still try to get any new releases I want to see from them to support them--they can't possibly stock 72,000 titles, though, so for more obscure things, zip.ca is it for me).

[aud19]

Well I signed up with Zip's free trial last night, as of this morning Departed was being shipped to me :T

[Ovation]

I signed up on a Monday night (after 9pm) and my first disc arrived the next afternoon. It's not that fast after (though it's usually pretty quick). Usually get a new one about 2-4 days after I note that I've returned one (you can do that on your ziplist). The speed depends largely on which distribution centre sends it (I usually get them from Ottawa, sometimes Toronto--two from Calgary and one from Vancouver).

[aud19]

Departed shipped on Friday, arrived yesterday and will be going back today for another disc. So far so good :T

[Nolan B]

i just joined zip.ca after reading this thread. Look great. Does the site seem slow to anyone else?

[aud19]

It's a bit sluggish at times, yes.

[Ovation]

It was quite a bit slower just a few months ago, believe it or not. Still, the variety of titles (both in HDM and in SD DVD) make it worth the minor foibles. I've got over 380 titles on my list and I keep finding new ones worth watching (of course, it'll take me the better part of a decade at the rate I keep adding to the list).

[aud19]

One thing I haven't been too pleased with so far is "Rex's" recommendations...hopefully as I give it more infor/reviews the suggestions improve. Have you found that it has improved over time Ovation?

[Nolan B]

Since this is my first day with Zip i got a couple questions I cant find the answers to on the FAQ portion of their sight (strange).

1. What does it mean when tittles in your ziplist are greyed out? If I click on one it says "Zipped". Does that mean ready to ship? Because I hae put a couple of tittles i.e. 10,000 BC & The Spiderwick and they right away went greyed out and to "zipped".


2.) if the first three on my list get sent to me does it get the next three ready...and if so will it skip to the next one on my list if one of those three is not available?

[aud19]

1- They're not available yet/haven't been released on DVD yet.

2- I'd assume so but can't say for sure.

[Ovation]

Since this is my first day with Zip i got a couple questions I cant find the answers to on the FAQ portion of their sight (strange).

1. What does it mean when tittles in your ziplist are greyed out? If I click on one it says "Zipped". Does that mean ready to ship? Because I hae put a couple of tittles i.e. 10,000 BC & The Spiderwick and they right away went greyed out and to "zipped".

Not yet available on their site.

2.) if the first three on my list get sent to me does it get the next three ready...and if so will it skip to the next one on my list if one of those three is not available?

Yes--key word being "available".

[Ovation]

One thing I haven't been too pleased with so far is "Rex's" recommendations...hopefully as I give it more infor/reviews the suggestions improve. Have you found that it has improved over time Ovation?

"Rex" is a brand new feature (less than three weeks old) so it still has kinks. You need to rate/review a fair number of titles before it becomes useful (took me a couple of hours of rating titles before it started suggesting things I might be interested in). I don't pay much attention to it, though.

[aud19]

"Rex" is a brand new feature (less than three weeks old) so it still has kinks. You need to rate/review a fair number of titles before it becomes useful (took me a couple of hours of rating titles before it started suggesting things I might be interested in). I don't pay much attention to it, though.

I'll have to keep rating then....Seems like it would be quite helpful... if it stops recommending ABSOLUTE crap though :lol:

Sending me the new Batman next though :T

[aud19]

Already got Batman in the mail yesterday...PDQ :T