Want it fast? DVD rental for new releases

NEW movies are constantly being churned out by the Hollywood greats and as soon as the are available on DVD the online rental sites buy buy buy.

But which DVD rental site is the best for popular movies and new releases?

A huge bug-bear of UK DVD rental subscribers is the lack of availability of new titles. Sometimes you just cannot wait that little bit longer than expected to receive that new film from the top of your rental queue.

This is to be expected, rental sites with a million users wouldn't buy a million copies of every new release, but it doesn't mean that some sites aren't better than others.

Read on to find out which DVD rental sites offer the best deals on titles that are new to rent on DVD or check out our latest New to Rental column to see which new DVDs are available to rent where this week.

Exclusivity deals

An exclusivity deal is when a DVD rental site is allowed the sole right to a particular movie for a set number of weeks.

Blockbuster is now the only UK DVD rental site to regularly get DVDs to rent, usually two to three weeks earlier than the DVD is released to rent or buy elsewhere.

As Blockbuster's online Customer Experience Manager, Mal Simons, has promised in the past that the site will continue to ramp up the number of exclusive titles it holds.

Since Blockbuster are also the only DVD rental site still stocking new Universal Pictures films they've effectively had exclusives on big releases such as Kick Ass.

It is worth bearing in mind, though, that Blockbuster may have its hands on that killer new DVD or Universal release two weeks before LoveFilm but you'll still have to wait your turn and by the time you get your hands on a copy, Blockbuster's exclusivity deal may have ended!

Lovefilm does not make efforts to stock exclusive titles, but does make sure it has every title released in stock. As Jason Norris, Affiliate Manager of LoveFilm, cheekily notes, "if other companies do not stock certain films, I guess that makes them exclusive to us!"

Thinking outside the (post)box

When trying to impress your customers and get ahead of the competition, it always helps to think outside the box. And that's certainly what Blockbuster has been doing.

With the provider's Xtra deals you can pay upfront for rentals and pick up from an actual Blockbuster store. It's cheaper than a normal in-store rental and more convenient than waiting for the postman.

It's also fantastic if your top choice didn't arrive in time for your Friday takeaway or you can't wait for a new to rent on DVD title.

LoveFilm and OutNow are unable to offer this service, they don't own actual high street stores, this system should give Blockbuster a huge edge over its rivals, then, as the randomness of your DVD queue is always going to be the flaw in the online rental model.

Thinking inside the (telly)box

On the other hand, Lovefilm are working on making themselves even more convenient than the high street.

The Lovefilm Player allows their customers to stream films in high-quality for free. If you've got a Sony internet-enabled TV or a PS3 you can even get the service as an application and watch straight on your TV.

Lovefilm stream movies so you don't need a lot of space for downloads and the service should work with just a 2Mb broadband connection, although obviously the faster the better.

Number of copies

Blockbuster's Mal Simons claims that Blockbuster "regularly buys more copies of new releases than anyone else, so it can provide its customers with the titles they really want, as well as sending 2 disc titles as just 1 rental."

Blockbuster is able to take new releases from its high street shops after the first week, bumping up the number of copies available to online customers even more!

Lovefilm was playing its cards close to its chest when we asked them about the number of new releases it purchases. However, Jason Norris did reveal that LoveFilm has, "a complex ordering system so that we order the right amount of stock to meet demand, and to monitor and adjust."

And in conclusion...

Overall, it would appear that Blockbuster is proving itself to be the best choice titles that are new to rent on DVD.

Its exclusivity deals are proving popular with its DVD rental customers, giving them a couple of weeks to see certain films before the likes of LoveFilm gets its hands on them.

As well as buying more copies of new releases than anyone else, Blockbuster is also able to take new releases from its high street stores (after 1 week), so even more copies are available for its online customers.

Finally, Blockbuster's credit scheme is fantastic for customers who live close to a Blockbuster high street store, providing said store has the desired movie in stock!

Lovefilm's streaming service isn't far behind but it is still behind all those ticks in Blockbuster's favour.

Blockbuster | 65,000+ titles

Includes 14 day free trial for £1
» Blockbuster review

Lovefilm | 70,000+ titles

Includes 30 day free trial
» LoveFilm review.

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