What is a private label site?
A private label DVD rental web site is a site that offers a DVD rental service that is branded as it's own but that is actually 'powered by' or run by another company altogether.
In other words the private label site is really just an already-established and dedicated DVD rental company such as LoveFilm cloaked and disguised as something else.
You'll have no doubt seen the DVD Rental services offered by CD WOW!, Stelios's easyCinema, even the Guardian's Sofa Cinema service. These are all private label DVD rental sites.
These companies neither stock the DVD's themselves, nor manage the operation of the DVD rental service - they simply bring in the customers and take a cut from the dedicated site they are piggy-backing off.
What is a dedicated DVD rental site?
A dedicated DVD rental web site is exactly that: a site set up and dedicated purely to provide a DVD rental service directly to customers (and, if they do their negotiations right, to any big brand wanting to set up their own branded DVD rental service).
So who are the dedicated DVD rental sites? They include Love Film, Amazon, Blockbuster, Cinema Paradiso and MovieMine.
What are the main differences?
The differences between private label sites and their powering company's own site can vary. Quality of service should - in theory - be the same, whilst DVD rental packages and prices can vary across the board.
When you look at the DVD rental site reviews, any private label site will have the 'powered by' information under their logo.
Quality of Service
The quality of the DVD rental service you are buying from either a private label site or its powering company's own site should be identical. This is because it is being run by the same company with the same DVD catalog, staffed by the same people and performing the exact same DVD rental service. The only discernible difference is the colour of the envelopes you receive your movies in!
However, in practice this may not always be the case. For example, customers who have joined the dedicated DVD rental company may be given priority over the customers who have joined through a private label branded DVD rental site. Also, money spent on increasing the catalog size and buying new releases might be weighted more in favour of the company's own site.
An example of this would be to look at the catalog size of private label sites powered by LoveFilm, (56,000) and then look at the catalog size of their own site LoveFilm (64,500). Clearly, they are offering a slightly watered down version of their catalogue to their affiliated private labels.
Packages and Prices
Some, but not all, private label DVD rental sites offer different packages and prices to the DVD rental service it is piggy-backing off. It's certainly worth comparing the prices as some private label sites like Tesco offer cheaper prices (and the same service) than its dedicated parent site.
DVD rental subscription packages can also vary. For example, most of the private label sites using Video Island only offer limited DVD rental subscription (ie. they cap the number of movies you can rent in a month) for around the same price as an totally unlimited service offered by Video Island's own site, Screen Select.
Pros & Cons
Pros: |
Dedicated Site
- Experience
- Industry investment
- Competitively priced
- Unlimited rentals
- Commited to the future
- Dealing direct with the company
|
Private Label Site
- Some offer cheaper prices
- Extra incentives to join (sometimes)
|
Cons: |
| Dedicated Site
|
Private Label Site
- Some only offer limited rental
- 'Piggy-backing' on established site
- Sideline involvement
- No guarantee of continued involvement
|
So which should you go for?
Although some private label sites offer cheaper prices or attractive joining incentives (1000 free Boots points, anyone?) it is important to remember that the dedicated DVD rental sites who are still offering comparatively cheap DVD rental deals and a more reliable service have invested for the long term and are specialists in the business.
When deciding on your online DVD rental provider, keep in mind that the industry is still in its infancy and some of these private label sites could very well disappear.
 Online DVD Rental
DVD Rental Guide
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