How Online DVD Rental Services Work

The Internet has revolutionized the way people rent movies today. Numerous online DVD rental services, such as Netflix and Blockbuster, have popped up to supply the movie and television lover's demand for home entertainment at affordable prices. These online rental services generally follow a common operating procedure. Here's how it works.

1. Select a plan that suits your viewing desires.

Online DVD rental services offer several different monthly plans. Each plan has one low, set cost you pay per month, regardless of how little or how much you use the service. Plans may allow you to have as few as one movie at home at a time or as many as eight, and they may limit the total number of movies you can have out in a month or offer an unlimited number of rentals each month. If you watch a lot of movies, you should choose to have several movies at home at-a-time and unlimited rentals per month. If you watch only two movies a month, however, you'll probably want a one at-a-time, limited plan, since it will cost less.

2. Add movies to your queue.

Online DVD rental services allow you to build a list, or queue, of the DVDs you want to see. You can search for movies by title using the website's search engine, or you can browse a variety of movie categories, such as action, comedy, romance, drama, classics, music videos, and television shows. Once you find the DVD you're looking for, click the button that allows you to add it to your list. You'll want to keep several movies on your list at one time, so that the DVD rental service always knows your next desired selection and can send it to you immediately when you return a DVD. You can prioritize your selections by placing them in the order you wish to receive them, and you can change this order and add or delete selections at any time.

3. Your movies are shipped to you.

Your DVDs will be shipped to you at no additional charge. DVD rental services maintain warehouses throughout the United States. Your DVDs will likely arrive in one to two postal days after they have been shipped. To prevent you from having to wait too long for a high demand movie, the DVD rental service will always send you the first available movie on your list. It's important to have several selections in your queue in case your first choice is not immediately available.

4. Once you've watched your movies, return them by mail.

The DVD rental service will provide you with a postage paid envelope in which to return your DVDs. The sooner you return a DVD, the sooner you'll receive the next one on your list, but even if you decide to keep a DVD for a long time, you'll never pay a late fee. With online rental services, there are no due dates.

5. The DVD rental service ships your next selection.

As soon as they receive and process your return, the DVD rental service will mail out the next DVD on your list. Once you place a DVD in the mail to return it, you can expect to receive the next DVD in your mailbox in about three postal days.

Using an online DVD rental service is easy, inexpensive, and convenient.

When you watch a movie, you'll have the option of rating it. The DVD rental service will then use these ratings to make recommendations of other movies, documentaries, or television shows you might enjoy. This will help you to keep your queue well stocked with future selections.

Now that you've read how they work, learn more about the advantages of online DVD rentals.

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