Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Review: DVD Planet sucks!

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Posted by Dan Lyons (Member # 1454) on 08-11-2003, 02:54 PM:

I'm warning you, do not give these people your business. I had my second bad experience at their retail store yesterday; I've had it with them.

False advertising and lying to customers seems to be the name of the game at this store.

Yesterday, in the Sunday paper, they sent out an 8 page advert with their sales and upcoming release items. A fave film of mine, "all that jazz" was advertised as being on sale for 11.99.

So, I drive all the way out there, and I don't see it anywhere.
I ask one of the clerks where it can be found, showing him the advert, and he replies "oh, we dont' have that for another week or two".

I show him the ad, and he agrees that it does not say a thing about it not being available at this time. He replies "oh well".

I feel that I should have gotten at least an apology for their fuck up in the advert, but recieved no such thing. I was tempted to demand they give me some $$ to cover that wasted gasoline. [Mad]

A few months ago I also called and had them put a dvd on hold for me, just to get there and find they didn't have it in stock and had lied to me on the phone. Too lazy to actually check the shelves.

A great big [fu]

to DVD Planet!

Danny

Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 08-11-2003, 04:05 PM:

I've had similar experiences with them, even when they were still called Ken Crane's. The B&M staff there always seem to be very young and very snarky. I don't deal with them anymore even though their warehouse is here in Sin City. Before I ran into my present financial drought I had almost completely switched over to DVD Express, now DVD.com. No B&M storefront but very good prices and fast shipping.

Posted by Paul Linfesty (Member # 214) on 08-11-2003, 04:37 PM:

I honestly have never had any problems with DVD Planet (although I only order online and have never visited their store). Shipments have always been fast and correct.

Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 08-11-2003, 05:17 PM:

They should have at least made apology for the screw-up in the advert. Some of those adverts that they place in the papers have in small print about mistakes in the ad copy. Just to save their asses. I never trust any store advert unless it's printed from the studio or I double check online about release dates. I've checked and bought online from them but not from the store.
Fox had ad material for the Fox Musical releases of "All That Jazz", "Hello Dolly", "The Rose" , "S & G: Live from Central Park Concert" and the movie "The Star" (which has been pulled for now). The release date for these is August 19th, the same date as "Chicago". Here in New York only a few stores have staffs that know film well. The other know only the new release [bs]

.
May friend over at Fox Video sent me "Jazz","Dolly" and "Rose" about three weeks ago.

Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 08-11-2003, 06:00 PM:

I was employed by DVD Planet (when it was known as Ken Crane's Laserdisc) in the mid-1990s, so I can tell you all about lousy service (excluding myself, of course). [Smile]

You gotta look carefully for any fine print in newspaper sale ads. Best Buy, for instance, frequently runs ads that appear in the Sunday newspapers. They often advertise movies that have street dates on the following Tuesday, and the fine print explaining "available on Tuesday..." is not always easily noticeable.

It's easy for the enthusiasts who keep up on street dates, or myself since I'm cataloging that type of data anyway for the publication I work for, but the average customer isn't going to be as clued in on it, and can be easily suckered into rushing down to a store thinking a title is in stock.

Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 08-12-2003, 01:44 AM:

There was a time when ordering DVDs on the telephone was very convenient and easy with DVD PLANET. Now they keep you on hold for a very long time before someone takes your order. I used to always order by phone from them because I do like to give out my credit card number online. Yes, their service does indeed suck!

By the way, I have been to their huge store in southern California when laserdiscs were in vogue and I was very impressed with their stock and prices. The service I received was also not bad either.

-Claude

Posted by Jesse Skeen (Member # 586) on 08-12-2003, 01:35 PM:

They never should have changed their name to DVD Planet- just rubbing the death of laserdisc in our faces!

Posted by Mark Ogden (Member # 43) on 08-12-2003, 06:11 PM:

I just went on a DVD rampage in LA a few weeks ago, and found two excellent B & M storefronts: LazerBlazer on Pico Blvd. and Parnell Ave, about a mile east of the Westside Pavilion. Huge selection, nice prices, pleasent staff, and selling off their remaining selection of LaserDiscs for nostalgists or those terminally behind the times. Also, Aemoeba Music on Sunset next to the Dome, on the second floor. Big selection, some obvious bootlegs, section of Region 2 stuff, many obscure titles. HUGE selection of CDs, old LPs, 78s, collectibles and other ephermia downstairs. I don't know if any of these places do on-line or not.

If you visit LazerBlazer, on the way back west on Pico stop at the Apple Pan and have the best hamburger in LA, and a slice of their banana cream pie from which it is to yell in the streets about.

Posted by Greg Mueller (Member # 17) on 08-12-2003, 09:36 PM:

Try Deep Discount DVD. Cheap prices and FREE SHIPPING. I use them almost always now. Usually when I order things that aren't in release yet, I get them a few days before the release date. When I ordered Pitch Black they had made a mistake in the price, but honored it. ($5.95 with free shipping)

Posted by Dan Lyons (Member # 1454) on 08-13-2003, 02:14 PM:

quote:
Try Deep Discount DVD. Cheap prices and FREE SHIPPING

Thanks for that info Greg. I might give them a shot; I've read good reviews of them online. Free shipping makes the difference for me. [Big Grin]

I typically won't shop online, by the time shipping figures in, you pay the same price as buying it locally (and having it "right now").

Danny

Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 08-13-2003, 08:18 PM:

DEEPDISCOUNT DVD has been very good for me, and their prices are normally the best around. The free shipping is Media Mail, and for some reason it has been getting very slow lately. It used to take 4 days from Chicago to Central Ohio, and now is is taking 10-15. Not their fault, though.

Some strange things are going on at DVDPlanet. I am seeing lots of complaints about them lately. I would be cautious about ordering from them until they get their systems straightened out.

It seems that DVDPlanet, DeepDiscount and DVDEmpire are all shipping from a warehouse in the Chicago area. I think the problems with DVD Planet are due to a change in their distribution system to Chicago.

DVDPRICESEARCH.COM is the best resource for finding internet deals. I check it daily.

Still, nothing beat the retail stores for the "DVD OF THE WEEK". I'm referring to the big release that happens every Tuesday, (and why Tuesday, I do not know!)

You will usually find the week's big film for $14.99 or $15.99 at either Best Buy, Circuit City or Target (Target is getting very aggressive on big release pricing. I've even gotten bags of candy free, along with a great price.) If you do not live near any of these, Best Buy usually offers the advertised price on their internet store.

The Bargain Thread of DVDTALK.COM will sometimes have the store prices up to a week ahead of time. I also check it daily.

Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 08-13-2003, 08:39 PM:

I had great luck with them when they were known as Ken Cranes. But now, they suck! I have changed over to DVD.com and have no complaints...yet.

I would NEVER go to a storefront to buy a DVD...too many teenybopper wanna-be's that think they know ***ALL*** the answers!

OBTW Mark: As far as the best burger in LA, that is true about Apples, but there are MANY places just as good if not better like the Brentwood Lounge and of course...In-N-Out! [Big Grin]

>>> Phil

Posted by Greg Mueller (Member # 17) on 08-14-2003, 07:44 PM:

Don't forget sales tax in the equation. In WA state we're pushing 9% and 10 in some places. So free shipping (even though I have to wait) plus no sales tax, starts to add up.