DMC going Downhill!

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Helvetian
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DMC going Downhill!

Post by Helvetian »

John Fylnn, I hope you're reading this...

After being a loyal and long-term DMC VIP, I have noticed a negative downward trend of changes at the club. First I HATE these new mandatory double featured titles, they are becoming more and more common. The Fox and the Hound 1/2 double feature was very annoying at $29.95, but I got it. Then Donald Duck and Schoolhouse Rock double pack was ok at $24.95, the Santa Clause at $29.95 wasn't good. I already have those two movies but wanted the 3D card and was forced to buy not one but two. Oh then we had the Christmas Pooh and Pooh Friendship pack. Then Ratatouille/Pixar Shorts mandatory, at a new price of $34.95. They keep jacking up the prices and including two movies. Please go back to the days when it was optional. I enjoy collecting the lenticular cards but quickly getting turned off with these expensive and mandatory double features. One of my good friends, who is also a collector rejected last months title and so did I. He got the Rat card on eBay, which is where I intend to go.

Now this month's title is POTC, which is great. But $22.95 for the one disc? A $1 increase over the usual $21.95? I called and was told it's now $22.95, if I want the two disc it's $29.95. When in Feb 2007, the two disc of POTC2 was only $22.95. This is yet another sign of Disney Movie Club greed, just keep jacking up the prices and force more two packs. What's next, a mandatory 3 pack as the featured offer?

I know a few DMC people, I know I am not alone. And since DMC does read these boards, I wanted to express my opinion on these changes. I am really waning interest with DMC, and hope in 2008 they return to the normal one movie at $21.95 + 3D card. No more mandatory double or triple featured titles. And for goodness sake, please offer a schedule of releases at least 1-2 months in advance.

On the brighter side, kudos to DMC for now launching movies much sooner than the previous 3-6 months later. This is a great improvement.
chadhobbick
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Post by chadhobbick »

I just made VIP status, and the mandatory double feature is a total slap in the face to the members. I wanted Ratatouille ( I held off buying this in the store for a club purchase), but not the Pixar shorts which was required. The only way you could purchase it by itself was by calling and speaking to an operator. I'm curious what the VIP status will bring me if anything better at all. I do think that we as members should get first crack at new releases before retail stores do. At least let us order it the same month it comes out in the stores, is it that hard to do?
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Helvetian
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Post by Helvetian »

chadhobbick wrote:I just made VIP status, and the mandatory double feature is a total slap in the face to the members. I wanted Ratatouille ( I held off buying this in the store for a club purchase), but not the Pixar shorts which was required. The only way you could purchase it by itself was by calling and speaking to an operator. I'm curious what the VIP status will bring me if anything better at all. I do think that we as members should get first crack at new releases before retail stores do. At least let us order it the same month it comes out in the stores, is it that hard to do?
Yeah but then you don't get the 3D card, so for me that is a waste. Why else do I pass up on getting these movies for $13-$15.99 week of release and agree to pay $21.95 + $3.95 shipping? For the 3D card offer. I know they have sales, buy two get one free but I am literally all purchased out. I have every Disney release and then some. So everytime they have a sale, I literally have nothing I want.

VIP status just means commitment is done, bonus offers which are very rare, a free welcome gift sometimes a Cars Pin, a patch, a badge or other extras and access to the VIP Pins collection. Currently 20 pins were made. Login as a VIP and click the VIP benefits section and VIP Pins info for details.
EAWildman
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Post by EAWildman »

I am pretty new to the club so I can't how much the club has slid. I signed up about a year ago...a great deal. 5 movies for just $1 total no shipping and first club purchase (out of 4 required) for just $14.95. So six movies for $15.95 with three more to buy (at $19.95 or more).

I plan on buying my three this month as they have free shipping this month.

I thought the Ratatoulie deal was terrible. I was going to buy that to get the 3D card...but didn't want the Pixar shorts. I got Pirates 3 as a gift for Christmas. I am really looking for Meet the Robinsons since I passed that up in the stores for cheap.

Hope there is some bennefit to becomming a VIP member...otherwise I will likely quit after a few months.

Eric
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Post by Ktrek »

I think there are a lot of benefits to members you just have to know how to watch the sales and take advantage of savinsg when you can.

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blackcauldron85
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Post by blackcauldron85 »

I do think that the DMC prices are a bit high- there are still a lot of releases for me to get, so I'm sticking with the club, even though I haven't ordered anything from them in a while (due to lack of money). I really like their $10 DVD sales. I'm a VIP with free shipping for life, so that perk is worth staying around for, I guess. Ktrek is right, though- wait around for the sales- they sometimes have some really good ones (such as the buy-1-get-the-rest-for-50%-off sale). I don't collect the 3D cards, so if I have the money when a release I really want comes out, I'll just pick it up at Best Buy.
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chadhobbick
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Post by chadhobbick »

Do they no longer give free shipping for VIP members, i just recently made the cut and I don't get free shipping unless there is some code involved.
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blackcauldron85
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Post by blackcauldron85 »

Not every VIP member gets free shipping for life. I'm not exactly sure how they decide who gets it, but I did fulfill my membership requirements fairly quickly.
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d43boy
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Annoyed too

Post by d43boy »

Hi everyone,

Helvetian, like you I am a long term VIP member of the movie club. All of these price increases are starting to become old really fast. It just seems as though the movie club is wanting to get more money out of you faster.

First of all, we pay way too much for the featured title as it is, the only incentive being the 3-D card. You are absolutely right, $22.95 for the ONE disc of pirates? I could have picked it up week of release at Best Buy for $14.99 and not paid shipping! Ouch! What is the incentive to stay with the movie club? Cards and pins? The prices need to be more consumer friendly. True the sales are amazing, but only when it's really worth it. Like buy one get the rest 50% off. But for me, I am maxed out. I have almost every Disney title. The big sales no longer excite and encourage me to buy. And discounts never usually apply to the featured title. The one you must purchase full price is always the highest priced item and with the featured title running $23-$30 bucks, there you go. And the rising prices of the featured title and these MANDATORY double features are just too much. What is the incentive for me as a loyal VIP to stay with the club?

And I agree, why not advertise what the featured title will be a few months in advance, so members can prepare and decide. You know they have these things made up in advance with the mailings and 3-D cards printed up. You call the night before the featured title is supposed to change, and all you get is, "Well we're not sure, management could change at any moment, check back tomorrow for the featured title" Like that night they are going to print up all the mailings and 3-D cards...

So without good and favorable pricing, the DMC is going to quickly loose long term die hard disney movie fans. We all own everything, and the prices for the featured title is just getting too unreasonable when they are available week of release for much less. MINUS shipping costs.

I hope someone passes these criticisms on...
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Post by EAWildman »

Well, I recently had a good experience with the DMC that I wanted to pass along.

I fullfilled my requirements back in January, so I became a VIP member in February. The VIP deal they offered me was buy 1 at regular price and get up to five more at 50% off, plus receive a DMC pin for free. So, I did the math and figured that was a good deal as long as you got 6 movies (1 at regular price and 5 at 50% off). I placed my order in late February and the order arrived in early March.

However, one of the movies they sent me was the wrong movie. I had ordered "The Great Muppet Caper" and they sent me "The Muppet Movie" (which I had already ordered from the DMC a year ago). So, I called them up expecting alot of trouble to get the movie I had originally ordered in the first place.

But, I had no trouble at all. The gal on the other end of the phone line, was polite and quick and helpfull. She told me that they would sent out the right movie right away and that I could just keep the movie they sent me originally and give it to someone else as a gift. I thought it was great! No fuss at all. They appologized, made the situation right and let me keep the extra movie to boot.

I was thinking of opting out of the DMC after I met my obligations, but after this positive experience, I think I will stick around for a while longer to see how the VIP status works out.

While I do think the prices for new featured titles (and many of the recent DVD's) are too high....if the sales are good, and there are movies you are interested in, the DMC can still be a good thing to belong to.

Eric
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disneyfella
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Post by disneyfella »

I had a featured title sent to me by mistake once and they were super nice about it. They really do have awesome customer service!

I must admit that a lot of the prices are rather expensive in the club. In fact, if you are into online purchases it would be cheaper half the time to buy from amazon.com.

However, I am a HUGE fan of the DMC Exclusives. Granted I wish they could have some special features on them, but I'm so happy with a lot of the titles that are finally getting DVD releases (i.e. Polly, Polly Comin' Home, etc.). I think if they can build up a bigger DMC Exclusive library to offer patrons, and have a bigger turnover of titles every month (with something new to keep people in the club every month), then the Disney Movie Club would have a lot more cause for people to join and also for people to remain members.

Honestly, I hit my VIP status a while ago. The only reason I'm still a member is to buy all of the new DMC Exclusives as they come out. I hardly ever purchase the featured title because I already have it.

Also, can we get a release calender for the club? I seriously....SERIOUSLY wish that they could let us know what featured titles are coming up, what DMC exclusives will come out sometime that year, and sale events coming up throughout the year. Is that too much to ask? Surely the club is roughly organized enough to add a one page printout with these things in the next catalog.........
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mlvc6969
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Post by mlvc6969 »

I definitely wish they had a release calendar for the DMC, I usually just call and ask a cast member what the upcoming titles of the month are and they usually just tell me.

I have always had great customer service with them, granted they screw up orders a lot, I will order widescreen and get full but they always fix the problem. I just recently was sent the Pirates of the Caribbean At Worlds End and they accidentally sent me the 1 disc version even though i ordered the 2 disc and without looking at it, I opened it. So i called them and told them what happened and the let me keep the 1 disc version and sent me the 2 disc one for free. That is great customer service.
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Post by The Little Mermaid »

I am not a fan of the mandatory double features either. I collect the 3-D cards so I have to get the feature to get the card. To get around getting a movie in a doube feature selection that i don't want i just take it to Wal-mart since it's unopened and just exchange it for a disney title i don't have yet. :wink: :idea:
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