Have Lovefilm fooled us? 3 for 1 not as expected

[shazza]

Like many of you out there I was tempted back to Lovefilm with their three months for the price of one offer. I signed up to the 3 unlimited package. I had almost two weeks of everything running smoothly, then it all went pear shaped, turnaround slowed down considerably (which they blamed Royal Mail for when I emailed customer services) & now my paid month as ended, my 3 unlimited package also seems to have ended. They have held back 2 DVD's & dispatched 1 even though my Membership Terms still says I'm on the 3 unlimited Package. I have emailed them, but so far I haven't received a reply.

Is everyone else who signed up for this offer having the same problems, or is it just me?

[sohail84]

I'm haveing the same problem as u, first month was great but now ther service is totally subbish. Turnaround times have increased like mad and theyve held a few of my dvds back a few times even though theyve said they have them. I have about 60 movies in my queue so i dont know what their problem is!

[DVD Fan]

Ditto, first 3 weeks excellent, now each disc takes 3-4 days to get to them, which seems odd as I always get the back in 1 day. Now they've all discs back for 2 days and not allocated me any discs, I've emailed with no reply. I'm building myself up to phone and get really nasty

[Marty73]

As you know, I've always stood by LoveFilm, but I've now truly seen the dark side and I have turned; a DVD was received by them today and nothing was dispatched.. that's p!ss poor. LoveFilm is no longer the great company I had always praised it for, time to move on me thinks..

[shazza]

I'm starting to think that the two free months aren't going to be on the same package as my paid month (3 Unlimited) like I expected them to be. It's looking like they're giving us two free months of their wonderful 'Light Viewing Package'. Which is no use to anyone! I may be wrong (I hope I am) but since my paid month as ended they have only sent out 2 DVD's even though they've had 4 back! I've got a feeling that when I send this latest one back that I won't get another till next month. Looking back, the offer email never said the two free months would be on the same package as the paid month but it also didn't say it would be on the crappy light viewing package either (or I wouldn't have bothered!)

Looks like they've well & truly stitched us up!

[stricko]

Just spoken to customer service......

They acknowledged that they had been suffering "despatch problems" over the last week, but had "no idea" that it had been as bad as I painted (my symptoms are more or less the same as everyone else above). They have been upgrading their computer systems, and had been put a day behind by the bank holiday. The guy that I spoke to seemed genuine and honest, and said he would let his management know. He said that he knew of no reason why a) I only have two DVDs at the moment, and b) it's taking 3-4 days for a DVD to arrive, and c) they havn't despatched DVDs on the day that one is returned. They apparently have no backlog.

I was given an extra week subcriptions as comp.

Looking back at the Lovefilm site, and thinking about the suggestion that we have been switched to a "lite viewing" package, in the Change Membership Level, I can apparently switch to a 3 or 4 disk unlimited package. This might suggest that their system thinks I'm already on a 2 disk version, although the membership T&C page clearly shows 3 disks unlimited. I wish I had seen this before I got on the phone. Prices look like they've gone up though.

[Marty73]

Onya Stricko, thanks for the information. My only communication was via email and their reply stated that they've been having a few problems and will be resolved asap. If this was the case, it would have been smart to issue an email to members (or a short msg on their website) about these updates/changes/problems beforehand, and we might have been a bit more understanding, instead of being disgruntled.

[shazza]

At least you got a reply Marty, I'm still waiting........

I've just checked the LoveFilm website & I'm pleased to say they are dispatching a another DVD today, but that still leaves one disc 'in limbo' & the one they claim they sent yesterday didn't arrive in this mornings post even though they usually get to me the next day. Of course that could actually be down to Royal Mail for once.

Stricko did you try changing your membership level while on the free part of the offer? How much extra do they charge you? I'd like to change to the 4 disc package but I don't want to totally lose my 2 free months if I am wrong about the Lite Package swap. I think I was adding 1 + 1 & making 5 lol

[stricko]

No, sorry, I didn't change it, I was just fishing around for clues

[shazza]

Oh ok Stricko, I'll keep mine just as it is then & see what happens next week, thanks anyway for the info.

I might try ringing them myself next week if things don't improve, sounds like it's a better option than emailing them.

[jeffygeoff]

i have exactly as you all describe. when they made the 3 for 1 offer i was with moviemine (who i think are great) and i thought may as well go on the 4 at a time package. I always seem to get the films back to them and they show films back say on the thursday but nothing else sent till the monday.

i think the only consolation for the people on the 3 for 1 month deal is 2 months of this deal is free and the one you paid for if like with me was exceptional turnaround

ive mailed too but no reply as yet.

[j2k4]

If you check their help center you will see it states this:-

"You can keep your discs for as long as you like, there are never any late fees with LOVEFiLM.

When you have finished with your disc, simply return it to us in the postage paid envelope and when we get them back, we post your next title on the first available dispatch time. "


May seem a little unfair but this is stated by them & can easily be found, it seems that the delays are no longer than 3 days.

[stricko]

It's a perfect get out for them, but that's not the point that is being made. The real question is why customers on the free months of the current offer seem to be treated worse than those in the first "paid" month.

Or if this is happening to everyone (including the normal pay monthly customers) why can't they just hold up their hands, say they have a problem and beg forgiveness / patience.

I've just spoken to them again (14.30), and they were able to tell me that my next scheduled despatch date is the 9th (Monday!), as all of my (twenty eight) selections are out. There followed a lengthy debate about whether this was realistic, but apparently this is all that the new systems will tell them.

I raised the issue of the update membership screen appearing to suggest that I am only on a two disk deal, and that this might be a more plausible explanation for why I only have two disks out. I suggested that the date of the 9th might be the anticipated date for when the current two DVDs might be returned (even though the Post Office should have delivered them back to Lovefilm this morning!!!) but the poor bloke was getting punch drunk by this point.

My best guess? they've cocked up the transfer of data from their old system to the new, the new system is struggling to keep up, and/or the new system has much tighter controls on how many disks are shipped to each customer.

Doesn't help, does it?

[brendanc]

I too accepted their 2 free months offer and for the first month the service was superb. On Tuesday I sent 2 movies back and they arrived next day. I had 21 dvds in my wanted list but was advised my requests would not be sent out until Monday 9th May-they are at it!! Spoke on 3 occasions with a helpful guy who was pissed off as he had asked his manager to phone me 3 times but I am still waiting!! There seems to be serious issues here as the delays seem to be happening to too many people

[Aenima]

Same here guys. However, the service for me has declined in my first (paid for) month. They haven't dispatched anything today (now 4.27pm) so looks like I won't be getting any DVDs this weekend. They received all three DVDs back on Wednesday. So they will (probably) dispatch Monday and I get them Tuesday (if I'm lucky). Not very good at all really is it. 3 at a time unlimited.... my arse!

Cheers all,
A