Whilst renting video games online is being pushed as a real alternative to renting from your local video store, is it really as good as it sounds? And even if it is, will renting video games by mail from online video rental companies be right for YOUR needs?
In this article we seek to outline some of the benefits and less desirable aspects of online video game rental services. Take a look before you rent, it'll help you decide whether this is worth it for you and if you have been unsatisfied in the past, how you can ensure your next experience is a good one.
Why Rent Games From An Online Company
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The answer to this is quite simple:
• It's cheaper.
• There are no due dates.
• There are no late fees or extra charges.
• It's generally less hassle.
• The selection is larger.
If you rent 3 or more games or DVDs in a month you could already be spending more than it costs for an unlimited rental plan from an online rental by mail service. Plus you get them delivered free to your door, so you cut the cost/hassle involved in driving to your local video store, finding (and mybe paying for) a parking spot and maybe still coming home empty handed if they've got nothing you want.
Of particular use for game renters is the option to keep each game for as long as you want without penalty. If you haven't finished with the game there's no need to return it until you have. You don't pay any late fees either (because there are no due dates) which means no last minutes dashes to get something returned 'in time' and when you consider an estimate 25% of a video store's takings are from late charges that's effectively more cash you could be saving.
Most rental stores only carry a small selection of games, but with online rental you can be choosing from thousands. If you are looking for a more obscure title you'll probably not find it in your video store but online, you have many more options.
Why NOT To Rent Games From An Online Company
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This is where you personal circumstances come into play...
• You rent and play one or two games a month at most.
• You ONLY want to rent the latest games...and can't wait a week or two.
• You use a dated console (or very new one) which has few games available.
• You want your games, now, noW, nOW, NOW!
• You don't like giving out credit card details online
If any of those apply to you then it's worth thinking twice before renting games by mail. If you only rent one or two games per month then you will never get value for money through online rental, unless of course, you rent a lot of DVDs and choose a combined video game and DVD rental service like Mailbox Movies in the UK or DVD Avenue in the United States. Equally, if you only want games which were released yesterday, and nothing else, then this isn't for you.
How To Ensure Your Rental Experience Is A Good One
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Most of the complaints leveled at online video game rental companies fall under three general headings.
- Top choices not sent, instead older, cheaper games from lower down the rental queue are sent instead meaning if you want the latest releases, you still need to head off down to the video store.
- Long delays between sending back a rental and receiving the next one in your list.
- Poor customer service and support levels.
All three of these can be avoided, or minimised by chosing the right rental plan and right rental company for your needs.
Let's look at each in turn...
Top choices not sent - this is pretty much standard across the board and is really no different to taking a trip down to your local video store only to find the game is already rented. Online video game rental companies have thousands of customers and many more copies of each game than your local video store but still, there are going to be delays. Now, you can minimise the delay by pre-reserving the titles you are interested in before they go on release or you can exercise a little patience. Bigger companies like Gamefly tend to carry more copies of each title so you'll get to rent newer games, faster but you pay a little more for the priviledge. Cheaper rental services typically carry less copies and you'll wait longer. Simple as that.
Long Turn-Around Times - In the United States, the location of distribution centers is an important aspect when chosing a video game rental company. If you live on the East coast and rent from a West cost company with a single West coast distribution center, then you are going to have slow turn around times, often up to and in excess of 10 days (5 days there and back). ALWAYS choose a local company and you'll be looking at turn around times of 2 - 4 days instead.
As a caveat here, many companies say they have multiple distribution centers but be wary of these. Whilst they may well have, this doesn't mean they stock every title at your distribution center and it doesn't mean they have more than one copy there either. Better to choose a company local to you than one trying to spread themselves thinly across the whole of the United States.
One more thing...every company recommends you build a lengthy wishlist and keep it that way. This ensures they always have something to send you. if you put five choices on your list and they are all rented out already then you'll not receive any games...same as going to the video store and finding your top five choices are rented. You either choose something else or you go home empty handed. If waiting isn't your thing, build a bigger list.
Poor Customer Service - There's only one solution to avoiding this...RESEARCH before you get involved with a company. You should do this with any form of online shopping of course. In the case of video game rental services we have done the research for you but these are just our opinions and experiences and you should still read around the net for further information. Once you have chosen a company, send them an email, ask them a question...and if they dont reply or take longer than 24-48 hours to do so, then keep looking.
For most people the following is the best choice of rental plan:
1. Rent locally, even if it is a dollar or two more expensive.
2. Choose a "two a a time" subscription package that way you have one rental in transit whilst you are playing another.
3. If you rent a lot of DVDs too, go with a combined rental service.
4. Check before you commit. Read reviews and check your choice of company has a good selection of games for your console (you can browse their catalogues before you commit).
Follow these guidelines and you'll have a much more pleasurable experience through online rental.
Now we invite you to compare online video game rental services with our quick comparison table and to read out video game rental reviews.
