You may have noticed that in a number of places around the site we ask you to keep 10 titles or more on your rental list. A few customers have been asking us why we do this.
The simple answer is: so that we don’t keep you waiting for your next film, game or TV show.
The slightly more complicated answer involves some explanation of how LOVEFiLM works behind the scenes…
10 titles on my list
Every morning our systems match the titles on our customers’ lists with the titles available in our distribution centre. [A 'title' is our term for any film, game or TV disc]
If you only have a few available titles on your list, it is much harder for our systems to get you what you want, particularly if these are popular new releases.
However, if you have 10 or more titles on your list, there’s a much, much higher chance that – when we get a disc back from you – we’ll be able to find something you want and send it out that same day.
It also helps if you prioritise the titles on your rental list as High, Medium or Low. We always try to send your high priority titles first – if one isn’t available, we move to your medium choice, and so on.
So, even if you’re only watching a few discs a month, you’ll have a much better LOVEFiLM experience by keeping 10 or more titles on your list and telling us which are your top priorities.
Fern O’Sullivan, Group Operations Director
Do I really need 10 on my list?I doubt it.Flipping films!LOL
David
I’m sorry to hear you have had to wait so long for this title. You may already be doing this, but if there’s something you are particularly waiting for, make sure it is the only priority 1 title on your list. If you have a number of items at priority 1, we assume they are all equally important.
If you are already doing this, drop our CS guys a line and we’ll try and make sure we get this sorted for you.
Regards
Fern
I can understand the reason for having more than ten titles on a list , but don’t you think you should also have higher stock of new releases.
For instance im pretty sure i have had The Town (bluray) on my list at high priority since it was released in February and i’m yet to receive this title.
I don’t have many as high priority in my lists so surly there is no excuse that ive not had this title yet?
that’s nearly 2 months ive been waiting to watch this???????
Sorry Terry, just put your reply against David’s comment above, hope that makes sense.
Fern
to my previous comment , i don’t want to sound like i was having a go!
i was just a bit annoyed of waiting so long for that title , i got it in the end by emailing customer service which have been superb for sorting any problems out for me.
on a side note i do wish you would sort the long running battle with the certain film company’s out!
that’s all good to have 10 titles in your list , but you don’t send most wanted first which is a waist of time asking ; very peeved
The thing to remember here is that LoveFilm is a VERY VERY popular service, so if you put down that you want a just-released film (and that film alone) you have to expect that others will be doing this too.
There’s only so many copies to go around! So unless we’re expecting LoveFilm to buy 50,000 copies of a particular movie (LoveFilm’s subscriber base numbers in their millions) we have to cut them a break. So keep your list as full of new releases as you want. Or maybe put some old classics on you haven’t seen for a long time. LoveFilm’s turnaround is surprisingly quick for a mail service, so you’re not kept waiting for long.
why can’t you just have a queue like netflix so customers can order things exactly according to their priority and then you send films based on that (and only moving to less prioritised items when not available)?
Hi, would out be possible to have a list devoted to british films I know you have all time 100 but an option to search only british films new and of recent years would be great.
Thanks Adrian
10 items on the list seems reasonable enough to me …….
I am just back from the United States where I subscribed to Netflix for 2 years and I have never ever had to wait for a film – the turnaround was amazing and whatever film I wanted I had the next day. Never experienced and “out of stock” excuse.
Food for thought
Hi Marie, welcome to our service, let us know at the end of your first month how we compare, Regards, Fern
Hi Marie,
Netflix has some 25 Million customers (or so says Google)
LOVEFiLM has around 1.6.
Food for thought.
how long dose it take for the games to come
I must say that I am quite enjoying the service so far, and has not had to wait longer than a couple of days for a delivery. This means that I am hardly ever at a lose end for something to watch.
So far, so good. I hope this continues.
My only other query is what does one do if one is sent three items, but the actual envelop for return says not to place more than two items in it?
I am now eagerly awaiting my third batch.
My subscription only allows one movie a month at home…so why would i need 10? will i be charged for the extra 9??
Seems fair enough to me, at first i put only one but stacking 10 up means i’m constantly getting films as soon as i send them back. Thanks Lovefilm!
You guys sit on your sofa, and with the click of a button can get sent to your house over 70 THOUSAND titles. What, really, are you moaning about?
I rejoined recently because of a groupon offer and only want to see a few films, therefore my list is about 5. I would rather see these 5 with long gaps than be sent something I don’t want to see just becuase the others are out. If i go to a video store and the one I want is not there, I go back the next night until I get it. I am not so desperate I would watch another film. This is what made me leave online film rental in the past, becuase you end up getting sent the “fillers” you have put on to make up the 10. I almost never used to get the high priority ones sent.
Hi Mary, that’s fine for how you want to manage your queue, we obviously just like to make sure that customers who want discs more frequently know how to get the most out of the service.
I put 10 films and 1 game on my list. As i wanted the game first i selected it as high priority and left all the movies as medeium, i still havent recieved the game. why is this?
Hi Andrew, this will be because at the time of allocation, we did not have a copy of the required game, however, there’s a great feature which can help you with this. If you look on the left hand side of the Rental List page, there is a “need help” section – select “how LOVEFiLM works” and under “rent” there’s a “multiple lists” section. Using this feature you can set up to have 1 game, 1 DVD, 1 TV series disc, etc at home at a time – depending on your package size and allowance of course.
Sarah, as long as it is valid ppl can moan about whatever they want. They pay for the subscription, it’s not free so if ppl aren’t happy they will moan.
Hi
I have recently signed up for the 30 day free trial. On the coupon I received, it states that I can rent DVDs to a value of £19. Therefore, I was wondering how many DVDs I am entitled to rent during 30 day free trial?
Thanks
Michelle
Hi Michelle, I believe you are on the 2 disc unlimited package, which means you can just keep turning those 2 discs throughout the 30 days.
Hi I’m on a free trial and I’m not sure how may films I am allowed to order out during this month, how many can I rent out during the 30 day trial?
hi, i have received the promotional letter offering a free trial. i have indicated i would be a light user (2pm). to see how the system works i just want to indicate one dvd. however, i appear to have to indicate 10 choices, if i do that i am unlikely to get the one dvd that i do want to see. please advise. thanks.
Hi, I would really like a list of films with animals in them, if that is possible? Thanks.
im getting movies that i have not asked for and not the movies on my list. why is this?
hi
i only get two titles a month so i feel its point less putting 10 or more in my list, i only want games but i seem to allways be waiting over a week. cant you make it better for people on limted usage agaist people who have unlimted.
i only get 3 mourth if i chouse 10 will it affectit
I have ordered one film as a trial . If I place more on my rental list will this effect my option of cancelling my membership at the end of the month without a charge?
hi,i understand you may have to wait for the film/game to become available but what is the average waiting time on new releases?
Dear Love Film,
I understand to a certain extent why you ask people to have at least 10 items on there rental list, but and this is a big but.Why when love film and amazon have just merged do you not have enough rental copies to send out to customers, I mean come on you are two massive companys and should not make excuses that you have a limited amount of copies of new releases. I am paying you as a company £11.23 a month to rent titles, and yet you cannot supply me with them because you don’t have enough of the one item. Come on love film and amazon get this sorted out, there is always blockbusters I suppose.
I have a little question, and at this point its only a what if…what if like ive done and moved house, but 2 films have been sent to my old address where they sit in the lobby of a communal area for post, and they are not there when the website states that they are at home, but cant be seen?
be it i dont know yet as the keys are returned next week, so ill have time to check any post, if they are not there is there a charge?
mark
I will have to cancel my subscription if I have to wait another week without getting the game I need. There won’t be any point will there?
do the items on my list disappear once they have been sent to me?
I am moving house and have a gap of a month between homes. Do i need to cancel my subscription and rejoin or can i change my address details on line and use the holiday option?
I am a bit dubious about the priorities the films are sent, this is the
third time that I have not received the film I wanted.
I have about 60 in my list and I’m currently in the trial, but if the quality is anything like what It’s been so far then I think I’ll stay a member. Not too keen on the online viewer though, quality lacks especially on the projector and not one on my 60 or so films is there in the package.
why do some times have the comment short wait/ long wait.