With STL dead, where will you shop next?

[Zutton]

Where will you do most of your shopping now that STL is dead?

---
Thought it would be interesting to see the results of this poll. If we get a sufficient sample size, we could pass it along to Amazon. Doubt they would action on it though.

-Zutton

[LASERMOVIES]

I may still purchase from Amazon if they have the lowest price, or I have a GC to use. However I do see a significant drop in DVD purchases from them in the future unless they start the STL program again, offer coupons, lower prices, or start another new cost saving program. I will probably purchase DVDs from stores I used in the past like DVDEmpire, Digitaleyes, DDD, and CH as my primary sources. I may even start to cut back pre-order purchases to only a few select titles I consider must own, and wait later for an exceptionally good sale, or for price reductions on the lesser wanted DVD titles.

[Vonner]

My other would be Target. They seem to always have the lowest price in this area.

[Zutton]

My other would be Target. They seem to always have the lowest price in this area.

I wanted to list Target, but ran out of choices (there's a max of 10).

[Easy]

I agree with LASERMOVIES for the most part but what I really liked about Amazon was their return policy. Print a label, return at your convenience and a replacement shipped immediately. What that means to me in the case of damaged discs in a box set is that I can wait for the replacement box and replace only damaged/defective discs (mix and match) eliminating the need to rewatch/recheck the whole damn set. I do get a defective disc in a set now and then and it can be a major pain in the butt. The way Amazon handles it it a major advantage. Any other etailer work like this?

[darkside]

Whoever has the lowest price will get my business. If all things are nearly equal I will get it from Amazon.

[natevines]

For small orders, I almost always use DDD for free shipping and excellent prices. Of course, with larger orders, Amazon also has free shipping, which I find faster than DDD's.

[Breakfast with Girls]

DDD and Fry's (first week or sales only, though).

[marty888]

It is so rare to find the lowest price at Amazon - unless STL was applied - that I can't really justify shopping there. I've had great luck with DeepDiscount, and continue to churn my CH memberships. I'll do very nicely without Amazon, and I'm sure they feel the same about me.

[critterdvd]

I mostly buy TVShows from amazon, and about 70% of the time the MSRP is $59.99, and amazon sells them for $41.99 without STL. Since Amazon doesn't charge shipping or Tax, that is still cheaper than buying it at my local stores which charge between $39.99 - $45.99

[ctyankee]

Mostly DDD for single disc because of free shipping. Even that is limited to stuff I'm really after the rest can wait for their 20 percent off sales ... natch. I've ordered a bunch from them and never had a damaged item (and only once the wrong item).

Costco has some good prices from time to time.

[garmonbozia]

well once in a blue moon when amazon still has the cheapest price on something, like perhaps some tv show box sets, i'll still shop there....but for most things, they just won't have the cheapest prices anymore....

sooo,
i'll be going back to some old favorites like DDD and Digital Eyes for some things...

DVDPlanet for Criterions....

CH for anything they will carry

and Best Buy for the random new release priced as a loss leader...

unless amazon starts having coupons again.......

[ScottsDvds]

Amazon prices for big releases wasn't as good as the b&m stores even with STL. I pretty much pricematch everything at Best Buy now or use Columbia House.

[pOpus]

DV2 from Columbiahouse, mostly. If they don't carry a title, then DDD or whoever is cheapest. Usually between those two places, you can get the best prices.

[tucker]

i thought stl still worked?

[Bobbin]

Mainly just Best Buy and DDD, although I may use others if there's good deals.

[msdmoney]

Wow STL was such a staple of amazon, anybody want to fill me in on what happened.

I shop Columbiahouse for all the titles they carry, can't beat a dvd average of about $7.

Otherwise I will just pick up dvd's when there are great deals, like always.

[fumanstan]

I never used STL much, since most new releases aren't much different in price at B&M's. So there won't be a real change for me, although it will make me more selective for box sets.

[lwhy?]

I will probably buy from ddd or amazon. Amazon has a warehouse in KY and I can usually receive my packages from them in 3 days. It sometimes takes two weeks to receive a packaged from ddd. I am really disappointed about the loss of STL. If ddd is cheaper than amazon I will buy from them otherwise it will probably be amazon.

[Zutton]

Thanks Mod for adding Target as a choice in the poll.

--

So far I'm not surprised that Amazon gets only 6% with 73 votes in. DDD I expected to be at or near the top. I am a bit surprised at Best Buy's decent showing - personally I never thought their loss leaders were that great of deals. Maybe it's the convenience factor.

Thanks everyone for your responses so far!

-Zutton

[Zutton]

i thought stl still worked?
Wow STL was such a staple of amazon, anybody want to fill me in on what happened.
Amazon killed it, effective 1/19/05.

Read about it here (http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/announcement.php?f=36)

[paulringodaman]

Man.....I just discovered this amazing website/forum and learned about STL.......and now it's gone...before I got to use it!

[scott1598]

why is DigitalEyes.net not an option? I thought they were huge...

[Eve Brown]

DDD will get my business for the tv sets now which is what I ordered from Amazon. Thinking about DV2 through not sure if its worth it? When I can wait for a 20% at DDD.

[Geofferson]

Probably DDD and Best Buy.

[Adrenaline]

Since probably 75% of my purchases are made from Columbia House, I guess I'll just buy more when the next DDD 20% sale comes around. I only ever used Amazon.com when the price after STL was within a buck or two of DDD's 20% sale price, and only on boxsets or season sets that I couldn't get as an enrollment. Like the Limited Edition Shawshank Redemption or The Terminal: Limited Edition.

[etrnlevol]

Most likely DDD. I'll still shop at Amazon if they have some decent deals and manage to equal or beat the price of DDD or some B&M stores. If not, I'll just shop around for the best price.

[garolo]

DDD or DVDPlanet for Criterions.

[PaulNJ21]

I usually buy from which ever site is the cheapest, which was Amazon lately with the STL, I guess they will be losing my business to DDD a lot more often now.


Paul

[sykotic]

Out of the 20 box sets I purchased last year 18 came from Amazon. The other 2 I purchased from ddd. It kind of sucks though since I live in Illinois and have to pay tax on the ddd purchases but I will throw my business their way.

[Badlands]

After spending over a thousand on Amazon in 2004, I suspect I'll mostly buy from DDD from now on.

I urge everyone to email Amazon with a request to reconsider their decision to drop STL. Stress that you'll buy much less from them since they won't be as competitive on prices.

Yeah, I know it may not help, but it can't hurt to try. With hundreds of emails (and hopefully a thousand plus), they may take a closer look at it.

[yeldarb367]

I'll probably go with DDD for the most part. I just started using STL the past few months and it was really useful. I still can't believe they discontinued it.

[Josh-da-man]

DDD is my main DVD supplier, so not much of a change there. Amazon did have good prices on the Buffy and Angel sets, and I ordered those with STL, but they're completed so that's not a problem anymore.

I mostly buy books from Amazon and rarely had the opportunity to use STL for those, so not much difference for me there.

[nycbrent]

I used to buy more than half thru Amazon, but will now get nearly everything from either DDD, Digitaleyes, or DVDPlanet (essentially the same company with all three of those choices...).

[DrS]

I have to agree it is odd that DDD gets primary place among the big DVD mail order houses. What about Digitaleyes or DVDempire, etc? DDD is often best, but I always look at Eyes due to coupons and points - often they are the best when all is factored in. Etc. DVDempire has miracle-quick shipping. Etc. Democracy isn't quite democracy when some obvious candidates aren't on there...

D

[Zutton]

DrS:

I was limited to 10 choices when creating the pole. If the Mod can please add Digitaleyes, DVDempire, and other missing choices, I'm all for it.

-Z

[illennium]

I'm sticking with Amazon. I'm locked in thanks to all the Amazon gift certificates I purchased at a large discount a couple of years ago. Now they just won't go as far...

[GMLSKIS]

I thought STL was still good too as I still get emails about it daily. If it's no good why don't they pull your personel STL page of their own site.

[GMLSKIS]

I just put 2 items from my share the love page in my cart and went all the way to the payment page with the STL discount still intact. It looks like it still works to me.

I have no alliance to any store, I always try and find the cheapest price to pay. With STL and the A9 search Amazon usually was that place. I will buy from all sources, just whoever has it the cheapest.

[Dabaomb]

I just put 2 items from my share the love page in my cart and went all the way to the payment page with the STL discount still intact. It looks like it still works to me.

I have no alliance to any store, I always try and find the cheapest price to pay. With STL and the A9 search Amazon usually was that place. I will buy from all sources, just whoever has it the cheapest.

STL still works for any items that you still have in your STL account. However, no new ones were sent out after 1/19/05. Since STL lasts for 7 days, the last day of STL will be 1/26/05.

[LasVegasMichael]

I will buy from whoever has it lowest, DDD, Amazon, or DVDPlanet, usually.

[LASERMOVIES]

I just put 2 items from my share the love page in my cart and went all the way to the payment page with the STL discount still intact. It looks like it still works to me.


That isn't the problem. The items from your STL page will remain until they expire in a few days. The issue is that the ability to send love to others has been removed by Amazon, and as they stated on their web site the program has ended on January 19 (see link below). If you followed through and completed the order there wouldn't be anywhere to enter email addresses or to STL with your Amazon friends.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/browse/-/583406/104-5715465-3144761

[GMLSKIS]

Well that sucks then and they just lost lots of business probably !

[SunMonkey]

I'm hooked on Movie Gallery's Buy 2 Get 2 Free sales. I haven't had to buy a new release in many months.

[ruk]

columbiahouse.com

[pilot]

it won't let me add anymore places to the poll. but it really doesnt matter anyways ;)

[ianholm]

Best Buy, they're prices are hard to beat on release week, plus they're local and I get Reward Zone points.

[rexinnih]

Didn't know STL was gone. Looks like it's more DDD in my future.

[tofu]

I guess that unless I find a cheaper price somewhere, I'll just stick with DDD.

[DVDealer]

I have to agree it is odd that DDD gets primary place among the big DVD mail order houses. What about Digitaleyes or DVDempire, etc? DDD is often best, but I always look at Eyes due to coupons and points - often they are the best when all is factored in. Etc. DVDempire has miracle-quick shipping. Etc. Democracy isn't quite democracy when some obvious candidates aren't on there...

D

I think the reason why DDD gets most of the business is that it is one of the few others that offer to most of us (except for those living in Illinois) free shipping and no sales tax on top of the price of the DVD. It's 40% off on many of its titles so that makes it a pretty reasonable deal. Also, customer service wise, both Amazon and DDD have had a pretty good record for me in the past, which is sometimes a big issue when getting "big deals" at other sites where they mess things up totally. DDD has had some problems with security recently though, which I'll keep in mind when shopping there.

In the past I've looked for good deals with coupons, etc. but the days of finding 40% off or better (even with coupons) on other sites is rare and hard to find. It takes a lot more time than I was wanting to spend, plus you had an overall limit, whereas you could get share the love for many items you were looking for at once and not "use up" a coupon. Share the love by Amazon by comparison took a lot less effort in many instances. DDD also takes less time since the discount is built into the price and doesn't take hunting around for them as an extra effort, and again, one doesn't have "limits" when one wants to buy many at a time. With share the love gone, I might look for more coupons, etc., but if I can't find any more deals 40% off or better, I might just start cutting back on buying stuff too. I have *plenty* of unwatched DVDs to catch up on, and it wouldn't hurt to put more money towards buying a new house anyway.

Without coupons to make stuff close to 40% off from Amazon though, they've lost my business. They got around $6500 from me in DVDs and books the last few years. Say goodbye to that Amazon!

Also, I've already shifted buying most of my Anime titles from rightstuf.com and will continue to buy that from them. with their periodic 30-40% off sales with different studios and another 10% discount stacked on top of that with their Anime Club membership, with no extra sales tax if your not in Iowa, nor do you pay shipping if you get over $100 worth of stuff in an order.

[Shagrath]

I hardly ever went with Amazon in the first place. My orders are usually for one or two discs, and seldom went over $25 to get free shipping. I usually go with BB for big release stuff, and DDD on lesser-profile stuff and catalog titles. Looks like I'll continue this trend throughout the year.

[Decker]

Ugh! Thanks for the info, though. I just placed my last STL order ( Ray : LE plus Bambi as a placeholder in case it's cheaper elsewhere).
I'll probably use DDD more often now. Too bad about this, I was a big STL fan.

[jkzahn]

sad day. this was where I made all my purchases, but no more.

[goatweed]

I guess DDD will be getting most of my business in the future. Amazon's best deals were with Share the Love - have they said why the cancelled it?

I can't see them keeping many faithful shoppers by doing this.

[Ginwen]

I'll get mine at the cheapest place I consider reputable, most of the time, just as I've always done. That probably means most at DDD (I know others have problems with them, I never have), some DVD Planet, some DVD Empire, some locally, and even some (very rarely, I'm sure, since I pay tax there) at Amazon.

[Eplicon]

Grrrrrr. Didn't know about the discontinuation until now. I recently had shopped quite a bit through Amazon because of STL, but with that gone I'll go back to DDD for certain releases and Columbia House, with its Fun Cash incentive program..

[Bill Geiger]

Even though they do charge shipping (depending on the amount spend) DigitalEyes has delivered quicker than DDD. Big fan!

[Numes]

Well, I am pretty disappointed. I could care less about delivery times, so that's not an issue. I purchased a lot of box sets from Amazon with STL + the A9 discount. As someone mentioned before, it was pretty easy to just order from amazon with STL, now I will have to do a lot more hunting before I make purchases.

I think I'll just not buy any box sets until the next DDD 20% off sale. I only have probably 100 box sets to watch anyways :)

P.S. maybe they'll bring back the $5 off coupon

[Bill Needle]

It is so rare to find the lowest price at Amazon - unless STL was applied - that I can't really justify shopping there. I've had great luck with DeepDiscount, and continue to churn my CH memberships. I'll do very nicely without Amazon, and I'm sure they feel the same about me.
Ditto.

[kittenwebb5]

I agree with Bill Geiger, Digital Eyes is by far the best online retailer to deal with. Fast shipping, great customer service,great coupons and frequent buyer discounts. So whatever I bought from Amazon with STL (mostly TV on DVD) will now be bought from DE. I used to use DDD but I find Digital Eyes far superior.

[kenbuzz]

Frankly, I will buy my DVDs from whichever etailer DVD Price Search shows as being the least expensive -- though I expect at least half of the time it will be DDD that gets my business.

[pilot]

I agree with Bill Geiger, Digital Eyes is by far the best online retailer to deal with. Fast shipping, great customer service,great coupons and frequent buyer discounts. So whatever I bought from Amazon with STL (mostly TV on DVD) will now be bought from DE. I used to use DDD but I find Digital Eyes far superior.
remember DDD and DigitalEyes are owned by the same company ;)

[Rob052067]

Man am I bummed...I love Amazon and have saved hundreds with STL over the past couple of years...I've bought more TV season box sets with STL that I can count! Amazon STL was the best price going for those, and movie series like Star Wars and Indiana Jones. Perhaps Amazon will lower their regular prices a bit with STL gone so everyone accross the board gets the best price possible. {Not holding my breath...}

I've loved DDD - especially with the occasional 20% off sale. Every once in a blue moon Buy.com has a good deal, but only when free shipping is offered.

These days, I've been holding out for awhile after new movies are released (or new 'special editions' are re-released) at $16 to $18. It seems that it only takes a few months before nearly all titles end up on sale for $7.50 or $10 at Target, Best Buy, or Circuit City.

[Michael Corvin]

^^ Same here Rob. I only used STL for box sets and TV series. Couldn't be beat with the free shipping. In the past 9 months I have bought more tv sets than movies. Not sure where to go now.

I also have started to wait on new releases. I used to buy 1 a week. Then they would sit on the shelf before I watched them. I ended up seeing them cheaper later, meanwhile mine is still sitting on my shelf in the plastic wrap. I have done more shopping for previously viewed discs. I've been quite lucky. No major scratches, and most don't use stickers on the disc anymore. I'm going to stick with that route for a while.

[Rob052067]

I also have started to wait on new releases. I used to buy 1 a week. Then they would sit on the shelf before I watched them. I ended up seeing them cheaper later, meanwhile mine is still sitting on my shelf in the plastic wrap.

LOL! Same here! Most of my new release purchases just go right on the shelf with the rest of the collection to be watched at some future date. No reason I can't wait a few months now that a pattern has been established of huge price drops fairly soon after the initial marketing push. And nothing annoys me more than finding a better deal 30+ days after a purchase when you can no longer get a price adjustment.

[Michael Corvin]

Biggest joke, I still have Underworld in the shrink wrap from release week. Since then we have seen a price drop and 2 more versions of the film. Same with Matrix: Revolutions. Still in plastic. And I just picked up the Ulitmate Gift set. :lol:

[Easy]

On the first page of this thread I asked if any other online site had a return policy as good as Amazon. That is to say they ship a replacement immediately and you print out a label online to return the defective goods at no cost to you. I take the lack of response to mean that nobody matches them. Am I right?

[mapasu]

Funny, first the HD DVD titles are announced and suddenly this happens. Coincidence? By the way, A9 discount plus STL are gone. No coupon codes for two years now? Something I missed?

[bboisvert]

Funny, first the HD DVD titles are announced and suddenly this happens. Coincidence?

Ummm... yeah. It is.

[LASERMOVIES]

Funny, first the HD DVD titles are announced and suddenly this happens. Coincidence? By the way, A9 discount plus STL are gone. No coupon codes for two years now? Something I missed?

A9 is not gone.

[JoserJerr]

It would be nice if Fry's was in the poll but I understand the limitations of the site.

Fry's is good for the occasional "must have" purchase where you don't want to risk the disc getting loose in the case and you want to watch the movie that same day.

They do a nice amount of "loss leaders". It was definitely the first place I looked when "Lord Of the Rings : Extended Edition" hit the stores.

On the downside.. Their return policy is most of the times more difficult than getting a root canal.

[duganrm]

On the downside.. Their return policy is most of the times more difficult than getting a root canal.
I always heard the return/exchange policy was easy (was easy the 2 times I had to exchange).... aside from the hour long line.

[victant]

Well, as others have said, DDDVD for online cheapness and walmart for release day titles ($13.88).

With STL, I preferred amazon, even if it was a few bucks more expensive, because of 1) excellent CSR, 2) amazon card rewards, and 3) loyalty.

:(

[typecase]

I loved STL. I'm lost as to where to buy DVDs now. Probably DDD now *SNIFF* :(

[kms_md]

STL was probably to only way amazon was able to meet/beat release week prices. online i will continue with DDD or DV2 (for tv sets they carry -- ? no HBO?). release week titles from whomever has the lowest (usually BB or target).

kms

[Dutin]

Thanks for the link Zutton, was wondering the same thing!

[Rob052067]

Biggest joke, I still have Underworld in the shrink wrap from release week. Since then we have seen a price drop and 2 more versions of the film. Same with Matrix: Revolutions. Still in plastic. And I just picked up the Ulitmate Gift set. :lol:

We are certainly gluttens for punishment from the studio marketing geniouses! I've actually traded in several unopened, still wrapped early version DVD's to Blockbuster after I bought the latest 'special edition'. Then again, I still have 3 versions of Terminator 2! -screwy-

[PopcornTreeCt]

STL is gone? It wasn't even that good to begin with.

[illennium]

STL is gone? It wasn't even that good to begin with.

Amazon with STL was the best place to pre-order box sets. You ended up getting a 37% discount off MSRP and free shipping (plus the A9 discount when available). Below is my log of DVDs I purchased and pre-ordered in 2004 using STL. Naturally, I won't order nearly as many without STL.

The Shield - The Complete First Season
The Warner Gangsters Collection
The X-Files - The Complete First Season
Duel (Collector's Edition)
Girlhood
Cinemania
Joseph Campbell - Mythos
Band of Brothers
Twin Peaks - Fire Walk with Me
Run Ronnie Run!
Dinner for Five - Season 1
Da Ali G Show - The Complete First Season
Wire in the Blood - The Complete First Season
Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth
Touching the Void
Aqua Teen Hunger Force - Volume Three
Camille Claudel
The Thomas Crown Affair
Babette's Feast
Bubba Ho-Tep (Limited Collector's Edition)
The Terminator (Special Edition)
The Marx Brothers Silver Screen Collection
This Is Spinal Tap (Special Edition)
Arrested Development - Season 1
Eerie, Indiana - The Complete Series
Greg the Bunny - The Complete Series
Millennium - The Complete First Season
Futurama, Vol. 1
The Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection
Futurama, Vol. 4
Martin Scorsese Collection
Ghost Dog - The Way of the Samurai
Strangers With Candy:Season 3
Sneaker Pimps - The Videos
Mr. Show - The Complete Fourth Season
Shadows, Lies, and Private Eyes - The Film Noir Collection, Vol. 1
Batman - The Animated Series, Vol. 1
The Office - The Complete Second Series
The Dick Van Dyke Show - Season One
Pixies
The Triplets of Belleville
Sealab 2021 - Season 1
Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Vol. 2
Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Second Season
The Best of Abbott & Costello - Volume 1
Weezer - Video Capture Device 1991-2002
Freaks and Geeks - The Complete Series
Coupling - The Complete Third Season
Invader Zim Vol 1of 3: Doom Doom Doom
Penn & Teller - Bullsh*t! - The First Season
Futurama, Vol. 3
Samurai Jack - Season 1
The Best of Abbott & Costello - Volume 2
The Marx Brothers Collection
The Chaplin Collection, Vol. 2
NewsRadio - The Complete First & Second Seasons
Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete First Season
The Critic - The Complete Series

[PopcornTreeCt]

I don't buy too many box sets. That's probably why. I used to buy Criterions and they were only a few cents cheaper than DVD Planet.

Edit - Your signature sucks. Finding Neverland and Garden State were the 2 best movies of the year. :)

[Decker]

Edit - Your signature sucks. Sideways the best movie of the year. :)
Fixed. :)

[Gerry P.]

bad movies of 2004 that fooled some people: Garden State, Finding Neverland :up:

[BackStJoe]

I buy most of my stuff from DeepDiscountDVD, and will probably continue to do so. Yeah, you don't get your stuff first day, but I have a shelf full of unwatched DVD's, so I'm usually not in any kind of rush.

[The Exister]

DDD, Digital Eyes for me.

[JoserJerr]

I always heard the return/exchange policy was easy (was easy the 2 times I had to exchange).... aside from the hour long line.

My point exactly. The long wait is their best tool in discouraging returns.

[KennyBoy]

Top five movies of 2004: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Incredibles, Distant, Red Lights, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

Five bad movies of 2004 that fooled some people: The Terminal, Sideways, Garden State, Napoleon Dynamite, Finding Neverland

I noticed someone agreed with Illenium about this....sry but I gotta reply, Finding Neverland was no way near one of the worst movies of 2004, in fact it was very good and the Oscar nominations it got shows I'm not the only one who thought so so :p

Anyway sorry...back to topic...sucks that STL is gone but I will probably still shop at amazon...STL didn't make all that much of a difference for me.

[Josh H]

I rarely bothered with STL and mainly bought at Best Buy, so no change for me.

[eau]

Wherever the deals are ;)

[RevKarl]

Wherever the deals are ;)Same here. Most of my Amazon STL purchases were box set preorders. First, I'll try and get such items from Costco (hopefully, their low price this week on Warners Gangsters Collection is a sample of things to come.) Otherwise, I'll just order them from DDD/Digital Eyes/Overstock...whoever has the best deal at the time.

[SuprVgeta]

The place that has the lowest price on the DVD I'm looking to buy.

[RCCTD]

We have somehow managed to continue to earn several hundred dollars worth of gift certificates a year through surveys, research panels, test drives, etc. for the past several years. So we buy almost everything at Amazon, and strictly with STL. We still have over $300 in certificates .... so we'll keep shopping there, until the certificates run out. We'll just get 10% fewer movies for the money now.