I'm pretty fortunate that I live in an area that seems to get pretty quick shipping, super quick even. And I always use super-saver or free shipping options if they're available. I've ordered from DDD, Amazon and Buy.com and never had a single issue. My last Amazon order was on 1/4 and I received it on 1/8 -- no complaint there!

And quick shipping isn't limited to the big guys either. I placed an order with a specialty DVD company called Duke Video USA. I was concerned when I didn't see charge go through after a couple of days so I emailed them. They replied they wouldn't charge me until it was ready to ship. Now that's cool. And I got free shipping from them too based on the size of my order.

But Columbia House is sooooo slow, they drive me crazy! I placed an order on 1/19 and as of 1/29, it still hasn't even shipped! And I'm paying for shipping AND they've already charged my card, of course!

I supposed my experience with CH is not unique. Just venting!

I would guess the day the CC was charged is when it shipped. In the past the online status wouldn't change or I wouldn't receive a shipping email until a day or 2 before I received the package.

Nope, not in this case anyway. I double-checked and my card was charged on 1/20.

Don't rely on their website. I still have orders in my order history from 5 months back still saying pending even though I've received them ages ago. When you are charged the DVDs are being packaged and will in 99% of the time ship within 2 days (this is what a CSR told me on the phone).

It's true, I started noticing around December they they would charge my cc up to 5-7 days before shipping the DVDs. Never used to be like this. Used to be I'd get the DVDs in the mail 1-2 days after they charged my cc. Now it's well over a week...

Doesn't CH ship Media Mail? That can be dog slow at times. Unfortunately I no longer use CH as they put the screws to me a few times in the past...

I ordered by phone (after they denied my online account due to an expired code) as a new customer on 1/10 and STILL waiting. Don't even know if I got accepted. And I thought it'd be faster over the phone. I've NEVER waited this long.

I live withing 25 miles of a warehouse and it still takes forever.

Usually dvds are shipped Media Mail, rarely they will use DHL and from time to time they go Pony Express.

Back in October, they sent me "Over The Hedge" by Alternate Shipper and it arrived right on release day.

I guess it was pre-shipped and waiting at my local PO to be released.

I had an order shipped on 1/26 and it arrived yesterday 1/30. Not exactly slow. The shipping e-mail arrived on 1/29, the next business day after the ship date.

The DVD did take a couple of weeks to get shipped but that was because it was a freebie that was paired with a pre-order that was released yesterday (and shipped yesterday, according the latest CH e-mail).

While CH used to ship freebies right away, they now appear to be holding them until the pre-order is being processed, which is fine with me because I am in no hurry.

I'd understand if it was a pre-order, that'd be ok then. Anyway, I emailed them today to see what the hold up is. Actually once stuff ships, it arrives fairly quickly. It's getting it out the door that seems to be the trouble!

I had pre-ordered Justice League Unlimited Season 2 during a B1G1 offer, and they went ahead and sent out my free selection (The Protector). I just had to pay the shipping cost. I don't think that JLU comes out until March.

Ok, sotra is entirely correct! I got home today and there's the CH box in the mailbox. The website still says pending. I never had that happen before.

Oh well, I have my shipment. . .and it's official, I'm eating crow for dinner!

What's funny is sometimes I'll receive an email from them letting me know that my DVD shipped on such and such a date and it will arrive the same day I egt the email.

I ordered the new Silence of the Lambs on Tuesday with my B1G1 code and it arrived this morning.

this past sale, I ordered about 10 things on 2/3 and it was split into 2 shipments and both arrived by 2/10: that's pretty good for free shipping service.

i pre ordered hollywoodland from CH and I received it the day it came out for some reason. THe next day I received an email from CH saying my dvd has shipped out and it had 2/7 as the ship date.

i pre-ordered science of sleep and hollywoodland, got one last friday and the other yesterday. not bad for free shipping.