DWilson

I'd say give them a month and see what happens. I don't have much of any anime on my list (though it seems all the rental companies have trouble with the genre), and I don't know how they do with the more popular titles. All I know is they've usually chosen from my top ten (which is fairly eclectic, and so I'm very patient with them), and they just sent me "The Ruling Class" (Criterion), which is "unavailbale" at Netflix and not listed elsewhere, and that's cool with me. Of course, its all about what you're after, and if they can supply you....

HepDude

To date, I've received from them 4 DVDs, all of which were not available to rent from any other rental site.

Mail delivery times have been somewhat longer than I am used to regarding rentals, but this is clearly because of 9/11 and because I am relatively close to Netflix and RMD, and not particularly close to NumberSlate.

I agree that one should not put a DVD you would not choose to receive on your list at any DVD rental site, no matter how far down your list.

TomMiller

I am giving them a try. They have an amazing selection on paper, with many films that I haven't seen available for rent elsewhere (Wicker Man, Suspiria, Solaris), or have been impossible to rent (I Claudius, Arbuckle and Keaton, Playtime). It remains to be seen whether their inventory list is merely hypothetical, but comments here leave me guardedly optimistic.

Tom

DWilson

"Solaris" was the first thing on my list when I signed up and no sign of it yet. Besides the fact the existing version is an import, I have seen some lists show another version I believe was announced but never produced some time back. Honestly, I'll be pleasantly surprised if it ever turns up, but I'll keep hoping. However, they've been real good with Anchor Bay, which is rare in the online-renting game...

HepDude

I, Claudius is worth whatever hoops you have to go through to see it.

You might also consider simply buying it and then - if by chance you don't like it, sell it on ebay or at half.com (selling DVDs at half.com is very easy - since they already have a page setup for every DVD, it takes less time to do than ebay; I sold 5 DVDs there this past week, some of which were the original releases of DVDs that recently came out as SE's).

TomMiller

Hep:

I saw Claudius on PBS a decade ago, and am a big fan. If I can't rent it, I may indeed think about purchasing it, although I doubt I would would watch it often enough to get my money's worth, compared to renting. Buying and then re-selling on half.com is a good idea, if I would ever get around to selling it.

Tom

Turin Turambar

Shipping delays have been so terrible that in the 4+ weeks that I have been a member under the 2 OUT plan, I have received only three discs and am waiting on two that were shipped out a week and a half ago. In addition, there have been times where empty slots have been left unfulfilled for several days before new discs are shipped. These are serious problems and their customer service have not been responsive at all to any of my e-mails. Their phoneline is long-distance and their website is so vague that I don't even know how much and when my CC has been charged. The only factor that has kept me interested in remaining a member despite all these lapses in service is their considerably greater selection in comparision to rentmydvd.com, so I use it as a supplement to my other rental account. Am I the only one who even uses Numberslate around here? I'd like to hear some experiences from other members. I suppose my main concern is why they are not responding to e-mail, as I have some urgent issues to discuss with their CS.

DWilson

I agree that the mechanics of their site leaves something to be desired, -hopefully , its a work in progress. I've never had a problem with them responding to e-mails. Also, I guess I'm in the right place, -a neighboring state, -so I get everything in no more than three days. They have left some of my "available" slots open for a day or two (but I'm so pleased with the selection at the moment that I'll regard that as "minor"). They also need to work on their checking in process. Most of my stuff gets there in three days tops, but I have one item going on ten. I know they'll correct that if I e-mail them; however, the last time they listed two of my titles as "temporarily lost", they evidently didn't check them in right and it took some e-mail prodding to get it straightened out. Also, while they do a nifty job with the oddball stuff, I wonder how well they do with stuff like 5000 MGM titles that come out each month. They seem to jump over those and go further down my list. Still, its the second best option out there right now...

HepDude

For me, this is a period where I usually don't rent DVDs, because I can just keep up with new episodes of TV, and sports (soccer, ski racing, etc.).

However, I am using Numberslate to obtain things that Netflix and RMD were unable to provide at all. My total rental output from Numberslate is much less than those two, because it takes longer to receive something, and they go days without shipping anything, BUT I am still getting at least 4 DVDs a month, perhaps more like 6, and buying just one of those DVDs would cost the same as the subscription.

So, as long as they continue to send me DVDs listed as "unavailable" elsewhere, I'll continue to subscribe.

Out of curiosity, which is the "best option" in your opinion, DWilson?

DWilson

Figured somebody would ask that... for all its drawbacks, Netflix is still #1 with me. I'm a little steamed about the new wrinkle with the "delayed/lost" discs, but they still get the job done and do a good job covering the most bases (obscure and pop titles). I just wish they weren't odd about some things (why some MGM titles and not all), and that they'd start carrying Anchor Bay again.
I'm pretty much in total agreement with you on Number Slate (I'd have saved a fair bit of money buying discs I'd rather have rented had they been around earlier).
Then there's Blockbuster, which frustrates me to no end. They added a bunch of DVD titles about two moinths back (a lot of catalog titles), and then nothing except new releases...

Plohish

It seems as Numberslate has the variety that is desired by an average user, however sometimes they take over 3 days to send the next title. Even though the system states that the disk on Wish list is in stock.

On the other note, maybe it's worth the wait since Rentmydvd is understocked.

TomMiller

I'll parrot what Hepdude said. I use Numberslate to supplement Netflix, because they have a lot of films that Netflix won't stock (I watched Suspiria and Scarlet Empress last week). I hadn't had any problems with shipping delays with my first three films, but currently a disk I mailed back last week still hasn't been checked in. That is the first time it has happened, but even if they increase their delays a bit, I doubt I will really care, as I always have a rental film on deck as it is, and I am willing to wait for some of their hard-to-find stock.

Maybe we should start posting a list of films that NS has that Netflix doesn't, to help each other out (after we have already watched them, naturally). My list is short so far: Suspiria, Scarlet Empress, Titus, and Chushingura.

Tom

DWilson

as I have said before, they have almost anything from Anchor Bay (both Netflix and RMD won't deal with them), -which is a lot of what I've rented, -and you'll get Criterion titles months before they become "available" at Netflix....

JesterSlack

Well... Hrmph..

I sent this email off to their customer service:

Hello..

I am looking for details as to how your service works.. Where are your disty centers located and so fourth.. Charging tax? Please send a list of your FAQ's

Thanks

Chris

You would think that they would have some sort of FAQ on their site after about a month or so.. Looks like their disty is slow as well. They are in need of some help I think.. Wise man would prob say cancel and head west.

Laters.

Plohish

On Satuday I received an empty SEALED envelope from Numberslate as oppose to the one w/ the movie inside. I wrote an email to them describing the situation on Saturday evening and since not receiving the response on Tuesday, I sent another message again.

No replies as of today. No one is answering the phone, just the message.

Hmmmm, makes me think.

DWilson

Their e-mail responses are a little "schizo", -I'll get one response that's very nice, and supportive and all that, and the next will be a little "snippy" and I'll feel like they're talking down to me. I have to assume it just depends on who is answering at the time. On almost any situation where you've had a problem with the disc the answer is generally going to be along these lines, -go to the shipping page and click on "not recieved" (which is operative 4 days after the ship date). It'll be marked "temporarily lost" and at least you can get another disc. Hopefully, if nobody abuses the system, that'll stay in place and we won't end up with a "Netflix" situation. I'm still generally pleased with Number Slate, -while there is the occasional delay in filling your empty slots (and I have 105 items on my list), I'll take that as a trade-off for the discs they provide that no one else carries. The only problem is damaged discs, which mostly happens with Anchor Bay and why most e-renters don't carry them anymore.