I ordered the superbit 3 pack last night from Playcentric. It's not backordered (according to website) and I chose the 1st class air mail. How long does this form of shipping take to get to Chicago (from Canada I think)? Thx

My last order from them took less than a week to get to me.

I've use them twice and got the shipment within a week. By the way, the $3.50 off per dvd coupon expires 8/12 - PLAY0350.

According to ther website it says regarding your three pack: "This Product is temporarily unavailable" YGM btw.

Really? That sucks. But when I ordered it, it didn't say that. And my order status says 'Processing':

Order ID Order Date Last Dispatch Date Backordered Shipping Method Airwaybill No. Order Total Total Savings
XXXXXXXXXX 8/11/02 N/A NO 1ST CLASS AIR MAIL N/A $49.40 $4.99

Huzefa, my guess is that your order status may change shortly to "backordered." I've had the same exact experience with Playcentric; I currently have 3 DVDs on backorder, spanning multiple orders placed between 6/30 and 7/15, where the item showed in-stock when I placed the order and my order showed "processing" for several days before changing to "backordered" on those 3 items (the remaining items in the various orders shipped). I hope your situation turns out better!

Is there anyway to contact them to find out whether it's on back order? If so, how hard is it to cancel the order? I can't find a cust serv. # on their website? An email to them yesterday has gone unreplied. Also do they charge your card (or authorize it) at the time of order placement or at the time of shipment?

They charge at time of order, in order to lock in the exchange rate (supposedly). To find out if it's back ordered or if you want to cancel it you can e-mail them, but be aware that they're VERY slow about it. They have a 48 hour response policy, but I've yet to see anyone who's ever gotten one that early. Expect a little over a week for a reply.

I went through the exact same experience as you, ordered an "in-stock" dvd but it became "backordered" after they had finished charging the card, so I canceled it via email which took me a little over a week (which is where I got the time frame above).

While they charge immediately...it is not to lock in the exchange rate...as they charge directly in US dollars not in Canadian dollars for US purchasers.

The one time I had a problem with an item moving from in stock to back-ordered, I emailed them and got a reply back the next day - then I emailed them again on a Sunday morning to cancel the order and by Sunday afternoon I had a reply and by Monday it showed up cancelled. So they have generally been quick in responding to emails for me. This all happened a couple of months ago, before they split their website into two (one Canadian and one "International"). So I don't know if they still give this good a response. Oh by the way, their US prices were generally much better, much like DVDSoon's, before they created the dual websites. As a result, I have pretty much stopped ordering from them.

I ordered History of The World Part I from them on 7/26 and I still haven't recieved it. I wrote them an e-mail after 10 days anot not recieving it, and they informed me via e-mail from there constomer service e-mail that the title was now backordered. When I ordered it on 7/26, it said nothing about it being on back order. The price for the title (which is a childhood favorite)was decent at 12.40 with free shipping (3rd class however, im not sure if there even is 3rd class shipping), and a $1 instant cupon. The price was nice. However, it will probally be a mounth before I get my title. I am considering writeing an e-mail complaing and askign for a discount on my next purchase. The charged me the day after i ordered it, and they did offer to cancel order. But as of now, PLAYCENTRIC.COM = 2 THUMBS DOWN!!!

Update: my order was shipped on 14th and I got it on the 16th. Good work, playcentric!

Yea, well I was defently not as lucky?? Is there such thing as 3rd class shipping???? I know they are Canadian and all, but still 3rd class shipping?

Playcentric seems to have some trouble with their order status as reported on the website - but, in my case it was in a good way.
I placed my first order with them about a week ago for two DVD's. I noticed the other day that my CC was charged so I checked the order status. It showed one DVD shipped and the other on backorder. However, today I received the order including both DVD's (in the same package).
If an online store has to mess up that is the best way to do it!

If an order contains an item that is available now, and an item that is going to be released in November, do both ship in November or does one ship now and the other in November? If the shipping is split, are you charged more?

Two of my orders have November items (I know, I know, why not put the two Novembers together... oh well.. hey maybe I can e-mail them and ask if they can ship the two non-Novembers!!

Well my shipping was free and a dollar off two of the orders, and I got the $3.50 off each item in the third order... whatever saved me the most For the ones with preorder I got the shipping free so I didn't pay extra.

I got:
Nightmare on Elm Street
Sex and the City 1, 2, 3
Oz Season 1
Babylon 5
X-Files Season 6
Sopranos Season 2
Stargate SG-1 Season 1
--------------------------------------------------
$402.42

Using your method could I save enough to justify cancelling and reordering?
They are grouped in three shipments, 3rd class two of them and 1st class one of them.

Actually I was about to change my prior message and accidentally deleted it...because I forgot that if you just choose the free shipping method, the $1.75 surcharge doesn't apply either. I'm not really sure which way would be cheaper for you but generally, if you use first class mail the $3.50 method is cheaper for two or more items...so long as you don't have any items with different order dates. Obviously, if you are using the free shipping $1 off method...you can simply order each one individually and not have to worry about grouping anything together for better shipping, etc.

Lol. They crack me up. Ordered SG-1 Box2 over 2mos ago and I still get an email saying it's back-ordered.

It makes me wonder if they fill the more expensive orders first and get to the real discounts whenever they feel like it, or not at all?

What's even stranger is it's available to place in your cart on the site.

Same here!!

Haha. I like what they're doing now. They obviously didn't get enough SG-1 Set2s in so they claim the release date is "Tues, Sept 10th".

Gotta love 'em.

Yep, they messed me up on Stargate 2 also. They've had my money for 2+ months, and now backordered...... Grrrr...

S&TC #2 backordered sigh.

I ordered on 8/09 and am still backordered for Die Hard box set!!!! Is this a record? almost one month and still nothing....

Shipment Method: 1st Class Air Mail
DIE HARD ULTIMATE (3PK) DVD BACKORDERED

I expected to wait a coupe of weeks based on reviews of this company, but this is really a long time......

I waited about a month after the release date last fall for Star Wars: TPM from Playcentric. But it did arrive eventually.

Yes, that's the "price" you have to pay for low prices.

It seems that DVDSoon is becoming a better retailer for pre-orders than Playcentric, but since they raised their free-shipping requirement it's not a better deal for U.S. customers.

So you have to decide for yourself. I don't mind waiting an extra month or so if I'm going to save $10, but for $1 or $2 I'm not sure.

Re: DVDSoon Preorders- if you order $115 CAD from DVDSoon, and later have to cancel some items (refund to CC) bringing you below $115 CAD, it seems that you still receive free shipping.

I have placed 5-10 orders with Playcentric but never pre-ordered from. Most of my Playcentric orders shipped in 2 days and arrived within one week.