Looks like we're going to have pre-order soon!

[The_One]

Looks like we\'re going to have pre-order soon!

I was just looking on www.dvdpricecheck.co.uk to see if I could figure out who Ant's mystery affiliate is, when I noticed that Blackstar.co.uk have now put their price up from £48.99 to £57.99!!!

Now that is a pretty big price increase, and I believe that is their second. I sincerely hope other companies don't start putting their prices up to ridiculous levels. It looks like Ant's affiliation has come at a good time, I want to get pre-ordering asap before anyone else increases their price.

If you affiliated with Blackstar, you're a dead man /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

 

[AntonyF]

Re: Looks like we\'re going to have pre-order soon!

As I think I said on the board before, but might not have done. I despise Blackstar. I'd rather not make any referall at all than use them. /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[dawnchild]

Re: Looks like we\'re going to have pre-order soon!

Personally I would highly recommend Blackstar . I have bought 30 DVDs or so from them the past 12 months and they have given me very good service , quick dispatches ( often a few days before the release-date ) , fair DVD-prices ( atleast compared to what I am used to in Norway ) and no problems at all. They seem very professional.

Only problem I have sometimes is a sucky customs-charge on some packages .. /forums/images/icons/frown.gif but that is due to customs-regulations and not Blackstar`s fault.

The cheap DVD-R2 offer Antony will be able to give everyone here for the B5-boxset is great /forums/images/icons/smile.gif and might well be cheaper than that of Blackstar *nods*. I just wanted to balance the view as to Blackstar. Some have good experiences , others not. Try for yourself and make up your own mind I say! /forums/images/icons/wink.gif .

 

[Kribu]

Re: Looks like we\'re going to have pre-order soon!

I used to like Blackstar, got several videos from them some time ago - no problems, good service, decent prices. It was back when they had free shipping - their prices were a bit higher than at other places, but with no extra shipping charges, it worked out fine.

But then they announced that they'll start showing the price and shipping costs separately, saying - from what I can remember - that this *does not* mean a price hike. But what do you know... in *very* little time, the prices were back to the former high level and the shipping charges just added some more to that.

That's just not a good way to treat your customers, IMHO. It would have been fine with me if they'd just said they can't afford the free shipping any more and have to start charging for shipping - fine, no problems. It was the "this will not mean that prices will go up" and then hiking the prices that bothered me.

So I kind of understand why Antony dislikes them. I haven't ordered anything from them since that either - there's plenty of places with just as good and fast service and better prices around.

 

[AntonyF]

Re: Looks like we\'re going to have pre-order soon!

Everything Kribu said. /forums/images/icons/smile.gif That's why I stopped. They treated us for fools, and denied it.

They used to be competitive, and they are now expensive one everything. I doubt there's a product on there that you can't find cheaper elsewhere.

It's the sneaky, underhand way they did it that annoyed me. Splitting it up, creeping up the main price. And then before you know, it the prices looked the same but you had to factor in postage. Now... their price before postage is often higher!

 

[dawnchild]

Re: Looks like we\'re going to have pre-order soon!

I see the point Kribu and Antony make. *nod*. To me that is minor however , other things about the firm far outweigh this profit-motivated move ..

Blackstar are a professional firm ( but they are in business to make money same as everyone else ) , have fair prices ( cheap though perhaps not always the cheapest *shrug* ) , an excellent assortment of wares , quick deliveries and above all give their customers excellent service , also when it comes to email-response ... quickest I have experienced from abroad .. ( and service is most important of all if you ask me as a customer , it is what makes me go back to the same vendor time and time again ) and so I recommend them to anyone.

The good thing in our free market economy is that there are many competitors around and everyone can find their place to webshop. Main thing is we get the merchandize we want and are satisfied with our choices /forums/images/icons/grin.gif

 

[AntonyF]

Re: Looks like we\'re going to have pre-order soon!

I don't see how a company that is dearer on everything can be fair on prices. /forums/images/icons/confused.gif

 

[The_One]

Re: Looks like we\'re going to have pre-order soon!

Point is, ok, I've never ordered from them - you say they offer a good customer service, which perhaps they may do. But, my personal favourites, Play.com also do! They ship the second they get an item in stock - have very, very good prices and free shipping. Now, that's customer service...

Let's see...

B5 DVD - £13.99 - No shipping cost - arrived a week before the street date

Lord of the Rings DVD - most anticipated, popular and in-demand DVD ever - £16.99 - No shipping cost - arrived a week before the street release date

That is why I ALWAYS use Play.com /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[Kribu]

Re: Looks like we\'re going to have pre-order soon!

Since the DVD era started for me, every single film I've looked at has been the most expensive at Blackstar. So I can't comment on the fairness of prices there - I have never even had to search too long to find <insert random DVD title here> at several pounds less at some other online store. Usually just going to the next one on my list has been enough. /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

But as you say, it's a free market world. I've just been gravely disappointed in Blackstar since that rather ugly way of hiking the prices that they did. If you still like them, good for you (although that B5 set price of theirs is just horrendous now! /forums/images/icons/shocked.gif).

I'm sure their service as such is still good, but even not accounting for how they treated customers that time (why not just say "we're going to add shipping costs from now on"?), for me price is the deciding factor between places where service is easily just as good as Blackstar's.

 

[Kribu]

Re: Looks like we\'re going to have pre-order soon!

Play.com looks OK but unfortunately for me, "Europe" for them seems to equate to "Western Europe". They just don't ship to my country.

 

[dawnchild]

Re: Looks like we\'re going to have pre-order soon!

It depends on what you compare with , Antony. Blackstar are not in my experience dearer on everything compared to several other vendors , they are about the same price or a tad cheaper ( aka my statement fair price ) though perhaps a few firms are even cheaper yes ( I never denied that ). I have compared to Norwegian firms that import foreign DVDs but also some UK-firms like for instance DVD World UK and Amazon UK.

To give a few examples :

Star Wars ep 2 DVD R2

Blackstar will sell it for £ 18.99 + postage
DVD World UK will sell it for £ 19.99 + postage.
Amazon UK will sell it for approx. £ 20-21 + postage according to estimates
Norwegian Company will sell it if for approx. £ 24-25 according to estimates

"24" Series Boxset DVD R2

Blackstar will sell it for £ 34.99 + postage
DVD World UK will sell it for £ 37.99 + postage.
Amazon UK will sell it for £ 35.99 + postage
Norwegian Company will sell it if for approx. £ 45-50 according to estimates

We were soldiers ( Mel Gibson ) DVD R2

Blackstar will sell it for £ 15.99 + postage
DVD World UK will sell it for £ 16.99 + postage.
Amazon UK will sell it for £ 15.99 + postage
Norwegian Company will sell it if for approx. £ 20 according to estimates

There will be exceptions , there always are , but I think Blackstar`s prices are fair , yes ( but I admit not always the cheapest ) /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[Droshalla]

Re: Looks like we\'re going to have pre-order soon!

thanks for your info on play.com. Thanks to you I have now discovered this place that sells DVDs cheaper than anywhere else I've ever seen online. For example new X-Files: Providence for only £11.99, and SW Ep II AotC 2 disc set for only £15.99!

Re: Blackstar, I used to use them, but not since they started charging delivery. IMHO, places that charge delivery can never compete with those that will do it for free.

 

[AntonyF]

Re: Looks like we\'re going to have pre-order soon!

I used to do price comparsions when I did a Star Trek site.

I think an article on UK buying is definitely in order, don't you all agree?