From: bill@bilver.uucp (Bill Vermillion)
Subject: Re: LD Clubs : Quality?
Organization: W. J. Vermillion - Winter Park, FL
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 02:53:52 GMT

In article <1992Jul17.212027.2693@ge-dab.GE.COM> vita@gloucester.dab.ge.com (Mark Vita) writes:
>
>I agree; if the Columbia House catalog contains titles that interest you,
>the savings to be had from them work out in most cases to be significantly
>better than what can be had from most other LD mail order sources, ...

>And they seem to have the "buy one, get another of equal or lesser value
>for 19.95" deal just about every other month.  For instance, I just ordered
>"The Philadelphia Story" and "Back to the Future", which list for $34.95
>each, making the total list price $69.90.  Here's a comparison of what I
>paid through CH versus what I would have paid through a typical mail order
>dealer such as Sight & Sound:

>	Item                             List    S&S     CH
>	---------------------------     -----   -----   -----
>	The Philadephia Story           34.95   31.46   34.95
>	Back to the Future              34.95   31.46   19.95
>	Tax                                      0.00    3.29
>	Shipping                                 4.50    5.18
>	---------------------------     -----   -----   -----
>	Total                           69.90   67.42   63.37
>	Discount off list                        3.5%    9.3%

Now let's look another way.   Every time you buy a disk from CH, you
get 'dividend dollars'.  You get 1 dividend dollar for every 2 dollar
purchase (If I remeber correctly).

     The Philadelphia Storyi               $34.95
     (you get 17 dd's)
     Back to future - $34.95 less $17 dd - $17.95
     Tax                                     3.17
     Shipping                                5.18
     Total                                 $61.25

If you do the math the buy one get a second for $19.95 is only a better
deal than using your dividend dollars for disks that list over $40
each.

CH is good for stock items.  For new release S&S has many at 15% off if
pre-ordered.   Take 2 ad 34.95, discount 15% - $59.41 and SH $4.50 and
S&S comes in at $63.91.

Buy more than 2 disk and S&S comes in cheaper.  The CH S&H is a per
disk and really adds up.

I've been a CH member for about 18 months.   Filled in some good gaps
on catalog at good prices.

>Of course, the fact that CH is a negative-option deal is kind of a pain,
>but they do have an 800 number which is much more convenient than returning
>those silly cards. 

But it's still a pain, and sometimes you can't get through.   Two
months ago I called.  Cancelled that months selection, and then I said
"Can you place me on positive response".   She sounded just a bit
surprised, but said "yes".

Last months card came and it said something like "Because of your good
standing in our club you do not have to return this card".

So the only time I need to return the card is when I want something.

Ask and you shall receive, if you have met your obligation and buy disk
from them afterward.


>So my general strategy is to use Sight & Sound for new releases,
>pre-orders, and hard-to-get titles, and Columbia House for older, more
>mainstream titles.

Second that opinon. 


-- 
Bill Vermillion - bill@bilver.uucp 
                - ..!{peora|ge-dab|tous|tarpit}!bilver!bill
Newsgroups: rec.video