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We've been running Australia-DVD-Rental-Guide.com as an independent, unbiased review of the Australian DVD and game rental-by-post industry, which we hope allows you the customer to make informed choices. We're still going strong in 2009 after our blog relaunch and hope to maintain the high standards our readers have become accustomed to over the years.

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Quickflix Releases 2009 Update

Quickflix has released its 4th quarter 2009 update, noting a 48% growth in subscribers over last year, up to 41,027. December has been a record month, adding 7,800 new subscribers following an agressive Christmas campaign. Of note, 5.8 of customers cancelled (so called churn) during the 4th quarter, a figure DVD companies rarely release. The company noted churn was higher this period as they'd begin enforcing a policy of cancelling member accounts were over 60 days in arrears.

They also noted free trial conversion to member was 53%, another figure we rarely see released.

Finally, Quickflix recently updated their search and functionality for TV series (which represent 20% of all rentals), and an iPhone app is under development which will make managing queues on the go much easier.

RIP V2 Direct

As of September, V2 Direct is out of the DVD Rental business, though the company hasn't gone bust and still sells DVDs. This Brisbane-based company was the online arm of the Video 2000 rental shop chain, and had long ranked a distant fourth on our charts. Nonetheless, it had many fans, and with so few DVD rental companies left in Australia (four by our count), we mourn its passage.

However, ex-V2 Direct customers can rest assured that the market leaders, Quickflix and Bigpond, offer an excellent alternative (better in our opinion), so there's no reason the convenience of online DVD rental has to end with V2 Direct's passing.

Bright Prospects for DVD Rental

Various tech analysts have written that US giant Netflix, whose shares have slid recently given competition from DVD kiosks and the threat of digital movie streaming, remains a strong company with a bright future, and these lessons apply just as well for Australian DVD rental. As described in this Barrons piece, analysts note the lifespan of the DVD rental market will be longer than many believe. The rental-by-mail sector will be the biggest beneficiary of the drawdown in bricks and mortar stores which has been going on for several years.

One survey found that 20% of all current Amercian non-subscribers to a DVD rental service say they plan to subscribe in the next five years. Assuming Australians are similarly inclined, that's a few million new customers likely in the coming years.

April 2009 Australia DVD Rental Guide Update

It's been a quiet month in the world of DVD rental--nothing new to report.

Australians Turn to Cheap DVD Rental to Beat Recession

Quickflix surveyed more than 1,000 people and their viewing habits over the past month--more than half said watched DVDs at home because the cinema was too expensive.

Quickflicks marketing director Ben Hammond said the survey showed more people cocooning--“preparing themselves to spend more time at home as a result of the tougher financial climate,”

One third had rented between one to five DVDs from a store in the last month but a quarter had not visited a rental store at all in the last month.

One in two people had purchased between one and five DVDs in the last month.

US's Netflix Mulls Deliveries on Saturdays

US DVD rental giant Netflix is considering shipping out DVDs six days a week instead of the normal five.

Expanding its hours by 20% would presumably raise shipping costs, but Netflix is flush with profits, and the move would win kudos from customers, improving already strong brand loyalty.

Unfortunately, there is no Australian DVD rental service we're aware of which ships DVDs out on Saturdays.

Most Popular Posts

DVD Rental Growth Continues Despite Recession [3]
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How Long Do Customers Keep Their Rentals? [1]
Will DVD Rental Firms Adjust, or Will They Die? [1]
US's Netflix Mulls Deliveries on Saturdays [1]

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