Watson2

If you pre-order something for 19.95 but the club price is 22.95 your freebie can be up to 22.95. I think that's how it works?

BobO'Link

Codes can be fickel with some accounts and there appears to be no particular rhyme or reason. Sometimes they'll work for a few hours and then stop working. Just keep trying occasionally and you may see one that appears to be "dead" start working for you.

Box sets work as the qualifier with B1G1 codes but are not available as free. Percent off codes typically work with any selection. Free shipping codes rarely work with box sets with a B1G1 w/free shipping on box sets somewhat a Holy Grail of codes.

No.

You don't have to purchase box sets to fulfill. Your best fulfillments will be regular priced DVDs using a B1G1 w/free shipping code. If you have a couple of sets you really want and can't find a better price elswhere once shipping is taken into account (a rarity) you should *still* use a B1G1 w/free shipping so you can pick up a couple of regular DVDs to help your average. Otherwise hold out for a free shipping on box set promotion and pick them up at that time.

lizard

Are you sure you are entering the codes in the right place?
http://forum.dvdtalk.com/dvd-clubs/5...de-answer.html

BobO'Link

^ You would think I would have included that in my reply since I'm the one who got fed up enough to create that thread in the first place!

dfxartist

Thank you, I did read over that thread Lizard before posting. Also I was scouring the boards and I didn't see anything that said definitively that the TVclub would allow the codes. That is why I was asking. I really appreciate the time you spent answering the questions. Thanks ... I'll just keep plugging away.

BobO'Link

^The only real differences between the TVonDVD and DVD clubs is the initial enrollment titles available and the selection-of-the-month titles. Once you're a member of either club the selections available and codes are the same. As I mentioned above, you don't have to purchase sets to fulfill with the TVonDVD club, although lots of people seem to have that misconception. I believe CH likes it that way so you'll purchase more expensive titles.

md83

Hey, thanks.

So they ended up charging my cc and now I can log into my account again with no problems and it says I've completed my purchase requirements. They also sent me some Purchase Completion Certificates. With these can I order more selections without getting charged any more than I already have? If so, is there a way to redeem them online?

BobO'Link

^You can use the "contact us" part of the help system to let them know what you would like to order with these. The CS reps can see on your account that you have these and how many you have outstanding. I don't know right off hand if there is a drop down selection for these, but if not choose "other" indicate that you would like to redeem a certificate and give them the title/selection # of the selection you would like.

DealBreaker2009

I canceled my account a few days ago after fulfilling my membership but today I received a "director's selection" e-mail. When I attempt to login to the canceled account it just states account balance of 0.00 and clicking on any links takes me back to that same page so I assume the account is canceled. Is this customary that I may be on the e-mail list after cancelling or I am likely to get charged?

BobO'Link

^Yes, you may receive several emails following the closing of the account, including a "director's selection" email. Once you've received the "we've closed your account" email and you can no longer access anything but the payment page you don't have to worry about responding. Time to cycle...

sotra

Anyone have a list of the DVDs available for free when going paperless? Also, someone in another thread said you don't have to pay shipping for the DVD, but in the ad I got in the mail it said you have to pay s&h?!?

riotinmyskull

whens the last time anyone got approved for a CH.com (not columbiahouse.com) account?

BobO'Link

^8 or so months ago... don't really remember exactly, but I cancelled right before Christmas so I would not chance having to purchase another selection on my anniversary date.

Hadeon

What catalog are they talking about?

This is my first account. (Fulfilled, but I'm keeping it open until I get another approved).

I've had three deliveries (including my Welcome package), but I have not received anything resembling a catalog.

What's the deal?

Cheato

^ More to the point, what are you talking about. The only other reference I see to the word "catalog" in the last 40 posts is from almost 6 weeks ago. Talk about a non sequitor...

As for that "catalog," "they" (i.e., awiseguyray) were (was) not talking about a catalog made of paper. They were using another definition of the word: a complete list or inventory.

lizard

Columbia House used to send out a booklet with the enrollment package listing hundreds of DVD titles. But they no longer do if one selects e-mail instead of regular mail as the preferred contact method. Whether or not they still send it out with a regular mail account, I couldn't say.

I sometimes use "catalog" as a way of describing the entire range of DVDs carried by Columbia House. But CH doesn't provide a convenient list of every DVD, although individual titles can be searched for on their website. To overcome the lack of a list, some members here have made a list that can be obtained from links posted at the end of the http://forum.dvdtalk.com/dvd-clubs/2...-miner-24.html thread stickied to the top of the forum.

And if that doesn't answer your question, you will need to be more specific.

Hadeon

That answers my question. Sorry my question was worded so poorly.

rfduncan

So I have a question about the BOGO sale that just happened. It seems like those whose accounts had fulfillment requirements were getting a better deal on Blu-rays than someone with a regular account.

What was the story there? Why were they able to get BR pre-orders and an additional BR free? I couldn't get that to work. Should I be signing up now for a new unfulfilled account in anticipation of a better BOGO deal the next time it comes around? Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

Jedi Master 33

Well, having a unfulfilled account doesn't make any difference than having a fulfilled account. Have no idea why it wouldn't work for you.

lizard

Everyone with an open account could get a BD pre-order and another BD of the same or lower price for free. Most pre-orders can't be taken as the freebie unless they are near the release date. 3/17 pre-orders didn't work as freebies for the recent BOGOF deal, so far as I could tell.

That said, using a BOGOF deal does give lower relative prices when it is used to fulfill an account, as opposed to using it on an already fulfilled account. Why? Because the account will have to be fulfilled with $19.95 (or more) titles anyway.

It helps to think of a Columbia House membership as a package deal. One gets six DVDs for 49¢, a seventh for $9.95 and has to buy two for $19.95. The total cost is $52.79 and when fulfilling with a standard BOGOF plus free shipping offer it works out to $4.80 per DVD. This means that a DVD purchased from Columbia House is "worth" $4.80. If one uses the membership to purchase Blu-ray Discs instead, the total membership cost will be raised somewhat, depending on the price of the BDs and whether or not one has to pay for shipping. To figure out the relative cost of the BDs purchased, one takes the total cost of the membership and subtracts the value of the regular DVDs purchased. The cost left over is due to the BD purchase.

So, here is a look at the numbers you may have seen in this and other threads:

Regular DVD club membership:

Enrollment:
6 x 49¢ + $9.95 = $12.89 (7 DVDs)

Fulfillment using BOGOF with free shipping:
$19.95 + (free DVD) + $19.95 + (free DVD) + (free shipping) = $39.90 (4 DVDs)

Total cost of membership:
$12.89 + $39.90 = $52.79 (11 DVDs)

Average cost of DVDs purchased:
$52.79/11 = ~$4.80


Now look at the numbers if BDs are used for fulfillment instead of DVDs, given the recent BOGOF BD sale (but no free shipping). BDs useful for fulfillment range in price from about $21 to $30. I will use ones priced at $26.21 ($34.95 MSRP) for this example. What is the relative cost of each BD purchased?

Enrollment:
6 x 49¢ + $9.95 = $12.89 (7 DVDs)

Fulfillment using BOGOF, $26.21 BDs, no free shipping:
$26.21 + (free BD) + $26.21 + (free BD) + $8.96 (shipping) = $61.38 (4 Blu-ray Discs)

Total cost of membership:
$12.89 + $61.38 = $74.27 (7 DVDs plus 4 Blu-ray Discs)

Relative cost of each BD purchased:
($74.27 - ($4.80 x 7))/4 = ($74.27 - $33.60)/4 = $40.67/4 = $10.17


The straight cost of those same four BDs on a fulfilled account would be a simple:
($26.21 + $26.21 + $8.96 (shipping))/4 = $61.38/4 = $15.35 each.

Again, the reason the relative cost is lower when using them as fulfillments is because one has to spend 2 x $19.95 to fulfill the membership anyway. This is why it is nearly always cheaper to buy DVDs and BDs by cycling memberships, as opposed to just keeping one fulfilled account open and using sale offer codes to just buy additional DVDs or BDs.

The problem for Blu-ray Disc buyers is that they often don't want the addtional DVDs that cycling memberships generates. But, for those of us who do have a use for them, cycling accounts is the least expensive way to purchase Blu-ray Discs. This also works well for those using TV set accounts. Get two sets for $9.95 and then fulfill the account with four Blu-ray Discs. Pretty good deal.

Sweet Baby James

This has been my strategy since I went hi-def. Nothing but HDL TV accounts from now on. BTW, CH just added some new enrollments for the TV Club. Time to submit a new application.

rfduncan

Ah see there was my problem... I was trying to do BOGOF using the Blu-ray release of The Princess Bride. Crud. Thanks for clearing that up.

lizard

^I did use The Princess Bride as the "buy one" part of a pair. But it didn't work as the free part of the sale. It should have worked for you also as the B1 part unless you were trying to pair it with a BD that cost more than $26.21 or another pre-order.

I was a bit surprised that it didn't qualify as a freebie because DVDs near release date have often worked that way. It is possible that Columbia House is tightening up on that "feature" of BOGOF offers, although I didn't check any other titles to see.

darkdaze73

I couldn't get Transporter 3 as a freebie despite it came out 2 days ago. It was still showing up as a pre-order.

SamIAm333

the math tends to confuse me but i enjoy the answers... i have a tv club membership (2 tv titles for $9.95) - what would be the per title cost if i fulfill with this 3 for $22 deal going on and include the code that gives free shipping 3+? 6 for $44 would be 2 committments. or is it even worth it since most of the titles aren't $19.95s?