David Flynn takes a shine to ordering DVDs online.

Saturday, February 12, 2000

OzDVD Warehouse

Rating: Four out of five

The Sydney-based OzDVD site operates at a moderate speed, but is well designed. You don't have to wait for all the graphics to load to click on a link, and you can search on title and genre. Only Region 4 DVDs (that is, ones that play in Australian DVD players) are offered, but the range is starting to improve. Prices are good, typically 10 to 15 per cent below normal retail price. And, as is often the case, pre-ordering a DVD not yet released makes it cheaper still.

Service is excellent. I lodged my order for three DVDs in mid-December. When I received the discs in January (OzDVD holds orders until completely filled to save postage), two were in their original shrink-wrap, untouched by human hands. The third had no shrink-wrap but was clean and unmarked.

The price? Including postage, I paid $87.12.

The pros

• Excellent "keep-the-customer-happy" service.

• Good general prices, extra discounts for pre-ordering about-to-be-released DVDs.

• Very wide range, much better than most normal shops.