ZIP and Rogers, shipping caps

[clh78]

If anyone at Zip/Rogers is listening...I'm with those who aren't opposed to a cap so long as it amounts to what our plans are now....if you are on 4, you should have a cap of 16 per month, 6 then you should have 24., etc.

I also feel a bit used now that it seems our opinions were taken and we were made to feel it was for our own benefit when it was really about how to tell the next owners how they could bend their new customers over and how hard they'd take it before screaming. Pretty shameful but then again, this is big business, it was silly to think that they actually cared about their customers.

[Paulzy]

Wow, that’s a bit of a kick straight to the nuts. Don't expect Rick to post anything here for a while if this is all in the cards. I'm sure anything he says now, if a deal is in the works, would void any NDA they have with Rogers. We just have to wait for that (super positive!) Press Release talking about how great service will be to Canada and the increased selection Rogers offers and maybe some crazy plan like we can drop disks off at any brick and mortar Rogers location. Well if they were looking at getting rid of the heavy renters in exchange for some Moms who think its "a really neat idea" when they hear about it on "local news at 6" then mission accomplished. Remember, if Rogers gets 2 people to sign up for every 1 person that quits, and was costing them money in the first place, bully for them.

It was good while it lasted.

Paulzy

Does anyone else hear subtle undertones of the imperial march in the soundtrack?

[YKdvd]

I'm not surprised they took the info down - I'm much more amazed it slipped out in the first place. We should also remember that it may be somewhat different from what might actually come along - those prices may have been anything from a rough draft to final gospel. And there are a number of possibilities for this outside of Rogers actually buying ZIP completely.

Personally, I can live with the cap idea, although these seem just a little low, but I can see where some current users will be very unhappy. It will also be interesting to see how they might go about advertising this. "Unlimited" is such an easy hook. In effect what a plan like this would do is replace the implicit cap caused by Canada Post speed and replace it with an explicit one. Existing high volume renters lose their subsidy, but it probably makes the system sustainable and thus benefits the majority.

But especially at these low cap levels, I'd hope they would consider some sort of credit that might build up in slow months that could apply to months that go over the cap. It shouldn't be a one-way ratchet where they get the extra revenue in high months and the benefit of lower shipping cost in the slow months.

It will be interesting to see what happens...

[unbx]

someone should go into live help and ask about this, would be rather humorous and hey, we might actually get some explination

[chrisyak]

thought about upgrading my membership before rogers comes in but the link to upgrade is not their.........

[~~Darlyn~~]

I upgraded yesterday before all this came out and I had to do it through Live Chat. I can still see Cancel Membership but not ZipRewards and yet others can see their Rewards. Have no clue why some of us can see what others can't.

[clh78]

Ok, just because I like little missions like this....I contacted chat and asked about the whole Rogers/Zip deal. I'll post the chat session as soon as it's emailed to me....no real big revelations however it'll be interesting to see what happens considering what their agents are saying....

[clh78]

Here it is:

Chat Transcript 06/15/2005 03:21 PM

Kylee:Hello, How may I help you?
Courtney: Hi Kylee....I noticed today some information regarding Rogers on the knowledge base. Are we going to be given fair notice about them buying Zip out before it goes live? I personally don't know if I'm keen on staying on if Rogers is going to be in charge as I joined to get away from that company.
Kylee: Hi Courtney! I'm not sure what you're speaking about, sorry!
Courtney: This is what appeared on your site earlier today in the knowledge base when using Rogers in the search term:
Courtney: A shipping and handling charge of $1.99/DVD will be applied to Rogers members in the month for any DVDs shipped above their monthly volume. A Free Trial does not contribute to the monthly volume. The Shipping thresholds are:

a. $10.95 - 3/month
b. $18.95 - 6/month
c. $24.95 - 12/month
d. $34.95 - 16/month

Kylee: I'm sorry, I really have no information. Rogers and Zip.ca are two seperate companies.

Courtney: Ok, so basically what you're saying is "no comment" considering that the information was up on your site earlier (people have screen captures) and that rogersvideoonline.ca is currently registered to Zip.ca on the whois domain search.
Kylee: I'm not saying 'no comment', Zip.ca has no plans of changing our company and will remain its own identity
Courtney: Ok, that's great. Thanks for your help, Kylee.
Kylee: you're very welcome!
Courtney: disconnected
Kylee: disconnected

To me, there is a lot of room for semantics but the fact that one of their agents said they have no plans of changing their company and that it will remain its own identity leaves alot to the imagination. Who knows? Maybe Zip is being brotherly and showing their friends at Rogers how to run an online DVD rental business.

Riiiiiight.

[clh78]

Oh yeah, I'm with you....I have no doubt something is in the works....all the signs point to it however, I used to work in a call centre/chat support environment and we ALWAYS knew what was going on but were told to spew out the kind of customer friendly, "don't panic" jazz that Kylee was saying.

I cancelled my TMN to sign on with Zip but yeah, if things are going to be how they appear to be right now.....I'll likely just give my business back to my cable company (NOT Rogers, thank God)

[YKdvd]

I remember reading in the Guardian about a British DVD rental company called "VideoIsland", which also provided rental services for Tesco (big British supermarket chain), MSN, and the EasyJet group under various agreements, as well as their own "ScreenSelect" brand. So there are other possibilities that might be going on with ZIP/Rogers.

[~~Darlyn~~]

Pretty sure by now Rick has poked his head in here and has opted to say nothing rather than clear up any confusion we have. I'm guessing the saying nothing part confirms that we all aren't overly confused.

[chippy1]

I emailed them last night. Here's my post and their reply :

So what is Rogers Video Direct? Is there caps on my membership now? I haven't been notified.I emailed earlier tonight about raising my membership to 6 DVDs at a time but I would like to hold off until I have the anwers to my questions. Also, if the cap on 4 DVDs is 12 and 6 DVDs is 16...why would I pay for a 6 DVD plan? If I can rent 4 more for 1.99 each why would I pay 34.95? This is very confusing!!! I have been very satisfied with my membership up until now... I also prepaid my monthly membership until August. I expect my membership plan to stay the same as it is now until then.Please reply


REPLY:


Thank you for contacting the Zip.ca Member Service Centre. We are pleased to assist you with your inquiry.
Rogers Video Direct is an independent company from Zip.ca. Zip.ca will not be placing caps on membership rentals as Rogers Video Direct has chosen to do. Your membership plan will remain the same and there will be no changes made to Zip.ca memberships

[Rashkae]

So much panic and speculation, but I find it curious everyone is assuming Robers is Buying Zip....

I'd be more willing to wager Rogers outsourced to Zip. Rogers needs to compete with Blockbuster, which will no doubt expand the Blockbuster store/on-line service to Canada. They would have to either build the entire infratrucuture for on-line rental themselves, or simply outsource the service, like Wal Mart and Netflix do in the states.