How does it work?
OUTvideo is Australia's only gay & lesbian video store - and now we offer an online rental service for DVDs.
You sign up for membership of the online rental service by filling in a simple form. You select your movies and they are sent to you. You validate your membership on your first rental (when you get the DVDs). You return the DVDs to us when you are finsihed. Its as simple as that.
What are regions? What is MultiZone?
Virtually all DVD players will either play Region 1 and 2 DVDs, or can be manipulated to play them simply. Most players can do it "off the shelf" - these are known as MultiZone players. If your player does not play the disc, then you should follow these suggestions:-
1. go to www.videohelp.com/dvdhacks and search for your player make and model and follow any advice
2. search on www.google.com AND www.yahoo.com for your player make and model plus words like DVD decode.
3. contact your DVD player retailer and ask for the unlock code
4. call the customer service hotline for your brand of DVD player and ask for the unlock code
The bad news is that the main players that cannot be converted are Playstation, XBox and Yamaha brand players. Also units with a combined DVD/TV or TV/VHS will usually not be able to be converted. Also be aware that Computers will allow you to change region on DVD players 5 times before they lock ont he region you have last used (the only way around this is to reinstall your system software - goodbye everything.....).
I am a member at the store already!
The in-store database is different to this database. You do need to sign up again online if you want to rent online. The online products are kept in a different location to the video store, and therefore we cannot cross reference the databases.
I want to buy that movie !
If you want to buy a movie you have seen on our site, or want to buy a movie you have heard about, then go to www.OUTdvd.com.au - where there are over 600 DVD titles to purchase. Some of the movies on this site are only available to rent and not to buy - while others are available to buy,and not to rent. If you do have a question about buying a movie, then you can use the CONTACT US form at the top of this page.
How do i join?
Simply fill in the membership form - available at the MY ACCOUNT button above, or as part of your CHECK OUT procedure.
Is there a joining fee?
No. You only pay for your rentals - and you pay as you go.
How many movies can I rent at once?
You may rent a minimum of 1, and up to 6 movies at once. Once you place movies in the post you may rent further movies by coming back to the website, and placing another order, even though your first batch of movies may not yet have reached us.
How much does it cost?
The rental charges are on the following scale:
1 movie = $7
2 movies = $14
3 movies = $15
4 movies = $22
5 movies = $29
6 movies = $30
Then ADD Postage of $5 to the total (a flat postage rate no matter how many movies).
If you choose to return your movies in a way other than using the provided envelopes, then any additional amount would be at your own cost.
How are the movies sent?
We send you the movies you want to watch by Express Post. You can then have the movies for 7 days. You will have a slip showing the date you need to place them in the post. Simply use the return envelope provided to send your movies back - making sure to put them in the post by the date on the slip. All items we post to you will show the sender as Todd and our PO Box address. We never include the words OUTvideo on the outside of our mailers. Inside however is information on the DVD pouches which identifies OUTvideo as the return address for posting the DVDs. The rental pouches do not however state that we are a gay & lesbian video store.
How do I return them?
We provide a stamped return envelope for you to use to post back the movies to us. If you are concerned that you are returning them after the date shown on your slip, then you may choose to return the DVDs and the mailer in an Express Post or Courier envelope to make it quicker.
If you live in a remote area, the Express Post may take up to 3 days to get to you (instead of 1). You will therefore have 1 or 2 less days to view the movies (bearing in mind they need to leave you by the date on the slip).
Is the post safe?
If you are concerned about security and want to register the items you are returning, then contact Australia Post and make arrangements to send them by Registered Post. However note that Registered Post often takes a day extra to get to us, so you will need to lodge them the day BEFORE stated on your slip.
See also the heading "The movies went missing in the post" below.
What do the status emails mean?
POSTED - we will send you a confirmation email when we have posted your DVDs to you. This is your confirmation that they are in the post on that day to you.
RECEIVED - we will send you a confirmation email when your DVDs arrive with us.
PENDING - this status will show on your account screen and means that your rental request has not yet been despatched. This status will also be on any emails we send you if we have trouble charging your card for the rentals, or for any other problems we may encounter.
The DVD will not play!
If the screen says DISC ERROR or WRONG REGION or other message with the word REGION, see the paragraph above called "What are regions? What is MultiZone?"
If the disc will play however it freezes a little bit every now and then, this may be because:-
1. your laser needs cleaning (there are special laser cleaning discs available from DVD retailers)
2. there may be finger prints on the disc surface, which should be cleaned with a special DVD cleanign cloth. Rub softly from inside to out - NOT in a circular motion.
If the disc seems to freeze a little bit every now and then, this is what is called LAYER CHANGE - basically DVDs hold information on multiple layers and when the laser is changing layers it may trigger a slight pause or pixelation on the screen. this is normal.
All discs are checked for scrathes when they are returned to us. Most DVD players will tolerate a small number of fine scratches. If you have had trouble with a disc jumping, please notify us by filling in the details on the slip and return with the discs. As we do not watch the discs each time they are returned your feedback is important in detecting discs that may be faulty due to a prior renters use or misuse of the discs.
What about overdue fees?
We allow 1 working day for the movies to arrive to you. We allow you to have the movies for 7 days. We allow 3 days for the movies to come back to us. So basically, the movies need to back with us on the 11th day after they are despatched to you. If they are not, then overdue fees will begin to accrue at the rate of $1 per day (up to $5 per week) PER MOVIE. The overdue fees will be charged to your account on the next time we despatch movies to you (added to that rental cost).
If your overdues fees are over a total of $5, and you have not rented in the ensuing 3 months, we will charge your credit card on file for the overdue fees, and forward the receipt to you by normal mail.
I got a fine - but I posted them on the right day?
You need to post your envelopes back to us before 6pm in a red post box, or before 4pm at most post offices (over the counter). We will always go by the date the envelope has been post marked if there is any doubt, and add 3 days to this date (to allow for the post back to us) before calculating any fines for you.
I lost the movies..... My dog chewed the movies..... My mum put the movies in the dishwasher..... (or 100 other excuses)
Please advise us by email as soon as anything happens to the movies and we will advise you of the replacement cost. Sometimes the replacement cost may be under $10 per disc, and other times it may be over $100 per disc. So please look after them.
The movies went missing in the post.
As per our terms and conditions of rental, you remain responsible for all losses from the time they leave our premises, until they are returned to our PO Box. We do have forms to supply to you for tracing the posted item with Australia Post, however this is seldom successful. Australia Post does have a reimbursement scheme for lost items, however you will need to pay us for the cost of items as per the terms and conditions of rental, and seek the reimbursement for the lost items from Australia Post. Please email us using the Contact Us page and we will forward the relevant forms to you. See also the heading "is the post safe?" above.
Why do I need to verify my account?
If you are going to be a regular renter with us, we need to make sure your are the account holder of your credit card. We therefore require proof that you are the card holder. To this end we ask you, on completion of your first rental, to provide us with either
1. a photocopy of the front and rear of your credit card OR
2. a photocopy of the front page of your credit card statement (you may photocopy the statement and black out any purchases or your credit limit with a black marker)
These will be stored with a copy of your rental agreement in a locked office, with alarmed security out of hours. If in the future you dispute a charge from us, or you claim that you have not used our service, then we need to be able to provide a copy of your rental agreement and this Identification to our bank in order to validate the charge.
It is to protect us, but also to protect you from misuse of your credit card.
If you feel strongly about not providing this information, then the alternative is that you lodge a $100 deposit with us by cheque or money order, which will be held on file as a security for the discs that you have in your possession, and will be refunded on written request once all DVDs have been returned to us.
Why is that movie no longer available to rent?
There are a few possibilities.
Firstly the title has become damaged or lost, and needs to be replaced - in which case it will come back into stock soon.
Secondly the title may have been damaged or lost, and is now deleted and no longer available from the distributor.
Or, it could be due to releasing technicalities. The world is divided into Regions to protect territorial rights, and to protect release dates. However in the case of gay & lesbian themed movies, many companies will never sell the movies to an Australian Distributor. In this case we obtain copies of films from legitimate video trade sources overseas, and provide them for your viewing pleasure. However if a local Australian Distributor is appointed for a film, then we will cease to offer the imported version for rental (or sale) and recommence once the rights holder has released the title. This is why some titles may from time to time disappear from our range. We never copy or burn movies - everything you see is an original disc.
I don't want to get junk emails!
Nothing we send is deemed Junk..... we will email you in conjunction with your rental and return of DVDs.
We will also email you no more than once a month to tell you about new releases and specials.
If you do not want to recevie these emails, then you should not join our online DVD rental service.
How do I get to your store?
If you are in Melbourne you can visit OUTvideo at 108 St Kilda Rd, St Kilda. OUTvideo is situated on St Kilda Rd (which joins St Kilda Rd, Melbourne and the Nepean Highway). We are between the St Kilda Junction and Alma Rd, on the left outbound.
The number 67 tram (Carnegie) and 3 tram (Malvern) both stop at Alma Rd - close to our store. The 64 and 16 trams pass through St Kilda Junction, about 4 mins walk from our store. The Windsor Railway Station is about 10 mins walk from our store.
Phone Service and Store Trading Hours
We are open midday to 10pm Monday to Friday and 11am to 10pm Saturday & Sunday.
We are open EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR however Christmas Day we do have reduced trading hours from 3pm - 10pm.
Who is OUTvideo?
OUTvideo is proudly fully gay owned, and gay and lesbian operated.
We have been established for over 7 years, and are an integral part of the Australian GLBT community.
The business was started by Stephen Mattsson on 26th January 2001, and is now owned by Paul Hollingworth of The Out Group Pty Ltd. We have 6 part time staff who work in our store, assist us with administration, order fulfilment and other tasks.
We also use gay & lesbian businesses wherever possible in our day to day business - be it a gay handyman service, gay graphic designer, gay web hosting, and much more. We support the gay and lesbian community and organisations right around the country through sponsorships, donations and prizes.
How can I pay?
For our rental service, Visa, Mastercard, Australian Bankcard, Amex and JCB cards are accepted. Diners Card is not accepted.
For our rental service we do not accept payment by any other methods.
Our purchasing service does offer payment by Cheque, Money Order and Direct Deposit - however this is NOT available for rentals, and there will be NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS RULE. We do NOT offer C.O.D..
Do you rent to other countries?
No, we only rent to Australia. We do not rent to New Zealand, or any other countries.
Our Refunds Policy
We do not offer a refund (full or partial)
This is also the case where we have advised that a DVD is Region 1 and your player turns out to ONLY play Region 4 discs, or where a DVD is Region 1 and your TV is not NTSC compatible.
I want to access titles that have not been released in Australia, can OUTvideo help me?
OUTvideo can only supply locally released titles. Some imported titles may appear on our website. In the event that you order one of these products, OUTvideo will arrange for one of our overseas affiliates to ship that title to you. For security reasons OUTvideo WILL NOT provide your payment details to ANY third party. We will collect your payment and forward the funds to our affiliate on your behalf. OUTvideo will act as your contact should a problem occur and issue refunds, replacements or credits at no further cost to you. The Point-of-Sale will be the country of origin of the product (either Canada or Northern Ireland).
We support our community
Here at OUTvideo we give back to the gay community through donations of prizes, sponsorships and the like, we are always giving back to the community that support us. In the past 6 years or so we have supported, and in most cases continue to support....
* Queerscreen * VicBears * The ALSO Foundation
* Vic Presence * Rainbow Band * Melbourne Gay & Lesbian Chorus
* Glamourhead Sharks Aquatics * Team Vic * Melbourne Marching Girls
* JOY 94.9 * Dykes on Mikes on 3CR * GLODE the Gay and Lesbian Business Association
* GLITF Gay Immigration Group * Vintage Men * Spaced OUT the Gay Sci-Fi group
* Melbourne Argonauts * Quilt Project / Candlelight Vigil * VAC / David Williams Fund
* Minus 18 * Switchboard (Gay Counselling) * Country AIDS Network
* The Luncheon Club (NSW) * Midsumma Festival * Geelong Lesbian Group
* Motafrenz car Club * Vintage Men *bBent
If your group wants to have a movie night, then we are always willing to offer free rentals for your movie night.
Just pop us an email with your group details, date and the tiles you are interested in and we will let you know if they are available, and what to do about collecting them. Just email us on in@out.com.au at least 2 weeks in advance of your planned movie night.
I want to watch Porno !
Good on you - and we love to watch it at home too - but we don't stock X rated DVDs. We do stock some R rated material, and you must be over 18 to rent those.....
If you want porn, them go to www.spurt.com.au and they have over 500 porn DVDs to buy and rent.
|
