iTunes movies rent or buy? Whats your preference now?

[MacBoobsPro]

I know this has been asked a thousand times before and during MWSF08 Jobs even said the 'buying' model didn't perform as expected, but upon inspecting the comments on a variety of new movies in the store, every one I checked had within the first 3 comments "Let us buy the movie." I would like to know what your thoughts are on this renting model and would you actually prefer to buy the movie?

Now that the majority of studios are on board the choice of movies available has improved but now we can't buy these new movies we can only rent. Why do Apple/Studios keep shooting themselves in the foot? With the better selection of movies available the buying model will work and would be more lucrative for both Apple and the studios. I just can't figure out their thinking?

Its not hard is it? Let people that want to rent, rent and people that want to buy, buy.

Also is it my imagination that Dodgeball was available to buy but now the rental model is with us we can now only rent it?

So my question is... now that the majority of studios are on board and the quality and selection of movies has and will continue to increase would you now prefer to buy your movies instead of rent? I have been a 'buyer' all along and always will be. Renting is bad economics in my opinion. The store comments seem to suggest a lot of people also prefer to buy rather than rent.

 

[dbwie]

Rent

My preference is renting, with the occasional exception of a movie I may watch more than once. I rent 100% of the movies I watch the first time. If I really liked it and will want to watch it again, I will then go out and buy it. I have never bought a movie that I haven't rented or otherwise seen first. I buy maybe 1 in 20 movies that I see. Thus, for the occasional movie I rent and then buy it, which is not very economical. However, I do spend less in the long run than buyers, and I don't have loads of garbage filling up my living room. Thus, Apple's model is almost right for me. If there is a way that a rental can be purchased and kept (and even better, with the rental cost subtracted from the purchase cost), that would be perfect for me.

 

[Stampyhead]

Movie rentals was something I had been anticipating ever since the iTunes movie store came out. There are many movies on there that I would like to see, but not enough to make me want to buy them. Ironically, if you read the comments on most of the rental only titles they are full of people complaining that they can't buy the movie. I guess it's impossible to make everyone happy...

 

[Michael CM1]

I have already rented about 8 movies because there are a lot I want to see, but I am BAD about taking DVDs back to the store on time. I have only bought one movie from iTunes, and it was something that I had never heard of available on DVD.

I have little interest in buying movies from iTunes unless they can fully replicate a DVD (with all the bonus features you get and the portability) and get serious about prices. Pick up a Circuit City or Best Buy ad. You can find tons of movies for less than $10. I'm pretty sure Apple has zero. This is one of the many reasons I think the whole "downloading will kill DVDs and Blu-ray" thought is poo.

However, this rental stuff is pretty awesome.