DVD swapping site Peerflix (which I have written about before) just announced a major new feature: you can now get cash for your old DVDs instead of just Peerbux (trading credit).
I am guessing this new feature is in response to a number of vocal critics who have built up a large backlog of Peerbux. These tend to be people who started off with a large library of DVDs in the first place. I am not one of them. I started off with a half dozen. I am constantly bumping up against a zero Peerbux balance even as my library grows.
Some of the critics think of Peerflix as a means to get rid of less desirable titles and to acquire more desirable titles, thereby “increasing the quality” of their library. They get angry when they send off dozens of DVDs they don’t want, and find it takes a long time to get the new ones.
I can’t imagine there are really that many Peerflix users who are running a high Peerbux balance, but this new option certainly won’t hurt. In fact, it might entice a few new users to try the service. That would be good.
There is another issue that I see a lot of griping about: the inaccuracy of the information about DVD availability. Sometimes a movie is listed as “available,” yet it will sit for weeks on top of your “want” list and never come. The opposite also happens—a movie that was listed as “long wait” or “0 copies” just shows up all of a sudden. The reason for this is that some users don’t accurately categorize their own DVDs as “on hold” when they don’t plan to send them out. I’m not sure how best to fix this. Perhaps they have addressed it in the new version of the site.
Omar's Blog 
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