LoveFilm return envelopes

LoveFilm envelope for the return of dvds and blu-rays after viewing by subscribers.

LoveFilm provided a dvd by mail service in the UK from 2002 to 2017. It was a method by which a wide range of titles was available to consumers outside of the cinema. LoveFilm bridged the gap in changing technologies between physical high street film rental from places such as Blockbuster (or the local shop) and virtual TIVO/Netflix/streaming options.

The system courted controversy with its use of throttling – shipping title more slowly and selecting titles from lower in the priority lists of high-use customers. The Advertising Standard Authority upheld a complaint regarding the use of the word ‘unlimited’ in LoveFilm advertising due to their use of throttling.

The end of this service signified a change, as major players such as Amazon (who bought LoveFilm in 2011) tried to move users towards their preferred service, in this case Amazon’s Instant Video Service and later Amazon Prime.