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Review: Digumz Video Game Rental

Digumz is a local video game rental website which I posted about back in March. Three weeks ago I decided to sign up and try them out and I’m really loving them so far.

Registration was a pretty simple procedure and I had two options for payment, K-net but I would have to leave a deposit or credit card and no deposit. I opted for the credit card payment and once the account was setup proceeded to order my first game. I went with Gears of War 3 and they managed to deliver it the same evening. They drop off the games and pick them up when you’re done and there are no delivery charges which is fantastic.

Their website is really easy to use and practical. Ordering a game is pretty simple and quick. You flip through their site, find a game you want and then click on the “Rent Now” button and it will be added to the queue list. If you don’t have anything on that list the game will be dispatched to you immediately. You could then continue to add games to your queue list and arrange them according to your priorities.

When you want to swap a game you go to your “Games I have” list and click on the “request game exchange” button and the next game on your list gets dispatched. In case your first choice isn’t available they will dispatch your second, if the second isn’t available the third and on and on.

Now there really aren’t any negatives, at least not for me since when I signed up their prices started at KD7 a month. For that price I can rent as many games as I want per month but only 1 game at a time. A couple of weeks back though they increased their prices and now the most affordable package starts at KD15. Lucky for me and everyone who signed up before the price increase, our memberships will continue to be renewed at KD7 a month which is great. At KD15 a month I don’t think I would have signed up since I am probably going to be renting only 1 game a month. For KD15 a month I might as well buy a game a month instead of renting. If you are planning to rent at least two games then KD15 a month would make more financial sense. They also have other packages in which you could rent more than a game a month but of course those packages also cost more.

Here is the link to the Digumz website [Link]
They also have another website where they sell games, here is the link to that website [Link]

At KD7 a month I’m really loving Digumz.

48 replies on “Review: Digumz Video Game Rental”

I used Digumz in the summer when I was back in Kuwait. It was great and SO convenient. But now that I’ve learned they’ve increased their prices, I have lost respect for them. I could buy and sell games for a better price. In America similar sites offer the same services for 15 DOLLARS (2.5-3KD) a month for renting one game at a time.

Someone else should open up a renting store and compete with Digumz so they can lower these bizzare prices.

I’ve been a member for a couple of months now and, like Mark, it seems i’ve been grandfathered in for the 7KD per month plan. I thought that price was just right since I don’t plan to buy more than a few games per year. At 15KD, that just throws the whole formula out the window, since i’m better off buying the games I want and keeping them (which I do for the really great ones anyway, regardless of the rental plan).

Still, their service is absolutely phenomenal. The guys in charge are professional beyond what you would expect and the attention to detail and commitment is world class. I’m not exaggerating and I don’t know them personally. I really wish them all the best of luck and I hope they do really well.

Hi guys, am the owner and manager of Digumz.com. First thanks for the great comments and for the bad ones, (you can go to hell J/K:P) our old 7KD prices where promotional and do not cover the cost structure that makes digumzs operate the way it is now, (daily free exchange of games etc). The new price reflects half (0.500) a KD a day, and are still lower than one game bought today. To provide the price of sites like Gamefly.com is close to impossible in q8 because of the way the postal system works there (US)and here its delivery cars (higher cost). But will still take you comments and review them too.

This would’ve been great if they had it 3 years ago, as it is now I’m way too busy to rent games 😛 I buy them since if I rented it would take me 3 months to finish the game anyway so it’s cheaper this way. Also you can always sell off a game you own, and with used games on consoles and Steam sales on PC 15KD/month is really too much, you might as well buy everything.

I have games I bought last Christmas sale I still haven’t played :I

You can rent your games from Gamefly.com, ship them to Aramex, play the games and then ship them back by DHL. For everyone else we would rather not pay those shipping prices.

What I’m trying to point out here is that Digumz.com is a complete rip off of Gamefly! don’t try to play smarty pants here Mark!!

Has nothing to do with being a smarty pants but according to your logic there should be only 1 burger joint in the whole world, 1 laundromat in the whole world, 1 supermarket in the whole world etc..

Gamefly didn’t invent video game rentals the idea was around long before Gamefly existed but even if Gamefly had invented video game rentals you can’t expect the idea not to be adapted by other people in other areas and regions. Lets say Gamefly is based in LA, does that mean no one in NY can open up a similar concept to serve the people of NY?

I don’t understand what you’re frusrated about? Ideas exist to be developed and improved upon. You sound like you came up with the idea of online game rentals or Gamefly.

I don’t really have much time for games too, but having the “option” of renting a game when ever i want from a store i can trust is a big step for retail evolution in Kuwait. The reason i trust them is because they stopped my over-inquisitive kid nephews from renting/buying many restricted aged games. Now if you don’t want to add value to that its up to you but just think about the effects Rehab Complex might have on pirated games with content open to the public to all ages.
I won’t even go into how unregulated console game and DVD markets are a back door for money laundering etc etc.
We should support local businesses that give a $hit.

I was using the same services from the mygames.com.kw, which is/was a kuwaiti website(store) providing the same services like digumz but at a cost of 6KD per month with a deposit of 10KD. (which was OK)

First 2 months went absolutely fine, without any trouble but suddenly one day i discovered that their site is down and their is no way i can contact these guys bcoz they have switched their mobile phones off and they are not even replying to my emails. I was more frustrated bcoz only a day before (on the 4th October) i renewed my monthly membership and the very next day their whole website was down.

Now what should i think about such people/store/company who treat their clients like this. I don’t know how to retreive my deposit and my renewal charges, how to claim that amount. SHOCKING!!!

Now coming back to Digumz. After all these things, i visited digumz site and i was shocked to see such a huge price increase (more than double). They increased their prices this month only (i don’t know whether all these things are linked together or not)

Never the less, i am not here to advise Mr. Dashti that how they should run their business (ofcourse they know better) but if i have to pay KD15 per month for a game, then i will simply go to hawally (Rehab) and would buy a used game (not a recently released title – may be a month old) at a cost of 8 or 9KD. It’s easily available (ofcourse you have to search the market and have to do lot of bargaining)

Renting a game only give you a feel of relaxation that you can just return the game if you don’t like it. But if you like a game, i am sure a guy who works minimum 8 hours a day, can’t play more than 1 game in a month (atleast cannot finish 2 games in a month).

To set a strategy, you also have to see the logic of it. Digumz know better about their daily expenses, but the point is that the services should be made in a way that it should attract your customers. (BTW: you don’t need a luxury car to deliver the CD to any1, i found that excuse pretty useless)

To cut down the long story short, i feel and will advise digumz that you should decrease your rental charges back to 7KD (atleast)and i am sure you will get more customers, which are hesitating or running away because of your high prices.

Anyone can give me any kind of update on mygames.com.kw???

Qaiss: Did you consider keeping the price at KD7 a month but charging say 250fils for delivery? Also maybe if someone wants to pick up and drop off the games themselves then they don’t pay the 250fils charge?

Or maybe have it KD15 a month with same day delivery and drop off of games and KD7 a month with a more relaxed 1 or 2 day delivery?

I don’t know I’m just brainstorming here…

Mark, how did you arrive at 250 fils delivery charge?
KD 15 for same day delivery, and KD 7 for next day delivery. It will not fit in the cost structure.
These deliveries I suppose are all over Kuwait – the charges have to be more.

Umair
I think you are confusing needs and wants.
You don’t need a luxury car to deliver games but obviously want the owner to deliver to you as assurance when he can. If the owner happens to be in a luxury car then i don’t see any relevance.
As far as expenses and accuracy go, i think buying from Rehab, with all the hiccups that come from it. (traffic, bad quality, not working at all, gas, haggling for the right price, etc etc etc) i think the Digumz.com option is better.
I know we’re all consumers and we just want the best value for our money but when we have a “fair” choice i think its better to stick to it.
Take a good look into the minds of the idiots who got the world this financial crisis because they just wanted to use cheaper debt without paying attention to its risks.

I don’t think that owner will come in his car and deliver the game to you (sound strange). Most of the time they have a delivery guys (as what i have experienced with mygames.com.kw)

I am having PS3 for more than 3 years and believe me i never had a bad experience from Rehab. I never face any trouble with a CD i took from their. But as far you are talking about traffic and car parking stuff, can’t argue on that.

Do you really think that digumz is a fair and better choice, atleast i don’t think so. Paying 15KD per month for a game dude, doesn’t make sense to me. I am not trying to dominate or convince anyone forcefully, just putting my views and points infront.

Beleive me, i can bare the hassle of traffic and can own 2 games per month of my own from Rehab at a cost of 15kd. in three or four months i can have a collection of 6 to 7 games of my own. And i can sell those games at any time and can refund 50% of my money. That’s the point bro.

Rental charges shouldn’t be that high. And i highly advise Mr. Dashti to consider Mark comments about delivery charges or delay in delivery. If digumz make their rental charges back to 7KD, i will be the first guy and will push many of my friends to become a member, since they are also avoiding it now.

Umair Shaikh: Believe me to satisfy all ur customers is the hardest of any business tasks and i understand your view point but when digumz was created for the hardcore gamer. They are the main 70% target. One of there attributes is finishing a game in 2days!! not a month (like me and you). so imagine bulk of my business requires daily service and delivery (most area’s in Kuwait and free of charge)to customers who play daily, then comes causal customer like myself and you. Where the weekend is the only time we play. About value, even if you buy a game a week (new) that’s 18KD then sell it off for 10KD then buy another (new game) 18KD and so on..(i think you can see where this is heading as in cost) but when buying month old games yes it may be cheaper.

Then there are some games that are a must own, not rent, like Fifa 2012 or MW3.

But thanks for your comments man, all will be considered for sure.

Thanks for your time Mr. Dashti for reviewing and replying to my comments. I highly appreciate that.

I understand your point of view and as i said, you know better about your business than any1 else. I am a hardcore gamer, but a professional guy who is spending his 10 hours at office. I try my best to take out the time on daily bases to play the games, have followed the same practice for almost more than 3 years. And i believe professionals like me (especially married guys), have a same routine. And we simply can’t finish more than 1 game a month… for sure. (max : 2 – if your wife is a gamer too :D)

Ofcourse you would be having lot of other clients and as you said, their are crazy guys out there who play 24×7 games only. To manage their requirements are quite tough.

Never the less, once again i thank you for considering my remarks, i once again request you to review your prices and try to bring it back to 7KD (if possible… pleaseeeeeeeeeee)

Qaiss,

I have to respectfully disagree with you as to what a “hard core gamer” is. I personally consider my self a hard gamer. And it does take me about a month or so to complete a game and/or experince everything it has to offer. But the reason fot that is, is because hard core gamers carfully choose their games, they dont buy what ever is new off the shelf. I know this for sure. And they tend to work hard on that game until they are really good at it especially in multiplayer. So in fact a true hard core gamer usually keeps his games and has a very low game turn over rate.

On the other hand “casual gamers” are the ones that play several games at once and complete them, at which point they dont play the game any more and move on to the next game quickly. Usually children to teenagers. Your service is great for parents who have gamer kids.

-From a gamer with 16 years experince

I agree with mark, more options is the solution. Unfortunately, only businesses that have reached a certain stake of market share can provide more specified options. Seems like he’s on the right track though, lets hope he keeps it up

Mark: good one, okay how about something like (Digumz Lite) where its a reduced price of lets say hmmm 14.900KD j/k 7KD but no delivery and store pick up only? for maybe next day delivery.

Unclewail: how is financial markets got to do anything with digumz man:P???

If you make two systems:
1. One for the gamers who only take less than a week to finish a game. They’ll get the current 15KD plan.
2. The second for the gamers who take a while to finish games due to other commitments. Like 7KD and you’re allowed to rent maximum two games a month.

Qaiss
It has to do with paying the right value for the right product from the beginning and not allowing unregulated businesses thrive because of our greed, by saving the minimal amounts.
Sorry Mr Qaiss i thought you were one of those socially responsible entrepreneurs );

Umair
I personally know than 5 small business owners that deliver their own products in Kuwait, when they have the chance to, just to have a chance to interact with their customers. Its not strange, its called “being on top of things”

hehe, it is really. I think the small business owner should try to learn how every bit of the business works. Otherwise only ‘super Umair’ can know it all without doing it all (:

Non-taken, its changing at a fast pace, even locals don’t notice. To be honest in certain areas foreigners are better at keeping up than locals.

At the Digumz Store the prices of the used games seem a bit expensive as well. KD19 for a used copy of Portal 2? Doesn’t a new one cost the same?

The way I am doing it is clicking on used game and then i see a bunch of used games with their prices.. all around KD19. I clicked on Xbox 360 and got a list of used xbox 360 games all priced around KD19. Then when I click on choose options I get add to cart and price is KD19…

But, i just noticed now there is a small button for used I need to click and it dropped price down to KD12.

I think it’s an extremely confusing system. i mean even when you told me to choose options I still was only seeing KD19 so i am guessing everyone else sees what i am seeing, the new price for used and not the used price.

digumz is fantastic for buying a game and having it delivered. I would not rent. I tried their service and I like it. Saves me the drive to rehab

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