Defective DVD's/Damaged cases/Customer Service Experiences, etc...

[Mike]

Yesterday I got my Final Destination 2 DVD I ordered from Deep Discount DVD. Well, one of my sisters came over today and wanted to watch it. I hadn't opened it yet, so I opened it and we watched it. The movie played fine, but then I tried to watch the extras (like the trailers and some behind the scenes thing) and the DVD started to skip and just got worse, eventually freezing and I had to shut the power off. So then I put it back in and tried again, and the exact same thing happened in the exact same places. I wanted to just ignore it and keep the DVD because I didn't want to send it back, but I just couldn't let it go, because I'd feel cheated. So I called Customer Service at Deep Discount DVD to have them send me out a new one and then I could send my copy back, which is what I had to do last fall when the Spider-Man DVD I got was defective. Anyway, the guy I talked to said to send it back and then when they got it they would send me a new one. And since I was on the phone with them, I decided to see if they could do something about a damaged case I got a couple of weeks ago. I had gotten the DVD for How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days and when I opened the plastic and took the DVD out of the wrapper, a huge broken piece of the case just fell off the side of it. I was a little annoyed, since I like my cases to be perfect, and I don't want dust to get inside the case and on the DVD. Anyway, so I told him about it and asked if it would be possible for them to send me a new case for it. I was surprised when he said that I'd have to return the whole thing, the DVD and all, and when they got it they would send me out a new one. I was thinking "what the fuck?" I mean, the DVD is fine, and the cover art was fine, it was just the plastic case that was damaged. But he said that the company needs EVERYTHING sent back anyway. So I just said to forget it, and I'd just buy a new one... I can't believe they expect you to go through the trouble of sending EVERYTHING back when all you need is a new damn case. I thought that was so friggin' stupid. So I'm supposed to send the DVD off and not have it for a couple of weeks or so just because they gave me a damaged case? Nah, I'm not going through all of that shit. I don't see why they can't just send a new plastic case. Most places will just send you a new one if they send you a damaged one, you don't have to send everything back. Oh well though... It's too bad I'm going to have to get rid of my FD2 DVD for a couple of weeks or so though :(. It was nice before when I didn't have to send the Spider-Man DVD back until I got the new one.

Anyway, how have everyone else's experiences been trying to return defective/damaged DVD's? Anyone have any really bad Customer Service stories?

[The Delfonics]

Umm sending it back is definatly better than buying a whole new one. Mike you can get blank DVD cases for 50 cents a piece. In fact on ebay for 20 dollars including shipping Im getting 120 Amaray cases, the exact ones used for your DVDs.

Ive only really had one experience. I bought American Psycho and I realised it was the RATED version just as I was getting into my car so I went back in and tried to return it. Low and behold I had to sit in a return line for 10 minutes, fill out paperwork and the only thing I had to do was get the box that said Unrated on it lol. All that work for 3-8 more seconds of footage and a small red box on the front that said Unrated, those were the only differences between the two.

[Jon Lyrik]

My Batman DVD case got all bent up.

[Horror whore]

I got my Spider-Man DVD from Deep Discount DVD and I never had any problems with it, then yesterday my nephew wanted to watch it so I put it in. It was fine until the scene in the cafeteria, it froze and started skipping. I don't know why that never happened until yesterday...

[Mike]

Originally posted by Horror whore
I got my Spider-Man DVD from Deep Discount DVD and I never had any problems with it, then yesterday my nephew wanted to watch it so I put it in. It was fine until the scene in the cafeteria, it froze and started skipping. I don't know why that never happened until yesterday...

Horror Whore, that's the EXACT same spot where it did it on mine. It would not go past that scene unless you skip it, if you didn't skip it, then it would freeze up. This happened right away when I got it, on the first viewing. I took it out of the DVD player and put it back in to see if it would happen again at that scene, and it did.

[A.J. Hakari]

When I first bought the two-disk FROM DUSK TILL DAWN special edition (one disc being the movie, the other disc being the FULL-TILT BOOGIE documentary), the BOOGIE disc had a huge scratch down the middle of it.

[Sad man]

Well Mike that sucks, but I now how you feel. When my dad bought me the LEGALLY BLONDE dvd that I wanted so much, I was very excited about seeing the extras, but the extras were all weird and I couldn't see them. But then I cleaned the DVD(It was new, not used) and it worked fine.
Some DVDs I rented also had this problem, when that happens I go to the video store and ask for a new copy, and they usually give me a free rental. :)

[Freeway]

I think that this thread should tell people not to buy movies from Deepdiscountdvd.com because they seem to have alot of problems. On another note, I bought Simone (You know, the Al Pacino film) and during one of the deleted scenes it would always freeze. Unfortunately, I never did return the disc because the film and the other scenes play fine and I just forgot. I would have obviously returned it had it froze during the actual film because that all I really care about.

[ZoMBiEPeEpSHoW]

There were only three times where I remember getting bad DVD copies, but I never had trouble with customer service. The first time occured when I had bought a copy of MARKED FOR DEATH and the bottom of the disc looked like it had been boiled or something ( there were little bubbles all around ), so I asked them ( the people at FUTURESHOP ) to switch it for another copy, but as I got the other copy, they opened it up in front of me to make sure it was ok, but it had bubbles too, so they said I could trade it for another movie of the same price... I got BROKEN ARROW instead. Another time, I got the 3-DVD edition of BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF and it was missing a disc. Traded it with no problems. And the last occasion I could remember, was when I bought NOTHING TO LOSE and the little plastic security tab was stuck on the bottom of the disc... hah! I get strange luck sometimes :D

[Jon Lyrik]

Luckily none of my DVDs ever got damaged.

Though a lot of the flippers got really smudged.

[MacReady]

The closest I've ever come to a defective dvd is when I bought one and keep hearing this rattling. When I opened it up I discovered one of those three things at the center of the dvd was broken (I shouldn't telling you this but I switched it with another undamaged one from my sister).

[darkface]

I work at Target's Guest Services sometimes, and yes you have to bring the whole thing back, because they can't just rip open another one, and give you the case. You'd need to bring the whole thing back, pretty sure everywhere else would do the same. The only thing that some people get pissed at is as soon as they open it, they can't return it, they can only exchange it for another copy due to copyright laws. We always get pissed people for that.

[Neesh]

Originally posted by Freeway
I think that this thread should tell people not to buy movies from Deepdiscountdvd.com because they seem to have alot of problems.

I'd have to disagree with you on that one.... I think a good idea would be to use this thread to talk about problems with DVD retailers, positive experiences etc.... so, what kind of problems do you think Deep Discount DVD has? In my experience, they are heads and tails above everyone else. I will now give an example to illustrate why I feel this way. I've probably bought about 150 - 200 DVDs from them over the past 4 years or so.
About a a year ago, I ordered the 1938 movie Reefer Madness. For $5.95, how can you go wrong?! Well, the thing is, I didnt even open this DVD until about 5 months after I bought it. After taking the plastic wrapping off, then painstakingly pulling off all those pesky "security" stickers along the top, bottom, and side, I found the case to be empty! Thats right, no DVD. So I email their customer service department (I never actually called them, I handled it all via email). So I'm thinking, theres no way theyre going to give me a new DVD, theyre probalby thinking, "man, what kind of stoned idiot thinks he's going to get a free DVD out of us, especially when its been 5 months since he placed the order" .... Long story short, they didnt question me AT ALL. Within a week I had a postage paid label to mail back the DVD, and about a week after that, I had a new DVD (which actually had a DVD in it this time). Pretty decent customer service, wouldnt you say?
Another DDD story - a couple of years ago I was waiting on a backordered DVD to arrive --- well, while it was backordered, I moved. So then they ship it to me, but at my old address, and it didnt get forwarded (thanks to the local post office). So I emailed customer service again, and no questions asked, they sent me another copy of the DVD. For all they knew I lied and actually got the DVD the first time it was sent out.

One last thing about Deep Discount DVD - they dont make DVDs. They are a retailer. Just like Sears, Amazon, or Wal Mart. So if you get a defective DVD from them, its obviously no fault of their own. They do one thing, and that is sell DVDs. They dont keep a shitload of amaray cases in stock for the odd occasion when one arrives to you broken. Try going through another online retailers customer service, like Amazon.com, and see if they'll ever send you replacement DVD cases.

[Freeway]

I've bought over 40 DVDs from Amazon and have not had any problems whatsoever so I'd say that I trust them more than any other online retailer because I think that most would agree that they are the most reputable place to buy stuff online.

[Mike]

Originally posted by Neesh
So if you get a defective DVD from them, its obviously no fault of their own. They do one thing, and that is sell DVDs. They dont keep a shitload of amaray cases in stock for the odd occasion when one arrives to you broken.

I know it's not their fault if something is damaged. I still love Deep Discount DVD and I buy most of my DVD's from them. But I do think they should keep some amaray cases on hand in case someone gets a damaged one. Like you said, in the "rare" occasion. So it's not like they would be giving them out all of the time if it doesn't happen much. It wouldn't hurt them to have a few on hand. I can't stand having a damaged case. I need my cases and my DVD's to be perfect. I've gotten to where I don't even borrow them out anymore, even to my sister, who is usually really really careful with the disks. Hell, I don't even like to touch or watch my DVD's myself, because I don't want to wreck them or scratch them or make the case look like shit. And if I actually do borrow a DVD or so out, I put them in a completely different case, like a CD pack thing or a CD case. I'm kind of a perfectionist, and I have to have all of my DVD's, from the case to the disk, absolutely perfect. And if the case starts to look even the slightest bit worn, has a finger print on it, or has a scratch on it, it makes me want to get rid of my copy and get a whole new one. I actually have a shitload of DVD's that I've bought and never opened. They are still sealed in their packages. I'm very very picky with my DVD's.

[Droog989]

2 of our homes DVD players have actually been responsable for damaging my collection of films. An old Sony player we have started acting defective, and wouldn't access certain features, which was odd enough unto itself. But then, parts of the DVD drive were breaking off (or so it would seem), and scratching the bottom of the discs to shit. It was extremely odd, and pissed me off royally because it ruined one disc, and near ruined another (I only saved it thanks to Game Doctor. A fucking good buy if there ever was one. It's saved a couple of my movies and games from the uncaring hands of my brother).

Second, I have a first model PS2, who's main drive in/out slot thingy was defective (among countless other things. I hate PS2). Anyways, after scratching 1 of my films to the point of trash (I use it as a coaster now), it also then proceeded to destroy Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. All of this happened within the course of 2 weeks. I can't remember the last time I was so angry.

Well, the 3 DVD players we have now work fine, and I haven't gotten even the most minute damage to any of my discs, and I couldn't be happier. The lesson: I have terrible luck.

[Freeway]

Damn right, Game Doctor is a great buy for those who own discs. What version do you have? I have the older version, not the newer and more expensive motorized version. Either one can be found at places like Best Buy and Suncoast.