magnetichuman

I'm writing this because I'm wondering if anyone else has had this problem.

I have had an inordinate number of the Hong Kong Legends DVDs that I've ordered from the U.K. come loose in their cases and arrive in my mailbox thoroughly scratched and unplayable. I've ordered my fair share of DVDs online, both domestically and from overseas, and I haven't had quite the problem that I've had with the HKL releases. Around 50-60% of the HKL DVDs I've ordered have been scratched up.

I purchased most of these DVDs from under18.org.uk, obviously during that big sale they had recently. I've tried returning the damaged DVDs to them, but when they finally do send me "replacements," in most cases they are more screwed up than the ones I originally sent. The DVD of "Eastern Condors" they sent me had no plastic wrapping, had finger prints on it, and looked like it had been used as a frisbee. At the onset of this problem (i.e. the first time they sent me damaged DVDs), I suggested they use an alternate form of packaging (i.e. CD slip cases) in order to prevent this from happenning, but they ignored it.

Today, I had 3 more HKL DVDs arrived from under18.org.uk scratched up and unplayable, and I sent them another angry e-mail. I am so sick of spending an additional $4 and change per DVD to send them back, only to have them return damaged again. I really don't know what to do, as I am now stuck with 3 expensive coasters.

Aghama

It seems like this is a common problem with Under18:

http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthr...hreadid=131274

Damfino

I ordered 8 HKL titles during their big sale and 3 arrived loose in case, only one was slightly scuffed but it played perfectly so I kept it. Under18.org also sent me an obviously used copy of 'Fist of Fury' (unwrapped case was scuffed up a little and there were fingerprints on the disk) again it played perfect so I kept it.

I think the problem is a combination of poor packaging (bubble envelopes instead of cardboard boxes) and the fact that Amaray cases don't hold discs as securely as Alphas. Combine this with the additional handling by postal and customs workers on both sides of the Atlantic and discs are more likely to come loose during shipping.

Matt Stevens

Uhm, maybe you should STOP USING THEM! They sucks. they are widely known to suck. They also sell used DVD's as new. I would call the bank that does your credit card and ask for a charge back.

I have used BLACKSTAR for over a year now and not one single DVD has ever arrived defective. Not one has ever been loose in the case. They sometimes cost $1 or $2 more, but YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. Period.

Try them out. You'll be glad you did.

codefree

Whoa, sending consumers unsealed DVDs is a big no-no!

I also ordered 8 or 9 of the HKL titles during their recent sale and 3 of them had come loose during shipping which I believe to be at least partially due to the inferior packaging Under18 uses. However despite this, the floaters were only slightly scuffed and cleaned up quite nice. Also, all of the DVDs I've received thus far were sealed. My last DVD from this order is Postman Fights Back which is currently in transit. I hope it's sealed and secure.

codefree

As mentioned by myself and the two previous posters, we each had placed a large order at once for these HKL titles. It wasn't until we actually received partial-order shipments that we realized what poor service they had. When someone posted the deal here about Under18 I had not heard of them before and nobody here said they should be avoided. BTW, I too have never had a floater from BlackStar or BensonsWorld.

Damfino

The HKL sale was also my first experience with Under18. I have used Blackstar, Amazon.UK and Bensonsworld before without incident.

I probably won't use Under18 again unless the deal is too good to pass up.

elengineer

floaters..ergh.

Thanks for the heads up on under18.

B4 I ordered from Benson's I asked how they handled floaters. They volunteered to take the DVDs out of their cases and put 'em in sleeves/jewel cases for me. The discs looked pristine when they arrived.

mikko81

5 out of my 8 ordered came sealed and discs intact. The other 3 I haven't received yet even though I ordered them like 3 weeks ago.

Matt Stevens

Report to your credit card bank that the company sent you usedDVD's advertised as new. That is a BIG no-no. They will just get your money back.

codefree

Phew! The last HKL title from my order, Postman Fights Back, arrived today with the disc intact and sealed.

magnetichuman

Well, I received my DVD of "Postman Fights Back" in the mail today, also "completing" my order with under18.org.uk, and alas it was a "floater" and is scratched up.

Also, after sending and resending an e-mail to under18.org.uk they finally responded with a short, curt answer: "Please return them to us and state the exact amount of refunds owing. I am
sorry that they arrived less than perfect but what goes on in the
postal service is beyond our control. There is no point sending any more discs to you."

This answer was in response to my request that they send these DVDs again, only this time in a slip case or whatever it is they need to do to get them to me in one piece. The reasons I am not too keen on returning the DVDs to them for a refund are: 1) I want these particular titles on DVD; and 2) they have refunded nothing of the return expenses that they had promised to refund to my credit card in the past.

I don't mean to sound like a whiney brat, but I do think that other people deserve to know about their customer service (or lack thereof). I also happen to believe that it is reasonable for a customer to expect to receive their merchandise in usable condition after they pay for it.

Thank you to everyone who posted in this thread, as it's nice to know that I'm not the only one who has had trouble with under18.org (misery loves company I guess).

I e-mailed under18.org.uk, and I expressed to them my desire for them to provide me with (not-broken) replacement DVDs. I will definitely keep you updated as to what happens (or doesn't happen).

codefree

I'm sorry to hear your PFB disc was yet another floater for you.
Etailers could learn a lot from EzyDVD in Australia. They open up each and every DVD they send me and place a piece of bubblewrap over the disc inside of the case. As such, I've never received a floater from them. Now that's my idea of great customer service! And to think those DVDs came a lot farther than Under18 in England.

garryi

The first dvd Was OUATIC. It was a floater and came back with scratches.
The second order was ITLOD, GOD, 2000 AD and PS
This time 3/4 titles were perfect, but Game Of death was a floater. They send i can return it and they will pay the shipping cost. I will give them one more chance before i stop buying from them

No. 23

How long does it usually take between notice of despatch from under18 and arrival on a US doorstep?

Matt Stevens

Used them once, got a DVD loose in the case and another that was clearly used (no shrink wrap, fingerprints on the disc). Sent them back and demanded replacements and credit for the $9 I spent on shipping.

Got my replacements and they were a-OK. Got $9 credit, which I used for PURPLE STORM, which arrived Monday. Have not watched it yet.

jtkv

Under18's service seems to vary by the person...

I have ordered from them, and received 2 of 4 DVDs promptly.
After I emailed them of the missing 2 DVDs 3 weeks later (which they replied to within 24 hours), they promptly sent out the 2 DVDs, and I got them within 4 days of the email reply.
And none were floaters. So I have had good service from them.

I think floaters is not Under18's fault. HKL use better cases, or put in the bubblewrap in all their DVDs from the factory.

As for the used DVDs, it may be possible the the DVDs got unwrapped in their warehouse from their storage procedure (throw all the DVDs in a large bin), and the people opened to check the unwrapped DVD is not broken, hence the fingerprints...
Or the workers opened the DVDs to watch, and then shipped them out as-is after!
Maybe they have gotten more popular since their last sale, and did not increase the staff to provide proper service level (this is no excuse).

Either way, I think Under18 is worth buying from when they have the sale.
Blackstar has crazy high prices (£23.59 for Game Of Death!)
Bensons World seems good, as their prices includes shipping.



J.T.

No. 23

If anyone cares, I received notice of despatch on 10/21 and received the dvd on 10/29.

And, it wasn't a floater. I hope I have the same luck with the rest of the order (knock on wood).

axolotls return

Rec'd Two yesterday (out of a Three order).

One was a floater. Not scuffed so.. OK by me.

I realized the problem is with the damn case. Of course the packaging could be better than what they send it in.

They came through. I am happy. Awaiting one more.

garryi

I sent them the scratched OUATIC2 and today they just charged me and sent me another one. I am still annoyed about this.
They solved the GOD problem and sent out a replacement. have to wait and see

jonathan.e

Looks like North Americans no longer have to worry about floaters from Under18 as they no longer ship to the US due to the number of problems in transit, mainly lost discs apparently. Re-reading this thread I can’t help but think you are blaming Under18 for what happened in transit. They, obviously, would rather the discs arrived intact and secured to the hub but it’s a fact of international shipping that they’re going to get more agitation en route than if they are just shipped domestically. Living outside the US and ordering the vast majority of my stuff from the States I can honestly say that I’ve had floaters from almost everyone I’ve ordered from but unless it impairs playback who cares?

I use and will continue to use Under18 as they are, IMHO, one of the better online companies.

Matt Stevens

My ENCOUNTERS OF THE SPOOKY KIND came loose in the case from Under18, the 3rd in a row from them. Thankfully, the scratches were minor and could be cleaned off (only the surface coating was scratched).

Trigger

Well - I've never ordered from under18, so I can't comment on discs coming loose from them. I have ordered several DVDs from other UK stores and have never had this problem with any of them. Also - out of the 150+ DVDs I've ordered from Hong Kong, only 2 have been loose on arrival. I've had worse experiences with domestic shipped DVDs actually. Amaray cases are the best cases for sitting on your shelf, but for shipping - they suck.