Anyone had luck returning defective dvds to the manufacturers for replacement copies?
#1
DVD Talk Legend
Thread Starter
Anyone had luck returning defective dvds to the manufacturers for replacement copies?
I was wondering this as I have been running into a few discs lately that just seemed to have died. There is not a mark on them but they will not even load on any dvd player no matter what the brand.
I ran into this recently with my Criterion copy of A Night To Remember. I hadn't watched it in a while and was going to trade it. When I checked it before the trade, it no long would work in any of my dvd players. This was a copy that I had bought new and had only watched once or twice. The other trader suggested contacting Criterion quality control...which I did. They had me mail my disc into them & they mailed me a brand new copy out! Awesome customer service!
Now I was about to sell my copy of The Apostle and when I went to check it, it was doing the exact same thing. I have not watched it in several years but there is not a mark on it. I cleaned but it still will not even load. I tried 4 different dvd players all made by different companies.
I shot an email to Universal Studios but have not gotten a response yet. I was just curious if any of you have run into this before with the larger studios. I now know that Criterion handled it well and I have heard that Anchor Bay has similar good customer service but have never really heard about the big guys.
I ran into this recently with my Criterion copy of A Night To Remember. I hadn't watched it in a while and was going to trade it. When I checked it before the trade, it no long would work in any of my dvd players. This was a copy that I had bought new and had only watched once or twice. The other trader suggested contacting Criterion quality control...which I did. They had me mail my disc into them & they mailed me a brand new copy out! Awesome customer service!
Now I was about to sell my copy of The Apostle and when I went to check it, it was doing the exact same thing. I have not watched it in several years but there is not a mark on it. I cleaned but it still will not even load. I tried 4 different dvd players all made by different companies.
I shot an email to Universal Studios but have not gotten a response yet. I was just curious if any of you have run into this before with the larger studios. I now know that Criterion handled it well and I have heard that Anchor Bay has similar good customer service but have never really heard about the big guys.
#2
DVD Talk Special Edition
Recently received the 'Lone Gunmen' series on dvd only to find out that disc 2 contained identical episodes on each side.
I contacted Fox who sent out a replacement disc for me without having to return anything, couple this with the fact i live in the UK and i'd have to commend them on their service etc.
A while back i purchased the 'Christopher Lee Boxset' from an online retailer and found the 'Circus Of Fear' disc to be at fault....a replacement from the online retailer proved to be the same so i returned it directly to Blue Underground who duly replaced it with a non faulty copy.
I contacted Fox who sent out a replacement disc for me without having to return anything, couple this with the fact i live in the UK and i'd have to commend them on their service etc.
A while back i purchased the 'Christopher Lee Boxset' from an online retailer and found the 'Circus Of Fear' disc to be at fault....a replacement from the online retailer proved to be the same so i returned it directly to Blue Underground who duly replaced it with a non faulty copy.
Last edited by RichDB10; 05-24-05 at 01:58 PM.
#3
Defunct Account
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: State College, PA
Posts: 5,920
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I too had a defective copy of "A Night to Remember." (Only watched it once or twice.) Criterion took care of it without any problem. I also had a brand new copy of The Cell that wouldn't load right out to the case. Contacted New Line and they sent me a new copy after I mailed the bad one back to them.
#4
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 9,379
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Criterion took care of a DVD that I had problem with. Pretty painless.
I can't speak for other studios. They usually take care of a defective DVD ONLY when it is a common defect that they have to deal with.
Bandai Entertainment (anime) is also good at exchanging defective discs.
I can't speak for other studios. They usually take care of a defective DVD ONLY when it is a common defect that they have to deal with.
Bandai Entertainment (anime) is also good at exchanging defective discs.
#5
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: PDX
Posts: 2,388
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Kino just sent me my replacement for a defective disc. Did you Universal's form on their website to contact them? For the larger studios messages can get lost if not directed to the right source.
#7
DVD Talk Legend
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by mcarver
Did you Universal's form on their website to contact them? For the larger studios messages can get lost if not directed to the right source.
#8
DVD Talk Legend
I had no problem with my Anchor Bay, Sony and Criterion returns.
I'm doing one now with Rhino for MST3K set 7 disc 4, but they don't require you to return the disc first.
I'm doing one now with Rhino for MST3K set 7 disc 4, but they don't require you to return the disc first.
#10
Banned
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: So. Illinois
Posts: 3,019
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Good luck with Universal. I bought a factory sealed copy of the '78 Battlestar Galactica series off of Ebay. Disc 2 had a surface flaw on Side 2 near the hub that prevented the disc from loading. I contacted Universal several times and their response was because I didn't have a receipt and that I bought it on Ebay, they could only treat it as a "used" copy. So therefore, would not replace my defective disc. You'd think this would be a simple matter, you know, exchange a disc...but no...they had to make a big deal out of it. Amazing! Anyway, I had to contact the seller and fortunately he had a couple more copies and we exchanged full sets. I mailed mine back to him, and then he sent me another. Easy exchange, but I had to pay for shipping costs all over again...both ways.
But screw Universal and their customer service.
But screw Universal and their customer service.
#11
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
There have been certain known defects for which I did replacement programs with Kino and Anchor Bay. I believe both Disney and Fox have a form you can fill out for defective discs.
DJ
DJ
#12
DVD Talk Special Edition
No problems with Anchor Bay (Heathers, FM and The Wicker Man) and Universal (Back to the Future Trilogy: Widescreen Edition and Monty Python's The Meaning of Life), but I cannot get anyone at Warner Home Video to acknowledge, let alone process, my exchange request for Kiss Me Kate.
I've had other defective/damaged discs, but I've just exchanged them at the retail level.
I've had other defective/damaged discs, but I've just exchanged them at the retail level.
Last edited by RevKarl; 05-27-05 at 01:33 AM.
#14
Originally Posted by Geofferson
I sent my copy of Kentucky Fried Movie to Anchor Bay about 4 months ago...still waiting on the replacement disc to come in the mail.
They used to be pretty good about this stuff - they replaced my Heathers, Opera (got a free Moonlighting DVD too!) and maybe one other over the years.
#15
Member
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Texas
Posts: 172
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I bought a Warner WWII box-set at Sams (with Big Red One, Battleground, Where Eagles Dare, The Dirty Dozen, The Battle of the Bulge, and To Have and Have Not). I gave a couple of these away before I got around to playing To Have and Have Not. When I opened the factory sealed package I found a single- sided , unlabeled DVD that was severely scratched and covered with fingerprints (as bad or worse than any used DVD I've ever purchased). I had to put the DVD in my player to find out it was "She's All That" instead of To Have and Have Not.
I plan on trying to get the studio to make good on this, but haven't gotten around to it yet, primarily I suppose, because I don't know exactly who to contact.
I plan on trying to get the studio to make good on this, but haven't gotten around to it yet, primarily I suppose, because I don't know exactly who to contact.
#16
Suspended
Originally Posted by hermes10
When I opened the factory sealed package I found a single- sided , unlabeled DVD that was severely scratched and covered with fingerprints (as bad or worse than any used DVD I've ever purchased). I had to put the DVD in my player to find out it was "She's All That" instead of To Have and Have Not.
#17
Suspended
I'm guessing with an OOP title that we are totally out of luck? My copy of Anchor Bay's The Bedroom Window is useless now.
UPDATE: Wow, it only took 9 minutes to get a reply from AB when I sent them an email about this just now. Unfortunately, the reply was "We no longer carry this title, so I'm afraid so."
UPDATE: Wow, it only took 9 minutes to get a reply from AB when I sent them an email about this just now. Unfortunately, the reply was "We no longer carry this title, so I'm afraid so."
Last edited by lotsofdvds; 05-26-05 at 10:24 AM.
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Eastern PA
Posts: 399
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I've had no problems with Anchor Bay witha bad Kentucky Fried Movie and they sent a completely new copy case and all, so now i have both versions of the cover art!
Back to the Future was no problem, but I did have a bad disc 2 in my Frankenstein from the Monster Legacy collection (I bought the set). I contacted Universal via e-mail explaining the exact problem and that I received it as a gift (well it is a gift set!) and did not have a receipt. The person I was in contact said that they do not normally do this and returns need to be made within 30 days, but made an exception, I mailed the disc in and received a replacement in a few weeks.
Those are the only defective discs that I have had and in the future if its not a widely known issue I first try to get a replacement from Best Buy without a receipt if it is a Universal disc and its after 30 days (has anyone ever tried that?).
Back to the Future was no problem, but I did have a bad disc 2 in my Frankenstein from the Monster Legacy collection (I bought the set). I contacted Universal via e-mail explaining the exact problem and that I received it as a gift (well it is a gift set!) and did not have a receipt. The person I was in contact said that they do not normally do this and returns need to be made within 30 days, but made an exception, I mailed the disc in and received a replacement in a few weeks.
Those are the only defective discs that I have had and in the future if its not a widely known issue I first try to get a replacement from Best Buy without a receipt if it is a Universal disc and its after 30 days (has anyone ever tried that?).
#19
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 4,389
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I grabbed Ghosts of the Abyss the last time MG had a sale. I popped it in and it wouldn't play. BVHE sent me a postage paid envelope, I mailed it in and within a week had a brand new copy of the DVD still factory sealed.
Tried to play it and had the same problem. Must be an incompatibility issue.
Tried to play it and had the same problem. Must be an incompatibility issue.
#20
Member
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Texas
Posts: 172
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by lotsofdvds
How is that possible? They're not even the same studio.
#22
Member
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Eugene, OR
Posts: 68
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I bought one of the X-Files season box sets on Ebay. It was new and in shrinkwrap, but the first disc was warped and wouldn't play. Fox's web site gives an address to send defective discs to and says they will check it out and get back to you, and that it costs like $7 a disc. I sent the box set in, never heard back, but did receive a new box set a few weeks later.
#23
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Calgary, Alberta Canada
Posts: 2,703
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
I received a replacement "Butterfly Effect" from Alliance Atlantis.
I received a replacement "Opera" from Anchor Bay.
I received a replacement "The Adventures of Tintin volume 1" from Anchor Bay UK.
I received a replacement "Opera" from Anchor Bay.
I received a replacement "The Adventures of Tintin volume 1" from Anchor Bay UK.
#24
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Originally Posted by hermes10
I bought a Warner WWII box-set at Sams (with Big Red One, Battleground, Where Eagles Dare, The Dirty Dozen, The Battle of the Bulge, and To Have and Have Not). I gave a couple of these away before I got around to playing To Have and Have Not.
#25
Member
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Texas
Posts: 172
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by Dabaomb
To Have and Have Not isn't part of the WWII set. It's part of the Bogart set.