Why are DVDs so damn hard to open?

[OREOSpeedwagon]

I mean, once you get the shrink wrap off, then you have to take off those stupid stickers that keep the case closed, sometimes it even makes marks on the plastic where you had to remove them. It takes a good minute that I could be watching the movie that I have to take all the stickers off. Why can't there be just one, small, circular sticker on the right side of the case to hold it shut?

[Shroud]

Its because of all the shoplifters. The easy way to open it is to take a box knife and slice all the way around the dvd edges through the plastic and the stickers, then the stickers just peel right off.

[orangeguy]

I do the same thing but I don't take the stickers off.

[OREOSpeedwagon]

Man, I didn't even think about that. No wonder it seems like I'm the only one that has marks where I took off the stickers on all my DVDs =/

[AGuyNamedMike]

For me, part of the joy of a fresh new DVD is carefully removing all the stickers, being sure to not mar the cover or leave any adhesive residue behind. It's even more challenging with used since they tend to be festooned with all sorts of stickers.

[Mike Lowrey]

I use a pocket knife to carefully get a corner started on one of the side and bottom stickers, then I just peel off the sticker once I get the corner started. For the one that is perferated on the top, that's a bit more tricky. Just work at it, as it tears into multiple pieces until I get it all.

[Dabaomb]

If you order from Columbia House, half of their DVDs don't have any labels (Title Label on the top or security labels) at all because they get stripped down versions from the distributors that don't have anything but the case, cover art, DVD and if applicable, an insert.

[Cedrock]

you dont even need to cut open the dvds to shoplift. You can just walk out with the dvds, the only ones that MAY beep are boxed sets and ive only heard one or 2 beep and i worked in electronics. (This only applies for target as far as i know)

[gutwrencher]

I've never had much of a problem with any of the 1,500+ titles I've opened. I take my time and do it properly. I think people get in a big rush, tear up the pakage...then blame the pakage itself. just my opinion.

[Al Padrino]

The stickers aren't there for security reasons. They're there to give you another chance to reconsider the purchase and realize that you've spent money on yet another DVD.

[Qui Gon Jim]

I have one of these... Link



These work really well and they are less than $2...

[DouglasRobert]

I use a pencil type Exacto Knife. Small pencil type knife with a pointed razor blade at the end.

I just cut along the seem on all sides that have stickers, then carefully peel off the stickers.

For box sets like The Lord of the Rings Extended Editions I carefully open only the side where the inner sleeve slides out from and keep the plastic wrap as intact as possible. Keeps the package from fingerprints and dust that way.

I notice that the stickers they use around the edges of Snappers do come off way easier than those on keepcases. The only good thing I can say about the snapper.

If you don't have an exacto knife,a Utility Knife, razor blade or a very sharp kitchen knife should work as well.

[mzupeman2]

Originally posted by Cedrock
you dont even need to cut open the dvds to shoplift. You can just walk out with the dvds, the only ones that MAY beep are boxed sets and ive only heard one or 2 beep and i worked in electronics. (This only applies for target as far as i know)

Even for Target, you're ramblings are mad! Every DVD has some sort of device in it to set off the alarms at the doors. If you're speaking from your own experience of shoplifting, you WILL be caught, and pretty soon I would imagine. And for the sake of you being a shoplifter (if you are), I hope you do get caught.



As for how I handle getting those stickers off, I just use a box cutter razorblade, and cut down the little groove along the sides of the case. Then you just peel it off, works every time.

[Klopez3709]

I use a box cutter. A pain, yes, but for me, part of the excitement.

[Cedrock]

Didnt shop lift, as i just said i worked in electronics, and would hear most of the time if someone beeped. We hada demagnetizer to demagnetize but when you get people coming to you with 5-10 dvds at a time you get tired of demagnetizing every dvd. So i tried skipping a few and people didnt beep so I just stop demagnetizing to save time and effort...and it didnt beep when i didnt ,so was just a waste of time. I tried not with a box set and it beeped so i just continued to demagnetize to save customers the embarassment of looking like theifs. Not rambling , fact for our store I dont know if our detectors were going, but dvds didnt beep except box sets, and i forget if videogames i think i demagnetized them all anyway. I see your a senior member and to place the thief label on me was rude, seeing the fact that i said i worked there...

[asianxcore]

Originally posted by gutwrencher
I've never had much of a problem with any of the 1,500+ titles I've opened. I take my time and do it properly. I think people get in a big rush, tear up the pakage...then blame the pakage itself. just my opinion.

yea same here. haha I don't have that many, but the ones I do have I have never had a problem opening up the DVDs, yea I also know of people who are in a rush so when they pick to take off the stickers on to the top/sides, their fingernails dig into the packaging and they have holes in the cover and what not. Just take your time haha

[mzupeman2]

Originally posted by Cedrock
Didnt shop lift, as i just said i worked in electronics, and would hear most of the time if someone beeped. We hada demagnetizer to demagnetize but when you get people coming to you with 5-10 dvds at a time you get tired of demagnetizing every dvd. So i tried skipping a few and people didnt beep so I just stop demagnetizing to save time and effort...and it didnt beep when i didnt ,so was just a waste of time. I tried not with a box set and it beeped so i just continued to demagnetize to save customers the embarassment of looking like theifs. Not rambling , fact for our store I dont know if our detectors were going, but dvds didnt beep except box sets, and i forget if videogames i think i demagnetized them all anyway. I see your a senior member and to place the thief label on me was rude, seeing the fact that i said i worked there...

I did say 'IF' you're a shoplifter. If you're NOT a shoplifter, then what I said should have been disreguarded. I worked security in a BJ's Wholesale Club, and we had a very similar system to detect these kinds of things that Target had (the target I refer to was right in front of this BJ's). The systems after a while can get run down or finicky. Or it could be reshops. Items people were purchasing and decided they didn't want, whatever. There's tons of different ways DVD's can be demagnetized and be more apt for theft. Also, these machines sometimes when they get run down, also have bad 'zones'... that start to go after they've been in operation for a few years. Where once in a while, there will be a certain 'zone' in between the magnetic fields that detect these strips... will be down. I betcha they get demagnetized because some employee in your electronics, could also be sitting the box, or taking the dvd's out of the box, and landing the dvd's somehow on the demagnetizing strip. There's numerous factors that could go into this kinda thing. Ah well. My main point was that it's kinda silly for a thief who may be stealing something, not to open the case at all. It's a damn sure way of getting caught. Hell, not only because by chance these systems 'might' be faulty, but also because somebody who you may not realize is an employee may be watching you....

[eXcentris]

Originally posted by AGuyNamedMike
For me, part of the joy of a fresh new DVD is carefully removing all the stickers, being sure to not mar the cover or leave any adhesive residue behind. It's even more challenging with used since they tend to be festooned with all sorts of stickers.

You should try it bilndfolded, it's even more fun!

[Steps]

Originally posted by Cedrock
but when you get people coming to you with 5-10 dvds at a time you get tired of demagnetizing every dvd. So i tried skipping a few and people didnt beep so I just stop demagnetizing to save time and effort...

What a hard job you must have. If demagnetizing is part of your job then, for christ's sake, demagnetize. Lazy bastard.

[digiboy]

"So i tried skipping a few and people didnt beep so I just stop demagnetizing to save time and effort..."

And there's a good chance that if they go into another shop afterwards, they will trip the alarms. Happens to me all the time, I really hate it. Seems like some shop alarms are more sensitive than others too, so even if the labels have been demagged enough for the shop where you bought the DVD or whatever, it may still set off an alarm somewhere else.

Sometimes after buying, if I know I'm going into another store later, I open the DVD and remove the security label.

[bjh_18]

Originally posted by Cedrock
you dont even need to cut open the dvds to shoplift. You can just walk out with the dvds, the only ones that MAY beep are boxed sets and ive only heard one or 2 beep and i worked in electronics. (This only applies for target as far as i know)

Well, it must be a lot different at the target you're talking about. I know that every time I walk out of Target or Wal-Mart with a dvd that I always hold the receipt in my hand on the way out because probably 50% of the time they set off the alarm (and that is because of incompetant and/or rushing cashiers).

[Austin54]

The local stores don't bother with me. It is too much of a bother with large purchases and they knew I wasn't stealing anyway.
Austin

[gutwrencher]

Originally posted by Austin54
The local stores don't bother with me. It is too much of a bother with large purchases and they knew I wasn't stealing anyway.
Austin

it's a dead giveaway since you walk in and out with a pick-up at the loading dock for all those damn dvds.

[costanza187]

I would say it makes them a little harder to shoplift.

[Quake1028]

I use a box cutter as well, so no problems for me.