Pwman

I bought 4 DVDs last week from Bestbuy during a free shipping sale. When they arrived this week the slipcovers all had a square portion of them cut out. I think it was either proof of purchase or a barcode are. In any event I love slipcovers as they protect the dvd case from wear and tear. There was a sticker barcode on the dvd case under the square cutouts. I've ordered many dvds from BB and this is the first case of mutilation. Are these returns or is BB just trying to funk up collections??

strife

I have seen these at other stores. I think the manufacture makes them this way.

Xbox69

I've noticed this too. I think it deters someone from taking a cheap movie slipcover and inserting a higher priced DVD inside. When the cashier scans it, the square cut-out will scan the case underneath.

Sweet Baby James

Bingo. The studios have been doing this for quite some time now.

gryffinmaster

Some of the more recent slipcovers (King Kong, Enemy of the State, the newest wave of Studio Ghibli flicks, etc.) have had interesting rectangular "strips" cut out that only span a portion of the UPC. These prevent the slipcover's small tab of cardboard at the top of the bar code from getting ripped off. Good news for collectors.

It's a great idea that deters theft. They've just now started making the better crafted versions that definitely look more appealing.

So, when you ordered from Best Buy, all the items you received came with slipcovers?

Pwman

These were crudely cut out with a razor or scissors. The holes or U-shaped cutout certainly weaken the structural integrity of the slipcover and the tend to catch on other dvds when stacked vertically or horizontally on my shelving unit. I hope the manufacturers start making this security feature right from the start as I feel it ruins the whole idea of slipcovers .

waylonsmithers

As previously mentioned, studios print out the slipcovers without the barcode area. The first slipcovers had the barcode printed on them so it was easy to slip a different movie in. They wouldn't be manually cut out with scissors or a razor though. Maybe when the box of DVDs was opened it was damaged by a cutter?

Cinemaddiction

Which is what? I take them off as soon as I get home because either way, whatever the cover is, it's going to be scratched eventually if you're tossing them on a shelf. Better a replaceable .99 cent case than artwork you get only once.

Pwman

I double checked and these were cut by hand for sure. It looks like cereal boxes after my kid cuts out the coupons.

Pwman

While some slipcovers may be art in the eyes of many. I prefer to use them as a decorative protective cover for my dvd collection. Most of the DVDs I own have the same artwork as the cardboard slipcovers. I don't toss dvds on the shelf I carefully place them on it ?????? I really don't think of the mass produced slipcovers as one of a kind artwork. I have art hangin on my walls, some beautiful pieces. Frankly just because you consider cardbord slipcovers art doesn't mean other collectors do. I think DVD Talk can accept folks like myself who like the art of the film more than the art of the covers.

joshtown

Then what the heck, exactly, are you complaining about? Your DVD's, as much as you'd like to think differently, look no different than the ones found shelved in the stores. It's "the art of the film" that matters anyway, right?

Mopower

Like your cases are going to get ruined stitting on the shelf 99.9999999% of the time.

DVD Josh

Machine cutting is not an exact science. I'm sure you are greatly exaggerating.

In any event, they have been doing this for quite some time (WB and BV started, I believe). The issue was that people were slipping expensive DVDs into slipcovers of bargain bin DVDs. Now that there is a "window", that issue is no longer present.

This is a funny situation because one of my only eBay negs came from a guy who swore that I cut out the UPC of the slipcover (Rebel WOAC). I told him to go to any BB and check for himself that they come that way. He claimed he did and NONE of them were like this. I then e-mailed WB CS and got a response stating that they come like this from the factory. He claimed I forged the e-mail. I then said I'd give him a refund if he could show me evidence of any promotion that would lend any creedence to the motivation to cut out the barcode window. He said that he "heard about something on the TV about WB DVDs". Seeing how there was no arguing, we exchanged negs, after which he threatened to sue me.

At least you aren't that irrational.

SkullOrchard

Trust me...he's not exaggerating. I ordered four DVDs with slip cases from a recent Best Buy sale, and they all looked as if they'd been cut by a blind person using dull safety-scissors. There is absolutely no excuse for such nonsense.

DVD Josh

Well, in this case then it's possible that the store is doing it themselves to avoid the problems I illustrated.

Alan Smithee

I'm STILL waiting for a rational reason as to why the fuck they don't put the SHRINKWRAP over the slipcases, so cover-switching wouldn't be an issue in the first place! I'm just about ready to boycott titles that come like that; I've already quit buying any that have had price tags put on them by the store, regardless of price.

C_Fletch

Yea, I'm with you Alan.

Come one here people. This one isn't that hard to understand. I know I'm not as picky with my DVDs but then I buy 90% of my collection used in one way or the other. Does that mean my collection looks used - no. I'm just more discerning with my used purchases.

Here's another example: Would you buy a HD-DVD player at the store if every box had the side ripped off with a box cutter so that they could make sure that no one is switching boxes with regular DVD players. I know that seems like an absurd example but the fact still remains that people in general do not liked "opened" merchandise or merchandise that has been damaged. That is why they sell damaged goods at a discount so that people will buy them.

Regardless of what position you take you have to admit, if they are cutting them with box cutters then that is terms for returning the whole lot as they provided a damaged product and you can prove that. I would bet that if you got those same titles at another store they would not have been cut.

The argument about them doing this to prevent people from switching DVDs is a moot point as this was there website warehouse where consumers(possible theives) are not present. So there is NO reason why they should cut out the slipcovers.

DVD Josh

Your rational reason is cost. I'm sure it's fractions of pennies, but that does add up.

Also, price tags? I think that's being a little silly.

Pwman

Geeze,I'm complaining about the covers having large ragged holes cut into them. I want the covers to protect the product. That is what they are supposed to do. Condoms with pinholes in them look no different but they dont protect either.

starman9000

It bothers me that they look bad with the holes, but I don't really think that they are meant to protect the product. Cheap cardboard is supposed to protect plastic cases? They are meant to make the dvd's look new or special, but that makes cutting holes in them all the more stupid.

Pwman

Well they used cheap cardboard for years to protect Vinyl albums. It is supposed to stop dust, sun damage, wear marks etc. on the plastic over the artwork. Everytime you remove a dvd you create some friction on it and nearby dvd's on the shelf. They usually keep my collection nice and clean.

starman9000

But then the cardboard slipcovers take the brunt of the abuse. Cheap cardboard will show usage much more than the plastic cases and that nice and clean collection will no longer look nice and clean. Or do you remove the carboard covers when you have company over?