My local Blockbuster has had "There's Something More About Mary" 2-disc set for sale (not rent) as a new dvd for 21.99 for quite awhile. I'm wondering how I can go about reporting them for breaking street date (it is released this Tuesday, July 1st) and if it is worth the trouble. Normally, I would not even think about doing this but I have a personal problem with the unbelievable jerk that owns my local Blockbuster. My local store's insistance on renting only full-frame titles is not affecting my decision in any way. I have not rented from there in years because of this and though it does make me bitter my thoughts behind reporting them breaking the street date for this title stems only from my personal problem with the owner.

So.....is it worth it? Does anyone care? Would this get them in any trouble at all? Small or not, I believe this would be well worth my time if they got into any amount of hot water at all over this.

Thanks!

I'm pretty sure it would get Blockbuster in general a pretty large fine, which would definately reflect badly on your local manager. So it may be worth it who knows.

Thanks for the response Chris. Does anyone know of a website or phone number to call to report them? Would just leaving the disc on the shelf be the best thing to do? If it gets purchased then I'm assuming I would have no case? Would it be right to purchase the disc and then save the receipt from when I purchased it as evidence? Or that would be admitting guilt of knowingly purchasing a dvd that has broken street date.... I am trying to keep this as anonymous as possible because I do not like coming in contact with the store's owner.

no .. because who would know that you "knowingly" purchased the disc =) i would keep the receipt..

all i can think of is actually contacting a studio (warner, mgm, new line,etc.) to whoever makes the disc.. i think it all goes back to whoever sets the release date, and i believe that is the studio.. if not, im sure someone else on here would know who sets the date (maybe like a best buy employee or something)

You've got to be kidding me? You're going to snitch on your local Blockbuster for breaking a street date for a DVD? Please tell me you're joking. 2 words for you.....WHO CARES? So what if they broke a street date? Big deal.

You said you have a "personal problem" with the store's manager right? So this is the way to get back at him? By turning him in for breaking a street date? Give me a break. Grow up and deal with him on a "personal" level. Don't have this "I'll show him!!" attitude and go behind his back. Even if you did and he got in trouble, you would probably never know about what happens anyway.

Why on earth would you want to report a store for breaking the street date? I've felt pretty lucky the few times I've picked up a DVD at a store before street and never even considered "telling" on them like some sort of 3rd grader.

Brett

Yeah, don't ruin it for the rest of us!

I wouldn't report it if you want them to keep breaking it. Pick up the discs early.

It's fine with me if I never know what happens with it. I would just like to know that he was reported. I have seen many stores break the street date on a dvd release and have never once thought about reporting them now will I in the future. This is completely different.

Five years ago the guy molested and physically abused a friend of mine's daughter. He got off basically scot free. She is a single mother and was used for her daughter. There was a very messy trial and he had done similar things in the past. He is now the owner of my local Blockbuster and when I go in there I have to put up with his sneering face and know that noone there knows what he has done. I figured putting up signs throughout the store detailing his crimes would be just plain wrong. I not once said that I go around to various stores doing whatever I can to make sure DVD's do not break street date. I don't give a rat's ass. But I would do anything to make this guy suffer, no matter how little. He went as far as publicly accusing my younger brother of 15 years of stealing TWICE inside the store and both times found absolutely nothing on him.

SBrooks, I am grown up I assure you. I have talked to him several times "personally" and the resolution is always the same. He calls my friend a whore and avoids questions about the daughter. Police have been involved. I choose not to deal with him anymore. I'm not trying to be a jerk to you guys and the whole situation is certainly not of 3rd grade level Brett. I just saw the opportunity lying gift-wrapped on the shelf and decided if at all possible to take advantage of it.

If I am able to do this I don't care if he ever finds out who reported him or not, nor the size of the fine or punishment. The guy is scum. Hopefully some of you can understand what has taken place.

Report them? Hell I'd be thanking them!

If it's that bad, the movie Fight Club details what is to be done to video stores.

I'm not saying you should take a crowbar to his knee, Tonya Harding-style or anything, but you are right about one thing: Renting only full-frame DVDs is just plain wrong.

K

P.S. Oh, yeah, this guy sounds like definite scum too.

You could just put post-it notes on the back of a lot of cases that say "you can rent this cheaper at Hollywood" or "this is only half the film".

Not saying I've done that, or anything. Nor have I painted "Don't rent here! Pan & Scam movies" in giant red letters all over the stupid window vinyl displays.

... lately

Then why knowingly would you go into his store. By doing so your only asking for a possible confrontation either started by you or him. I don't know the other guy nor would I care to but I for one wouldn't go into his store. All your asking for is to be hastled and your brother already has. Use some common sense!

Just burn the place or kill him. simple as that. Why? because if you freak'n go back and forth like this for longer it will never end. He played the system. Hell, maybe if he got off scot free, he wasn't guilty? either way if you report this I doubt it will be such an issue. Do you know why? It's a re-release of a film. The studio wont care much because it's easy to say that it was a mistake to put it out since there is already another something about mary disc out on the shelf. Besides, who says it would go back to him? he could blame anyone on the staff or one of the other managers.

Simply put, if this was a film like star wars, he would be in trouble. Since this is there's something about mary then it will not be an issue. further more, dont supply this guy business after your thoughts on him? ugh. stupid people and their quest to get the other guy. You should be happy to find early releases. people seek them out and you got it right there.

Oh yeah:

You do realize that this isn't by choice of the store itself. it's a corporation and if you look at just about any blockbuster, you will see that the majority of rentals are FULL SCREEN! this is blockbuster we are talking about, are you really surprised?


Then why in the hell do you go in there? some people have issues with wanting to put themselves into situations that are not pleasing for them. You willingly put yourself there. I'm sure there is many other places to rent you don't HAVE to go and rent there.


Again, do not go into a place where you know you will face issues.


strange, you say this, yet you keep on going to the place where he will of course be.. looks like you are indeed trying to deal with him.


Like I said, either Kill him and get it over with or just move on with life. He'll get his punishment in the long run or do you want to play judge jury and... well you get it.

What an exciting life.

The stuff with my brother was three years ago. I had been in the store only once since he became the owner and that was the first time my brother was accused of stealing. I went yesterday on a whim just to check if they had any good deals on previously used dvd's after reading a thread here a bit ago about some of the deals you can find with that. I glanced inside just to make sure he was not there. I realize now that from what I said in my previous posts it could be implied that I am a regular customer at that Blockbuster but I am not. I have definitely gone out of my way to avoid the store and should I have seen him in the store window when I went yesterday I would not have gone in. I just did not have time to go across town to check out what dvd's that Blockbuster had as I was picking up food at the nearby Wendy's and it was getting cold.

Thanks to everyone for the recent "creative" responses about what to do. I'm realizing that I've got no clue how to go about doing this though so unless someone here knows specifics I think I'll just drop the whole thing and never go anywhere near the store again so as to not be tempted with things like this.

Thanks for the replies!

if I ever catch a guy snitching on a store for putting a release out early, it will be his knees that get broken.

but then one place I've never shopped at or rented from...is Blockbuster.

This is about the smartest thing you've said in this thread. I was starting to worry about you McFly.

Also if you did go in there and there was a confrontation. That resulted in a possible hearing. How in the hell would you explain that you try to avoid this store but since there was a good deal going on I thought I'd give Mr. Scum Bag some business? Knowing that the guy is scum from past experiences and going back out of your way to his store could be looked at as possible harassment on your part. You knew better but still you went back for more. Also could be looked at as egging him on as well.

Just report him. Why not? He's doing something illegal. Don't listen to the people here saying "don't ruin it for us!" because they're not likely to buy at Blockbuster anyway, and especially not YOUR specific Blockbuster.

You can do worse than start with an email to the Video Software Dealers Association - email [email protected] or [email protected] ; and even though it's not piracy you might want to copy the MPAA at [email protected]

Face it: "kill him", "burn the store", and even "put notes on the back of the video boxes" are all illegal practices. Reporting HIM for an illegal practice isn't.

I would never even think to report someone for breaking street date. Who cares if a dvd is released before the date.
When little stores/small chains break dates, good for them.
It's hard to compete with mega corps like blockbuster.

So if someone like blockbuster does it, it would be contradictive of me to say report them. Everyone should do as they please, and leave it up to the customer to come in and pick up a film
when they want, where they want as long as they have it available for them at least by the time it is "officially" supposed to be available. That is, the best buys where i live never have the catalog titles on the day they are supposed to come out. They are always late. Damnit!

A street date is just a guideline for the customer to know when a new film will be available. Get 'em while they are fresh is what my grammie used to say.

That sounds like a personal problem with you and this person. Honestly it's not that big of a deal. The Blockbuster around where I live put it out early and it really doesn't matter

Breaking street date is unfair competition. >

Just for the record, a store won't get a fine for breaking street date. It depends on the policy of the studio whose product we're talking about, but most of the time a street date violation will only result in a shipping penalty. Meaning that for the next month (or whatever) the store will get delayed shipments from that studio or supplier. Reporting them would only result in that Blockbuster outlet receiving their new releases a few days late for whatever period of time the studio decides.