Returning scuffed/scratched DVDs advice?
 

I was wondering what the general feeling was on this: if you buy a new DVD that is noticeably scratched/scuffed, but seems to play fine when you test it, do you return it anyway? I'm going through a bit of a hassle with some mail-order Buffy seasons. For 2 sets, DVDs were loose and I had to send it back for a replacement. The replacement came, and DVDs are loose and scratched again! I didn't watch the whole DVD (that'd take hours), but the disk seems to play fine when you put in the player, and there weren't any hang-ups fast-forwarding though at 32x. Returning a 2nd time is a bit of a hassle, but I'm not sure if these scuffed DVDs are really good to keep. Thanks in advance for any opinions/input/advice.

I return any DVD that is scratched or scuffed reguardless if it plays correctly or not. I am paying for a brand new undamaged copy and that is what I expect. This is why I try to avoid buying online because the chances of receiving a damaged disc is higher and returning it can be a real pain in the ass.

I would agree with boss429 on this one. I make my weekly trips to pick up the DVD of the week (that i actually want). And buying online is never a instant gratification kinda thing. Ya buy it, but it doesn't come until whenever. When you buy at the stores, ya get that instant satisfaction of spending money and gaining something. Online its just digital and just doesn't feel the same to me.

i third the notion to return scratched dvds

FWIW, I have exchanged two DVDs for scratches out of the box (Bridge on the River Kwai and the Frank Herbert's Dune director's cut set) and the stores gave me no problem.

DJ

I was wondering this myself last night. I ordered a DVD from DeepDiscount, which when it came, didn't play at all (looked fine). I got my replacement yesterday, and it's scuffed up and has a fingerprint which I was able to wipe off. But this time the disc seems to work okay (obviously haven't had time to watch the whole thing). So seeing as how I had already exchanged it once, I'm wondering if they'll let me do it again and if it's worth the hassle? So far it seems people here are saying return it for sure.

ALWAYS return scratched DVDs / CDs. Just because they work now is no guarantee that they'll work in the future.

If it's scratched, scuffed or otherwise damaged, return it for an exchange without hesitation.

But if it simply arrives loose in the case, but is not noticeably damaged in any way, why return that? Just because it was loose? I don't understand that.

My 2¢:

If money is no object that's fine. For those of us on a budget, shopping for decent prices on-line keeps our costs down. For most TV sets I have saved $10 to $50 over B&M store prices by buying on-line (depending on the price of the set). For individual DVD releases my savings is generally in the $8 to $12 range per DVD. Instant gratification has its costs...

On topic: if it is scuffed I usually send it back unless it is very minor. Warner and Fox digipack sets are the worst for loose and scuffed DVDs. A few sets I had to return more than once, but that is rare. In some cases, Fox will replace sets that have a history of being defective. YMMV.

I agree totally, although to be fair to the OP from what i understand they were all scratched and not just loose.


'For 2 sets, DVDs were loose and I had to send it back for a replacement. The replacement came, and DVDs are loose and scratched AGAIN'

I would return the DVD if the online store is in the States but if their from the outside the US and it plays fine I'll just keep it. It only happened to me once, though. I think it would be too much of a hassle to return something all the way to the UK, Jpn or HK unless it was totally unplayable.

I always obtain replacements. In my case, it's not so much that the scratched ones won't play (they may or may not); I'm just a perfectionist and it "bugs" me if I don't try to get it replaced. I'll bet there are one or two other folks out there just like me.....if they'll admit it. :)

I wish my track record with dvds were the same with buying cds. I have never encountered a cd that was scratched when I opened it. But buying new dvds that are scratched are becoming very common in my experience. Are record labels' manufacturing techniques better than movie studios?

Mr. Cinema: Y'know, I never thought of it that way, but you're right. Though, I have gotten (or rather found) cds that had the hub shattered. I wonder what the difference is.

Althought as far as scratched goes, the DVD, if loose, has a lot more room to roll around the case than a CD does.

Well, judging from the responses to the question, I'd say you're by no means alone. Also, one of the booklets was completely mangled, so I'm going to ahead and return them. I wonder if there is some kind of record for this -- how many times in a row do you get a damaged DVD for a single title? Has anyone here had more than 3 times? Though I think if the set arrives damaged again I'll just ask for my money back, and buy them at a B&M (maybe waiting for a 10% BB Reward Zone sale).

Return It!

I had to replace several sets of one particular season of Stargate SG-1 because the same disc had similar scratches on them. We (me and the store's customer service reps) had to open several of their stock to find a set that didn't have a defective disc. Also, the replacement of disc(s) for the Smallville sets is an unavoidable task.

I'm finding more dvds that aren't loose that are still scratched and several with fingerprints. I just bought the Ghostbusters set and part 2 looked like it was used as a frisbie.

That was just the guys in the factory having a bit of fun. Some of my dvds have also had fingerprints and other trace evidence.

When DVDs are manufactured, are they inserted into the case manually, or by machine? If by machinery, there should not have any marks, or fingerprints on them.
And also there is a possibility those DVDs that are fingerprinted, or marked, when purchased as brand new from the store, are returns from a previous buyer, have been resealed, and put back in stock to re-sale.

I always do a "breath test" to check the condition of new DVDs. It can be quite revealing. You can pretty much tell, for the most part, which discs were put in manually or by machine.

I bought the Warner's James Dean Collection when it first came out. I did a "shake test" upon receving it and everything seems fine.

But, when I opened the boxset last week, I found a dimple on the second disk of "Giant". That dimple causes one of the featurettes to skip.

Since it is way pass the 30 days returning period to the store, could I contact WB directly for getting a replacement disk? Did they ever do that before?

Someday I'm sure I'll get a scratched disc. And I will return it. Over 200 so far and no scratches, guess I'm on a good streak. I have had a couple online purchases that were loose, but not scratched. And I've had fingerprints, too. Don't care about those if the disc is fine, I can wash them.

I don't recall ever getting any CDs scratched, either. I have far more of those.

I alwasy return my set that have scratchs... The two DVD stores that I usually use are "walmart" and "amazon" and both are really good about returns that our their falt.

I do this as well. I've found some markings on discs that otherwise look perfect if you don't breath on them.