I have been noticing lately that many more blu-ray are coming with cases that have wrinkled plastic (that holds cover art). I would say at least 2 in 10 now have some sort of wrinkles in them.

Is anyone else noticing this increase in defects?

maybe something to do with the summer time?

Might be that the discs have been left somewhere that's really hot. Which it pretty much 99% of America right now.

Doesn't this just have to do with shrink wrap that is applied too tightly?

Sony and Paramount catalog titles seem to always be more prone to this in my experience. It's probably from them sitting in warehouses for an extended period of time. I don't like when it happens, but as long as the case isn't broken, I usually don't replace the case.

I know this isn't the same thing exactly but what is up with Mad Men Season 1? EVERY copy I have ever seen has the cover art all bunched like it is too wide for the case or something.

I haven't noticed more wrinkled cases per say, but I have noticed that if one particular title has a wrinkled case, the remaining copies of the same titles will also have them.

10 copies of Gattaca at a local BJ's Wholesale had this problem. I also noticed this in store with Leon: The Professional. So because I like to nitpick certain things, I rolled the dice on Amazon and the copy of Leon that I received also had a wrinkled case ...

Yeah especially with Sony as mentioned. I got Rudy at Target and the case looks like crap.

I've never seen a single copy of Black Hawk Down at retail in a non-wrinkled case.

Quality control is going down the drain in all phases of the production chain. The studios are seeing reduced sales in packaged media, but they must maintain the bottomline. So they focus on costs to keep profits steady, and packaging is one of the first things looked at as they pick the absolute cheapest supplier.

It is happening with lots of different products at the current moment.

I think it also has to do with those eco-friendly shitty cases.

Yea all those cases do come like that. I would have to agree.

I can't stand those cases. Every now and then I just buy a bunch of replacement cases just in case I get one of those pieces of shit.

It's the shrinkwrap, cheaper cases, lack of security stickers....they are just cutting corners.

I don't mind the eco Vortex cases. At least in those, there's no holes cut out of the plastic. I hope the Elite brand can make another version where the recycle logo isn't actually cut out of the case.

I don't, just makes it easier for people to sell used as new. I've become accustomed to just looking at the top of the case, granted I wish there was a better alternative for an easy tell tale sign but Id rather deal with a few sticky cases that take a minute to wipe off than have both new and used all blend together when say for example you are looking through a bin at big lots in a few years if they completely quit using the top stickers.

I have also had some discs come in the mail re-shrink wrapped and be sold as new and one of the obvious examples right off the bat that it wasn't was that they had that sticky residue still left on there from someone opening it previous.

I'm not against buying used but my new price vs used price is much different and if someone says new I want new... but when these studios start cutting down and using crappy packaging they don't give me much incentive to buy new or even be able to quickly tell the difference.

Your point is very valid, as the same has happened to me. But I welcome studios to cut out the horrible security measures, which do nothing for consumers except cause aggravation. Getting rid of the stickers is a good move for everyone but the theft-prevention people.

As do I. Since it's now cheaper to produce a BD (disc, cases, artwork are not in mass), they can take the hit if they discs get stolen in retail. No need to pay extra money for those security seals that don't do anything. (Still had to peel off two from my Kick-Ass BD)

So did I and they were a pain in the ass. Add that to the price sticker from Best Buy on the slip cover that left a lot of sticky residue and it amounted to a good chunk of time wasted getting all of that shit off.

I think that's because it originally came in a larger style case and they did not redo the art for the smaller 3-disc case that is now common.

It is usually a combination of the quality of the case window sleeve and the method of wrapping.

When cases are shrink-wrapped, they have to apply enough heat to wrap the product tightly yet not enough to warp the case window sleeve. Usually the cheaper cases end up getting warped in the process.

The best method is the cello overwrap which is more like a cigarette wrap with sealed folded edges that sits looser and does not require as much heat to seal it. This way rarely damages the case.

My experience is quite the opposite. I don't like the cello wrapped cases because they usually are sealed and stuck to the spine of the case. I end up with shreds of wrap heat-bonded to the spine. I'll take shrink wrap any day.

I'm pretty sure this has happened to every Lionsgate BD I've ever bought. Every. Single. One.

Just got The Descent... the spine is all flakey, the plastic is wrinkled and all three security stickers left an amazing amount of goo behind. What a horrible product.

Yeah, I've had that experience too. If they insert the case in the wrapping machine correctly so it seals over the opening rather than the spine, it doesn't ruin the case.