I went to pickup Elektra today at my local Walmart in NY. Look at what Walmart is doing to there new DVD releases. Every DVD with a slip cover was cut just like this. I went to 2 other Walmarts and they cut there Slip cover too.

Wonder what the reasoning for this is?

Looks like where the bar code would be. I can't imagine they'd have a different barcode on the inside box that Walmart would need to read...

When I asked, they told me that they thought it was easier than putting a sticker on the back, and they didn't want there cashiers to have to pull out each disc out to scan the barcode. I could see the poor fools they gave the job to cutting these backs off, what is Walmart thinking.

Of all WalMart's transgressions, I'm thinking this one ranks pretty low.

Wal-Mart's Culture of Crime and Greed

Are you sure Wal Mart cut them and not the studio? The hole for the barcode is a way to keep people from putting a different, more expensive dvd in the slipcover and checking out. The cashiers never look at which movie is actually inside the slipcover. I noticed Warner Bros. did the same thing on the recent Miss Congeniality slipcover.

All I can tell you is that was the story the cashier gave me when I asked. I have never seen this before and have been buying my dvds at Walmart for awhile.

I really can't see Wal-Mart cutting the slots in the back of all their copies of Electra. Because A. Wal-Mart wouldn't pay workers to do that. And B. Wal-Mart doesn't give a shit about their workers enough to do this to help them at the checkout line. Maybe the vendor did it?

The manufacturers are doing this for the stores so that people can't hide a high priced videogame/dvd under a cheap-o DVD slipcover. They are finally wising up that people are stealing this way.

All the new Sideways DVDs at Best Buy had this done as well.

I went in Wal-Mart this morning and looked at the new releases(i would never actually buy them from there) and the Elektra covers weren't cut like that here.

That is definitely a studio thing. My Elektra had the same cut from BestBuy. Plus the cut is too perfect. Definitely done at the factory.

I don't know why they're doing it, but to me it's looks pretty tacky.

I guess i just missed it when i looked earlier,because i went back to check in order to satisfy my curiosity and they do indeed have the cutout here too.

Yep, from the manufacturer, ALL of the Elektra's and Sideways were like that at Target and Circuit City.

3rd time . . . people were taking more expensive discs (say a $50 Criterion) and placing them in the slipcover of a new $15 release . . . this is merely a loss prevention issue that has been done at the manufacturing level.

Why do we have these damn slipcovers anyway? It looks exactly the same as the cover, so who cares?

Damn. Why didn't I think of this scam before?

I hope you're joking.

Ya, I don't get that either. Why do you want a slip cover? To protect the DVD case?? Just buy another one. And how is the DVD case going to get messed up sitting on a shelf?

Slipcovers are usually only put on the first pressing, so it's a little added bonus of picking it up on release day. I wish they would utilize a different picture more often, but even if they don't, it's cool to get that little extra just for not waiting.

My theory is they are there to attract the comsumer with the shiny cover to tempt them into making an impulse purchase.

I was looking at Sideways at a FYE store and it was like that. I guess it must be new since I have never seen anything like this before. Might as well do away with slipcovers then.

Slipcover does a few things

More 'collectible' as it is for firt pressings only
Sometimes a cover variation to attract possible buyers
Helps prevent theft as it is an extra thing to do to steal a DVD.
Not the cut helps so people are not just placing any DVD under the slipcover. I'm surprised it took THIS long

I noticed that at my Wal*Mart (281 & 1604) that they have factory cut slip covers.

I don't mind them.

I think some of you guys owe Walmart an apology.

I wish they would stop making those damn covers, and use that money for chapter inserts and or more/better features on the disc. Those covers are nothing more than a waste, and now with the cut out UPC, it is MUCH easier to tear.