ashtar00

Hi everyone, I'm long time luker here on the DVDtalk forums now, but some might know me from a couple of other boards. I never bothered to make an account here to post until now because I never had anything relatively import to say, and someone always beat me to post any bargains so. Well that is until now.

You know I always used to read these complaints on here and some other boards about DeepdiscountDVD's customer service. While I never dismissed someone's complaint in my mind I did always feel that they were overreacting a bit, never having a problem with DDD myself. Granted their turn around time for a exchange was a bit long but I found it never to be any longer than any other company, plus they at least would send you a mailing label so you didn't have to pay to send it back to them which I always found a plus. Now while my exchange rate with them seem to be 1 defective/damage dvd for every 4 or 5 goods one, and when I place orders for $500 & $800 bucks worth (big numbers usually during their 20% sales) I expect them. I never really mind because I new 90% percent of them wasn't their fault to begin with(defective or loose hub scratched disc), and the ones that could have been, could have been caused during shipment or what not. I only had like one or two problems when dealing with their CS which usually was only never getting the RA # and return label in my email from them which was quickly solved by a call the next day. Other than that nothing but kind, helpful experiences when talking to their CS, and since they sent the mailing labels for exchanges it wasn't costing me more money, so I could sit their and wait then for the turn around without a problem.

Heck to give you a example, at last years June 20%(not the one that just happened but the year before '04). I order the Rurouni Kenshin Kyoto Box Set, for those who have one of the set you'll know what kind of hell I went through with this title(dam paper sleeves). Now for some reason I just could not seem to get one of these in reasonable condition. Either I have one or more of the 8 discs defective, or scratched, or the box itself was damaged. It took like 8 exchanges and at least 7 months after I ordered it to receive one that was acceptable, but I finally got it. Thats the kind of paitence I had with them.

Now flash foward to the present, I'm in the middle of exchanging a few damage/mostly defective item off my last order which was the last 20% off sale we all just had. I finally got everything that was backorder mid last month, out of my $500 order I got 4 "floaters"(loose from the hub and scratched), 3 defective, 1 damaged, and 1 wrong item shipped for exchange. On the same note I return 3 more titles just because I happened to find much cheaper while I was waited for them on backorder,(on a side note one of those 3, 1 of them was damaged tremendously, the spine of the case was broken out the top was shattered, it look like Godzilla sat on it or something, it was placed between all the other dvds in the shipment box and those where find so no damage during shipment so how they thought that would be ok to ship I don't know).

Anyhow I called them today as I'm still waiting to hear on 5 out of 6 titles I sent back on my last two RA exchanges (each had 3 titles a piece). First we go over the very last exchange, of which 1 of the 3 in it I received a message that it on the turn around back to me. As for the other two, they said they never received them yet....thats funny considering that all 3 were sent in the same box back to them since there all under the same RA number... Again how they could mess that up I don't know. I explain what was wrong with the picture and after being put on hold for a while the operator came back saying that their going to ship the said 2 title back out to me, no problem. At this point I'm thinking good, great, one down one to go. Next is the other exchange of 3 titles I sent back on July 20th. They say they haven't received that shipment back at all as of yet, I say fine but I sent this back on July 20th so how long do I wait if I don't hear anything. They tell me 4 weeks.....uhhh its August 22nd its been over 4 weeks now. I get put on hold again, and after a long wait, the operator comes back on and I'm told that they can't reship those to me now and my account is going to be band.. WHAT?!?!

I ask why, and I get this bs excuse saying that since their records show haven't received so many dvds, they can't reship them back to me, that the DVDs in question amount would be refunded back to my card, and a band be put on my account. Now while I'm now ruffled I politely asked that if I followed their directions to send the defectives, used the mailing label they provided and said to used, how is this my fault and why am I being punished. The debate continues to occur, while I'm still getting the same answer so I asked to speak to the supervisor. I get transferred over to the supervisor and explain the situation and get the same bs answer with the added "well you obviously not happy with our service since you have all these exchanges/returns". I calmly explain, that I'm not blaming them for the defective discs, or the floaters, thats the manufactures's fault or even some of the damaged items because minus that previous mention one I returned, it might have happened during shipment to me, or shipment to them from the manufacturer who knows. You get those from which ever retailer you deal with, since you buy online you can't inspect the product before hand. I explained that I followed their directions for returning said items, used the mailing label that they provided. How can I do something or be held at fault once its mailed and out of my hands. Its their mailing label for pete sake, if their worried its lost in the mail or something they should have a tracking number for something on it. I explained that every other return or exchange I've done with them they have received the damage product back before so this isn't a case where I'm trying to stiff them or something, and even if they refund my money I can place another order for the same items again since I got them during their sale. After several more minutes of this game of ring round between us, finally the supervisor says that he'll check down with lost returns or something and will call me back about the matter.

I'm just finding this how matter frustrating and utterly ridiculous. As I said if their worried about lost returns why don't the put a tracking number on the mailing label they send. If the level of returns/exchanges a problem then guess what, too bad your in the retailer business that one of the prices you pay. If the consumer doesn't like the goods for what ever reason they can return within the guidelines that was stated when they bought it. You think places like Walmart, BestBuy, Amazon.com, Buy.com, and Rightstuf.com complain? Sure they might not like it, but thats a part of the business. As is my role as a customer with DDD will change after this, you bet I'll think twice before I order anything again. All I can say is DDD better work this out right otherwise they'll loose a good customer entirely and you bet your dvd collection that I will tell everybody that asks about them what happened and to go somewhere else for their needs. I just had to vent here and hopefully when that phone rings again it will be good news.

Quatermass

Shagrath

I've been doing business with DDD for years, and have never had a problem. I've had large orders and small orders, and my only complaint would come from the USPS being slow, which DDD has no control over.

Out of all my orders, I think I've had two lost in the mail, and DDD has resent them right away, and upgraded to priority mail so I would get them faster. Maybe I'm not as anal as you, but if I get a floater and it's only scratched superficially, I'll play it, and if I don't encounter any problems, then I don't worry about it. I did have one scratched disc (again, not their fault), and they had me return it with their label, and sent a new copy out once that was received.

Again, I can't say enough good things about DDD. They're by far the cheapest e-tailer overall, and I'd say I use them for 95% of all my online R1 purchases.

I'm sorry you've had a bad experience with them, but it sounds like you may be a little too picky about things if 1 out of 6 discs is not up to your standards.

Groucho

That's a lot to read.

While I understand your POV completely, I don't think DDD would truly mind losing a customer who is constantly returning things. Ultimately, they are losing money on the deal.

rich-y

I don't want this to sound rude, but it sounds like DeepDiscountDVD no longer wants you as a customer. They are in business to turn a profit but it appears that your account is actually a loss for them.

When a company is run on such a low profit margin as DeepDiscountDVD every return heavily eats into their miniscule profits. In addition to paying for shipping twice they also incur expenses for additional paperwork, packing material, and having to return damaged items to the manufacturer.

By returning "1 out of every 4 or 5" dvds you have probably placed yourself in the small minority of shoppers who simply cost DDD too much to have as clients.

A 25% return rate is extremely rare, and DDD simply doesn't want deal with it anymore.

ashtar00

Firstly yeah I may or may not be anal about the condition I receive disks. Thats a matter of opinion. But where not talking about one or two minor scratches, I get those I ususally keep. Were talking massive scratches over the entire disk, like someone rubbed it on a gravel road. Whether it works or not when I get something like that I return it regardless of the retailer of which I bought it. I drove a hour and half to return a defective dvd the nearest Best Buy in my area probally spent more in gas drive their and back than the cost of the DVD but I did it because it's not right that I paid hard earned money for damaged goods that was suppost to be new.

Plus its not just floaters here, its defective and damage goods as well. If you got a movie that durning have way through the picture scrambles and the sound goes out in odd points, or got a dvd collection but the box it comes in looks like it was stomped on repeatly, would you just sigh, chalk up your loses and accept it? I wouldn't think so.

And again let me state that 90% of these return I don't blame on DDD its the manufacture's fault for most of them.

brainee

Ashtar00, I don't think you're being too anal. I've been having similar recent problems with a big DDD order, and out of curiousity polled this site about how anal they were about returning new DVDs. Almost 100%, people here felt that when they buy a new DVD, they expect it to be in mint condition, and if it isn't they return it. I think you're just having bad luck though. Some DVD sets seem almost incapable of being shipped without at least 1 floater. Almost all single-movie DVDs from DDD have no problem for me. It's just those box sets. Though its more expensive, maybe its time to bite the bullet and just buy those sets in B&M stores, and just use DDD for single movies.

Shannon Nutt

My guess: a postal route problem.

DDD obviously knows you as a customer and probably is extremely carefully picking out your titles beacuase a) you place a lot of big orders with them and b) you have an account history of returning 15 to 20 percent of the product you get as damaged.

So my guess is they are finding you returning stuff even though they know it was sent out in perfect condition...and this is happening repeatingly, so it probably means the postal carriers somewhere on the regular route betwen DDD and your home aren't very careful with packages (it could be one of the postal centers your DVDs always pass through).

Therefore it's no longer becoming profitable for DDD to ship titles to you. Perhaps you should try another e-tailer or just B&M...seems like paying a few bucks more per title and not having all the hassle would be worth it.

On a completely different topic, I always play "floaters" and scratched DVDs to see if they actually have any damage to them. Sure, you do have a right to get an unscratched disc, but since (in my experience at least) about 95% of them still play fine, the only reason to send a scratched (or floater DVD unopened) back before checking them in your player is if you're pretty anal about the DVDs you get in the mail. Same goes with slightly smashed or bent boxes...that's kind of par for the course when ordering through the mail.

John Sinnott

I ordered over $1000 on the last sale and had one return. The Doris Day/Rock Hudson box I ordered was crushed and they replaced it with no problem. Whether you have been very picky or just unlucky, I can't say. I do know you've had to return a significant amount of DVDs. From your order that was half of mine, your returned 12 items. That's a lot.

It also seems that this isn't the first time that you've been so unlucky. Face it, it is costing them money to sell DVDs to you. That is the reason that you are banned from buying from them anymore. I would have done the same thing. That's the cost you pay for returning so many items I guess.

renaldow

DDD has every rigth to cut you off as a customer if you have a high return rate, or any other reason they want for that matter. It does sound like the post office doesn't treat your packages very well, and I'd complain in that direction as well.

It sucks, but what can you do at this point? I'd question why you'd keep going back to an etailer where you have a 20% return rate, though. I don't care how much it costs, it's not worth the trouble or the headache, IMHO.

rich-y

I agree and completely understand your need to return these damaged discs. I would do the same thing myself.

I was only trying to explain why DDD is banning you (and trying not to sound rude while I explained it).

I am completely anal about my DVDs (as well as the covers) and if I had to return 25% of my DVDs I would probably stop buying from that retailer altogether.

Lastdaysofrain

Didn't you say you returned some of the titles because you found them cheaper somewhere else after you had already bought them on DDD? That's VERY different from a defective product.

marty888

I missed that in the OP:

"On the same note I return 3 more titles just because I happened to find much cheaper while I was waited for them on backorder"


Doing things like that doesn't encourage an etailer to give you much leeway with your account. Sounds as if the OP wasn't above "putting the screws" to DDD if he changed his mind abou a purchase.

Lastdaysofrain

Yeah, once you bought it dude, it's yours. If it's a couple bucks cheaper somewhere else too bad, just suck it up and keep it. Returning things for something like that wouldn't want me to keep you as a customer as an etailer either.

cdollaz

Damn, that first post was long.

The girl who ..

So what happened. You never told us

kklems

In DDD terms of service regarding returns don't they state thay if you return dvd's without a RMA or dvd's that aren't part of the RMA they have a right to refuse return or charge a restocking fee? (Something like 20%). For the record during this last big 20% sale was the first time I have I had any problems and none of it was damage related. (Previous 2 sales fine and I probably place several orders a month beyond that) They appeared to have changed shipping labels on a box after it was sealed and before it was shipped so I got someone else discs and I suspect someone else got mine. TC resolved the matter. I also received one wrong copy of a set (Got volume 3 instead of volume 1) Correctly without problems. Have yet to have a damaged set.

H@mmer

Sounds like you abused their return policy hardcore. Ever sell on ebay and have to deal with a return? Imagine that times 10. Delicate items you sohuld buy in person

H@mmer

"Rurouni Kenshin Kyoto Box Set"

I'm sure after the fourth one you had eaten away any meager profit they made from your big 20% off purchases

You are, in Best Buy terms, a " Devil Customer" lol

H@mmer

Deep Discount DVD is exactly what it sounds like. 90% of DVD packaging is fine with their packaging, but if you get into some of this esoteric-lets-be-cute-and-use-paper sleeves packaging, you are better buying at someplace like Amazon, that does a very good job packing more delicate items. Was the cheaper price on this item worth the hassle? Of course not. Just like you don't buy cars from Yugoslavia or eat Japanese food in Mexico, even though they can be a few bucks cheaper

Dr. Calamari

With the return rate you mentioned I'm not at all surprised that DDD isn't interested in having you as a customer any more. And if you're having so much trouble with damage incurred durnig shipping, why not opt for UPS instead, even if it costs a little more? The post office seems to be the root of most of your problems, although returning DVDs after having found the same ones cheaper elsewhere lablels you as a difficult customer too.

bballing

ditto. Its common sense. If I were DDD, I would have cut a customer like you off a long time ago.

nightwing82

Yeah, Im surprised you did not get cut off even sooner than this. You are sending back way too many returns.

For the record, I've never had to send a DVD back to DDD. All have arrived in perfect condition except for maybe a "ding" in a tv box set corner here and there. My Star Wars trilogy arrived in minty mint condition.

brainee

Yeah, its tough to go through the whole first post and see the story. Certainly if items arrived damaged, you're perfectly correct in sending them back. I had to send back 2 seasons of Buffy 3 times to DDD before it finally arrived without floaters/damaged disks. The key thing is he's sending things back just because he happened to see it cheaper somewhere else. Although technically DDD allows returns for any reason, I can see how they'd get tired of a customer doing this all the time.