Looking for feedback from folks who buy DVDs on a regular basis from Amazon.co.uk, particularly customers in the U.S.

I live in the US, and have been buying $75-100 worth of DVD's from Amazon.co.uk several times a year since 2003. Generally it's been a pleasant, pain-free experience; whenever I receive a damaged DVD or box set (probably more often than I should), amazon.uk immediately sends out a free replacement, no problem. And with the exception of the escalating issue below, I've had few complaints.

Issue: I've never been satisfied with the quality of the packing job and packaging materials used by amazon.uk, and it seems to be getting worse. They insist on using these thin, flimsy, fold-in-flap cardboard mailers and they're NOT sealed with packing tape of any kind! Anybody along the line can pop a finger inside and have them open in 3 seconds -- and that's what's been happening to me lately.

I’ve had missing items from my last 2 orders, and it's obvious that the mailers didn't just pop open, they were most certainly pilfered. I'm not saying that 2 feet of heavy duty cellotape would have prevented it, but it couldn't have hurt.

Everything I order from Amazon's USA, Canada and German stores is packaged and sealed like it's going to Mars, but stuff from the UK is getting more ridiculously underpackaged every day, and I'm losing my patience.

E-mails to amazon.uk CSR's are getting me nothing but third-world stock responses, and I'm frustrated that I can't communicate to any level of CS/QC manager that I'm very dissatisfied with this shoddy and insecure packaging, and will likely spend less with amazon.uk in the future to avoid the headaches.

So... how do other customers’ experiences measure up (esp. here in the USA)? Is this just par for the course (and I’ve been extremely lucky up to now)? Anybody know how I can complain further up the ladder?

I'm also considering an alternate vendor for my R2 Britcom and Cop-show needs. I've heard a few good things about HMV.co.uk. Any and all comments welcome.

I order about two-to three shipments from Amazon UK a month, and have for probably the last 7 years. I haven't had a problem, occasionally I get a floater disc, but I've never had an item missing or damaged.

Generally I've had better luck with Amazon UK than I have with Amazon US

I've never had a problem with it and I also spend a few hundred dollars a year with them.

I've never had a problem with packages from Amazon UK. If you are going to switch, I've used HMV UK and Sendit with no problems also.

Only 4 or so packages from them, but 100% perfect so far.

I know you didn't ask about international shipments, but just in case anybody's curious, all my packages to Japan (2 or 3 a month for the last 6 months or so) arrived perfectly. Thin cardboard box, but sealed with easy-to-cut tape, and inside, the DVDs stacked on a piece of cardboard with the entire thing kind of shrinkwrapped (but not tightly) in a pretty thick plastic wrap.

I've never had a bad experience with Amazon UK, but I have had problems with Amazon USA and Barnes & Noble with those "thin, flimsy, fold-in-flap cardboard mailers" that aren't taped or glue sealed. Someone along the postal route stole my most recent B&N order. I received an empty box with a note from my local mail carrier stating that it was received in that condition. I've also received crushed CDs from Amazon because they crammed too many CDs into one of those crappy fold 'n flap mailers.

Oddly enough I've only had the "Fold-in-Flap" mailer problem with Amazon UK.

I've ordered from them for years and have only had 2 problems with them. First was the said packaging for the Batman Anthology Blu-Ray set. As expected the cases all came crushed/smashed. Amazon UK was fantastic though about sending me a brand new one quickly.

The second time was for the Arrow Blu-Ray Releases of Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead and City of the Living Dead. I ordered those 3 as well as I believe 2 other DVD's, that were all crammed into one of the fold cardboard mailers. The 3 BD's came dented. I was mostly disappointed because I bought those 3 for the packaging differences from the U.S versions.

Again, this was only 2 negative experiences out of a countless number with Amazon UK. They have solid prices (great that they remove VAT taxes) and get things out quick.

I've ordered 10 dvds from Amazon UK, never had a problem with the packaging.

I've ordered 10 dvds from Amazon UK, never had a problem with the packaging.

Those dodgy mailers are probably OK for 1 or 2 DVDs at a go, but they're murder on a big order of 6 items or more. Especially if they're big lumpy box sets of differing sizes.

Now that I think about it, the last time I had a big order (~12 items), it got shipped over via DHL Deutsch Post in a big sturdy box with no probs (except for a 10-day layover in German Customs).

Maybe that's the secret to success with amazon.co.uk: Order 2-at-a-time, or 12, not in-between. Magic.

UZ

This. No problems with Amazon.com either.

Amazon U.S. has poorly packed 2 things in the past two months, but I have never had an issue with Amazon U.K. in 5 years of ordering.

Same here. I made three orders in the last month or so and they've been good so far.

I've gotten a lot of region 2 floaters. I think the distributors over there suck. They use cheap ass cases that allow the discs to come loose easily. The Warner/Paramount pluck hub cases (like Viva Elite Blu cases) here are worlds better.

Never had a problem with Amazon UK.

^ same.

Just received Band of Brothers and the tin case was flawless.

The only weird experience that I did have was with one of my first orders with amz.uk years ago. Two DVDs arrived without cellophane wrapping. At the time and based on info I could find, it was relatively common for that to happen. However aside from that the case/artwork/inserts/discs all appeared new.

Otherwise, no real complaints about the operation.

Yeah, DVDs and CDs in the UK often don't come wrapped in cellophane, even if they are new.

I just got another shipment from Amazon UK yesterday, 5 discs, all were perfect (including a Doctor Who Box set)