Should a DVD shop give you an exchange if you change your mind?

[Mutate]

I bought a dvd box set yesterday. I won't mention what it was, but it was a TV show which hasn't aired for about 10 years, and which I used to love as a kid. Anyway, I bought it on impulse, and when I got it home...the magic was gone. It just wasn't as great as I remembered.

So this morning, I took it back to the shop, with the reciept, and the original bag they gave me, even the cellophane which I had ripped off. I just told them I had changed my mind and din't like it. Anyway the guy behind the counter said, I could exchange it for another dvd of the same price.

So I chose one, and when I came back to the counter, the manager saw what was happening, and started shouting. He said I couldn't have an exchange unless there was a defect, and I had to leave with the original dvd.

The refund poster at the counter says "If you are not satisfied with your product you can bring it back in 14 days". Does "not satisfied" means it has to have a defect?

[drwho]

I think the whole issue is why open it if you didnt want to watch it. Some people could have gone and went home burned the dvds and then traded it in for more dvds.

[DrewTheXenocide]

I think the whole issue is why open it if you didnt want to watch it. Some people could have gone and went home burned the dvds and then traded it in for more dvds.
I agree, and it'd be silly for a DVD store to let people return things willy nilly, but the wording of their policy is ambiguous, and before they change it, he should be able to return it.

[the_coldest_sun]

Some people could have gone and went home burned the dvds and then traded it in for more dvds.
Yeah I think that would be the main reason for not allowing the return. Piracy. Seems to have everyone with their panties in a bunch. And even if you did say there was a defect, they probably most likely just traded it out for the same title. This isn't new. Retail's been doing this for a long time. And I don't blame them. YOU took the risk of buying the blasted dvd based on a memory.

I also don't get how some people want to complain about getting their money back after going to the movie theaters and watching a bad movie. It was a judgement call. Sometimes you just end up making bad decisions. Doesn't mean you can get your money back or see a different movie to make up the difference. Nah mean?

[Beast]

In a word. No.

[DLFerguson]

Why didn't you rent it first? You could have done that and then after viewing it decided if it was something you wanted to own, then bought it for your home DVD library.

[Ryan K]

I've never been to a store that would allow you to exhange a DVD after you opened it (unless it was defective).

[The Mirrorball Man]

And if you didn't like the food in a restaurant, would you vomit it back and expect a refund?

[rick]

If it is a any kind of transferable medium like a DVD and you have opened the package or removed the cellophane, you shouldn't be the least bit surprised to find out that you can't return it.

Why are you even surprised by this?

[Buzz Dixon]

And if you didn't like the food in a restaurant, would you vomit it back and expect a refund?No, but after you've taken a few bites and determined it isn't palatable, you should send it back. Give 'em a chance to do better, and if the second attempt is still bad refuse to pay.

(And if a meal caused me to vomit, you can bet I'll not only want my money back but will report 'em to the health department!)

Most people don't realize they can ask for their money back after seeing a movie on the grounds that the film failed to give them their money's worth of entertainment.

The sign in the store sounds poorly worded. If they meant unopened and/or defective merchandise was returnable, then it should have said so more clearly.

[kmeyers]

I've returned an opened DVD before. I accidently bought the Fullscreen version, and they let me exchange it for the Widescreen version.

[The Mirrorball Man]

No, but after you've taken a few bites and determined it isn't palatable, you should send it back. Give 'em a chance to do better, and if the second attempt is still bad refuse to pay.

(And if a meal caused me to vomit, you can bet I'll not only want my money back but will report 'em to the health department!)
No, see, I conceived the vomiting part as a way to sending the food back. All the food.

[DonC]

Most people don't realize they can ask for their money back after seeing a movie on the grounds that the film failed to give them their money's worth of entertainment.

Where? Most theaters I know of have a "No refunds after the movie starts" policy. If you don't like it, you're SOL.

Along the same lines, most stores have their refund poilcy written on the back of your reciept. DVDs and CDs are listed as non-returnable on a Best Buy reciept I have in front of me.

[Ontir]

If they've got a sign which says you can bring it back in 14 days, you can bring it back in 14 days. I'd go back - when it's busy - ask for the manager who raised the stink, and be as loud as necessary. Mention the sign behind the counter, unfair business practices, them not living up to their promises, the Better Business Bureau, and if it's a chain, that you've got his name from his tag, and that you're writing the CEO with his name, the exact date and time, and that you won't shop there again, and will urge others to go elsewhere. It works, and if they've got a stated policy, they need to live up to it.

I also managed a few movie theatres (in LA). In all cases, our policy was that you had 15 minutes into the film (not the trailers) to decide to leave. If you did that, you could get your money back. We would often give people a pass to come back for a different screening and in the case of medical situations, which do arise, we would make an exception and give them their money back. You NEVER get your money back (barring technical issues) once a movie's ended. You paid to see a movie, not to like it.

[Greg Hatcher]

Hm. You know, I never even thought of piracy being a possibility. Long ago in the before time, I had this situation come up with a movie and was able to swap it out no problem, I think I even ended up giving the guy a couple of extra dollars to make up the difference on my new pick...

...but it was VHS, and it was after anti-piracy measures were standard on all storebought tapes. Chances are when such technology happens with DVD then store returns will be a lot easier. I doubt you could ever persuade a retailer to return cash, but most bookstores will swap a newly-bought pristine book for equal value these days, if you have the receipt, and I think video stores will eventually catch up to that kind of situation.

[saintsaucey]

my advice return it for the same dvd set, then go to another store and return the sealed package for a completely different set. example

i bought veronica mars online for 40 some dollars then saw it in the stor for less. so i bought it in the store for less then took that back to a different store for store credit. Im all about sticking it to the man.

[Leslie Lee III]

...but it was VHS, and it was after anti-piracy measures were standard on all storebought tapes. Chances are when such technology happens with DVD then store returns will be a lot easier.

That technology already exists, it's just easily bypassed.

[Ryan K]

my advice return it for the same dvd set, then go to another store and return the sealed package for a completely different set. example

i bought veronica mars online for 40 some dollars then saw it in the stor for less. so i bought it in the store for less then took that back to a different store for store credit. Im all about sticking it to the man.

That's not a bad idea, but I can tell you I've returned defective DVD's to Best Buy and Circuit City, and before giving me the new set, they'd open it and examine the discs and show them to me.

I don't know if they did that to just be nice and make sure the new discs weren't scratched and try to save me a third trip. Or if they were just trying to prevent something like in your scenario.

[Gargus]

Clinton put that law into effect on some bill. Once you open dvds you cant return them unless its a exchange for same thing. Anyone can buy something, copy it and return it. Granted its no different that I used to dub vhs I rented years ago but its much easier and more widespread now so its more of a problem.

Join netflix and you can rent season sets of anything, that way if you really like something you can just go buy it then.

I tend to talk myself out of impulse buys, more often than not I wish I hadnt bought it in the end.

And yes you could try and swap it but most places now wil open it before giving it to you. Even if you did get away with it, its no different than lying to one store and stealing from another. Im not innocent of doing those things but I dont anymore because its just wrong, no matter how you try and convince yourself your justifying the end result.

[saintsaucey]

That's not a bad idea, but I can tell you I've returned defective DVD's to Best Buy and Circuit City, and before giving me the new set, they'd open it and examine the discs and show them to me.

I don't know if they did that to just be nice and make sure the new discs weren't scratched and try to save me a third trip. Or if they were just trying to prevent something like in your scenario.


I went through an entire shipment (Five sets i think) of Buffy season 3 before i found one where the first disk wouldn't just pop out as soon as i opened it and have scratches on it. after returning it a second time i started opening it there at the store at the service desk.

[Erik Lehnsherr]

Netflix and Blockbuster.com is the way to go. But yeah..if something is not right, send it back or take it back...whatever you got to do to get your money's worth or YOUR money back. Period.

[Kid Omega]

So the store is supposed to take the financial hit, and refund your money, because you made a poor decision?

What on earth?

This is crazy... what ever happened to being responsible for your own poor decisions?

[Frodo-X]

Why didn't you rent it first? You could have done that and then after viewing it decided if it was something you wanted to own, then bought it for your home DVD library.

This is exactly what I did with Beast Wars. I remembered it from the cartoons I watched in the morning before school, so I rented the three seasons. When I realized I still liked them, I bought it.

I would say the only argument you have is the ambiguous sign. However, before you raise any big stink make sure you read it again very carefully. Stores have a tendency to put very small print on the bottom.

[North]

Yeah No refunds on DVDs

Exchange if its defective. Sure

Exchange for Widescreen to Fullscreen. Sure

Exchange for showgirls to startrek. Hell No. Its not a rental place.

If you buy a movie you dont like thats a shame. But too many people would try and rent it. Ive bought a lot of movies. Some quite horrible. Like Zathura. ITs just something to add to the collection

[the film freak]

You know some stores buy used DVDs. You won't get full price back but you'll get something. But I agree returning a product just because "the magic was gone" seems a bit abusive of the store policy. The sign should be more specific but I don't think it's very ethical.

[Buzz Dixon]

You NEVER get your money back (barring technical issues) once a movie's ended. You paid to see a movie, not to like it.You get your money back if you go to the ticket booth while other people are lined up buy their tickets and loudly demand your money back because it's a lousy movie and not worth wasting time or cash on.

Movie theaters don't make money on movies, they make money on popcorn.

[Buzz Dixon]

Siderbar: Anybody serious about pirating isn't going to a retail store; they're subscribing to Netflix.

[Kid Omega]

You get your money back if you go to the ticket booth while other people are lined up buy their tickets and loudly demand your money back because it's a lousy movie and not worth wasting time or cash on.


You mean "by behaving like an asshole".

I'd rather be out ten bucks then be one of those guys.

[Buzz Dixon]

You mean "by behaving like an asshole".

I'd rather be out ten bucks then be one of those guys."You're not going to score any points if you keep feeding me straightlines."
-- Lord Julius, Dave Sim's CEREBUS

[Leslie Lee III]

Siderbar: Anybody serious about pirating isn't going to a retail store; they're subscribing to Netflix.

Hah. Anyone serious and smart will put their Netflix money into a newsgroup account, taking time to copy movies yourself is stupid.

[Erik Lehnsherr]

You can get Tower Records to give you refunds on opened DVDs or CDs. They act like children. It's great.

[kel25]

I'd like to say yes but it would just make it that much easier to ripoff stores.