Sent Back the Wrong Disc

Stu writes:

Last month I mistakenly sent back a personal copy of "The Shield Season 2, Disc 4" in the envelope of a different movie. The reason why I am pointing out the specific movie to you, is because when I contacted NetFlix, the customer service rep. basically explained to me that there was very little that they could do about it. Now if this was a standard movie, than I would eat the $10 and I would purchase a new disc. However, where in the world am I supposed to find the 4th disc in a TV set?

My question (this email is not entirely for venting purposes) is, have you ever come across this situation before and if so what would you recommend. A friend of mine suggested that I re-rent the disc and than claim that I misplaced it. I would therefore be able to reimburse NetFlix for the disc and my set would be complete once again!

Does anyone have a suggestion for Stu? Has anyone received Stu's Disc?

Comments

[Andrew Wickliffe]

I think Stu ought to be careful....

If he's going to do this thing, he might not want to post about it online.

[Brian]

This happened to me and basically they said the same thing. Although, a week or two later they sent me back the DVD. I would wait and see what happens.

"If he's going to do this thing, he might not want to post about it online."

Nah. He's not talking about a rip. He's talking about his own purchased retail copy.

[Tim]

He should do as his friend suggests. Case closed.

[Mike]

Another reason NF suxs. BBO would send your movie back to you that same day.

[Rob]

I returned a bootlegged copy of a movie I had just Netflixed. They sent it back before I ever knew what I had done with a nice letter saying that I had sent in a "personal DVD".

[Don]

Thats pretty funny Rob. It shows that they turn a blind eye to DVD piracy, because they know how much of a large percentage of their customer base uses the service primarily for that purpose.

[joey]

Rent Disc 4 of the Shield, Season 2 and return whatever Netflix movie you didn't return the first time. Now you've got your disc (or at least a Disc 4 of the Shield Season 2) and they have Movie X back in their hands. I only suggest this because Netflix isn't offering Stu any help at all.

[kim]

Thats pretty funny Rob. It shows that they turn a blind eye to DVD piracy, because they know how much of a large percentage of their customer base uses the service primarily for that purpose.

Netflix doesn't want to play police officer. Can you imagine the chaos if they got into that business?

[MWillyB]

Rent Disc 4 and send in the regular netflix disc instead. Case solved. Everyone got what was theirs.

[Stu]

Guys-

Thanks for the advice. The thing is, I already sent back the other disc, because I figured that they would send me back my original once they realized the mistake. However it has been over two months and I have not heard back from them.

So now it looks like I am going to have to re-rent the disc and book it as lost!

Thanks for your help and I will keep you posted

-Stu

[pats]

Maybe I'm missing something here, but you essentially threw away you DVD, and you want them to search the garbage can for you?

If you want quick turnaround, you can't expect the labor intensive handholding this would take.

I do appreciate the decency in claiming the replacement as misplaced and paying for it, so please don't take the above as snideness.

OK-bring back the snippiness, I now read you're going to report it as lost.

[Stu]

Pats-

I would imagine that any company that spent $22.9M on technolgy upgrades last year, and a combined $89.9M since 2000 should have a half-decent inventory system in place.

I am not blaming them for my mistake, however I do take issue with the fact that reclaiming my disc is either "stealing" or unethical. They have one extra disc in their system that they did not pay for. Was it my mistake? Yes. But that still does not take away from the fact that it is not theirs.

[PlungeBob]

"They sent it back before I ever knew what I had done with a nice letter"

Cheers for Netflix!

[Pats]

Stu, I don't know everything about their system, but it just doesn't seem like they say "oh yippee, let's add this disc from nowhere to our inventory!"

I can see your reasoning, though.

answer:

1.) rent the disc
2.) rip disc
3.) burn copy
4.)you're done

[Nicholas Barnard]

Netflix should be able to track each individual DVD. (They all have serial numbers.) For all you know it might be on a list to be pulled once it is sent back into them.

But, yeah they owe you your DVD back.

"Thats pretty funny Rob. It shows that they turn a blind eye to DVD piracy, because they know how much of a large percentage of their customer base uses the service primarily for that purpose."

Netflix does the same thing, Don. It's called, SEE NO EVIL, HEAR NO EVIL, SPEAK NO EVIL. (The 3 Monkeys, as Japanese call it.) You have to admit that 36 cents to 3.99 for blank single and dual layer Verbatims is hard to pass up. Esp when you can create a custom-made DVD with NO ENCRYPTION, NO REGION CODING, NO PROHIBITED OPERATIONS, NO FORCED CONTENT, NO FOREIGN AUDIO AND SUBTITLES YOU DON'T WANT...

Long Live DVD Decrypter, DVD Shrink, AnyDVD, VobBlanker, PGC Edit, IFO Edit, etc. Death to Copyright and Intellectual Monopoly Laws.

"Netflix should be able to track each individual DVD."

Another DVD service I belong to has stickers on the center of each DVD with a unique bar code serial number. They scan that, not the sleeve. Thus, there is no chance of returning a wrong DVD and having it scanned in from the sleeve. I suggest that Netflix needs to start doing this, because a lot of movies don't even have the title on the disc. Like "Fight Club" or "Ghost in the Shell: Special Edition." You can't manage your inventory well when you have discs with no identifiable label. They need to invest in the technology of tagging each disc with a unique bar code that is tamper-proof.

"Netflix should be able to track each individual DVD."

Another DVD service I belong to has stickers on the center of each DVD with a unique bar code serial number. They scan that, not the sleeve. Thus, there is no chance of returning a wrong DVD and having it scanned in from the sleeve. I suggest that Netflix needs to start doing this, because a lot of movies don't even have the title on the disc. Like "Fight Club" or "Ghost in the Shell: Special Edition." You can't manage your inventory well when you have discs with no identifiable label. They need to invest in the technology of tagging each disc with a unique bar code that is tamper-proof.

[sherry]

you could always try to find a pre-viewed shield disc at your local blockbuster it is way cheaper than buying the entire set again

just wait. they'll send it back.

[Francis Motors]

Who cares? The Sheild sucks.

[Emmanuelle]

"Does anyone have a suggestion for Stu?"

Try doing something useful for society, bitch.
Crying over your own mistake.

Amen. Get a DVD burner and some dual layer Verbatims when they're on sale for $4 a pop. Rent the damn disc from Netflix. Copy it. Problem solved. In the mean time, you've already seen it. You don't need to see it again any time soon. Do something useful with your time like watching the complete works of Peter Greenaway, Lars Von Trier, Terry Gilliam, and other unique directors who make films with no artistic compromises.

guy above. fortunately, with blockbuster you can more peter greenaway than netflix becsue of searhc local stores and in store.

Mike I have twice sent wrong disk to blockbuster and twice to netflix.

Onec was a reversal. EG sent BB to Netflix and visa versa. blockbuster sent the netflix film to netflix in two day. Netflix set the blockbuster film to bliocks buster in three weeks :(

with personal films sent by mistake, call blockbuster they will flag it and you get it back in a couple fo days. Netflix also returned my disk, albeit much later.

CALL.

[erin]

People have talked about burning DVDs they get from netflix. I have a new ibook- I've looked for a free software download to allow me copy dvds that's compatable with mac, but can't find anything. Anyone have any suggestions?

[lea]

It's a very simeple answer. Rent the disc that you actually sent back from Netflix. Then when you receive it keep it and return that movie you accidently kept in that sleeve. EVEN SWAP!

He said he already sent the disc back!

"Try doing something useful for society, bitch."

Hey Emmanuelle, I have a suggestion for you. Why don't you do the world a favor and remove yourself from the gene pool. A plastic bag over your head should do it.

[John Botirius]

do it. They have it coming.
GO TO http://jbo67.blogspot.com