I've been had!

[Doc Daneeka]

Well I had been worried about ths happening before, as an avid buyer of used movies. Monkeyshines: An Experiment in Fear just came in the mail, and the "collector's booklet" they list on the back is missing! Monkeyshines being one of George Romero's less-appreciated films I am greatly disappointed by the loss, but not all that shocked, as someone could have simply, absent-mindedly taken it out before they sold it used. I will be pretty ticked if the packet advertised as being in "Day of the Jackal" is missing, seeing as it's supposed to be 8 pages long!

Has anything like this happened to anyone else? Does anyone else care? Would it be too much trouble for someone with the full package to type up a transcript for me?

[Kester Pelagius]

The Rome S1 box set states it's supposed to have a booklet.  I bought it, brand new, on sale at BB recently.  No booklet.  Should I have have taken it back to the store and make them open other box sets until they find one with a booklet like I did with Dune?

Not with current gas prices.  Now if I'd paid full price. . .

[Jack]

I buy all my DVDs used, but I'm not the type of person who cares about inserts or the condition of the box or anything.  Just so long as the DVD plays perfectly.  I think I've gotten about 3 bad DVDs out of maybe 150.  Two looked to be in perfect condition, probably manufacturing defects.  I pay about 20 - 40% of the new price, so even if half of them were bad I'd still be saving money.  But it's more like 2%, which is about what I experienced buying new ones as well.

[Kester Pelagius]

ALL? 

I applaud you, sir.

What if you want rarefied cult titles like HUNDRA, KEKKO KAMEN, ZOMBIE LAKE, CURSE OF THE DEVIL, FLESH GORDON, &tc?  What about TV shows?  Some, like Buck Rogers, Sliders, and Stargate SG-1 have all be on sale within the past 3-6 months at various B&M retailers for around 20 bucks.  I doubt you'd find them cheaper used.

Or can you?

I know a few stores, like Fye's, sells used DVDs.  But I've rummage through them and found DVDs in there USED that were more expensive than the SAME TITLE, brand new, in the SAME STORE.  Aside from them the only place for used DVDs I know of are Flea Markets and (so I've been told but haven't yet tried) Pawn Shops.

Where do you buy your used DVDs from?  Online?

EDIT: You don't even go to Big Lots or Wol*Fart?  Big Lots has had some interesting remaindered titles for *gasp* $3!  I picked up the Superbit Johnny Mnemonic for that price, new, still in the shrinkwrap.  No, seriously, I mean I never took it out of the shrink wrap.   

[Jack]

I buy them from the vendors on Amazon.com.  Whenever you look at a DVD or CD on Amazon, they list how many copies are available used and what the lowest price is.  I don't think I've ever seen a title that was available new that wasn't also available used.  On the other hand I've seen a lot of titles available used that aren't available new. 

Currently at Amazon:
Hundra:  12.99 new, 8.49 used
Kekko Kamen:  26.99 new, 11.99 used
Zombie Lake:  9.99 new, 5.46 used
Curse of the Devil:  12.99 new, 6.90 used
Flesh Gordon:  26.99 new, 21.46 used

Of course you have to look at what condition it's in, I usually get "very good" or "like new" stuff.  And you're not going to find a great deal on every title all the time.  I've got a 4 page wishlist at Amazon, and when I'm in the mood to buy something I just scroll through it and look at the used prices, usually you can get a great deal on something you want.  It works especially great for people like me who watch really bad movies - Amazon may want the full retail price for a new copy, but the vendors know that if they don't just about give the things away, they'll be sitting in their inventory forever.

For instance:
Mustang Sally's Horror House:  21.99 new, 2.76 used
Sabertooth:  12.99 new, 1.77 used
Decadent Evil II:  17.99 new, 6.13 used
Star Wars Episode 2:  17.99 new, 1.47 used
Snakes on a Plane:  11.99 new, .82 used
The Cave:  12.99 new, .01 used

I haven't looked at the  condition of any of those, you might have to pay a buck or two more to get up into the "very good" condition ones.  I look at the feedback too.  If somebody's 98% positive, and they advertise something as being in good condition, light surface scratches, guaranteed to play perfectly, chances are it'll play perfectly or they'll refund your money. 

I usually buy TV shows new, they're pretty cheap and you usually can't get much of a bargain used. 

[Kester Pelagius]

I buy them from the vendors on Amazon.com.  Whenever you look at a DVD or CD on Amazon, they list how many copies are available used and what the lowest price is.  I don't think I've ever seen a title that was available new that wasn't also available used.  On the other hand I've seen a lot of titles available used that aren't available new. 

Currently at Amazon:
Hundra:  12.99 new, 8.49 used
Kekko Kamen:  26.99 new, 11.99 used
Zombie Lake:  9.99 new, 5.46 used
Curse of the Devil:  12.99 new, 6.90 used
Flesh Gordon:  26.99 new, 21.46 used

I got the Kekko Kamen live action box set for around thirty bucks, new, and that includes: Kekko Kamen, Kekko Kamen Returns, Kekko Kamen Surprise! and Kekko Kamen: The MGF Strikes Back.  No B&M retailer has ever carried Hundra (that I've seen) and it's been a long while since I've seen Flesh Gordon in any, but if you look around those should be available at better prices.   Same with Curse of the Devil.  Then again it's just been re-released by BCI/Deimos.  I got my AB DVD a while back, new, for $5 and it currently lists on eBay for as cheap as $1.  I actually bought Zombie Lake when it first came out so I have no idea what the prices are like for that, then again it's OOP, but whatever you pay it's worth every penny!   

Of course you have to look at what condition it's in, I usually get "very good" or "like new" stuff.  And you're not going to find a great deal on every title all the time.  I've got a 4 page wishlist at Amazon, and when I'm in the mood to buy something I just scroll through it and look at the used prices, usually you can get a great deal on something you want.  It works especially great for people like me who watch really bad movies - Amazon may want the full retail price for a new copy, but the vendors know that if they don't just about give the things away, they'll be sitting in their inventory forever.

For instance:
Mustang Sally's Horror House:  21.99 new, 2.76 used
Sabertooth:  12.99 new, 1.77 used
Decadent Evil II:  17.99 new, 6.13 used
Star Wars Episode 2:  17.99 new, 1.47 used
Snakes on a Plane:  11.99 new, .82 used
The Cave:  12.99 new, .01 used

But how much is the S&H?

If it looks too good to be true the vendors probably gouging you on S&H.

The Cave can be had, new, for around $5.  Don't know about the others. 

I haven't looked at the  condition of any of those, you might have to pay a buck or two more to get up into the "very good" condition ones.  I look at the feedback too.  If somebody's 98% positive, and they advertise something as being in good condition, light surface scratches, guaranteed to play perfectly, chances are it'll play perfectly or they'll refund your money. 

I usually buy TV shows new, they're pretty cheap and you usually can't get much of a bargain used. 

And some series you can't find much of a bargain on, new or used, ever.

 

[Jack]

S&H is usually about 2.98 or so.  Probably about what Amazon charges.  I figure with gas being what it is these days, it's probably a bargain.  If somebody wants more than that, they're not getting my business 

[CheezeFlixz]

Aside from the el cheapo DVD's at Big Lots I buy about 90% previewed, and I can inspect the disc prior to purchase and they come with a life time warranty, so why pay full price? The only DVD's I buy new are those hard to find, not that popular or specialty titles. I've bought nearly 5000 DVD's and so far I've only gotten 1 bad one used, can't say that about new ones where I have gotten several new bad disc.
I rarely pay attention to the inserts so that's not a issue.