Plea to the Studios: No more tape, glue, or stickers (1 Viewer)

[Jay Mitchosky]

With the release today of The Simpsons Season Two I'm prompted to write this request to the studios to phase out their use of glues and such to attach items to DVD cases. My copy of The Simpsons now has a nice patch of white paper torn off from the back of the features sheet glued to the case - this wasn't even the "credit card glue" that is relatively easy to remove. I have other casualties from other studios as well.

These are collectables for most of us and we take pride in maintaining a pristine collection. To have an adhesive on the back of a cardboard package or to affix a paper sheet becomes a frustrating exercise. Is there truly a need for this?

Thanks in advance for reading.

 

[Yannick Martin]

I had the same problem with my Speed Collector's Pack last week.

At least they should use "credit card" type glue like the ST:TNG box set and others...

YM

 

[Brian E]

I've got three snappers that have been ruined by those damned security stickers. It's not like they keep the thieves out either. The last three times I've been to CC I've picked up cases that were empty (one was an Oz boxset). They just sliced through the stickers with a razor blade and took the disc. All they do is serve to irritate honest people.

 

[Jack Briggs]

Agreed, agreed, agreed. This ruins the collectibility--and is about as useful as the blow-in subscription cards inserted into magazines to which we already subscribe.

 

[Nelson Au]

My DVD Packaging pet peeve-


I am hoping that any major studios reading this could address my question.

There is one thing that bugs me about the security stickers on current DVD packaging. The stickers attached to the top, side and bottom edges tend to cause the clear plastic on the case to buckle. From what I can tell, the heat used to shrink the shrink wrap around the DVD is causing the clear plastic to deform and keep that distorted wrinkle.

The worst I’ve seen it are mainly the Paramount DVD’s, the last two I bought are terribly wrinkled. Criterion is pretty good at leaving the clear part of the case perfectly flat, Universal DVD’s are in the middle where it’s not as bad as Paramount. 20th Century Fox has done a good job too. My guess is that each studio uses a different vendor and Paramount’s vendor uses the highest heat to distort the plastic on the case.

I know that this is really an aesthetic issue. But I will likely be trying to buy new cases to replace these Paramount cases. As stated above, I collect to have a pristine collection, but I realize that 90% of the buyers out there don't care!

Thank you for letting me express this here.

Nelson

 

[Megan_A_D]

Yea I'll attest to the way we collect the cases as well as the dvds themselves... I just made sure to get my hands on a copy of the TIN of Total Recall even though most people hated it and are trying to trade their copies for the new amray type case packaging...

I'm also trying to replace my long since lost copy of Men in Black LE even though that's earned my personal "worst case ever" award with the way the foam and contents push the case open and once the shrinkwrap is gone, nothing holds it together but sheer luck.

I've never had a problem with the stickers destroying the snapper cases but several times when I try to peel off the sticker on amray cases, I end up marring the plastic myself in the attempt.

I just got my UE editions of Notting Hill, Meet Joe Black, Patch Adams today and all I can say is ... WHAT WAS UNIVERSAL THINKING? I hated the case when it was used for Sex & the City but why oh why did Universal think it was a good way to package the UE versions?

 

[Richard Ruffner]

I will say that it is an event to open a DVD when purchased. I'll spend 5 minutes removing the shrinkwrap (which never comes right off), the three security seals, and the inside security sticker.

How about a trade off? If I buy a disc from an online retailer, how about seperate packaging with no security measures? So we would have a retail run and a non retail run. My house doesn't have those security gates, so it seems silly to still have security devices.

 

[Jay Mitchosky]

I had the same problem with my Speed Collector's Pack last week.

One of my other "culprits". When I realized the sheet was firmly glued on I just left it. But it looks ridiculous.

 

[NeilEdwards]

Regarding security stickers. Yes, we all know that they are important. However, what percentage of your sales go to on-line outlets? Perhaps you could skip the security stickers for the on-line folks and leave them on for the brick and mortar retailers.

 

[Yannick Martin]

Yeah, that's why I took it off even if I destroyed the sheet in the process...

YM

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Return it to the store if it gets damaged for another one

Unfortunately, major retailers demand the measures, and it would cost horrendous amounts of money and time that just isn't there due to current demand for places on the DVD line

 

[Jay Mitchosky]

...that's why I took it off even if I destroyed the sheet in the process...

I'm not concerned about the feature sheet - I don't want the residue on the case.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

So use Goo-Gone. $2 at any supermarket

 

[Jay Mitchosky]

So use Goo-Gone. $2 at any supermarket.

I have another adhesive remover (can't remember its name) which is terrific, but I'm not going to use it on a cardboard package. And at the end of the day we shouldn't need to.

 

[Jesse Skeen]

The stickers on snapper cases are ridiculous- I have one with a nice rip on the front where the printing came off when I peeled off the label! I just keep them stuck on now, but they don't look too good that way.

 

[Yannick Martin]

I've been able to remove all glue residues on my Speed box set using alcohol.

YM

 

[John_Berger]

There are a couple of citrus-based cleaning products that I've used that are effective at removing glue as well, particularly if you can take off the gloss paper of the sticker and expose the glue underlayer through the paper threads underneath the gloss paper.

 

[Nelson Au]

The best stuff to use to remove adhesive residue is Bestine. Long used in the graphic design business when cut and paste was really cut and paste. It's a solvent that removes rubber cements. It evaporates very quickly and does not damage most paper or inks. But I can't say it will not damage any art on DVD cases. I use it sparingly and test first to be sure it won't damage anything. Just use in well ventilated area and maybe wear rubber gloves. It's not that bad, just be a little careful.

You should be able to buy this stuff at art supplies stores and office supply or hardware stores.

 

[Rob T]

A couple of my cases were ruined by some sticker that Universal Canada puts on some (not all) of its releases. No matter how many times I've tried to take this kind of sticker off without leaving a sticky residue on the plastic, I fail. I've tried to remove it with some rubbing acohol stuff, but it doesn't work. :frowning: