Why the Fear Over Buying Used DVDs? (1 Viewer)

[MartinTeller]

Another thing to consider: people aren't going to sell their favorite movies that have been in and out of the DVD player a dozen times. They're going to sell the ones they bought, watched once, and didn't like. Or something they already had and someone gave them another copy. Most of the used discs I've bought show no signs of wear & tear at all.

 

[MartinTeller]

Do you have any idea how insane this sounds?

Like someone else said, maybe you should just compare 1040 forms. It seems like it's more about money than movies to you.

 

[Michael St. Clair]

A lot of people say, "I have 2,000+ DVDs" but of course 90$ of their collection was bought used. Well I have this to say, If *WE* (meaning all the people here on the HTF who are like me and would never buy a used DVD) were buying used DVDs, *WE* would also have around 2,000 DVDs. It's extremely easy to build a very large collection if you're buying used discs. ANYONE can have a humongous collection that way, even the poorest of people. It's completely unfair for someone who's bought their collection 'used' to compare themselves to the hard-working people who have spent thousands upon thousands of dollars trying to buy everything brand new.

Consider some counseling.

In all seriousness, there are more important things in life, stop and smell the flowers/coffee/whatever, and don't waste energy being angry over DVD collections.

 

[TheLongshot]

Perhaps I would have NO problems counting a used purchase if they were priced exactly the same.

Then, what would be the point of buying them used?

Personally, the size and the cost of a collection isn't what impresses me. It is the content. Who cares if you spent ungodly amounts of money on your collection? Personally, I'd rather stretch my dollar as much as possible. Most of the time, I get stuff that looks just as good as a brand new DVD. Hell, a signifigant part of my CD collection is used, but that doesn't diminish the value of that collection to me. The music sounds the same, no matter what I paid for it.

Also, there are also ways to get cheap deals on new DVDs as well. (what comes to mind is 800.com's 3 DVDs for a buck promotion when they opened.) Does that hurt the value of your collection?

Jason

 

[Dan Rudolph]

proud that I didn't pay full price for 95% of my DVDs. The only DVDs I have that cost a pretty penny were Clerks (I paid $40 a long time ago, and was pissed when they "re-issued" them for $15) and Spinal Tap Criterion.

I got the Spinal Tap Criterion used for $14.

 

[Ronnie Schildha]

I don't believe this crap. Mitch has a problem counting used discs as part of a collection but counts the bonus discs. You have got to be kidding me.

 

[MartinTeller]

I got the Spinal Tap Criterion used for $14.

My best friend got it for $10 at a pawn shop! Last year!

And yes, I do hate him for it

 

[Larry Talbot]

"Do you have any idea how insane this sounds?"

Yeah, I gotta take a concrete stand on this one. That DOES sound insane. Or like a parody of consumer competition.

 

[Marty M]

It is so ironic that most of my friends consider me to be a cheapscate, but when it comes to DVDs I have no hesitation in purchasing new rather than renting or buying used.

Since DVDs are more prone to errors from scratches, I don't want someone else's problems. The other reason I purchase is that I can control when I watch the movie. One of the few stores that sells used DVDs was selling them for only $2 or $3 less than what I could pay for them new. If they would start selling used DVDs at half price, then I would be interested.

 

[Mitch Stevens]

I don't see why "extras" discs should NOT be counted since I do watch them the same amount of times as the actual movie. After all, they ARE an actual DVD disc and should be counted as such.

 

[Bryan X]

.

 

[Michael St. Clair]

Hey, dictionary.com just linked the definition of 'pissing match' to this thread!




(just kidding)

 

[John Alderson]

The used DVD's I own are for titles I probably wouldn't have bothered picking up had they not been so cheap. For example, I got Vanilla Sky for $5 at Blockbuster. It works fine.

Out of my 200 or so discs, I probably own about 10 used. I've never had any problems with any of them (if they work when you get them, so long as you care for them the same as any DVD they will continue to work like new--the beauty of digital).

On the other hand, I've had to return at least three new DVD's because of a faulty disc (most recently was Raiders of the Lost Ark--grr). So my average is better when buying used

 

[MarkHastings]

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[Frank@N]

It's completely unfair for someone who's bought their collection 'used' to compare themselves to the hard-working people

So people who buy used are not hard-working?

I really enjoy the free exchange of opinions at HTF, but this is really 'out there'.

 

[MartinTeller]

Your story about the BMW is extremely silly. If you're going to buy a car just so everyone will know how much money you have, why not just have your bank statement printed up on a t-shirt?

 

[Michael St. Clair]

It totally took the wind out of my sail. Sure it sucks that on the outside he can boast his car is better than mine because it is the better model...and it does suck that most people would see his car and think that he spent more money than I did, but I try not to let those things get to me.

1) A quality used 7-series is a better car than a new 3-series, and will also hold its value better.

2) If you are basing your self-image on how much money people think you have spent on things, you are probably trying to compensate for something. You may have some issues that you need to talk to somebody about. I realize that HTF has rules about personal attacks. I'm not attacking you, I'm offering honest advice.

 

[MartinTeller]

And here's a piece of advice that will probably go unheeded, but I'll share it anyway:

The moment you stop counting your DVDs, you will be a happier person. For the first year or so after I got a DVD player, I was a hoarder. I'd buy anything that I had the slightest interest in. Then one day I looked at my overflowing DVD racks and said to myself, "look at all these crappy movies I'm never going to watch again". And I did a massive purge. I got rid of all the Hell Nights and the When Harry Met Sallys and the like. And it felt amazing. I can pick any DVD at random from my collection and it will be something I love. Nowadays I don't buy anything unless it's a favorite of mine, or something I'm reasonably sure I will love and want to watch again and again.

I'm not sure how many DVDs I've bought in my lifetime, somewhere around 800 I think. My collection is now about 150. But every single one of those is a movie or TV show I deeply cherish and will watch again. Otherwise, what's the point? Who's keeping score?

The golden rule is always this: quality, not quantity. I swear it will make you a happier person.

 

[Todd Phillips]

That is good advice...I've been thinking about getting rid of crappy DVDs myself since I hate trying to find places to store them. Anyone want to buy Tomb Raider?

I prefer spend more time enjoying my DVDs and less time boasting about them. How many you have doesn't matter in the least if you have one that you want to watch.

I used to like counting them, but now I count the ones I need to get instead. It's more fun since it's a countdown, and there is a goal.

 

[MarkHastings]

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