DavidAnthrope

DVD vendor recommendation

Greetings - I'm reading furiously to learn about which vendors to avoid and which are best.

My first Q is - where is the best place to purchase out-of-print DVD's? Don't ask me why but I missed 'A Bug's Life' when it was out and now it appears to be out of print!

Second Q - I read a LOT of bad reviews about DVD-Planet here, but much of it was (I think) from 2003. Is it any better these days? Or is it safer to avoid it altogether?

Third Q - I'm in NY and would like to avoid sales tax while minimizing shipping time (obviously). For new DVD's, what's the current favorite vendor of HTF users?

(Not trying to start a religious war here, and I am reading everything I can here too)

Mark Philp

If the company doesn't actually have a location (office, store, warehouse, etc.) in New York State they don't have collect NYS sales tax. Although the state has persuaded some of the bigger mailorder firms to collect it, I don't recall any DVD companies doing so. I can't recall if Amazon does, but I know that Deep Discount DVD and DVD Empire don't.

Of course, you know that there's a line on your NYS income tax form called "use tax" where you're suppose to declare how much tax you owe on out of state purchases. I would never tell you not to do that, but I just recently read that over 95% of the taxpayers didn't last year.

I swear, New York State, would tax breathing if they could find a way to put a meter on our lungs.

BrianP

Which version of a Bug's Life are you trying to find? The 2 disc collectors edition appears to still be in print, and is the best version to purchase. However, offhand I don't know the cheapest place to purchase it, but it is in stock at Amazon and DVDEmpire.

Since I live in California I can't really help you with the sales tax question. But the 2 stores I mentioned above are top notch, and you can add Deep Discount DVD and DigitalEyes to the list. I haven't purchased from DVDPlanet since the days they ran under the name of Ken Cranes. But would assume the problems you read about earlier are better now. They are owned by the same company as DigitalEyes and Deep Discount. Even though they are the same company each store is run differently, and prices can vary from store to store.

Also another good source for DVDs is through Columbia House DVD Club. I am sure you would have to pay sales tax in New York, but the money saved would far out weigh paying the tax. DVDTalk is the best place to learn how to maximize your savings at CH. Unfortunately they don't have every DVD title available, or carry every studio like Buena Vista or Disney releases. Also they don't have any Criterion titles. But they do have a good selection from such studios as Warner Brothers, Fox, MGM, Columbia, and a few others.

My Movie Collection on DVD and Laser Disc