Paramount costcutting surprise: used Jack Ryan disc in new set (1 Viewer)

I think we're going to see a lot more of this:

When I received my Jack Ryan four-disc set in the mail yesterday, I began the weary process of removing the shrink wrap and then the three "security" stickers from each individual case. Much to my surprise, the fourth disc (The Sum of All Fears) had two extra tags, one on top of one another. The first one merely covered up the other, but after removing it I discovered that the bottom tag was actually a Best Buy price sticker ($19.99). Lo and behold! Used product turned around and issued for a new release! Will wonders never cease.

I was pretty steamed at this, but calmed down a bit once I realized that the case had never been opened. Most likely, this was simply a case of overstock return and Paramount simply decided to save some bucks by just turning it around and including it in the new set. But it really cuts right to the fear I've sometimes had when purchasing an item: how do I know that I'm really getting what I pay for (a new item) and not somethings that's been repackaged. As I said, in this case I was able to tell (and yes, I checked the actual disc too). But if company's start hedging the bet now with something like a stock return, where does it end?

How ironic that this happened with a title like "The Sum of All Fears"!

Did you buy it at Fry's? That would really complete the story......

hehe thats great

I definately understand your fears but also companys do stuff like this all the time unfortunately more than we realize.

If they're new copies, I don't see why it would make a difference whether they've ever been shipped anywhere or not. Are they supposed to just toss them?

Your DVD isn't a "stock return"! All studios overrun in their original replication so that they aren't caught short by extraordinary consumer demand and to cover special releases such as this. Your DVD would have been sitting in inventory waiting for its day in your Jack Ryan set.

Alan_Horner:




BTW, thanks to Paramount for the Jack Ryan SE's. Haven't purchased mine yet, but look forward to watching my fave, "Clear and Present Danger," in full anamorphic glory!

EDIT: As Greg mentions below, many thanks also for the DTS option. Icing on a delicious cake!

Martin,

I wanted to say if you read this that I and many others are very excited that Paramount has began using DTS soundtracks on your releases. Many of us enjoy having the choice between two great formats such as DTS and Dolby Digital. One question I have is if there is any chance that we could see full bitrate (1509kbps) DTS releases from Paramount in the future. Thanks again and keep up the good work and keep the excellent releases coming.

Malcolm, regarding your " " response. Here's what probably happened:

1) Paramount releases SoaF for the first time, and sends copies to the retailers to put on their shelves.
2) Best Buy location #1234 gets, say, 144 copies to try to sell.
3) After several months go by, only 70 copies of SoaF have sold at that location. Other locations also have extra stock. Best Buy recalls the extra copies back to their warehouse, all but a reasonable count (leaving around 3-5 copies per store). Location #1234 sends back about 70 copies of SoaF to the warehouse as a result of this "overstock return". They are SUPPOSED to remove all their price tags and so forth before boxing them up, but someone's late going home that day and rushes, and misses getting the price tag off of yours.
4) Best Buy's warehouse has too many copies of SoaF to use for the conceivable future, so they negotiate with Paramount to return these unused, unsold copies to the studio for credit. Paramount agrees, they negotiate a deal, and the Best Buy central warehouse returns all those copies.
5) Paramount receives all those copies of SoaF at their distribution depot, checks to make sure these are all unused, unopened, and undamaged. Then they store them.
6) Paramount decides to issue a Jack Ryan box set, and will include copies of SoaF into that box set. Should they create new product just for the set? Heck, why? They have a kajillion extra copies sitting at the depot! They go grab them out of the storage section and prep them for inclusion in the box set.
7) While prepping them, some copies that formerly sat on the shelf at Best Buy location #1234 are being inspected and they spot one with a price tag on it still. Exchange between two workers probably went something like this: "Huh...that tag should have been removed at the store." "Well, taking it off isn't our job; it'll leave that sticky residue and crap." "We can't just leave it showing like that." "I got an idea...gimmee an extra security sticker; we'll cover it over."
8) Looking "good enough", the item in question gets put into a box set slipcover along with three new copies of the other (SE version) Jack Ryan films on DVD. The thing is shrinkwrapped, boxed for shipping, and that box is palletized.
9) Paramount ends up sending that to some retail store in San Fransisco (it was never named, but could be a Fry's, a Wal-Mart, a Costco, a DVDPlanet, or even a Best Buy!). On street date the box gets put out, and someone name of Alan Horner buys it.
10) Alan opens up the package, notices some weirdness, and posts a note on the Home Theater Forum. End of story.

Like others, I don't understand the big deal here. The dvd you received was never opened nor sold beforehand so why is there a problem?




Crawdaddy

Martin, THANKS AGAIN! Watched my new HFRO last night. It was great! I am very pleased. The only way Paramount could have done better would have been to put this out much sooner. But now that I've finally got it, who cares. Now it you happen to know anyone at BVHE and can talk to them about CRIMSON TIDE, it would be very much appreciated!

GREAT WORK!