DVD shops renting retail copies

evil-monkey

Hey all,

Anybody know what the deal with video shops renting retail copies of DVDs is? And selling on rental copies that are not for resale??

Is this legal? Surely not? Is there any official body that checks up on this sort of thing?

craichoe

evil-monkey wrote: »

Hey all,

Anybody know what the deal with video shops renting retail copies of DVDs is? And selling on rental copies that are not for resale??

Is this legal? Surely not? Is there any official body that checks up on this sort of thing?

Nothing to do with legal or illegal, its down to whatever terms and conditions they have with their supplier.

I.E. they may be able to sell rentals after a specified period as ex-rentals.

dahamsta

Basically their contracts with the distributors say that they're not allowed to rent retail items, but they are allowed to sell ex-rentals, simply because the ex-rentals originally cost them more than the retail items. I think it's unlikely these Ts&Cs will have changed. Who you report them to is the question, it certainly wouln't be the Garda as it's a civil issue, not criminal. It's probably INFACT, but I don't think I'd help those guys in any way tbh.

adam

evil-monkey

I was under the impression that there were two types. Rentals that could be sold as ex-rentals, and rentals that couldn't be. It says on these; Rental only. Not for resale. And then on the others it says, Rental and Resale.

But regardless of this, surely they can't rent retail only copies...

Hitchhiker's Guide to...

what difference does it make to the consumer tbh? the shop is making a few extra bucks, but there is no effect on the quality experienced by the consumer

Cabaal

Roundtower2 wrote: »

what difference does it make to the consumer tbh? the shop is making a few extra bucks, but there is no effect on the quality experienced by the consumer

This is true but is it within the law and the contract the store signed with its supplier?

Red Alert

As far as I'd be concerned it's the supplier's problem to check up on the video store.

mcaul

3 types

For retail sale - can only be sold and should not be rented. Usually latest releases retailing at 19.99 / 29.99

For rental & resale - can be rented or sold. usually back catalogue. (films released to dvd at least 3 months)

Rental copy - For rent only, but can be sold as Ex Rental (secondhand) - usually new realease for up to 6 months after release.

Nothing in law states what a shop can do - if they rented a retail copy, it would be contravening a contract between two companies and would be dealt with by solicitiors.

Blisterman

I agree with Roundtower 2.

Does it really affect you, what they do? Id imagine, it's more likely, the smaller ones which do this, and to be honest, I'd like them to stay in business. Xtra Vision and Chartbusters suck.

LolaDub

I don't know about you guys but generally when i buy a new dvd and watch it a really long advert comes up about piracy and then one about this is a retail copy if you have rented it that is illegal or something similiar?

Lab_Mouse

no matter which version of the dvd you are watchin,its the same movie.What do you care which one it is.Its not a consumer issue and they arent breaking the law(although they are breaking T&C with their supplier)

Run_to_da_hills

Rental copies of Dvds are usually made from far superior materials than the cheaper made retail copies and are designed to last much longer. Ie more scratch resistant. Many Rental shops send their damaged dvds off to get re polished.

Kintarō Hattori

Find something else to complain/worry about.