Why are DVD's sealed up so tightly?

March 10, 2007 5:53 PM

Why do DVD manufacturers/distributors seal DVD's up tighter than Fort Knox?

I'm just curious, why, when I buy a DVD it is sealed in shrinkwrap and then has three "security seals" further sealing the case. What is the thought process behind this? Was there really an outbreak of people across the country ripping open DVD's in Best Buy stores, removing the discs and leaving empty cases behind?

posted by 543DoublePlay to grab bag (12 comments total)

Better safe than sorry, I suspect is what they're thinking. It doesn't cost them much to do that, and it forestalls exactly the kind of thing you're talking about.

But I think what they're trying to prevent is someone opening the DVD case and removing the little magnetic sticker, and then taking the DVD and the case too right out through the magnetic detector without setting it off.
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 5:57 PM on March 10, 2007

I think the answer is clearly loss prevention. Though it seems sort of pointless, I admit, given anyone who is out to steal a DVD is going to not give a shit about the beeping sensors when he leaves the shop and makes a bolt for it.

But then again, as far as I know, most stores keep display cases out on the shelf and the shrink wrapped copies 'out the back', so it still seems pretty pointless, I suppose. I'm still gonna say loss prevention, in general, though.
posted by Effigy2000 at 6:23 PM on March 10, 2007

Partially loss prevention, and partially to make it impossible to open the case, copy the disk, and then re-seal the case and return it for a refund.
posted by Dipsomaniac at 6:54 PM on March 10, 2007

anyone who is out to steal a DVD is going to not give a shit about the beeping sensors when he leaves the shop and makes a bolt for it.

Based on my experience managing a record store, most shoplifters do not "bolt." Indeed, most of them do in fact remove the disc from its case; and if you browse attentively around any major music retailer for 15 minutes, you'll probably find an empty, discarded CD or DVD case that some thief has left behind.

But to answer the OP's question: Actually, the triple-sealing on DVD cases has less to do with loss prevention and more to do with accommodating the various ways that retailers have opted to display DVDs. The "security seals" you've noticed all include the movie's title, thus ensuring that it's visible from every angle.
posted by cribcage at 7:07 PM on March 10, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

Data point: Note the original 'seal along the top edge' for CDs that was eventually augmented with a full-body shrink wrap once somebody realized you can pop the bottom hinge on the jewel case and extract the CD without breaking the seal, then return for store credit (lather, rinse, repeat...)
posted by Orb2069 at 7:14 PM on March 10, 2007

Data point: Note the original 'seal along the top edge' for CDs

Actually, I believe this "feature" was enacted because large chains like HMV had open return policies, something record labels hate and that prior chains (for instance, Sam's in Canada) refused to do. The problem was that HMV was then resealing these discs and selling them as new.

By putting the bar code on this sticker, which customers would remove before listening (and prior to return), HMV would then be fucked because they then had no data point to enter into the computer after resealing. It made it a huge pain the ass for their cashiers to look up titles that they couldn't scan.

As for the 3 things on DVDs, I haven't a clue why they go to that extent, but yes, it's a pain in the ass.
posted by dobbs at 7:45 PM on March 10, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

that was eventually augmented with a full-body shrink wrap once somebody realized you can pop the bottom hinge on the jewel case and extract the CD without breaking the seal...

Nope. Jewel cases were designed specifically to accommodate shrinkwrap. (They used to be shrinkwrapped inside longboxes, actually.) That's why they're ridged along the edges: Drag the bottom of a jewel case across the sharp edge of a counter, and the resulting friction will bunch and quickly tear the shrinkwrap. It's a design feature.

The top-edge sticker came later, and its original purpose (as above) had almost nothing to do with loss prevention. Retailers were shelving CDs right side up, so to speak, rather than album face up, and they all looked identical. Record stores solved the problem by using insert cards ("Here's the Rolling Stones section, here's the Aerosmith section, etc."), but those cards take up a lot of shelf space and when the big-box retailers got heavily into CDs, they weren't willing to waste that space. The record companies decided to solve the problem by adding those top-edge stickers labeling each jewel case with the artist's name and album title.

Alternatively, they could have just stacked the CDs sideways so the spines would face up. They didn't — partly because that's counterintuitive and corporations will always opt for "expensive" or "simple"; but also, CD spines are replete with tiny print and odd logos and weird colors that are difficult to read. The top-edge sticker featured black-on-white, block letters, and (mostly) uniform font. It was a better solution.

The only stickers that were primarily motivated by loss prevention are those annoying little silver stickers that seal the opening edge of a jewel case. (These, also, date back to longboxes.) If I recall, they were originally Sony's darling; and the original batches were so damned cheap that when you pulled them off, half the time they'd leave glittery glue stuck to your case.
posted by cribcage at 7:52 PM on March 10, 2007 [2 favorites has favorites]

corporations will always opt for "expensive" or "simple"

That should have read, "expensive" over "simple." And apologies for the lengthy derail. CDs ≠ DVDs.
posted by cribcage at 7:58 PM on March 10, 2007

yes, it's pretty simple - same reason as to why Cd's are not easy to open - thieves would just slit open the single sticker and steal the disc - the DVD case is worthless. So that's why there are multiple stickers and then sealed very tightly so if you try to peel it open, they should be able to pick up you doing that on the CCTV (youll also notice the sticker is designed not to peel away cleanly and prone to breaking) ... it was only after they realized it would be helpful to add disc info to the top.

BTW, there are also barcode stickers with security tags - if you notice it's extra thick and they try and couch it with THANKS FOR SHOPPING AT B&N (B&N or Borders will throw one in the middle of expensive books also).

The best way to remove the stickers. Get a razor blade - slit it along the crack of the DVD case, cutting through the stickers. Then open the DVD case and starting from the inside out, peel out ...
posted by jbelkin at 11:36 PM on March 10, 2007

But to answer the OP's question: Actually, the triple-sealing on DVD cases has less to do with loss prevention and more to do with accommodating the various ways that retailers have opted to display DVDs. The "security seals" you've noticed all include the movie's title, thus ensuring that it's visible from every angle.

I don't think I've ever seen a DVD with the film title on all three stickers. Every one I've ever seen has the title on the top one and "SECURITY DEVICE ENCLOSED" on the other two.

(By "every one" I mean "every one that has three stickers." Many studios only use the top sticker.)
posted by Karlos the Jackal at 3:01 AM on March 11, 2007

Having worked for Suncoast on and off for two years, I've had plenty of experience with thieves and dvds. The shrink wrap and the stickers are there to prevent theft. Part of my job at the movie store was to walk through the aisles looking for signs of stolen merchandise.

This took a couple forms. One, the good ol' fashion razorblader. These folks usually picked up a move they wanted and move to an area out of sight of employees, or when its very crowded, and discretely slice the wrap and stickers with a razor blade and then slip the dvd out. DVD cases have even been redesigned with these folks in mind, as some of you may have noticed, where they've added two little plastic latches on the side of the dvd case. You can't easily cut through those and adds more effort and time to getting at the merchandise (hence, more time to get caught!).

There also those who simply take off the shrink wrap and remove the security tag (the thing that sets off the detectors), keep the dvd + case, and leave the wrap behind. However, the sound of some types of shrink wraps coming off can be pretty distinctive, especially to a trained ear. On more than one occasion, my manager would pause in conversation, turn and walk away to nail someone on the other side of the store trying to discretely remove the shrink wrap.

Basically, its all about making things as time consuming as possible for thieves. And most thieves don't want to resort to run away as fast as possible after setting the alarm off, they want to develop a strategy that will allow for repeated trips. Most employees, especially in smaller stores, are trained to react instantly if the alarm goes off to do everything short of physically detaining someone who has set off the detectors.
posted by Atreides at 6:47 AM on March 11, 2007

Oh, and I believe the name of the movie printed on top developed as an ancillary device, rather than a prime motive, and was carried over from cds. Occasionally, you still will run across a dvd packaged without the name printed on top.
posted by Atreides at 6:49 AM on March 11, 2007