Disney DVDs - buying experiences at eBay

jeremy88 · Post by **jeremy88** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 4:54 pm

ooooh I hated it when I was new too eBay and I my first disney dvd's i bought from there was Peter Pan and The Little Mermaid. AND BOTH OF THEM WERE BOOTLEG!! but I didnt feel too bad about the little mermaid becuase I found out that one eas coming out soon anyways...as for Peter Pan...I hope they release the new one soon.

Im sure your dvd is not a bootleg prince ali if it came with inserts an stuff and like the artwork doest look cheap. the way u can easily tell if its a bootleg is it has a scratch on the back of the inner circle on the disc.

Ting Ting · Post by **Ting Ting** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 7:02 pm

Well I have some pictures to post. If someone would please take the time to compare my copy to theirs, I would greatly appreciate it.

Notice that the insert is shiny and that the disc seems to be a bit lighter, is it supposed to be that way?

<br>

Kram Nebuer · Post by **Kram Nebuer** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 7:25 pm

The packaging and the inserts look pretty real though, you're right about the glossiness of the insert. It looks a little too glossy. I don't have the insert w/ me b/c I don't bring the case to school, but I do have the disc. The only thing that troubles me is that Melody's lips look like they're gone. It may be from the flash, but on my disc, Melody's lips are a medium light pink. I know my disc is real b/c it came free through a BVHE promotional mail in offer.

Does the underside of your disc have barcodes and serial numbers? I know on some bootlegs of Snow White that were discussed last week, these things were absent and were the deciding factor that it was a bootleg.

I can post a picture of my disc if you want me to.

TheSequelOfDisney · Post by **TheSequelOfDisney** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 7:25 pm

It looks authentic to me, but I could be wrong.

Pluto Region1 · Post by **Pluto Region1** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 7:30 pm

Prince Ali wrote:Well I have some pictures to post. If someone would please take the time to compare my copy to theirs, I would greatly appreciate it.

Notice that the insert is shiny and that the disc seems to be a bit lighter, is it supposed to be that way?

The only help I can offer is, take a good close up photo of the readable (flipside) of the disc for us. Look at the inner circle for Disney's bar codes and serial numbers and if you can post a picture of that, then someone here should be able to take a look and compare it to their copy. I can't comment on the artwork or the disc art - my only experience now being with Fantasia and with SW.... but the SW bootleg I received was a VERY sophisticated bootleg and came with very authentic foldout inserts, just like in the real SW. I have the bootleg and now a real SW now so I can really appreciate the level of deception that this bootlegger supposedly went to.

If it's a highly sought-after title, that would warrant someone to go to a lot of trouble to make a very authentic-looking bootleg. But apparently what they don't seem to try to duplicate (or perhaps they can't) are those serial numbers and bar codes that are found on the flipside of the disc in the inner circle.[/quote]

Ting Ting · Post by **Ting Ting** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 9:41 pm

I tried taking a picture of the back of my disc, but all I seem to get is a big, blurry glare. But if you look REALLY closely on the inner circle of the disc, you can see some numbers when you put it under some light.

Kram, if possible, could you please post a picture of your disc?

Thanks guys!

Asellus · Post by **Asellus** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 7:15 am

ToyStoryFan wrote:Guys are the Studio Ghibli packages legit? There are several of them.

Like this one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Archives-of-Studio- ... otohosting

I only ask because I know the packaged Disney ones are NOT legit at all. Thanks!

The Packages Disney ones are not Legit? You must mean the Ebay ones. The 4 disc set is a chinese bootleg. The translation is really horrible, and they've crammed 3-4 movies onto one disc. I have one of the discs and am trying to replace them with legit problems as soon as money allows.
I'm pretty sure all the Disney Ghibli movies are still being sold. If there's something you can't get ahold of, All the region 2 Ghibli films from Japan have English subtitles.

Pluto Region1 · Post by **Pluto Region1** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 12:36 pm

Prince Ali wrote:I tried taking a picture of the back of my disc, but all I seem to get is a big, blurry glare. But if you look REALLY closely on the inner circle of the disc, you can see some numbers when you put it under some light.

Kram, if possible, could you please post a picture of your disc?

Thanks guys!

I know what you mean.... I couldn't use my camera to photograph my discs or cover art - I resorted to using a scanner, but alot of people don't have scanners. Good idea to have someone who has a real copy post a photo of their disc, if they happen to have a way of photoing the disc.

Are there bar codes on the disc in the inner circle, or just some type of serial numbers? I would think there would be Disney bar codes... can anyone confirm? I notice on my Platinum series after opening several of them up that the numbering and bar coding system seems to be pretty consistent and one would hope that this is the case for TLM - II.

Ting Ting · Post by **Ting Ting** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 1:14 pm

There are some numbers around the inner circle, but no bar codes from what I can see. As a comparison, I took a peak at some blank discs we have at my house and I didn't see any numbers.

I really hope this is authentic! If I do end up finding out that this is a bootleg, I'm going to pray that we get a rerelease of this movie after TLM: PE comes out!

Pluto Region1 · Post by **Pluto Region1** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 10:51 pm

Prince Ali wrote:There are some numbers around the inner circle, but no bar codes from what I can see.

Its still possibly real - I checked UD list of DVD releases and looks like this was released in 2000. My Fantasia disc which we just went through this same process trying to determine if it was real, it didn't have any bar codes but everyone is convinced it is authentic (DVDjunkie confirming since he has a copy of the disc and checked his out) so perhaps since Disney was still experimenting with DVD formats, etc., they had not standardized a number/bar code system for discs as of that time.

Ting Ting · Post by **Ting Ting** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 11:02 pm

Thank you so much Pluto Region1! You have been such big help to me and I really appreciate it!

I tried sending dvdjunkie a PM so that I could ask him if he has a copy of TLMII and if his disc has barcodes and such on the back. Unfortunately, when I tried to send him the message, it said that the administrators have prevented me from sending private messages...I don't understand why! Do you have to make a certain amount of posts before you can send PMs?

slave2moonlight · Post by **slave2moonlight** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 12:16 am

I use Ebay a lot (well, it's a lot for ME), and I've gotten jipped a few times, but not on DVDs yet. Mostly on tapes and once on a toy. However, I don't recall buying any DVDs there recently. When I first got into DVDs, I was buying all the early Disney releases, and I had to go to Ebay to get a few I had missed in stores. Recently, I was trying to do that again, but there seem to be bootlegs by the truckload there now! They're really tricky, too. They post photos of the REAL DVDs, not the ones they are selling. You always have the option of asking the seller, if there's time before the auction ends, and many will be honest with you. Don't trust any auctions that sell a "new/sealed" DVD starting at 99 cents, or VERY cheap in general.

As for not being sure if you got a bootleg instead of the real deal, in my experience, when you get something that's bootleg, you can usually tell fairly easily by the quality of the package printing or art. Of course, maybe some folks sell really convincing bootlegs. I'd have to say that the bottom line is, if it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Ask questions and look for folks that post A LOT of information. Make sure it says Region One. And just be very careful. If you can't read feedback or there isn't any, forget it. One negative is too many if you're worried about bootlegs. Also, I always pay with a Money Order, though I confess, it's a petty annoyance to have to go get one. Actually, I just don't have a credit card...

Oh, and I mentioned I had been looking on Ebay for some Disney DVDs I had missed in stores (Kim Possible: A Stitch In Time and Atlantis: Milo's Return). Well, while I decided the Kim one might not be necessary (in the hopes that the show will eventually get a season set release), I still had no luck finding copies of either that were new and seemed REAL. At a nice price, that is. Part of the joy of Ebay is getting a nice deal. Hmm, since there hasn't been a Volume 2 release yet, I may have to go back there and see what the Lizzie McGuire "Best Of" DVD situation is like. Still need number 3 and 4 of that line.

Pluto Region1 · Post by **Pluto Region1** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 9:56 pm

Prince Ali wrote:Thank you so much Pluto Region1! You have been such big help to me and I really appreciate it!

Oh, you're welcome! Wish I had the disc and could help. Buying from Ebay and these second parties opens up the whole dilemna as to "do I have a real copy or a bootleg?" which I just went through with that Snow White I had bought and it was really no fun trying to figure out what I had, but people in this forum have been great coming to my aid in the process. I would say based on the responses you got here that you probably have a legit copy. Have you gone and checked on the seller's current auctions - is he/she hawking any more of this same DVD? It would be one thing if he happened to come across another one but if he's got 3 or more, I'd say maybe he is selling bootlegs and this issue needs revisiting. Did you comb through most of his feedback looking at any negatives or neutrals? Also check that current auction for TLM-II, watch for when it closes and see what kind of feedback the person who wins this next one posts. It is just a chance - of course if the DVD is a really good bootleg, it might fool the next person as well.

As for the PMing, I'm still relatively new and haven't really had a reason to PM anyone. And no one PM's me, so don't feel left out! I would check with Luke or a moderator as to why you are unable to do that. And since you can't PM anyone, is there a place on the board to post when there is a technical problem?

slave2moonlight wrote:I use Ebay a lot (well, it's a lot for ME), and I've gotten jipped a few times, but not on DVDs yet. Mostly on tapes and once on a toy. However, I don't recall buying any DVDs there recently. When I first got into DVDs, I was buying all the early Disney releases, and I had to go to Ebay to get a few I had missed in stores. Recently, I was trying to do that again, but there seem to be bootlegs by the truckload there now! They're really tricky, too. They post photos of the REAL DVDs, not the ones they are selling. You always have the option of asking the seller, if there's time before the auction ends, and many will be honest with you.

Welcome to the forums! It sounds like you've done a fair share of Ebaying. Almost everyone here at the forums, who has tried to buy a rare OOP Disney DVD on Ebay, has been burned at least once. If you do a search for the word "bootleg" in the title you will see all the people posting about how they got burned. There are even FAQs now posted at Ebay on how to avoid or what to look for, but I would think that if the person is a crook, they are not going to be truthful when you email them and ask them if it's a bootleg. In the long run, not wishing to spend tons of time trying to authentic a DVD purchased on Ebay or via Amazon, it is almost better to just go find a beat-up copy at Gamestop since at least you hold it in your hand and can inspect it, and there's a good chance that a beat-up copy at a Gamestop is the real McCoy! But then again, most people want a nice copy (me included) so it sort of tough decision on what to do, but one thing is for sure buying OOP Disney DVDs on Ebay is akin to being a merchant ship traveling the high seas back in the Golden Age of Piracy.

slave2moonlight · Post by **slave2moonlight** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 10:45 pm

Thanks for the welcome and the info. Yes, I know it seems unlikely, I definitely wouldn't expect someone to be honest, but you'd be surprised how many people have told me that the copies they were selling weren't official when the DVD was out of print. I guess they figure, for certain movies, that if the person is desperate for it they may want a fake copy if it's all that's out there. Still, I don't think those were cases of Disney movies. That's probably a very different situation. Folks selling bootlegs of Monster Squad or Midnight Hour are probably going to be more honest with you because they're not competing with a lot of authentic copies. So, true, folks trying to compete with a ton of the real deal are probably going to lie to you nearly every time. Still, it never hurts to ask. It's not so much that I would trust someone who says, "yes, it's the real thing." It's just that you might get one who admits that it's not. That'll save you some trouble if they do, as it has saved me some trouble in the past. Some folks just don't want to have an angry buyer situation, even if they're doing something they shouldn't.

However, when it comes to beat up copies, I'd rather wait for keep trying ebay. I have never had much luck with getting a good DVD player that will play even a DVD perfectly if it has even light wear on it (and we've been going for the expensive players). Never buy a Samsung, we learned that. They will skip like crazy on a perfect DVD. I still have a Samsung in my room that is 70 percent reliable, but that's nowhere near enough. The one my parents bought (which they have already replaced) skipped on nearly everything, no matter how new and perfect. They now have a Sony that almost NEVER skips. I MIGHT be holding out for Blu-Ray player prices to go down... Anyways, my point is, I gave up buying used DVDs (and before that, used tapes) a long time ago, because I just wasn't seeing the quality I wanted, and people don't seem to take very good care of their stuff. I hardly rent anymore either, for that same reason (and because you can buy a great movie for about the same price as renting nowadays).

Sometimes though, some nice parent or other will sell a Disney DVD on Ebay that they've only viewed once or so, and those might be alright if they didn't let the kids use it as a frisbee, coaster, or stencil. A friend sent me a used Care Bears DVD she bought at a garage sale once, and it was pristine!

yamiiguy · Post by **yamiiguy** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 6:16 am

just thought I should tell some people about my eBay experiences I joined on 3rd October this year and have so far bought many Disney DVD's 2 from the same seller (derwent16 if you want to know) which were The Lion King Special Edition and Alice in Wonderland both were genuine and sealed, Bambi Special Edition (from wintersmith7) which was also genuine and finally Aladdin Special Edition (from savcop1) which was also genuine, I have bidded on 2 more Disney DVD's (1 ends in just over 21 hours the other 2 days 6 hours) which look genuine and I hope they are

Simba3 · Post by **Simba3** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 4:58 pm

I have had really good experiences buying from eBay. I purchased the "Beauty and the Beast: Platinum Edition" (sealed with slipcover) about a year ago, as well as "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: Platinum Edition" (sealed). I had to pay a little more for them, but it was well worth the money. Recently I purchased "A Bugs Life" (sealed with slipcover) and "Sleeping Beauty: Special Edition" (used, but in MINT condition). Everytime I have ever ordered from eBay I have been very satisfied with my purchases. However, I do take the time to browse thoroughly before committing to a purchase. For anyone out there wondering about buying off eBay I would just recommend doing your research. Look closely at seller's pictures, read the description of the product (this will tell if there is a slipcover, if the iem is sealed, and if not what condition it is in). If you are still unsure, e-mail the seller and ask for more information. Buying DVDs from eBay can be great, especially for ones that are currently out of print, but I stress to you: LOOK CLOSELY to make sure you are getting exactly what you are wanting. Happy Hunting!!

DisneyFreak5282 · Post by **DisneyFreak5282** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 6:15 pm

Do U think this (http://cgi.ebay.com/WALT-DISNEYS-LIMITE ... otohosting) is authentic?

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 6:22 pm

DisneyFreak5282 wrote:Do U think this (http://cgi.ebay.com/WALT-DISNEYS-LIMITE ... otohosting) is authentic?

I definately think this is a high quality bootleg. At $17 I don't think it's genuine, especially when the Limited Issues retailed at $29.99-$39.99.
Also the front cover is way too shiny, but for a bootleg of such high quality, I'd buy it.

MickeyMousePal · Post by **MickeyMousePal** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 6:32 pm

101 Dalmatians does look fake. If I were you I'll just wait for 101 Dalmatians PE that probably come out 2009....

DisneyFreak5282 · Post by **DisneyFreak5282** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 6:35 pm

Josh wrote:
DisneyFreak5282 wrote:Do U think this (http://cgi.ebay.com/WALT-DISNEYS-LIMITE ... otohosting) is authentic?
I definately think this is a high quality bootleg. At $17 I don't think it's genuine, especially when the Limited Issues retailed at $29.99-$39.99.
Also the front cover is way too shiny, but for a bootleg of such high quality, I'd buy it.

Hell no! I'm not WASTING $17 for a BOOTLEG! If I'm spending money, it's gotta be the REAL thing, dammit!

Sorry for that little outburst, no offense toward you, Josh.

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