Dear IndiaWeekly

I am writing with regard to hundreds of DVDs I have purchased from you site in the past months. Unfortunately, dozens of DVDs have rotted. They worked on first play, but rotted over weeks.

I would be glad if you would replace them, as they suffer from severe manufacturing defects, as dvds should last for years.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind Regards

Dear Mr X

Thankyou for contacting IndiaWeekly Customer Service

We regret the inconvenience caused to you. As per our return policy any complaints or returns should be made within 15 days of delivery of shipment. You have not mentioned your invoice number or dvd name so that we can chek your records.

Please note we do not accept any late returns, that is if it is more then
15 days from the date of delivery.

IndiaWeekly

Dear IndiaWeekly

I am member of http://www.zulm.net, which promotes Indian DVD quality, and by default, your website is recommended.

However, I am concerned as to how we can continue supporting your site if you are going to sell DVDs that rot over months. All DEI/SKY brand titles I have purchased have rotted within months.

One of your staff has emailed to say to that you only sell DVDs that will play for 15 days, and after that its not your responsibility.

I have purchased 100s of DVDs from this site, but I don't think I can continue purchasing if you are 'tricking' customers into crap DVDs that work on first play and then rot.

I would be grateful if you could look into this, and replace the rotten titles. Alternatively, I would be gratful if you could contact your suppliers to see if they will replace them for me.

I do not believe it is acceptable for you to continue selling DVDs from brands/batches that will rot once they escape your 15 days guarantee. That is highly unethical. If you want to retain my and other Zulm member's confidence, I would be grateful if you could seriously review this matter.

Kind Regards

Dear Mr X

Thankyou for contacting IndiaWeekly Customer Service

We never told you that we sell dvds that will work only for 15 days & then it is not our responsibility. Please try to understand our company policy.

We get stock from the manufacturer sealed pack and sell as it is. We never sell our rented dvds. We sell only brand new and original dvds as we receive those from our manufacturers. You will never find any scratches on our sold dvds. We are in this on line business for the past few years successfully. And to great extent we have succeeded in satisfying most of our customers from all over the globe.

We told you to give your invoice number and dvd name but you do not bother to give any details of defective dvds instead want replacement. I do not know after how many days you are complaingin and we are sorry to say that we cannot take it back 15 days from the date of delivery. The reason is the manufacturer donot take any return from us after 30 days of shipment to our customer and all our return time period are calculated and if anything is late we cannot do anything. Our distributor and manufacturer does not listen to us if we submit customer returns late. Infact it was your obligation to let us know within 15 or maximum 30 days.

We are always with our customers whenever they have problems. But there are policies we have to follow. As far as our return policy is concerned we clearly mention it on our site that we will accept returns if it is retuned to us within 15 days from. For our regular customers we extend this period to one month more but never more than that. Our all regular customers are aware of this policy.

If you purchase a product and after one year complains that it does n't works no one will replace/refund. In this online business usually nowhere returns are accepted if matter is not communicated within 7 days from the date of delivery. You can verify return policy of other sites also.

Regarding quality of dvds -

We deal in only original and brand new dvds. We are not doing any quality check because this is not our business and we can not do this because this can be done by either goverment agency or manufacturing company itself.

Quality of a few dvds of 'sky/videosound' is poor because prices are also lower than other companies. But if a particular title is available in sky than usually it will not be available in other brand because copyright is with sky. So you dont have any choice. We can only hope that most of the films may available in better brands.

No doubt more you pay better you get. But if you dont have option you cant do any thing. Because if any particular film is released in 'spark' (brandname of co) or DEI you cant buy it in 'yashraj'(brandname of co). So if you have option to choose a film from 2-3 companies always choose good companies like 'yashraj'. But for any 'Yashraj' dvd you will have to pay around $18-20. But most of the times you will find a film in only one company(the company which purchases dvd rights of the film) and we have to keep those dvds irrespective of their company. Its also true that by paying $5-6 if you are getting an average quality dvd its not a bad deal.

IndiaWeekly

Dear IndiaWeekly

Thank you for your email.

You say it is my OBLIGATION to let you know if a DVD is defective within 15 days. Either your English is not very good, or you have missed my point. What I am saying is that you are selling DVDs that work for about a month and then they rot / become defective. I repeat again, you are selling Self Destructing DVDs. Customers do not know during the first 15 days if the DVDs are going to become destructive after a few months. So please do not say I have not BOTHERED to contact you within a few days. Do you understand what I mean by rotting or Self-Destructing DVDs?

Cleary these DVDs are produced with flaws from the manufacturers, and I am not saying it is IW's fault. But I believe IW is not doing enough to stop selling these crap DVDs. It is taking advantage of the time-delay in these DVDs becoming defective. I have noticed that when a particular title or batch is proven faulty, you company continues selling it, justifying to customers its a DVD Player incompatibilty issue. Obviously most customers are lazy and wont bother returning them!

I still think in the interest of customer confidence, you should avoid selling titles or from batches (even brands) which have PROVEN to be faulty.

You need not reply to this email. I will just be cautious in future and not order as many DVDs due to the risk of the DVD becoming defective after a short period. Although, you did not say directly that you sell DVDs that will work for 15 days only, in practice, that is something your customers will have to live with. I do understand that online retailers need policies like your 15 Days Return Policy. But good companies should also have policies to only stock brands that work well, or terminate sales of batches that are faulty. Having policies that only suit you is not a very good policy from the customers perspective.

Finally, the life of a decent DVD should be years, maybe even decades, not just a few months, certainly not 15 days.

Thank you. Have a good day.

Kind Regards

Awaiting response, if any, to the last email. Topic open to discussion with members.

kya hua bhai.. haramipan hazam nahin ho raha hai kya?

i personally am back to the VHS days, now a days i go to the local store and started watching VHS movies, and dont notice much difference between sky,spark dvds.

IW will not listen to your complaints, cause that does not concern them. They want to make money just the way Eros wants to. Everyone has their own way. Why bug them.

Its ok Shuman, thanks! I was just getting my points across to IndiaWeekly. Unfortunately we learn after the damage is done... Hopefully BEI will replace their faulty DVDs, and then I will just to have to worry about my SKYs and SPARKs Self Destructing DVDs that IW happily sold. I wonder if SKY, the manufacturer, would replace their faulty DVDs? Mind you, they will only replace them with other SKY dvds and they probably won't be any better.... So, there is no hope there!!

Monizam - Do you have Sky's contact details including email, telephone and postal address. I doubt they would respond to an email though?

This really is a big problem for customer and I doubt if customer will ever be taken care off.

IW, for sure will try to check with supplier/DVD rights company. They will try to ask their replication plant. I don't think any replication plant gives any sort of gaurantee on their DVDs. So, usually it's up to the DVD brand to be loyal to company like most Hollywood companies are. I doubt this will happen.

Even in Telugu some EVP dvds replicated at Media Dimensions have this problem and they are still being sold. Poor customers! Then other brands of Telugu DVDs that were manufactured in India had this probably. It is very random. But when it happens, it usually happens with that whole set of title.

Hi Folks,
With the departure of Afzal from IW, I think its time to move on to some other store. Afzal is not there physically at the store so there is no chance of expecting service we used to get in the past.

As for replacing DVDs..armaan it would be better if you replaced your DEI/BEI dvds. I plan to replace my MILI, Sahib Bibi aur Ghulam dvds. IF Sandish keeps his end of the bargain, then go a step further and buy DVDs directly from him. Prices will be higher (close to 10 bucks).. but its worth it.

The remaining dvds (non DEI/Ayngaran..copy them on blank dvds !)

I would really advise folks to stay away from those $1.99 - $3.99 dvds !

Okay... I am ready for the sniggers from the I-told-you-so brigade now

Who is Sandish, and which company/retailer does he represent?



Probably cheaper for me to buy 2in1 pirates, rather than pay the cost of renting, buying blank DVDs and spending hours burning them on the computer....!

So, will Sandish provide zulmi's specially pressed Titles for $9.99 on GOLD MEDIA?

Nope its not custom made. I am pretty sure Sandish has his "own stock" made. I think a copy of the dvd is sent to all retailers (with the exception of a few), and they make their own copies.
Otherwise how do you explain MILI - A DEI release impressed on a Disc from Media Dimensions !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If thats PROTO TYPE GOLD DISC is AVAILABLE for $9.99..? I am all for it!