Feeling ripped off by an online Disney DVD provider (UPDATE 5/19)

[SnwflkCts]

Not Disney.com (they are great!) but ReliveTheMagic.com. Agonized over buying $200 Disney World Theme Park DVDs but ... read what users here thought and decided to go for it.

Ordered on 4/20 plus $20 for priority mail. After two weeks, I e-mailed them saying where are my DVDs? They said there was a back-up but MAGICALLY, my DVDs were shipped on 5/3. (Remember I paid for priority mail 2-5 days!) Here I sit two weeks later and no DVDs. My e-mail of yesterday was not answered yet.

As this appeared on my LAST MONTH's credit card statement, I have paid it!!! ARG! What would you all do???? Anyone else had trouble with this company??? I am feeling RIPPED OFF and I am worried. I truly NEVER have problems with mail order, E-Bay or anyone else!!! I order lots of things online! What are your suggestions?

***UPDATE 5/19***Well, I will not be ranting anymore as they have sent a message telling me they are refunding my money (the ENTIRE amount!) AND are still sending me the DVDs and free CDs. Since they have so freely addressed the problem in an even greater way then I ever dreamed, I certainly have nothing more to complain about.

Thanks for all the suggestions and advice.

 

[Skylarr29]

I am not familiar with the company but I would dispute the charges on your credit card statement ASAP. If you do recieve the DVD's I would then request to be credited for the cost of priority shipping at the very least.

 

[pineappletink]

I don't really know what you can do about the credit card bill but if you can cancel your order and get refunded I was just going to let you know that you can find all of the relive the magic segments on Google Video. Just search for whatever Disney show or ride you are looking for and it comes up! Hope everything works out for you!

 

[orljustin]

Boy, that could be some of the worst video I've even seen shot. Looks like the cameraman spent all day at a Starbucks.

 

[Jacksmom99]

We also bought the dvd's....and all I can say is that this takes its place with the biggest rip-offs of all time. The production quality is awful. I wrote them an email expressing the fact that they could have provided at least some editing. My 7 year old could edit this better in his I-Book....this is a vomit inducing, motion-sickness inducing assault on your senses....these people should be ashamed of the price they have charged, and those who provided supposed solid reviews of this, should have their bank accounts checked for pay-offs....SIMPLY SHAMEFUL

 

[BTown]

I had a similar situation with another Disney DVD provider, The Extinct Attractions Club. I paid $10 extra for my DVDs to be shipped in 3-4 days, and it was over 4 weeks until I actually got them. The only way I was able to get their attention was by going to the message board on their site, and stirring up a bit of a fuss. It seems a lot of potential buyers would check the message boards, and the last thing they wanted to people who were uncertain about purchasing the DVDs to see was someone who was feeling they were being ripped off. I dont know if this site has a board, but if they do, that might be a good place to start.

Also, remember, what these folks are doing isnt exactly legal. They are essentially selling Disney intellectual property. If it comes down to it, I would imagine a simple threat of alerting authorities might light a fire underneath them. In any respect, I think you are most certainly entitled to a refund for your shipping.

 

[orljustin]

It's pretty funny that a selling point on their site is that they are "UNEDITED". Wow, how lazy can you be? You can't even take the time to edit the video of someone else's work? I'm a Bootlegger, Jerry!

 

[MyGoofy26]

I watched a couple videos that they had posted on YouTube and yikes - I can't imagine spending that much money on someone's home video. I'm shocked Disney hasn't tried to shut them down yet.

 

[bicker]

Well, they couldn't have them shut down for the poor quality product or service, but rather only for a copyright violation. Are people sure Disney knows about the offering? If they know about it, they're required by law to pursue the copyright issue.

 

[SusanDK]

As this appeared on my LAST MONTH's credit card statement, I have paid it!!! ARG! What would you all do????

Check the terms of your credit card, but I'm quite certain that you can dispute a charge up to 60 days after the billing date (or it might even be within 60 days of the statement date on which the charge appeared).

I would immediately contact your credit card company and tell them the details of the charge and that you still have not received the product you purchased, and you wish to dispute it and have it credited.

They will put an immediate hold on that amount while it is investigated. They will then contact the merchant account of the vendor and give them a chance to prove the item was sent and received by you. If they cannot do that, after a certain amount of time (I don't remember how long), you will be credited in full.

I suggest you do this immediately.

Susan

 

[MyGoofy26]

Well, they couldn't have them shut down for the poor quality product or service, but rather only for a copyright violation. Are people sure Disney knows about the offering? If they know about it, they're required by law to pursue the copyright issue.

Yeah, that's what I meant . . . I assumed Disney would pursue legal action to protect their copyright on their products. I can see them turning their head on some of the things that pop up on eBay since the seller isn't likely making a career out of it. . . but hundreds of dollars for a collection of home video? These people have to be making a small fortune - even with the handful of people I've seen post on here that they ordered it, they have to have made a few thousand dollars.

 

[SnwflkCts]

Well, the company did e-mail me today ... and guess what ... they said USPS lost my package. They are re-shipping "free of charge" within 24 hours -- and sending along 3 free Disney CDs -- music?? maybe?? Anyway, I will let you all know what I get and what I think of the DVDs.

Others seemed to like the DVDs on other threads here at the DIS boards and I will say I agonized about ordering them. I thought this would give me a chance to relive some of the wonderful shows I saw!

I needed to listen to my gut instead. Thanks for all the advice. First time I started a thread -- too bad it wasn't a happier one!!!

PS - They said it was the "first time" a package got lost !!

 

[sdy]

Best of luck to you with your DVD's...
Even if they're not up to snuff, submit not to the buyer's remorse.
All will be quite well----I promise.


To all others,
Just a quick word about this relivethemagic company:

I was intrigued by the aforementioned 20 (!!) DVD set and went to their site, where I immediately spied the 5 Disc resort DVD set on sale for over $200.
It's available at the resorts for about $80.
That's one helluva mark-up.

Astonished, I emailed asking about the price and the response was that they're a "private shopping service" and therefore need to "mark up certain items" to (essentially) keep the company alive.
150% is not a markup, it's criminal. Literally.

Buyer Beware.

 

[bicker]

Yeah, that's what I meant . . . I assumed Disney would pursue legal action to protect their copyright on their products. I can see them turning their head on some of the things that pop up on eBay since the seller isn't likely making a career out of it. . . but hundreds of dollars for a collection of home video?

They don't have discretion in this. If they are informed about it, they have to pursue it, regardless of the dollar amount (even if it is free, and for some charity). So the safesty assumption is that they simply don't know about it. That means, if you cared enough about it, and sent them a letter, they would therefore have to close the guy down.

 

[HayGan]

I ordered a set off of ebay from another seller/company for $40 and those were ok for what I paid! I can't imagine paying $200 for them though! I'm sorry you are having such a problem with this company. For that kind of money it better be some darn good footage!

The kids and I watch lots of Disney footage (Splash Mountain, Expedition Everest, etc.) on google video. It is good footage and best of all it is free!

Hope you get your dvd's soon and that they are worth your trouble!

 

[greenturtle588]

Are people sure Disney knows about the offering? If they know about it, they're required by law to pursue the copyright issue.

I have to chime in on this. I've never posted before, but can't resist (I have a law background, and have worked on copyright related cases before).

I just have to say I find this statement above very hard to believe. Take a look at LaughingPlace. All along the righthand side of their site are ads for their store, and all they seem to focus on are fan DVDs, including the WDW set in question in this thread, which I guess they sell too besides Relive The Magic.

In fact, the majority of the LaughingPlace Store's bestseller list is made up of fan DVDs. LaughingPlace publishes a magazine that is actually sold in some of the parks. And it is published in coordination with Disney (they interview many Disney Imagineers and officials).

To think that Disney doesn't know about these fan DVDs is absolutely ridiculous. That's like saying Disney doesn't know what LaughingPlace is.

My guess is that Disney sees it as a form of promotion. They know that the people who buy the DVDs aren't going to say, "Great! Now I don't have to go to the parks anymore!" They know that the result is the opposite, that the DVDs only act as motivators, further entrenching how great Disney really is.

That's why LaughingPlace, Relive The Magic, Jim Hill Media (has their own store), all those sellers on eBay, and even THIS SITE (there's a videos section on this site, and this site takes money for paid advertising...it's actually the same principle as a fan DVD, only there's 2 degrees of separation, something people rarely catch) haven't been shut down.

The bottom line, I think, is that Disney doesn't care. I think they write all these fan DVDs off as free promotion.

Someone else also commented that a 150% markup is criminal. Well...I guess that every single pin Disney has ever sold was sold illegally, because you can be pretty sure those pins probably cost a few cents to make. Disney probably gets 1,500% markup on the pins. How about all the tee shirts in the parks? Probably cost Disney less than a dollar each, if that. Charging what the market will bear isn't criminal, it's capitalist. If 150% markup were illegal, almost every retail business on the planet would be shut down.

Just had to say something. I'm far from defending any of these companies. I think $179 is way too much for their DVD set. But from a legal perspective, I think you all are a little off.

 

[giantgolfer]

I ordered a set off of ebay from another seller/company for $40 and those were ok for what I paid! I can't imagine paying $200 for them though! I'm sorry you are having such a problem with this company. For that kind of money it better be some darn good footage!

The kids and I watch lots of Disney footage (Splash Mountain, Expedition Everest, etc.) on google video. It is good footage and best of all it is free!

Hope you get your dvd's soon and that they are worth your trouble!

I bought that same set from a seller on eBay for $40. I can't really complain about the deal. It was 20 DVD's, so it worked out to $2 a disc. The quality isn't ideal, but it's watchable.

 

[Magickndm]

Wow, I'm in the wrong business. We've taken videos of a lot of rides, seems like we're right there.

 

[SnwflkCts]

Update: Well, I will not be ranting as they have refunded my money (the ENTIRE amount) AND are still sending me the DVDs and free CDs. Since they have so freely addressed the problem in an even greater way then I ever dreamed, I certainly have nothing more to complain about.

Maybe it was an unusual occurrance.

Thanks for all the advice and for just listening! I normally NEVER have buyer's remorse but was just a little worried that I would get NOTHING for my money.

 

[Diane5150]

{note from DIS administration: The content of this post was advertising for the poster's personal gain, and has been removed.}