Target Refused to Sell Me Displayed DVD

I basically think this is a whole lot of complaining about nothing,
especially considering the confusion the two different release dates
may have caused, but my first question upon reading the original
letter was: What time was the OP shopping?

My local Target is open from something like six in the morning until
midnight. If I were, say, shopping at 11:30PM, I would understand that
Target may do some stocking/displays in the slow hours during the late
evening.

If this was early in the day, that's pretty bizarre, but --
considering one version of the film was already available, I'm not
sure what else Target could've done differently. Sounds like a Disney
SNAFU to me.

I don't think stores should even put this stuff on display until it's
able to be sold. And if they have to set up the display a day or more
in advance, there should be a sign posted to let people know that they
can't purchase it until a certain date and time.

While I agree that Target jumped the gun putting these DVD's out on
display before the appropriate date, they still cannot sell it before
that date due to contractural agreemements.
Even with pre-sale people pay before and then pick the movie up the
day it is put on sale...never before.

I do not think you are due compensation when something was explained
to and, as you wrote, the cashier/manager were nice in explaining the
situation.

You can go to Walmart if you like, but personally I would stay with
Target as the merchandise is better quality and the prices most times
are comparable.

It's not the stores that make up this policy. It's the film companies.
They need an accurate sales figure for the DVD can by selling the DVD
on the same date in every location they can monitor that better.
Until the film companies change their ideas and policies these things
will never change.

As someone else pointed out, this happened at Wal Mart as well. I
think it was all part of the promotion. If they can't sell it before
a certain date, they can't, that's just the way it is.

Since you weren't there to purchase it anyway, why should you get
compensated?

Hate to burst your bubble, but WalMart had the same display and it
wasn't available till today. There was a sign explaining this.

If you *knew* this was not to be sold until Tuesday and then saw that
Target had them out, only to find out that they were not yet for sale,
where is your justification for this apology and comps and the million
other things you want Target to do for you?

You are an adult. You are capable of both thought and comprehension.
You knew it was not for sale yet and the team reiterated to you that
it was not for sale yet. End of story.

Let it go!

Where there signs on the display that said *sale starts tomorrow* or
something or something to the effect? Because Target always has
displays like that.

If the store is not authorized to sell this product until a certain
date, I don't see why they should apologize for not selling it the day
before. It sounds like they had the shelves stocked in preparation
for the first day of sale. If that is the case, they do not owe you
an apology or compensionation. It aounds like all the store employees
were on the same page - I don't think they refused the sale to torment
you.

You hint you may to go to WalMart. I wonder if that store sold this
product the day before its release date.

I work for a movie vendor company, and the DVD is not supposed to be
sold until tomorrow.

Only the Bolt Blu-Ray has been released (on Sunday), and the DVD will
be released tomorrow (Tuesday). I don't know why Disney chose to do it
this way, but they did.

Target was right in not selling it, since they can get into a lot of
trouble and fined for selling a DVD before its release date. It was
likely an error that the DVD was on the sales floor, which is no fault
of yours. However, legally, they cannot sell it before its actual
release date without breaking the law.

You mean a store was actually proactive for a product's release? There
have been many times when the opposite is the norm. Albeit a day too
early, this store sounds well managed. I offer an apology to you for
your inconvience and I am not an employee. Does this help?

The only legitimate complaint here is that this Target store had the
DVD displayed before the release date. They can get in trouble with
the distributor for displaying product before the release date.

You aren't due any compensation. Mistakes happen.

Contracts and fines aside, Target may not have been able to sell you
dvd even if they wanted to. Many times items that are "street dated"
such as dvds and video games are not able to be rung up until the
release date. If one of those items is scanned at the register a
message comes up that it cannot be sold until a certain date and the
register WILL NOT ring it up and there is no way to over-ride it at
the store.
Sounds like there was a mix-up with store employees since Disney did
release the Blu-ray version on Sunday while the regular dvd won't be
available until Tuesday. Why Disney did this, I have no idea.

You are not due any sort of compensation.

This is really interesting. The Target Ad specifics this, and I just
did a little research and found it written up elsewhere.

Disney released Bolt on Blue Ray 2 days ahead of the DVD.

The DVD release date is tomorrow.

If you look online at the Target ad under the DVD for Bolt it says
release date Tuesday. On the Blue Ray underneath it says available
now.

How confusing to store staff and consumers.

I think it's wrong to set up a display before the merchandise can be
sold. It might have been a mistake or due to lack of staff to set it
up after closing. If an apology is important to you, then it would be
nice if you got one, but Target shouldn't have to compensate you just
so you'll go back. If you felt strongly enough about not shopping at
Target because of this incident, you wouldn't accept a bribe.

and they should be displayed on Tuesdays. The store should not have
these items on the sales floor early. I would try to find the correct
contact at Disney and let them know about it. People could steal the
movie.

While I certainly don't think that compensation or a discount is in
order, I would be angry too if they had an entire display of DVD's on
the floor they couldn't sell. At least I would be if they didn't
clearly have it marked with a sign saying when the item would be
available for sale. I do understand why Target couldn't sell the
item, but why even display it then?? We aren't talking about a small
Mom and Pop store that doesn't have room to hold it in their back room
for an extra day.

I actually looked at the Target Ad for this week online. It says
clearly on the ad Bolt in stores March 24th release date....release
date subject to change.

I bet the stores have this ad posted in the front of the store and
probably even hand it out.

Also I just read on another site that the registers will not permit
the sale until the release date at Target.

So store had their hands tied.

If the ad is already in release with a start date then I don't see
anything wrong with having the display ready to go.

Since you did not go to the wtore just to buy this DVD why would you
deserve compensation or discount?

I guess they have a right to display items before they go on sale. I
think in this case a sign saying available for purcahse with the start
date would make it more clear for the consumer.

I am sure they would love to sell it to you...but as others said they
are bound by license with the distributers.

Just like Harry Potter books going on sale at midnight!

Breach of agreeement could possibly cause Target to loose the ability
to sale DVD's, or be fined if caught not following the rules.

may feel that they shouldn't even display the item before they can
sell it, I disagree. I don't mind them setting up displays the day
before, and I know I can wait another few hours to buy whatever it is
that I am looking at. I think it's like when stores can't sell wine
before 1PM on a Sunday - I don't expect them to take all of the wine
off the shelf, and I don't expect to be compensated because I can see
something that they are not allowed to sell me.

It sounds like they accidentally put the display out a day early. IF
they would have sold you the DVD, they would have been in breach of a
contract. With that they could have been fined both/either loose the
chance to EVER sell DVDs by Disney ( I think it was a Disney movie).
I have seen this happen before with a CD at where I used to work.
They sold a CD 1 DAY early. (Like you were wanting here) The company
was fined, the employ was FRIED and the company would no longer get
CDs from that label on time. They would only get them a couple of
WEEKS AFTER the release date. Which meant they lost a LOT of money
each time a CD came out. All that would happen here IF they sold you
the DVD 1 day early.

Walmart has the same policy. ALL stores do. Just wait until
tomorrow.

I do not thing you are owed any compensation or discount for this. I
have a feeling that the employ that put the DVDs out has all ready
been talked to. Maybe even fired.