Discussion Forums - Questions about SwapaDVD

I have a sealed box set with a sticker that has the UPC number on it (it's on the back side of the box). If I take the plastic completely off and there's no UPC anywhere on the box, I won't be able to post it into the system. But what if I cut away part of the plastic in front to get to the DVDs (so I can watch them first), but still leave the plastic intact on the sides and back of the box (where the sticker is)? Would I then still be able to post the box set?

The UPC doesn't have to be on the box itself. The 2 disk "Master & Commander set had the UPC on a piece of paper that was over the back cover. I'm sure many people tossed that paper when they opened their new set -  but true packrats put that bit of paper in with the maps and booklet that came with the set so those sets are still postable even with no UPC on the box.

What I'd do with your set is take that bit of plastic wrap and either tape it to a piece of paper you can put in the box or even better, tape it to the bottom of the case where it can't be lost but won't mar the case artwork.

I've gotten about a dozen sets like that, where they just stick the UPC sheet or sticker inside the box.

Thanks for the replies. The Help Center info made it sound like the UPC had to be printed somewhere on the box. Now I can open the set and start watching the DVDs!

ok - here's a question then - i have a margaret cho tv show boxed set which is sealed but the uc number is scratched on the back and i can't make out all the numbers.  if i find the correct numbers - through process of elimination i guess or some other means can i write the missing numbers under the scratched code number?  it's a regular set and it should be able to be posted but because of the way the rule is stated i didn't think i could post it.

can someone please let me know what the official sadvd line is on this?  maybe i'll feedback them.

thanks - patrick   bossajake

I'm not sure about that one Patrick. I think you'd have to write feedback on that one.

I know it is okay to post DVDs where the bar code has been slashed (low price bins often have bar codes like this) as long as you can read the UPC but I'm not sure if the UPC is not readable. The problem might be that you could come up with a likely looking UPC that brings up what looks like your Set but in reality your Set is a slightly different one. There are a lot of duplicate titles out there, presumably each is somehow different from the ones that look and sound exactly the same.

I was wondering if what if Esther Eager and Patty Packrat  each bought a copy of "Sooper Dooper DVD"  while out shopping together. Patty, of course, saved the plastic wrap that contained the UPC while Esther did not. Could Esther photo copy Patty's UPC and use that? I'm guessing "no" same in your case - even though Esther and Patty know for certain their sets are identical, others might not be so careful about getting exactly the correct UPC.

Here's the answer I received from TPTB:

We strongly encourage you NOT to post this DVD in our system. The plastic could fall off (which becomes more likely as the DVD continues to be swapped) and it could be the retailer's UPC and not the manufacturer's, which might be linked to a different version of the DVD.

The UPC is definitely the manufacturer's, so that shouldn't be a problem. But it also sounds like there's concern about the the UPC/plastic getting lost in the future. Should that prevent me from posting the set now?

I would say go ahead and post it.  if it gets lost in the future, that isn't really your problem.  Although, i would do what someone else and either tape it securely to the box or to a piece of paper in the box. 

Saying that it may get lost in the future makes no sense, seeing as how a printed-on-the-box UPC could get messed up in the future also.  As long as the UPC is present and accounted for when you post (and send) the DVD, you should be ok.

Also, Patrick... if your UPC is not readable, it is unpostable.  Whatever means you are able to find a UPC, you have no way of knowing if it was the original UPC # unless it is printed and readable on the box.  You run the risk of it being marked RWAP if you do it that way since looking up UPCs is not a valid way to post.  hope this helps!

The UPC must be the original, manufacturer's UPC on the case to post your DVD here. This is because legally we have to be able to prove the DVD is not an illegal copy. If the UPC is a sticker or cut-out unattached to the case, there is no way for us to be sure it came with that particular copy of the DVD. It's a little technicality that keeps our site running smoothly and legally.

Well, then no 2 disk set of "Master & Commander" would ever be postable here.  For that matter, neither would this "Fullmetal Alchemist" set since the UPC is not on the case. WIth M&C is was a seperate piece of paper that also had info about the set and I've no idea where it was on the FA set since I didn't receive mine with a UPC at all.

I realize SwapaDVD has no control over the database the UPCs are drawn from but your rule means I could not have granted one lucky person's wish for M&C and the 6 lonely people wishing for the FA set will wait forever...

This also means the 56 disc set of the compete series of Stargate SG1 is not postable.  bummer.  I'm half way through watching it.  I bought it new from Amazon.  It is an unusual shaped box and the upc is on a piece of paper that was sealed in the same plastic.  Does this suggest that we are receiveing illegal copies when we buy new from Amazon?  I know Amazon has no control when you buy used from someone, but this was brand new.

Of course not.  The UPC was sealed inside the shrink wrap, wasn't it?  Therefore, a legitimate copy with UPC direct from the manufacturer.  Swapa's point is that just because you stick a loose UPC code label thingy with a used DVD doesn't mean it originally came with it.  What's to stop someone from bootlegging a movie 100 times over and making 100 copies of the UPC code and sticking it inside or taping it to the case/box and pretending that's the way it came?

Looks like people will have to be watching the DVD Bazaar to get that 56 disc set!  (Or else, watching your sig line.  ;-P)

Reading this makes me realize that I should check out any "iffy" UPC WL items at the store, if possible, to see if the UPC is on the box.  A lot of DVDs, especially boxsets, have the UPC on a separate sheet. =( Most recently, I bought a copy of True Blood (which is a Keeper for us) and found that it has the UPC on an attached sheet and not on the actual box. Over 130 people are wishing for that set!

But more likely to get lost.  sigh... I don't know what the answer is.  Oh well, I'm such a Stargate SG1 fan that this may just be a keeper for me. Esp now  :O)

so why is it "legal" to post the paper upc set in the bazaar section of the site but "not legal" to post it via the system?

that rationale doesn't make any sense - both ways the dvds are being offered through the site

seriously, if the set has the original upc, on paper or whatever it should be postable.  besides, if a bootlegger can figure out how to copy an entire dvd package can't they figure out how to include a copy of the upc on the packaging - wtf?

that's what happens when you get lawyers involved, they can twist any argument into any shaped pretzel they want  :(  patrick

Believe me, I have beautiful bootleg DVD sets (thank you eBay!) with perfectly postable UPC printed right on the box. It's only because of things I've learned at this site about how to identify a well made bootleg DVD that would have ever known these were bootleg - they look and play exactly like the real thing.

All seasons of ST: TNG come in boxed sets with a separate wrap-around sheet of paper inside the plastic shrink wrap. This is where the UPC code.  So, apparently glueing or taping this sheet of paper to the cover would not make it postable -- and to top it off, the glue or tape would also ruin the nice box.

Interpreting the rule this way is going to exclude a TON of legit dvds.

yes - this is my point

it was a swapadvd staffer that stated in this thread that you can't post dvds if the upc is printed on paper instead of cardboard - this is ridiculous.  i don't even have any dvds that fall into this category it's just that this position the site has taken is crazy.  if i go purchase a $75 set at barnes and noble i may not even be able to post it on the site - like i said - wtf?

freakin' attorneys....   patrick

I interpret the staff response to mean that a separate UPC label that has no other definite identifying information would not be acceptable. However, for these instances (becoming more common?) where the UPC appears on a sheet that clearly looks like "back cover" information for the DVD set, I am going to assume that it is still postable if the sheet is included with the case when sending out the DVDs.  Otherwise, as others have pointed out, there are titles that are totally legitimate retail products which we wouldn't be able to trade on our towers!  The publisher clearly intends the sheet containing the UPC to be a part of the package.  (I'm wondering if they're doing it to make the box itself be region-neutral for economical reasons...)

Kevin, I don't think that interpretation will work if it's not attatched to the box.  They specifically mention "this particular DVD":

. If the UPC is a sticker or cut-out unattached to the case, there is no way for us to be sure it came with that particular copy of the DVD..

I can't say I've run into this problem, but most of my DVDs are keepers so maybe I just haven't noticed...

Like Jessy said some of them are attached to the box with that sticky gunk.  That is how my Stargate SG1 complete series is. Just 3 dots of it. But it sure would be easy to lose this way.