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HMV covering over DVD barcodes

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  • 25-10-2010 4:14pm
    #1
    k-man
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭


    Hi,

    I was just in HMV today and I noticed that they now stick their own barcodes over the original barcode on the DVD itself. I noticed it because I was trying to use a barcode scanner app on my android phone to compare prices to Amazon, like I always do, and suddenly I can't do that!

    Am I being overly paranoid, or are they perhaps doing this on purpose precisely to stop people scanning barcodes on their smartphones to do price checks? After all, these phones are now everywhere, and I have often browsed the DVDs in a store, checked the price and then decided to buy online thanks to these barcode apps. I can't be the only one doing this.

    Speaking of which, are they even allowed to do this?


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    #2
    Zhane
    Registered Users Posts: 1,156 ✭✭✭Zhane


    From what i remember, they have always done this, and it includes the price on the back. Its probably just a company policy. Some dvds have different barcodes, so its prob their way of tracking how many dvds they have under the one barcode.


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    #3
    XxMCRxBabyxX
    Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 7,439 Mod ✭✭✭✭XxMCRxBabyxX


    It's possibly because they use different barcodes to the ones on the DVDs. I know in one of the shops I used to work in we covered all the stock barcodes with our shop ones because the original ones wouldn't scan therefore affecting our stock figures etc


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    #4
    Red Alert
    Hosted Moderators Posts: 7,486 ✭✭✭Red Alert


    HMV use their own so as to confirm that the price on the sticker is correct.


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    #5
    Sabre0001
    Registered Users Posts: 7,499 ✭✭✭Sabre0001


    Worked in HMV - only time we stuck barcodes over barcodes was when something was on sale. Otherwise the barcode on the back takes one from full price stock (stock levels).

    🤪



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    #6
    amdublin
    Registered Users Posts: 20,653 ✭✭✭✭amdublin


    k-man wrote: »
    are they perhaps doing this on purpose precisely to stop people scanning barcodes on their smartphones to do price checks?

    Eh yeah I'd say so. Like why would they want to make it easy for you :confused:


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    #7
    aidan_walsh
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,208 ✭✭✭✭aidan_walsh


    I'm sure it would be much harder on same said phones to just Google or Amazon search the title, so a but pointless if thats the reason.


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    #8
    Ste.phen
    Registered Users Posts: 2,808 ✭✭✭Ste.phen


    The normal EAN barcode is embedded in the longer barcodes HMV use, so presumably the apps could be modified to take that into account. Failing that, search by name I guess.


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    #9
    slave1
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 19,035 Mod ✭✭✭✭slave1


    or if you have firefox, install invisible hand

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    #10
    phill106
    Registered Users Posts: 6,819 ✭✭✭phill106


    open dvd case to 270 degrees or so
    slide out sleeve from plastic cover
    scan revealed barcode

    I'd say they cover the other barcode to make it easier for staff. Not to confuse them with 2 different barcodes, one of are not in their system.


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