Page 1 of The reason CD-WOW are being sued

I already posted this on the other thread, but it makes me so angry, i want everyone to read it. And buy everything they get on import.....that`ll learn em.

After all, isnt it a scandal that by excercising our rights as a consumer, we are branded as criminals. I think its an absolute scandal.

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Their major beef is with whats called 'Parallel imports'. Basically when you import something that you can already buy domestically. So if all they sold was J-Pop and Buddhist Chanting CD's, that would be hunky dory. But as it stands you cannot get '100th Window' (for example) imported from Hong Kong if it is already available here. And the same applies to DVD's. So getting that copy of Shaolin Soccer is O.K, but not if it was already out here.

To put not too fine a point on it the media giants of the late 80's successfully lobbied the government to include parallel imports into the Designs and Patents Act (1988), to protect their hold over 'treasure island'. It effectively states that parallel importing is an act of piracy (as you own an unauthorised copy and are 'defrauding H.M government of its rightful tax revenues').

So, in essence, that R1 version of Lord of the Rings you just had to have because of the MTV spoof has branded you a pirate, thanks to the ever pervasive sway of business on the laws of this country. w00t. (obviously no one really gives a s*** and you probably wont get busted for it, but something really has to change. 'One world/europe, free trade for everyone…….except the consumer')

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I thought the issue with CD-WOW was that this wasn`t personal importation, but the company importing them for you?

Editor
DVD REVIEWER

Its the same difference really. Its just that its easier to gun for CD-WOW rather than 1000`s of individuals or a foreign website.

They want CD-WOW to stop making it easy for people to gain access to parallel imports. Its like taking out the middle man.

This has only encouraged me to but more from cdwow as a support to them, the foolishness of the BMI talk about opening the floodgates to piracy. Infact just off to cdwow now to buy some more cds.

That's what I like to hear! Fight the power!

I`ve made a point of ordering a few extra things from CD Wow that I either wasn`t going to buy at all or had been thinking of just buying in the high street.

The way I see it is that, ok, the lawsuit might curb what the company can sell us, force them to raise prices or (worst case scenario) put them out of business - but in the meantime, I`m going to show them loyalty.

In fact, I think I will sell my flat and live in a cardboard box so I can afford to buy more bargain cds and dvds to feed my addiction. I swear, reading the bargain forums will cripple me financially. Damn you lot for telling me about all those cheap deals!

You can use all the cheap CDs and DVDs to build yourself a new house!

Can I come and live in it with you when my missus boots me out for buying a Gamecube? It might make a nice stool in the shiny house.

Just ordered even more from cd-wow too.

If this country wasn`t such a rip off then we wouldn`t have to use import services....how long until the goverment gets that into their thick heads?

"the same applies to DVD’s"

Not too sure about that.
On a technical note : CD-WOW sells CD`s, identical versions of which are available throoghout the world.

DVD`s on the other hand are region encoded. So getting (say) a region 1 title from the US is not the same as getting the same title from over here (which would be region 2). The 2 DVDs are strictly speaking not the same. That would be one way to fight these greedy corporations.

"On a technical note : CD-WOW sells CD`s, identical versions of which are available throoghout the world".

Whats your point? Tescos tried to sell the same Levis that are available throughout the world. And they still lost.

And the same does indeed apply to DVDs. It doesnt make any difference that they are region coded or if one version has 2 commentaries or one. I got my info straight from my mate who works for FACT (doesnt mean i like what he does), so its as reliable as it gets. You could try using the region 1/2 logic if they ever got hold of you but i dont think it would hold much water.