It has happened more than once that I have purchased a new DVD, got home, opened it up, and the disc was damaged. What appears to have happened in each of these cases is that that part of the case where the DVD is held in place breaks off and the disc then slides around the inside of the case. This sliding around, along with the fact that there are loose pieces of plastic in there as well, causes the DVD to become scratched and then they do not play.

Each time this has happened, I was able to bring the disc back to the store and get a different copy of whichever movie it was that I had purchased. However, even though the stores will generally work with you it is extra hassle that you don’t really need to deal with. In order to help prevent this from happening, I have developed a little time that you will now learn.

When I decided to purchase a DVD from a store, after taking it off the shelf I give DVD a little shake. Hold the DVD so that the disc would be with the flat sides pointing up and down and gently shake the case side-to-side and end-to-end a little bit. If the case is damaged on the inside where you cannot generally see, the disc will move back and forth as you are shaking the case and you will know to put that one back and grab a different copy.

When doing this, don’t shake the case too vigorously as you could unintentionally damage the DVD. Also, don’t overreact if you hear movement inside the case. Many times, companies will put coupons and other promotional materials inside the case and these will slide around during this test. If you listen closely, you will be able to tell if it is just some paper or the disc that is moving. These two sounds will become much easier to discriminate between once you have heard a disc sliding around inside the case.

While this tip will not be helpful in saving you tons of money, it can save some hassle and possibly disappointment if you plan to watch the movie as soon as you get home.