Chips on DVDs...

[prowler1971]

...could prevent theft

I read the title wrong the first time too.

A chip smaller than the head of a pin is placed onto a DVD along with a thin coating that blocks a DVD player from reading critical information on the disc. At the register, the chip is activated and sends an electrical pulse through the coating, turning it clear and making the disc playable.

I happen to think this is kind of neat. However, I don't think it will thwart theft for long, but it may stop the kiddie shoplifters, except for the one who are doing it just for the sake of doing it.

And what about when one is returned unopened?

Comments

[qedrakmar.livejournal.com]

I wonder if it's reversible. I can't wait to walk down the street with an antenna rendering DVDs useless in a 100' radius. :)

[dragonfly545.livejournal.com]

It is mostly pointless. All you need to do is bring it to ANOTHER store and say you purchased it there, it doesn't work, and you'd like to exchange it for another one.

So it deters them for 15 minutes at most. :\

[prowler1971.livejournal.com]

A lot more places are getting picky on having receipts for exchanges on open media items. With this sort of technology, and dealing with teenagers, I wouldn't be surprised if places get more strict.

[keimel.livejournal.com]

I've been dying to see Erik Estrada in his premier role. When can I get CHiPs on DVD?

;)

[profdecoy.livejournal.com]

Personally, I think it's a bad idea. Whose to say what else that RFID chip does. Plus it will just end up adding to the cost of the DVDs (all the stores that sell DVDs would have to install new equipment to handle the chip) and the cost will be passed on to us, the consumers.

It would probably be more cost effective to pay the store employees more so that they actually give a darn and are on the lookout for shop lifers so that they get caught and punished appropriately. Even if the DVD gets stolen and is unplayable, its still lost revenue for the store.

[prowler1971.livejournal.com]

The cost of theft is already passed on to us, the consumers. So that should be (in theory) a wash. But the cost of DVD production will probably go up so that part might hit us.

Store employees are generally not authorized to stop shoplifters in major chains. They have specific loss prevention employees for that and for insurance reasons, everyone else needs to stay out of their way. At least that's how it was when I was working retail BACK IN THEM OLDEN TIMES!

Most chain store theft is from within. So paying the people enough so they don't steal might help. But on the flip side, they want cheap labor because they know people aren't going to stay anyway.