I purchased a number of '''Amazon "Black Friday / Week / November 2012"''' Blu-Rays and the disc's that I received used the same UPC as earlier retail released but did not include the DVD or a second Blu-Ray of a theater release version of the same movie.
For example:
Red Riding Hood Extended Cut :: only had the Extended Cut Blu-Ray single disc
Batman: Year One :: Only had the Blu-ray and no DVD.

Is this a known issue?  As both of these have different back covers.. but the same UPC.

:David

Sony are doing a similar thing over here too.

I have bought two DVDs recently that state that the box 'includes UtraViolet Digital Copy' - but it is mentioned only on the Slip Cover.

So if that Slip Cover is not included and the relevant (download-only) leaflet removed, you would be none the wiser that the digital download is no longer inside. However, the barcode remains the same.

It's happening with almost all studios in the US. The first release will have a slip-cover and often a digital copy or dvd, then be replaced with a solo blu-ray using the same old UPC. So it falls under "first release" rules. It's not just online, I see this in every retail store all the time and have bought a title or 2 that didn't have a slip-cover, but still had the DC disc and code inside even though they had long expired. At least with the rules how they are we know what we're missing as soon as we enter it.

Quoting Grendell:

Quote:
Quoting bigdaddyhorse:

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So it falls under "first release" rules.

That does hurt the usefulness of the online database. People will not be able to use it to look up releases properly. Some way to distinguish should be implemented.

Just knowing that slipcovers and digital copies are limited makes it useful IMO. You can always lock the profile to represent what you have, or leave yourself a note. It's the studios fault for re-using the UPC, a practice that has long dogged collecting dvds and continues even more with blu. A new UPC and then a new profile would be ideal, or at least multiple cover options since so many codes are shared.

I know I'd be hot pissed if I bought a Columbia dvd that was FS only then saw originally it had WS and FS options. I'm sure that happens to lots of others as Columbia are the worst at recycling UPC #'s. I don't mind missing a slip or digital copy, but I will get the slip if possible.