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rankrank55 · Jun 13, 2007, 04:11 PM

How can I turn a business in for illegally renting out movies to customers before the street date? They do this every week and when the movies actually are supposed to be for rent(on Tuesdays) there are none on the shelf and this angers customers. I am actually the manager of this place but my boss insist on doing this and requires the employees to help; I don't though... it is wrong.

rankrank55 · Jun 13, 2007, 04:42 PM

Oh... one more thing, if I contacted my local police station, could they do anything?

excon · Jun 13, 2007, 05:05 PM

Hello rank:

If it's illegal, it's not criminal. Indeed, I'm not even sure if it's illegal at all. Sure, the distributor may not like it, but you'll have to show me where it's against the law.

As a matter of fact, the more I think about it, I'm sure it ISN'T against the law at all. They may be in breach of contract, but that's not the same thing.

excon

rankrank55 · Jun 13, 2007, 05:12 PM

I honestly don't know much about it all... I honestly thought it was against the law... I will do some more digging

CaptainForest · Jun 14, 2007, 06:49 AM

Sounds more like a breach of contract than anything else.

If you really want to turn your boss in, contact the movie distributor company. They won't take too kindly to it, perhaps even sue him and pull all new releases from his store.

Another option is to just tell customers that you release new releases a week or so earlier…therefore making it fair to everyone.

bushg · Jun 14, 2007, 07:02 AM

When someone walked into my store and asked for a new release I would refer them to my boss, I would tell them that he handles the first rentals, maybe if he gets the customers flack he will knock it off. :)

Lowtax4eva · Jun 14, 2007, 07:26 AM

I really don't think there is a law against a store renting or selling a movie before the official Tuesday release date. But the movie companies (as CaptainForest said) probably have an agreed release date that they want respected.

Contact the company you buy rental movies from, but my guess is your more likely to face a fine in civil court (assuming he has a contract) than him receiving any criminal charges.

iAMfromHuntersBar · Jun 14, 2007, 07:35 AM

I know in the UK a load of companies do this as a matter of course! It's only a fineable offence and the stores know that they can make more profit in releasing the product early than will be deducted by the fine!

Don't you like your job or something?

J_9 · Jun 14, 2007, 07:36 AM

You contact the distributor directly. I once worked for a company that did this and they were fined for doing this (I was not the one who blew the whistle).

It may not be against the law, but be prepared to lose your job. The distributor may pull the contract from your company causing your company to have to close it's doors. That's what happened to the store I worked at 13 years ago.