Strange DVD shops in Shenzhen

[joshuawbb]

I'm in Shenzhen and have a few minutes to share a quick observation:

In Xiasha road (I think spelling is correct) there are about 4 fairly large pirate DVD shops close to my semi-hotel which judging by their plain exterior, seem to be part of one "chain". I'm just curious about some strange things about them.

Firstly, they only seem open at particular times - closed with shutters for one week, then open another, etc. The irregular times are a bit strange but I'm sure it's just something simple like personal or time circumstances of the owners - each time I've visited them, all the people serving me seem no older than college age, maybe they're busy.

Secondly they seem to 'shift' their stock. What I mean is that for a certain period of time, they'll have the biggest selection of pirate DVDs and CDs I've seen so far, with all the films you'd expect. But then overnight, or a week later. they shift their stock to a sparse amount of extremely unusual DVDs; for example, films with made-up names which don't exist, photoshopped covers for more unknown films, or films with artwork clearly from other films. I suppose you could call them "fake" fakes, and I haven't tried any. Sometimes their CD collection remains, and sometimes they replace it all, just like an illusion. Maybe another few days later, overnight their stock will suddenly shift to the usual again. I have seen all 4 shops doing this so far.

Maybe I'm just raising a pointless question, but I'm just wondering, anyone know why they do that? I was tempted to ask, but upon my girlfriend's advice too they obviously have their reasons and I suppose it's not my business. Right now two shops are closed, and the other two have their weird stock out.

They don't hide away that their DVDs are all pirated and I don't think they are trying to hide them from any sort of police. Besides, small police patrols and open-air police buggies are always driving around this district, day and night, paying no attention to the shops.

Just curious.

[gougou]

Just ask; worst they can do is not tell you.

[paike]

If your Chinese is good, please, for me and my curiousity, ask away.

I've never seen that in the North, but when I lived in the south in a city called Zhongshan city ( Sun Zhongshan's hometown, cleanest, nicest city I've been to in China, no joke) they had the same thing. One place called Shadows would have the most amazing selection of Hip-hop, Dancehall, Jazz, better than American stores, PLUS about every movie since the mid 80's. Then three weeks later, all different stuff, terrible movies and Backstreet boys, Japanese pop bands, then a few weeks later, different stuff.

It couldnt be that they happened to sell everything, so they must have been moving it. But I couldnt speak Chinese then, so the world will never how many licks to get to the center of that one.

PaiKe

[character]

Perhaps the strange stock is for when they have been tipped off a copyright "raid" will take place. So they might move out their stock of American movies and replace them with fake stuff for a while.

[joshuawbb]

Sorry about my reply being so late here...

Shadows sounds an interesting place - glad to see that I'm not alone in seeing that. I kinda like Backstreet Boys, though only an old song or two... I thought for the first few days I was just seeing things since they were so quick.

Indeed I went along with my girlfriend to ask them, and when asked they just smiled and sort of looked away. Perhaps it's a copyright issue as mentioned, though I guess I won't know, so it must be some sort of security or business secret. Or maybe they thought I might be investigating them and preferred not to say.

Anyway, they're back in "normal" mode now so I shall do a bit more shopping.

[roddy]

I would say Character's got it right. Certainly up in Beijing the DVD stores either close up, drastically cut their stock, or move all the pirate DVDs to a different building which you get to by going out the back, through a courtyard and via someone's kitchen* round about the time of the 两会。 They'll have been tipped off that there's a 'crackdown' coming, or that the city needs to be on its best behaviour for some reason, or feasibly it could just be supply issues - caused no doubt by similar problems at the factory.

*only a slight exaggeration.

[gougou]

*only a slight exaggeration

Oh no it isn't! At Andingmen Wai, there is a shop where you'll do exactly that. Well, if you count a side street of a community as a courtyard. But you definitely do get the kitchen.

[zerolife]

there are special police forces that hunt for pirates ... I've seen them in action. The everyday street police are different, it's not their job to bust those shops. I agree with the others, it's probably become they suspect that the police is watching. I know the MPA is quite active in China working with the Chinese law enforcement to bust those shops, however as an association that's funded by American movie publishers, they will turn a blind eye on all those pirated Chinese movies or non-member movies.