I bought a movie at Borders (meaning, I can’t return it) and turns out it is Blu Ray. We don’t have a Blu Ray player and it also won’t play on my computer. Am I therefore out of luck on this movie? I know very little about DVDs… 
You’re out of luck until you buy a Blu-ray player. But you’ll be happy when you do.
As long as you have a HDTV. If you don’t, you won’t really notice.
Yeah, Blu-Ray and DVD are completely different formats.
Think of it as - you bought a CD, but you only have a cassette tape player.
Blu-ray is a jump in quality but you need a high-def TV to appreciate it.
That said, the jump is significant. I have a hard time these days tolerating DVDs because I’ve seen what Blu-ray can do with a film. And it’s much better.
You need a the player, as others have mentioned, and an HDTV. The HDTV should be 1080p to take full advantage of the purty.
I think you have the following choices:
[ul]
[li]Buy a Blu-Ray player (and if your TV is not HD-ready, make sure it’s one that has outputs suitable for your TV).[/li][li]Buy a Blu-Ray player and a new HDTV.[/li][li]Dispose of the Blu-Ray disc - either give it away, or resell it on eBay or Amazon.[/li][/ul]
You’ve probably noticed this already, but for future reference Blu-Ray cases are… blue. And slightly squatter and squarer.
Why can’t you return it? Does Borders have a policy specifically against movies?
Could you exchange it for a DVD version of the same movie or maybe store credit?
If the security seal on the pack is still intact, most stores will accept returns, especially if you only want to exchange for something of equal price.
Once the pack has been opened, they probably won’t - partly because the product is used and can’t easily be resold, partly to discourage customers from treating it as free rentals, or buying and copying, then returning.
It varies from place to place, but your consumer rights would normally still allow you to return something if it was faulty, regardless if it’s used, but not usually if you just bought the wrong thing in a store and tried to return it once it is used, and it’s not actually faulty.
OP tried to play it on the computer so it’s been opened. If it’s a movie you really like I’d just keep it and eventually get a blu-ray player. If you want to get rid of it, put it on craigslist.
Or ask around and see if you can sell, give, or trade it to friends who have a Blu-Ray player.
If you wanted to *exchange *it for the same movie in a different format (i.e., DVD vs. Blu-Ray), the store will probably be more amenable than with a straight return. (Since DVDs are cheaper, you’ll probably get a partial refund, too.) It’s worth trying, anyway, unless the store is some place really out of the way.
ETA: Why does Borders mean you can’t return it?
This is probably true. Even if they say no, just keep complaining until you talk to a manager. Their policy is to keep people from effectively renting a movie for free. If you are exchanging it for the same title, then that’s obviously not the case.
The Borders website says:
So I don’t think they’d give you a hassle if you just return it for the same title on a regular DVD. I’m sure they’ve had that type of exchange happen many times.
Thanks to all who have responded - anyone want a Blu Ray movie of Mama Mia? It isn’t likely we are going to get a Blu Ray player in the near future so there really isn’t any reason for us to keep it, tho we do have the HD TV already. OTOH, since I don’t see very well, I doubt that getting a Blu Ray player would make any difference to me, since I don’t see any difference in HD shows and non-HD ones.
As for Borders, they are going out of business here, but apparently not elsewhere? Anyway, I can’t return it to the store I got it from! 
Wouldn’t same item mean exactly that? Another blu-ray version of the same title, not the same title in a different format? The return policy seems to suggest replacements for defective merchandise that’s been opened. How else would a buyer know that a purchased blu-ray or DVD is defective unless it’s been opened.
I expect the policy is in place to stop people buying and returning as free rental, or buying and copying to keep - they might apply a bit of goodwill and discretion instore in a case like this.
Except as noted above the store is closing. I’m not sure goodwill is their top priority.
My wife loves Abba. If you like, you can send it to me and I’ll send you a DVD version via Amazon.
Borders is not cooperative at returns. I bought a CD from them and it would skip, I wanted a simple exchange, they refused, so I disputed it on my credit card and wound up getting the charged removed and a copy of a CD which has a song that skips.
You might want to try a used CD store, they usually sell used DVDs. Go in an see if they have the movie in DVD format and ask the store manager if you can swap a DVD version for a Blu Ray version. It probably won’t go, but it’s worth a shot.