# Ever not buy something because of the packaging? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 4, 2012, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-not-buy-something-because-of-the-packaging/633659 "2012-09-04T17:56:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-not-buy-something-because-of-the-packaging/633659/1 "2012-09-04T17:56:49Z")
The Rolling Stones announced they’re putting out a new greatest hits album–[with this awful cover](http://i2.cdnds.net/12/36/618x618/rolling_stones_grrr.jpg). There’s no way I’d buy this in physical form. Have you ever not bought an album, DVD, or book because of an awful cover or poor packaging? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-not-buy-something-because-of-the-packaging/633659/2 "2012-09-04T18:29:00Z")
To each his own I guess. I won’t be buying the album, but I sort of like that cover art. To your question: I don’t think so. Unless, indirectly, because it didn’t catch my eye. ---
**Author:** ![Pine\_Fresh\_Scent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/43a26b/32.png) [@Pine\_Fresh\_Scent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pine_Fresh_Scent)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-not-buy-something-because-of-the-packaging/633659/3 "2012-09-04T20:39:04Z")
In a way, yes. If I’m looking for a book that has been made into a film, I’ll shop around for an edition without the movie’s star on the [cover](http://productshopnyc.com/htdocs/into_the_wild.JPG). I like to keep the movie and the book separate in my mind. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-not-buy-something-because-of-the-packaging/633659/4 "2012-09-04T20:44:46Z")
Yeah I probably wouldn’t proudly put that on my shelf even if I was a big Stones fan. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-not-buy-something-because-of-the-packaging/633659/5 "2012-09-04T20:48:14Z")
> [@Pine\_Fresh\_Scent](#): > > In a way, yes. If I’m looking for a book that has been made into a film, I’ll shop around for an edition without the movie’s star on the [cover](http://productshopnyc.com/htdocs/into_the_wild.JPG). I like to keep the movie and the book separate in my mind. At some point soon after the Will Smith flick “I, Robot” was released, I felt like re-reading the original novel (I know the film only has a passing resemblance), having read it way back in high school. For over a year, maybe two, when I’d find myself in a book store and thinking about it, I’d check and… nope, always a Will Smith cover on it. I couldn’t bring myself to buy it with that cover. Eventually I tripped across a used copy so problem eventually solved. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-not-buy-something-because-of-the-packaging/633659/6 "2012-09-04T20:52:32Z")
[“Mr. Big” toilet paper](http://www.trademarkia.com/mr-big-77483169.html). Maybe I was homophobic, but I’d still decline to have anything called ‘Mr. Big’ anywhere near my butt. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-not-buy-something-because-of-the-packaging/633659/7 "2012-09-04T21:01:50Z")
I’ve definitely been turned away from fantasy/sci fi books that look like a toddler did the cover art. Did I miss out? I’ll never know. ---
**Author:** ![Pine\_Fresh\_Scent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/43a26b/32.png) [@Pine\_Fresh\_Scent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pine_Fresh_Scent)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2012, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-not-buy-something-because-of-the-packaging/633659/8 "2012-09-05T00:43:28Z")
On the other hand, I once bought a tape from some New Order wanna-be band only because there was a smokin’ hot model in a latex bikini on the cover. I didn’t even make it through one listen of the tape, the music was so bad. And then my mom threw out the cover! ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2012, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-not-buy-something-because-of-the-packaging/633659/9 "2012-09-05T01:02:32Z")
I also try to avoid movie tie in covers of novels, because I’m a big ol’ snob. Also, if given the choice of two similar items, one in those awful sealed-on-all-sides clamshell, and one in a package that won’t risk major arterial bleeds from opening them, I’ll choose the easier packaging. ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2012, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-not-buy-something-because-of-the-packaging/633659/10 "2012-09-05T01:40:57Z")
I judge books by their covers all the time (unless it’s by an author I know and like). ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2012, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-not-buy-something-because-of-the-packaging/633659/11 "2012-09-05T02:59:51Z")
> [@installLSC](#): > > The Rolling Stones announced they’re putting out a new greatest hits album–[with this awful cover](http://i2.cdnds.net/12/36/618x618/rolling_stones_grrr.jpg). There’s no way I’d buy this in physical form. Have you ever not bought an album, DVD, or book because of an awful cover or poor packaging? That cover art is awesome. On the other hand, I once switched brands of generic allergy medication because I couldn’t stand the new Happy Smiling Allergy-Free Lady that the other brand started putting on their boxes. Nothing wrong with happy people on boxes; she just rubbed me the wrong way for some reason. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2012, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-not-buy-something-because-of-the-packaging/633659/12 "2012-09-05T09:50:14Z")
Nope, although I’ve bought (or taken out from the library) a few books that I couldn’t look the clerk(/librarian) in the eye because of the cover art. ([The first collection of Gail Simone’s Birds of Prey](http://www.amazon.com/Birds-Prey-Vol-Like-Minds/dp/140120192X) for instance.) ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2012, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-not-buy-something-because-of-the-packaging/633659/13 "2012-09-05T13:38:42Z")
I’ve never bought a copy of the **Blind Faith** album just because of the cover.