L.A. Times: "retailers have been shrinking the shelf space devoted to DVDs and BD"

[AV_Integrated]

Blu-ray right now is about 1/3 of the new release market and 20 percent overall. How much shelf space will be left by the time Blu-ray commands the majority of overall sales?

And will it matter? I mean, if everyone buys online, then stores will shift to a different selling strategy that only gives them perhaps the top 20 or 50 sellers in their stores...

And you and I won't care because we will just buy from Amazon if we want something that isn't in a store.

Heck, many of us do that already because I personally hate going into a store on a new release date, and NOT finding the title I want. When I order from Amazon, it's at my door on new release day and I don't have to think about it. Yeah, we will likely see it all continue to decline, but it may not be bad thing overall.

[bruceames]

And will it matter? I mean, if everyone buys online, then stores will shift to a different selling strategy that only gives them perhaps the top 20 or 50 sellers in their stores...

And you and I won't care because we will just buy from Amazon if we want something that isn't in a store.

Heck, many of us do that already because I personally hate going into a store on a new release date, and NOT finding the title I want. When I order from Amazon, it's at my door on new release day and I don't have to think about it. Yeah, we will likely see it all continue to decline, but it may not be bad thing overall.

On a personal level, to you and I, it will not matter. However for the benefit to studios and to the fomat I think it matters a great deal. A shrinking physical presence in stores offers fewer impulse buying oppotunities, as well as creating the impression that optical is on the way out.

[MrAngles]

On a personal level, to you and I, it will not matter. However for the benefit to studios and to the fomat I think it matters a great deal. A shrinking physical presence in stores offers fewer impulse buying oppotunities, as well as creating the impression that optical is on the way out.

Is there any reason why they would get rid of the titles that appeal to impulse buyers? The reason that the floorspace is shrinking is due to low sales. I'm not seeing the downside to removing titles from shelves that are already not being purchased, and leaving the ones that are still making money for the stores and the studios, as long as there's still an online option for those of us who are looking to purchase specific titles, rather than buying whatever hot new release is in the checkout line.