Walmart prices Q4 DVD new releases at $10

[Lee Stewart]

Originally Posted by Kosty

For the record Lee, I don't categorize you as a Blu-ray hater at all.

Clinically depressed Blu-ray skeptic maybe.... j/k

I think you can be rightly considered a Blu-ray skeptic, and as Seinfeld famously said, " Not like there's anything wrong with that...."


(Now there is one guy around here that is having a really bad day and he may fit into that category, but its not you.)

We agree to agree!

[ack_bak]

Originally Posted by GizmoDVD

$1 Redbox rentals isn't an issue for Blu-ray since their stocked in only a few machines.

But it is for DVD. And Blu-Ray is another optical disc and every Blu-Ray player plays DVD's. I know most people here are focused on quality, but clearly for many people, they are only willing to pay so much to get an HD version over an SD version.

Netflix/BBO might be an issue...but BD/HD have been available for both services since 2006 and the prices have only gone up since the demise of HD DVD.

But in the grand scheme of things, Netflix and Blockbuster are much cheaper than buying movies. And we know Netflix has seen some big growth over the past few years while at the same time we have seen DVD sales revenue drop. Warner has already called Netflix out on this. They (the studios) are going to want more money or are going to implement delay windows on new releases like they are trying to do with Redbox.

The pricing is just dropping to fast to soon. I can't imagine the studios are thrilled that their potential cash cow (Blu-ray) is now resorting to 2004 DVD prices.

Again, the game has changed. It isn't 2004 anymore. Consumers are being tighter with their money (hello recession), rental has become cheaper and much more convenient, and there is no longer one format to basically get all your movies on.

[Lee Stewart]

Originally Posted by JAGUAR1977

Do you not think $10 new DVD releases is more like a last hurrah for the format, rather than a sustainable future plan?

No - I don't. I believe it is part of the Q4 holiday push and will end when Q4 ends.

The only way I could see this working longer term is if the DVDs became bare bones releases.

Well - that is the lions share of the sales.

[Cochise]

Originally Posted by Malanthius

In before the ban hammer strikes this sloppi guy. 2 to 1 he's a former ban account.

He did come off as a little fried, didn't he?

[Malanthius]

Originally Posted by GizmoDVD

$1 Redbox rentals isn't an issue for Blu-ray since their stocked in only a few machines.

Netflix/BBO might be an issue...but BD/HD have been available for both services since 2006 and the prices have only gone up since the demise of HD DVD.

The pricing is just dropping to fast to soon. I can't imagine the studios are thrilled that their potential cash cow (Blu-ray) is now resorting to 2004 DVD prices.

Your last paragraph speaks the truth. I also think that fact is proof that the studios know people are getting away from physical media. Don't let 1 or 2 titles fool you. Over all the days of physical media are coming to an end. This is just the beginning. And it's not 80% the economy. Buying habits are changing. When you lower prices release week on something as big as ST it says something. They are trying to get people back into collecting again. I think it's too late though. Great for us for now though. BR is going to have to be happy selling to the last of the physical collecting holdouts.

[Lee Stewart]

Originally Posted by KYThrill

BUt by next year every Redbox will have $1 BD's too. So it is an issue, one the studios have to work to avoid before it becomes a problem. Better to condition you to buy $10 BD catalogs and $20 BD new releases now, while they still can, than try to do it next summer when Kiosks are renting $1-$2 BD rentals. If they wait till then, they will have waited too long.

Based on what RB has published - they may not have $1/night BDs - they may cost more. And AFAIK, the Sony deal doesn't include BDs, only DVDs with RB.

[ack_bak]

Originally Posted by Malanthius

Your last paragraph speaks the truth. I also think that fact is proof that the studios know people are getting away from physical media. Don't let 1 or 2 titles fool you. Over all the days of physical media are coming to an end. This is just the beginning. And it's not 80% the economy. Buying habits are changing. When you lower prices release week on something as big as ST it says something. They are trying to get people back into collecting again. I think it's too late though. Great for us for now though. BR is going to have to be happy selling to the last of the physical collecting holdouts.

How do you guys know for a fact that these recent price promotions are being driven by the studios and not Walmart and other retailers? I mean, if Walmart is willing to break even or even lose money selling consumer movies, do you think the studios really care, and what can they really do about it?

And I'm sorry but some of you guys have been the biggest complainers about Blu-Ray movie prices being too high and know you are worried about prices dropping too fast? YEs or no. Blu-Ray costs at least $4-10 more than the DVD version (and sometimes even more)? New release DVD prices have been in the $12-15 range for a long time. Even a $16-20 Blu-Ray version is considerably more money.

[Lee Stewart]

Originally Posted by ack_bak

How do you guys know for a fact that these recent price promotions are being driven by the studios and not Walmart and other retailers? I mean, if Walmart is willing to break even or even lose money selling consumer movies, do you think the studios really care, and what can they really do about it?

Haven't the studios been complaining about the devaluation of their products? Sure they point a finger at Redbox, but WM selling brand new AAA D/D DVDs at $10 sure doesn't add to the value now does it?

And it may just be an case of WM taking on Amazon and wanting a big piece of their online DVD business. There isn't a company on this planet that can get into a price war with WM and win.

[JAGUAR1977]

Originally Posted by Malanthius

Your last paragraph speaks the truth. I also think that fact is proof that the studios know people are getting away from physical media. Don't let 1 or 2 titles fool you. Over all the days of physical media are coming to an end. This is just the beginning. And it's not 80% the economy. Buying habits are changing. When you lower prices release week on something as big as ST it says something. They are trying to get people back into collecting again. I think it's too late though. Great for us for now though. BR is going to have to be happy selling to the last of the physical collecting holdouts.

It's 2009, how about bringing this debate back to reality rather than the fantasy download future.

Download services have to go through umpteen 'format' wars of their own before they can aspire to anything more than a rental alternative, that's before we talk about infrastructure.

There has been one recent download only experiment, the Sony PSP GO, it's launch has been nothing short of a disaster, upsetting both consumers and retailers.

The only download 'winner' at the moment is pirated MP3 music, ten years late to the party iTunes is now starting to get a foothold too. That being said portability is the real reason why MP3 has caught on, that isn't a factor with movies.

[ack_bak]

Originally Posted by Lee Stewart

Haven't the studios been complaining about the devaluation of their products? Sure they point a finger at Redbox, but WM selling brand new AAA D/D DVDs at $10 sure doesn't add to the value now does it?

The studios may not be happy, but what choice do they have? Not sell DVD's and Blu-Ray's to Walmart

I was simply pointing out that it is most likely not the studios forcing prices down on these titles on optical disc right now. It is probably the retailers.

And it may just be an case of WM taking on Amazon and wanting a big piece of their online DVD business. There isn't a company on this planet that can get into a price war with WM and win.

This is exactly what it is. And not just for movies. Games, music, movies, books, etc.

http://www.newyorker.com/talk/financ...alk_surowiecki

[Lee Stewart]

Originally Posted by ack_bak

The studios may not be happy, but what choice do they have? Not sell DVD's and Blu-Ray's to Walmart

Isn't that what they are doing with Rebbox (3 of them).

I was simply pointing out that it is most likely not the studios forcing prices down on these titles on optical disc right now. It is probably the retailers

Sure - loss leaders. I understand.

This is exactly what it is. And not just for movies. Games, music, movies, books, etc.

http://www.newyorker.com/talk/financ...alk_surowiecki

[zombieflanders]

Originally Posted by Malanthius

Your last paragraph speaks the truth. I also think that fact is proof that the studios know people are getting away from physical media. Don't let 1 or 2 titles fool you. Over all the days of physical media are coming to an end. This is just the beginning. And it's not 80% the economy. Buying habits are changing. When you lower prices release week on something as big as ST it says something. They are trying to get people back into collecting again. I think it's too late though. Great for us for now though. BR is going to have to be happy selling to the last of the physical collecting holdouts.

Downloads haven't been able to outsell physical media in the music realm a decade after mainstream sales, to say nothing of the movie files 100x the size. How you can extrapolate "the days of physical media are coming to an end" from that is mind-boggling.

Oh, and Comcast just announced even more throttling on high-bandwidth applications (read: video and torrents). How's that helping again?

[Malanthius]

Originally Posted by JAGUAR1977

It's 2009, how about bringing this debate back to reality rather than the fantasy download future.

Download services have to go through umpteen 'format' wars of their own before they can aspire to anything more than a rental alternative, that's before we talk about infrastructure.

There has been one recent download only experiment, the Sony PSP GO, it's launch has been nothing short of a disaster, upsetting both consumers and retailers.

The only download 'winner' at the moment is pirated MP3 music, ten years late to the party iTunes is now starting to get a foothold too. That being said portability is the real reason why MP3 has caught on, that isn't a factor with movies.

You guys are funny! Not once did I mention downloads! People can stick with going to the theater, waiting fir the movie to appear on one of their already paid for sat/cable channels and god forbid piracy! I don't think and have never been someone that has ever said that downloads were about to take over anytime soon. I know the hurdles that method needs to overcome.

Originally Posted by zombieflanders

Downloads haven't been able to outsell physical media in the music realm a decade after mainstream sales, to say nothing of the movie files 100x the size. How you can extrapolate "the days of physical media are coming to an end" from that is mind-boggling.

Oh, and Comcast just announced even more throttling on high-bandwidth applications (read: video and torrents). How's that helping again?

[GizmoDVD]

Originally Posted by ack_bak

How do you guys know for a fact that these recent price promotions are being driven by the studios and not Walmart and other retailers? I mean, if Walmart is willing to break even or even lose money selling consumer movies, do you think the studios really care, and what can they really do about it?

And I'm sorry but some of you guys have been the biggest complainers about Blu-Ray movie prices being too high and know you are worried about prices dropping too fast? YEs or no. Blu-Ray costs at least $4-10 more than the DVD version (and sometimes even more)? New release DVD prices have been in the $12-15 range for a long time. Even a $16-20 Blu-Ray version is considerably more money.

Its the retailers offering the low prices (some of the time, but in the example I used its retailers). Studios are not thrilled seeing their movies being sold for extremley low prices as it may condition consumers to 'wait' for those low prices again. As I said before, they don't want the Wal-mart dumpbin scenario to happen and that's exactly what might happen if prices go to low to fast. I'm all for cheap movies but if everything is cheap it may mean quality and amount of titles released will suffer as well.

[ack_bak]

Originally Posted by GizmoDVD

Its the retailers offering the low prices (some of the time, but in the example I used its retailers). Studios are not thrilled seeing their movies being sold for extremley low prices as it may condition consumers to 'wait' for those low prices again. As I said before, they don't want the Wal-mart dumpbin scenario to happen and that's exactly what might happen if prices go to low to fast. I'm all for cheap movies but if everything is cheap it may mean quality and amount of titles released will suffer as well.

$16-20 Blu-Ray and $10-15 DVD movies on release week are not even close to the same thing as $2-5 dump bin movies.

And welcome to the world of Walmart. Did you read the article I posted concerning Amazon, Walmart, and Target price battles concerning books? IMHO, the same thing is happening with movies right now. The studios can be mad if they want, but like I said, the alternative is customers flock to the $1 Redbox machines in the Walmart lobby.