Walmart prices Q4 DVD new releases at $10

[Lee Stewart]

Walmart prices Q4 DVD new releases at $10

PHYSICAL: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Star Trek among the discounted titles

By Susanne Ault -- Video Business, 11/5/2009

NOV. 5 | PHYSICAL: Walmart.com is aggressively discounting a number of upcoming fourth-quarter DVD releases, including Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Star Trek and Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, to just $10.

This price is valid for the site’s top 10 pre-order DVD movies, additionally including Angels & Demons, Julie & Julia, Four Christmases, G-Force, My Sister’s Keeper, Santa Buddies and Terminator: Salvation. It’s not clear if the tag will change once the movies street in November and December online and in stores.

Walmart.com also is promising free home delivery for both DVD and Blu-ray Disc titles, excluding box sets, starting today and lasting through the holiday season. www.walmart.com/movies.

The retailer said it is slashing prices on new release DVDs, which typically retail for four to five dollars more, to help families holiday shop during this difficult economic environment. Walmart earlier announced basement-level pricing on hot new release book titles.

"This will be a challenging holiday season for our customers, and we recognize that more of them are choosing Walmart.com every day as the Web site with the lowest prices," said Raul Vazquez, Walmart.com's CEO. "We're excited to offer our Top 10 pre-order DVD movies for just $10 as well as free home delivery on our entire assortment of DVD and Blu-ray titles. This is yet another example of how we continue to help our customers save money online at Walmart.com during the holidays and beyond."

http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6705685.html

[Lee Stewart]

Doesn't that put the price difference for those D/D DVDs versus a BDs back to $10?

$9.99 versus $19.99

[ack_bak]

Yeah, they are aggressively pricing their Blu-Ray movies as well and are forcing Amazon to price match.

Great times to be a Blu-Ray owner!

[sloppiseconds]

Originally Posted by Lee Stewart

Doesn't that put the price difference for those D/D DVDs versus a BDs back to $10?

$9.99 versus $19.99

Why does it matter what DVDs cost in a forum concerning HD???

[ack_bak]

Originally Posted by Lee Stewart

Doesn't that put the price difference for those D/D DVDs versus a BDs back to $10?

$9.99 versus $19.99

Not for all the titles.

For instance Harry Potter Half Blood Prince is $16.86 and it comes with the Blu-Ray, a DVD, and a digital copy.

Terminator Salvation is also $16.86 on Blu-Ray.

Also keep in mind that this is online only at Walmart. I don't think you will see $10 DVD pricing in store, but in their flyer we know that many of the new release Blu-Ray discs will be $19.96 in store.

[ack_bak]

Originally Posted by sloppiseconds

Why does it matter what DVDs cost in a forum concerning HD???

Because some people around here still think upconverted DVD = HD, and the mods allow it.

[sloppiseconds]

Originally Posted by ack_bak

Because some people around here still think upconverted DVD = HD, and the mods allow it.

Ah, so like, someone with an A2 that doesn't play new movies in HD can just upconvert regular old standard definition DVD that has old lossy audio and such?

Why not just buy a bluray player already?

[Malanthius]

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

as far as the topic. Absolutly smackdown worthy as it slows HDM adoption. The responses are proof of this possibility as it worries some.

[Lee Stewart]

Originally Posted by sloppiseconds

Why does it matter what DVDs cost in a forum concerning HD???

Doesn't the price difference affect BD adoption?

[Rich86]

Originally Posted by sloppiseconds

Ah, so like, someone with an A2 that doesn't play new movies in HD can just upconvert regular old standard definition DVD that has old lossy audio and such?

Why not just buy a bluray player already?

Maybe those folks are perfectly satisfied with what they have and are not interested in getting involved with another different optical media format? It seems to me it is everyone's individual choice.

[ack_bak]

Originally Posted by Malanthius

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

as far as the topic. Absolutly smackdown worthy as it slows HDM adoption. The responses are proof of this possibility as it worries some.

If Walmart was only lowering DVD prices but not Blu-Ray prices I would agree that it would be bad for HDM adoption. But that is not the case. Both Blu-Ray and DVD are being discounted by Walmart, and Walmart is forcing lower prices at Amazon at least for Blu-Ray. What is interesting at Amazon, is that they seem willing to match Walmart on Blu-Ray pricing, but not on DVD (ie most of those new releases are $4-6 more at Amazon).

And remember, these DVD prices are online only I believe. Not in store.

[motion]

Originally Posted by Rich86

Maybe those folks are perfectly satisfied with what they have and are not interested in getting involved with another different optical media format? It seems to me it is everyone's individual choice.

Not here. We are the B(lu)org. Resistance is futile.

[Malanthius]

Originally Posted by ack_bak

If Walmart was only lowering DVD prices but not Blu-Ray prices I would agree that it would be bad for HDM adoption. But that is not the case. Both Blu-Ray and DVD are being discounted by Walmart, and Walmart is forcing lower prices at Amazon at least for Blu-Ray. What is interesting at Amazon, is that they seem willing to match Walmart on Blu-Ray pricing, but not on DVD (ie most of those new releases are $4-6 more at Amazon).

And remember, these DVD prices are online only I believe. Not in store.

Still these are big titles! When someone sees Star Trek for 10 bucks that could definately be a deal breaker if they were maybe considering a BR player. They might see this as a possible new trend frm the studios. When have we ever seen new titles like this for 10 bucks? I do howeve agree that if this is only online the impact in BR will be less.

[KYThrill]

Wal-Mart is lowering their BD prices too, as already pointed out. Many metro Wal-Marts in my area were already pricing DVD's @ $16.99 release week, and the BD's would be $24.95, a $7.96 difference. Now these DVD's are $10 and many of the same BD's (and probably all before it is said and done) are being lowered to $16.86, a $6.86 difference. So the difference between BD and DVD is decreasing.

In rural stores, DVD's remain $19.96, and at least for GI Joe and TF2, the BD's have also been $19.96. So a $0 difference. And actually on GI Joe, the 2 disc DVD special edition was $21.96. You get the same content as the SE on Blu-ray and it was only $19.96, so apples to apples, the blu-ray was actually cheaper.


Now I wonder of that timing is coincidence since Wal-Mart will be selling a $148 Sony BD player this Saturday? Hmm...

[Kosty]

Did not everyone here once think lower Blu-ray pricing would be a good deal?

Wow.