Software sales no longer important.

[whoelse]

Ever since the formats began, the weekly software sales have a been a very good indicator in comparing how well both formats are competing against each other. However, this is no longer the case. Almost all the major retailers in America are now offering as much as 50% or more off HD DVD movies and players, while Blu-ray have a lot less offers available. So, as we saw last week, the HD DVD sales share grew, from 82:18 to 74:26. Home Media Magazine numbers makes HD DVD look like it is doing a lot better in the market than they actually are despite the fact they are still being slaughtered. If the BOGOFs and 50% offs were taken away, it would look very different and those prices cant last forever.

I expect Blu-ray to have a 76% share of the software sales when we get the numbers on Friday.

[Frankly]

We can agree to disagree. I think the software sales are just as important today, as they were last month. I agree that they may make HD DVD look better, but when it comes to studios, what they care about are THEIR sales.

I think the software sales ratios will be a pentultimate factor for Paramount and Universal's switch.

[Trenchalicious]

Software sales are always important. Don't forget that Blu-ray used to do WEEKLY B1G1 sales to get people to buy movies, now that they have a strong base, they stopped the deals and hope people buy them at normal price. It was a good strategy.

[zombieflanders]

Originally Posted by Frankly

I think the software sales ratios will be a pentultimate factor for Paramount and Universal's switch.

I'm in the same boat. If anything, the software sales underline how false that old HD DVD chestnut is:

HD DVD's "razors" aren't selling that well, and they're selling even less "blades". Whether that's because people are buying anywhere from 1 to 6 extra players, or the whole "upconverting" motto is both a failure and a blowback, or whatever else, it's a done deal. It's a proven fact that the only thing selling HD DVD titles now is BOGOs, and Para and Uni can't BOGO 150+ titles for any significant period of time.

[JAGUAR1977]

Originally Posted by Trenchalicious

Software sales are always important. Don't forget that Blu-ray used to do WEEKLY B1G1 sales to get people to buy movies, now that they have a strong base, they stopped the deals and hope people buy them at normal price. It was a good strategy.

Which of course is incorrect, no matter how many times HD-DVD owners try to claim Blu-ray software was always part of BOGO's.

[whoelse]

HD DVD fans are using the numbers to show that their format is bouncing back, but in reality, there format is just on a huge sale. You cant see how each format is really doing unless the discs are the same prices.

Yes Blu-ray has had offers, but not in this scale.

[Philnerd]

Where is HD DVD "bouncing back"? I'm still a big HD DVD supporter, but I'm not running around telling people that the format is making a comeback.

As for the OP's premise; whatever. Blu-Ray won the Transformers week with a massive BOGO effort, and *those* weekly software sales sure counted (if the chest thumping and "news" that was generated is any indicator).

[whoelse]

Some HD DVD fans as predicted are saying:

"You see. HD DVD gained so much in one week... its not over yet!"

[dolphinius_rex]

Sales are still everything, how could they NOT be?

But what I find to be telling, is that HD DVD even with a massive sale, couldn't overtake Blu-Ray @regular price on amazon. Normally Blu-Ray would win in total numbers, but Amazon would have higher ratings for HD DVD. This is a big change from last year!

[Merlins]

I think Blu-ray:HD-DVD sales ratios will play a smaller and smaller part.

Right now it is more important to count the number of companies going Blu-ray exclusive and dropping HD-DVD support while HD-DVD does not gain any new support.

Soon we need to count the Blu-ray : DVD sales ratios instead. Maybe per month or atleast per quarter. DVD will not go away fast (as HD-DVD did) but DVD:s sales are dropping (and Toshibas royalties from them...) while Blu-rays sales are gaining.

[zombieflanders]

With the biggest retailer of HD DVD now pushing Blu-ray, I think we're going to see the ratios plummet, especially in a few weeks.

[Blacklac]

Originally Posted by zombieflanders

With the biggest retailer of HD DVD now pushing Blu-ray, I think we're going to see the ratios plummet, especially in a few weeks.

It's always been that way where I live. HD DVD gets no love in the major electronics stores, again, where I live.

[Mike171979]

LOL LOL LOL

Somehow I think if Blu Ray won 90:10 last week, this thread would have never existed.

Enough said right there.

[bluskiessmingatme]

I think the disc sales will be the most important things to Universal and Paramount. They are not in the player manufacturing business. So they look at what affects them. (And, now, of course, retailers that will still sell them.)

[Blu2]

Instead of just posting weekly sales figures for software they should also include weekly hardware sales numbers including the PS3. That would be more telling of how good/bad HD-DVD is doing! Not too many BOGO's on hardware (yet!)