UK: Blu-ray sales up 506% but market share still only 1.2%

[Grubert]

Source: Hollywood Reporter

U.K. home entertainment growth continues
LONDON -- Latest figures from the British Video Assn. on Monday show that the U.K. home entertainment industry is bucking the economic trend and showing continued volume growth.

Sales in the first half of 2008 are up 3.3% compared with the same period last year, thanks to the increased level of consumer choice provided by high-definition formats, the BVA said, adding that Blu-ray Discs are up 506% year to date and have a 1.2% share in the total market.

The BVA said 111.6 million units had been sold this year, including nearly 1 million Blu-ray Discs.

"The availability of DVD, Blu-ray and legal downloading means viewers now have more options when deciding how to consume their home entertainment. This increased supply of choice is one factor attributed to the growing demand," the BVA said.

Top title for the year so far is Disney's "Ratatouille," with more than 1.2 million copies sold, the BVA reported, adding that "Stardust," "Atonement" and "The Golden Compass" also had sold more that 800,000 copies on DVD alone.

"History has shown that in times of economic hardship, consumers find even more value in home entertainment when the leisure pound is stretched as it is," BVA director general Lavinia Carey said.

[Philnerd]

Interesting, so share of the "total market" is 1.2%. But share of disc sales is about 0.89%, right?

Appologies if the math is off.. its early for me.

[Grubert]

Originally Posted by Philnerd

Interesting, so share of the "total market" is 1.2%. But share of disc sales is about 0.89%, right?

Right. Seems BD adoption in UK is a year behind the US.

[Menaceuk]

Problem in the UK is (most likely same in the US too) Brick and mortar stores software prices are too high.

£25 is the average price round me and that is ridiculous especially when you can get new release movie on DVD for £12.

Also the lack of sales and deals in brick and mortar stores is also a bad thing especially when half the massive HMV/VIrgin sotres near me are full of DVD deals like 3 for £15 or DVD's from £2.

Online is much better tho

[ack_bak]

What is the average standalone BD player cost in the UK?

[Grubert]

Originally Posted by ack_bak

What is the average standalone BD player cost in the UK?

I'd say £350:

http://audiovisual.kelkoo.co.uk/cp_1...&numPerPage=20

[ack_bak]

Originally Posted by Grubert

I'd say £350:

http://audiovisual.kelkoo.co.uk/cp_1...&numPerPage=20

It sounds like hardware costs are also well behind the US as well (which many people feel is too expensive here). Hopefully lower priced models (Funai) will make there way to Europe in time for the holidays.

[Kid Banana]

Originally Posted by ack_bak

It sounds like hardware costs are also well behind the US as well (which many people feel is too expensive here). Hopefully lower priced models (Funai) will make there way to Europe in time for the holidays.

Player prices are coming down here though.

The Samsung 1400 is available from several etailers for £200 and has been as low as £150.

The PS3 is a steady seller here too. Although software prices in B&M stores are stupidly high blu-ray has a very strong presence on the high streets. I can find BDs in at least 5 shops in my town centre, whereas there was only one DVD seller back in early 1999.

[mcblob]

prices here in the uk are very high, not so bad online, lots of 3 for 2 offers on discs online. hmv was trying to hd dvds for £15 still in a B & M store only a 2 weeks ago . when online the same disc is only £3.99 at hmv.co.uk

i didn't bother to look at the prices, the selection has increased but i have only ever once seem people looking at blu ray in a B&M store. it would also be useful if they hurried up and got some profile 1.1 and 2.0 players out, instead of these old 1.0 profile players

[hatih]

Originally Posted by mcblob

it would also be useful if they hurried up and got some profile 1.1 and 2.0 players out, instead of these old 1.0 profile players

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't there several 1.1 players and at least one 2.0 player on the site that Grubert linked with status 'in stock' if you check their retailers?

[rarsi123]

There just isnt enough prescence at the moment, and also bear in mind that population in UK is much smaller than US, so 1 million titles sold is actually quite impressive if it is this year only (i say this because I thought adoption was much smaller, and its almost the equivalent of around 4-5m in US).

Of the brick and mortar stores, HMV is the only one ive seen with a decent selection (possible zavvis aswell, but not checked). Hardly anywhere else carries them, and if they do, only a very small selection. The largest ive seen outside of hmv is Asda (Walmart), and even there they only have about 40 titles.

[mcblob]

Originally Posted by hatih

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't there several 1.1 players and at least one 2.0 player on the site that Grubert linked with status 'in stock' if you check their retailers?

didn't look at the link, but i did noitice there was profile 1.1 players on there now you mention it. but they do need to hurry up and see all the 1.0 players

[JAGUAR1977]

Originally Posted by Menaceuk

Problem in the UK is (most likely same in the US too) Brick and mortar stores software prices are too high.

£25 is the average price round me and that is ridiculous especially when you can get new release movie on DVD for £12.

Also the lack of sales and deals in brick and mortar stores is also a bad thing especially when half the massive HMV/VIrgin sotres near me are full of DVD deals like 3 for £15 or DVD's from £2.

Online is much better tho

You just have to wait for the store prices to shake out.

Those very same stores are selling titles for £12-£16, which won't go unnoticed to early adopters, or the wider population who are increasingly shopping online.

Likewise players are now dropping under £200.

[bomba]

Interesting to note that the DVD market is still growing in the UK, unlike NA.

[EL_BOMBASTICO]

Originally Posted by bomba

Interesting to note that the DVD market is still growing in the UK, unlike NA.

Well we got it before them so that makes sense,