Blockbuster news

[Austin54]

I was told by a manager in Blockbuster that they are discontinuing all VHS rental by this December. I assume that they will selling off the stock.
Also, the Blockbuster store in the Lawrence/Cedarhurst area will be closing in October and they will be selling off everything at 50% off. This will start around the first of October.
Austin

[SunMonkey]

I woundn't be surprised if this goes beyond Blockbuster to other chains in the near future. I know that Movie Gallery is currently selling off all its old VHS stock, and only gets in a few of each new release now.

[john_Millers]

You may want to get clarification on that. VHS rental is about 21% of BBV rental revenue. Like most major retailers BBV has discontinued to sell new VHS. BBV is also paying a higher cost per tape for many of the smaller release titles ($80+).

I will believe it when I see it. :)

[reverie]

I was in there a few times lately (free rentals), and I was surprised by the lack of VHS. Outside of kids stuff, I doubt there were 5 VHS tapes in the store for rent! And this was in two different stores.

[renaldow]

Originally posted by john_Millers
BBV is also paying a higher cost per tape for many of the smaller release titles ($80+).


That's the average price for a new VHS movie, it's called rental pricing. It means the VHS is sold at such a high price it is unattractive to consumers to buy, so they instead rent it. VHS's that aren't sell through titles can cost anywhere between $79-150. This was the video store's idea, so don't pity them. When DVD's came out they were the first movie format to have retail pricing, meaning a price aimed at consumers to purchase, not rent.

There's a very interesting thing going on in the UK with rental vs. retail pricing on DVD's right now.

As for Blockbuster dumping VHS, yeah they've been weaning themselves for the last year and a half. Some stores doing more than others towards that goal. Corporate set a date (forget what it was, read it in an old article or press release) that all of their stores should be converted over to DVD and have dropped VHS by. The 'new' Blockbuster is to be a store that rents and sells DVD's.

[Austin54]

All I can say is that this was told to me by the manager of the Lynbrook Blockbuster. He and I had a nice chat after I raided the store.
Austin

[Dabaomb]

Originally posted by Austin54
I was told by a manager in Blockbuster that they are discontinuing all VHS rental by this December. I assume that they will selling off the stock.
Also, the Blockbuster store in the Lawrence/Cedarhurst area will be closing in October and they will be selling off everything at 50% off. This will start around the first of October.
Austin

Austin, please don't buy anymore VHS. You have 20,000+ VHS. If they fall on you again, I think that you're gonna die (I keep thinking of that Simpsons episode where all of the newspapers fell on Principal Skinner and he couln't get out). I'm worried for your safety.

[Austin54]

Thanks for thinking of me. However I didn't get any VHS. All DVDs
Those don't weigh as much, but they fall more frequently.
Austin

[DonnachaOne]

I wouldn't be surprised if Blockbuster simply threw out the VHS stock, just like they did when they had the big push for DVDs.

[AndyMorrison]

And the DVD Bargain is.....?

[Austin54]

the closing of the store
Austin

[calhoun07]

I have heard the same thing. Apparently, they are also not ordering new VHS for special orders anymore either. They seem to be washing their hands of VHS all together. My understanding it has a lot more to do with many of their stores going to "Game Rush" stores, which will focus about half the store on games and the other half just on DVD. No room for VHS anymore!

And why would one store sell off all it's stock at 50% off? Were they franchise? Because I would think a corporate store would just take the stock back and distribute it to other stores that could sell it.

[renaldow]

Originally posted by calhoun07

And why would one store sell off all it's stock at 50% off? Were they franchise? Because I would think a corporate store would just take the stock back and distribute it to other stores that could sell it.

If all stores were going to end up selling their VHS stock cheap eventually, it would make sense not to redistribute and have each store do it on its' own, even if other stores haven't started selling off yet. Who knows, this could be one of the stores that switches over first. For all we know next month all Blockbusters might do this. Maybe not, but you know what I'm saying?

[whotony]

that must not have been a corp store.
it's unlikely that all stores will stop renting vhs by
THIS DECEMBER.
maybe next decenber.

no word on this at our corp store yet.

[Thingamajig]

Didn't Blockbuster just throw away most of the VHS tapes they had when they last culled them? I recall stories of people dumpster diving for them. If they are indeed selling their left over stock, I wouldn't be surprised if they end up trashing them after their "get rid of VHS" date.

[Austin54]

Most stores only dump their tapes and dvds that don't sell after a period of time.
By the way, the store that is closing will sell everything off in the store at 50% off.
Why are they selling - simple. Two stores have already closed in the area and the four that are left are not that big. Where would they put the stuff?
Austin