"Meaty plans for post-Turkey day
More promotions and deeper price cuts promised"
By Jennifer Netherby and Susanne Ault 10/28/2005
OCT. 28 | Retailers and studios are promising to kick off this year’s holiday season with more promotions and deeper price cuts on catalog DVDs than ever before.
Almost every studio will reprice and repromote high-profile recent releases. At the same time, retailers from Wal-Mart to Tower Records are promising more discount pricing than last year to drive up traffic.
Warner Home Video and sister New Line Home Entertainment will offer about 140 titles priced between $4 and $7, according to retailers. Included in the promotion are all three Lord of the Rings films, the three Harry Potter movies and the three Matrix films, as well as older catalog movies Caddyshack and Empire Pictures. Retailers say they plan to sell the DVDs at a phenomenally low $5 to $8 price tag.
Warner spokeswoman Pamela Godfrey called the offer the studio’s “most aggressive promotional program ever” and said it is open to all retailers.
Warner will release the discounted movies in waves in November and December.
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment and Lions Gate Home Entertainment also are repricing titles, according to retailers. Discounts are expected on Fox titles Fever Pitch, Robots and Kingdom of Heaven and on Lions Gate movies Crash and Diary of a Mad Black Woman. Retailers say they also expect bargain pricing on A-list titles from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
“It seems like everybody is putting more of an emphasis on Black Friday,” Tower Records national video advertising manager Terrel Porter-Smith said. “We’re getting bombarded with programs from the studios. … These are mind-blowing discounts for the consumer.”
Tower will begin displaying many of the bargain-priced releases on Thanksgiving Day, when it will remain open.
Black Friday—or the day after Thanksgiving—traditionally serves as the kickoff to the holiday shopping season, but this year, many retailers and studio promotions are starting much earlier.
Wal-Mart is promising an unprecedented advertising campaign this season that will kick off Nov. 1 rather than waiting for Black Friday. Last year, the company was hurt by lackluster sales on Thanksgiving weekend when it offered fewer deep discounts than it had in previous years and lost sales to competitors.
“We know from talking to our customers that many people don’t wait until Thanksgiving to start their holiday shopping,” chief marketing officer John Fleming said Tuesday at the company’s 12th annual analysts meeting at its Bentonville, Ark., headquarters. “And we know from last year that our competitors aren’t waiting until after Thanksgiving to drop prices.”
The National Retail Federation said that more consumers are starting to knock out their holiday gift lists earlier, with 15.3% starting in September and another 18.5% starting in October.
In mid-October at its own analyst get-together, Best Buy execs promised to offer competitive prices to stay in the race on Black Friday.
Studio executives say that retailers have prodded them for more discounts on catalog titles and higher profile titles than in previous years, prices that are more likely to draw in shoppers.
Newbury Comics buyer Ian Leshin said the heavy discounting on Warner titles will make them impulse items.
“That’s a big opportunity for customers coming in, where the titles are in a whole other category,” Leshin said.
Some retailers have mixed feelings about long-term consequences of unleashing such cheap pricing.
“For not much more than a five-dollar bill, you can buy an epic Lord of the Rings,” said Video Buyers Group president Ted Engen. “Is that movie worth more than that? Yes. But are we charging more? No. No question this devalues the format, but this is what we have to do.”
The low pricing will allow retailers to sell product cheaply without compromising margins, as is often the case with new releases.
“Product is being offered so low that it is not necessary to sell them at, or below, cost in order to generate huge sales,” Virgin Entertainment Group buyer Chris Anstey said.
tonymontana313
10-29-05, 11:13 AM
Wow, I am really looking forward to Black Friday if that is the case.
MovieExchange
10-29-05, 12:19 PM
It'd be nice if we finally have a Black Friday that's worthwhile again. Last year's only shining spot was the insane prices on some season sets at Target combined with the fact that they were dumb enough to give rain checks if the title was out of stock. I waited until the item was out of stock again, went back and used the % off on the rain check towards the first season of Carnivale and the 4th season of CSI.
pilot
10-29-05, 01:04 PM
I hope some of these black friday sale prices are online, because I'm not risking my life going shopping at a b&m :p
Chip718
10-29-05, 01:06 PM
It'd be nice if we finally have a Black Friday that's worthwhile again. Last year's only shining spot was the insane prices on some season sets at Target combined with the fact that they were dumb enough to give rain checks if the title was out of stock. I waited until the item was out of stock again, went back and used the % off on the rain check towards the first season of Carnivale and the 4th season of CSI.
I think Target recently stop allowing substitutions when it comes to rain checks.
justbarelymovin
10-29-05, 01:10 PM
Thanks for the heads up. Now I have to decide if it's worth going out there!
dtcarson
10-29-05, 01:29 PM
Agreed, I don't mess with Black Friday--the deals that are good, are either in such low quantity you have to get there at 0600, or you have to force your way through a herd of severe cheapasses to get to it. I'll pay regular or sale prices and enjoy sleeping in on Friday morning. Besides, it sounds like the pricing will be so good, they would be good impulse purchases, and 'impulse purchase' and 'Black Friday' are two phrases that don't go well together.
Now, if they drop the prices early, I'll definitely be shoppng/keeping an eye out. I guess at this point they're going for quantity sold rather than profit per unit [although many of those titles, they are nothing but profit at this point.] And of course competing with rental companies--for 15 bucks I can buy one dvd or rent 20-30 through Blockbuster Online/Netflix over the course of a month; bring that buy-price down to 5-8 bucks and it becomes attractive again.
D.Pham00
10-29-05, 01:37 PM
that's hot.
i might actually go to some of the BF sales this year if they have some real cheap items that i don't have yet.
Lemdog
10-29-05, 01:43 PM
I hope some of these black friday sale prices are online, because I'm not risking my life going shopping at a b&m :p
:thumbsup:
sailor_moon
10-29-05, 02:01 PM
I hope some of these black friday sale prices are online, because I'm not risking my life going shopping at a b&m :p
Exactly. I'm sorry, but no sale is worth waking up at the crack of dawn only to find out that what you wanted is already gone. I'm not wading through crowds of people and fighting over things either. No matter what deals they have I'm sticking to online sales/coupons and eBay.
PopcornTreeCt
10-29-05, 02:14 PM
Wal-Mart's Black Friday sale isn't that great for DVDs. So, hopefully they are talking about Best Buy or Target.
Manzana
10-29-05, 03:03 PM
As the eternal cynic, here's my opinion. If there are mega deals on DVDs I expect it will be on titles I have recently bought because that's the way it has been before. Out of Walmart's $4.88 Warner bin I only found 3 titles I wanted because I had already bought the ones I wanted around $8 when I thought that was a good deal. I wouldn't be surprised to see the $4.88 Warner/New Line/Universal titles around $3 on Black Friday, and perhaps things I already bought like The Brady Bunch Seasons 1 & 2 for $12.99 at Costco might be $5, or The Simpsons Season 6 may be $10, or the Lord of the Rings, Matrix, and Harry Potter movies which I already own will be $5 like the article says, but will there be anything on sale that I want, such as A Bug's Life 2-DVD CE, Office Space SE, Jumanji DE, the last 4 Star Trek 2-DVD SEs, Panic Room 3-DVD, Sound of Music SE, Oklahoma SE, State Fair SE, or Seinfeld Seasons 5 & 6 which all come out before Black Friday? I seriously doubt any of the latter ones will see big discounts because they are the ones I want and don't have.
And I agree about the crowds on Black Friday. I went to Walmart and Office Max one time, and it was a nightmare of crowds, long lines, and people knocking other people over. You couldn't get anywhere near the cheap DVD bin, and I didn't even try. As Han Solo said "no reward is worth this". Here's to hoping they will have some good deals BEFORE Black Friday. Frankly I'd prefer this whole Black Friday thing would end and they'd just give us better prices during the holiday season and possibly space the sales out over the months of November-December rather than packing the best sale into 1 day where people act crazy.
This has been a message from your friendly neighborhood cynic. :-)
Eric D.
10-29-05, 04:04 PM
I'm the same way. There is no way I'll go out on Black Friday! I'll probably end up getting in a car accident while trying to save $10 on a DVD that I really didn't even want in the first place or I would have owned it already.
MovieExchange
10-29-05, 04:22 PM
I think Target recently stop allowing substitutions when it comes to rain checks.
That wouldn't surprise me if they did. I know I wasn't the only person to take advantage of that policy last time.
Artman
10-29-05, 06:05 PM
My Batman Begins raincheck from Target specifically says you may substitute and recieve the same % off a reg price item in the same catagory.
Lemondrop
10-29-05, 06:16 PM
Wal-Mart's Black Friday sale isn't that great for DVDs. So, hopefully they are talking about Best Buy or Target.
Does not matter to me :)
I go with my wife to walmart every year for BF . I also come loaded with EVERY sales ad from everyone :)
While waiting for the 6am "sale" to start , I raid the DVD isle for any DVD's or box sets that are on a BF sales ad with the competition . I then pricematch em at the checkout counter . They don't even question it as there is 5 billion customers waiting in line behind you . Show them the ad and poof , your PM'd .
I just lay out my plan early so I know exactly what DVD's Im looking for and cart them before any other schmoes figure out what Im up to .
Bill Geiger
10-29-05, 06:26 PM
From Videobusiness.com:
Empire Pictures
They must have meant Empire Records.
conscience
10-29-05, 06:59 PM
Wal-Mart is promising an unprecedented advertising campaign this season that will kick off Nov. 1 rather than waiting for Black Friday.
Interested to see what Wal-Mart plans for Nov. 1st. Too bad they don't send out weekly ads.
D.Pham00
10-29-05, 07:10 PM
I hope some of these black friday sale prices are online, because I'm not risking my life going shopping at a b&m :p
if you have a magic 8-ball, you could always buy it on wednesday, and come back on friday to PM. that's what i did a few years back. YMMV.
pilot
10-29-05, 08:07 PM
if you have a magic 8-ball, you could always buy it on wednesday, and come back on friday to PM. that's what i did a few years back. YMMV.
yeah ..but still, it's a pain in the ass, especially the lines to return/get a price change...I don't shop in B&M's (for dvds) anyways so it wasn't like this year was going to be any different than previous years for me...
js097
10-29-05, 09:19 PM
nice thing about this is that Amazon and other online retailers seem willing to compete with B&M bargain pricing - note lower prices on WB season sets.
yeek
10-29-05, 09:27 PM
I haven't messed with a BF the last 5 years....
Pwman
10-29-05, 09:53 PM
Does not matter to me :)
I go with my wife to walmart every year for BF . I also come loaded with EVERY sales ad from everyone :)
While waiting for the 6am "sale" to start , I raid the DVD isle for any DVD's or box sets that are on a BF sales ad with the competition . I then pricematch em at the checkout counter . They don't even question it as there is 5 billion customers waiting in line behind you . Show them the ad and poof , your PM'd .
I just lay out my plan early so I know exactly what DVD's Im looking for and cart them before any other schmoes figure out what Im up to .
Does Walmart Price match?? I thought it was only CC and BB. Is there a link or something??
D.Pham00
10-29-05, 11:32 PM
yeah ..but still, it's a pain in the ass, especially the lines to return/get a price change...I don't shop in B&M's (for dvds) anyways so it wasn't like this year was going to be any different than previous years for me...
yeah, i know what you mean. i had to wait 30-40 minutes, but that's still way less than the check out lines. i'll only do it if there are some super hot deals though.
Dabaomb
10-29-05, 11:48 PM
working in the financial industry sucks cuz the stock market is open so that means I have to work on Black Friday or take a vacation day off :mad:
hurricane
10-30-05, 12:32 AM
Wal-Mart's Black Friday sale isn't that great for DVDs. So, hopefully they are talking about Best Buy or Target.
They will have DVDs for $3.44 this year!
SkipKassidy
10-30-05, 12:35 AM
Does not matter to me :)
I go with my wife to walmart every year for BF . I also come loaded with EVERY sales ad from everyone :)
While waiting for the 6am "sale" to start , I raid the DVD isle for any DVD's or box sets that are on a BF sales ad with the competition . I then pricematch em at the checkout counter . They don't even question it as there is 5 billion customers waiting in line behind you . Show them the ad and poof , your PM'd .
I just lay out my plan early so I know exactly what DVD's Im looking for and cart them before any other schmoes figure out what Im up to .
Lemondrop,
I do almost the exact same thing, but instead of standing in line with the other BF'ers, I go directly to Customer Service. Most of the time, there will be like two people in front of me. Guys at Customer Service, especially at Best Buy, don't care if you pricematch and buy DVDs there.
dvd-fanman
10-30-05, 01:03 AM
Does Walmart Price match?? I thought it was only CC and BB. Is there a link or something??
Yes, if your Wal-Mart store is traited as a Competition store they MUST price-match per company policy. The last time I knew it was also company policy that the customer does NOT need to have an ad present. CSMs are supposed to have ads for all local competitors available at the podium and know prices and approve price-matches on the fly.
NatrlBornThrllr
10-30-05, 01:51 AM
As the eternal cynic, here's my opinion. If there are mega deals on DVDs I expect it will be on titles I have recently bought because that's the way it has been before. Out of Walmart's $4.88 Warner bin I only found 3 titles I wanted because I had already bought the ones I wanted around $8 when I thought that was a good deal. I wouldn't be surprised to see the $4.88 Warner/New Line/Universal titles around $3 on Black Friday, and perhaps things I already bought like The Brady Bunch Seasons 1 & 2 for $12.99 at Costco might be $5, or The Simpsons Season 6 may be $10, or the Lord of the Rings, Matrix, and Harry Potter movies which I already own will be $5 like the article says, but will there be anything on sale that I want, such as A Bug's Life 2-DVD CE, Office Space SE, Jumanji DE, the last 4 Star Trek 2-DVD SEs, Panic Room 3-DVD, Sound of Music SE, Oklahoma SE, State Fair SE, or Seinfeld Seasons 5 & 6 which all come out before Black Friday? I seriously doubt any of the latter ones will see big discounts because they are the ones I want and don't have.
I used to think people were just giving you a hard time, but you seriously do find a way to complain about missing out on every single sale. This one hasn't even happened, and already you're bitching about how you'll once again be left out. Judging by the fact that I'm the first to respond (this time), I think it's safe to say: nobody cares. Throw your "I always miss out on these good deals" pity party elsewhere. Talk about tiresome...
-JP
bmello
10-30-05, 08:49 AM
They will have DVDs for $3.44 this year!
They had shopping baskets full of DVDs last year for $3.88.
Shagrath
10-30-05, 08:55 AM
They had shopping baskets full of DVDs last year for $3.88.
But $3.44 is 44 cents cheaper!!! :)
No doubt it'll be the same dreck as the current $5.50 bin.
Steam
10-30-05, 11:05 AM
But $3.44 is 44 cents cheaper!!! :)
No doubt it'll be the same dreck as the current $5.50 bin.
Some of the the titles I heard were newer than the stuff in the $5.50 bin. If I didn't already own it, Minority Report would be a steal at $3.44.
I have to take a vacation day to do it but I always like going around to stores on Black Friday looking for deals. This year I will much less free cash to work with so some of the more outrageous purchases will be out the window (I had wanted to get another tv set for my living room) but I will probably get quite a bit of cheap DVDs and maybe some clothing. Yeah, the crowds are large and you deal with a great number of idiots but some of the deals are pretty good.
djsmooth
10-30-05, 05:26 PM
I saw Minority Report in a $7.50 display today that also had Big Momma's House (Full) in it. Since Big Momma's House was one of the $3.88 dvds last year, I wonder if that display will get a price drop to $3.44?
kevin75
10-31-05, 12:18 AM
it's gonna take a REALLY good deal to get me out on BF. it's just not worth it to me to fight all of the insane people just to save a few bucks.
Jah-Wren Ryel
10-31-05, 12:34 AM
Yeah, if the BF prices aren't available online with free shipping, it might as well not even exist at all.
spartanstew
10-31-05, 12:43 AM
Since my son gets up around 5am anyway, I enjoy going out on BF. I usually get some great deals and it's a people watchers dream. I just casually stroll from store to store price matching and gawking. It's a great day.
laidbacklarkin
10-31-05, 02:07 AM
Since my son gets up around 5am anyway, I enjoy going out on BF. I usually get some great deals and it's a people watchers dream. I just casually stroll from store to store price matching and gawking. It's a great day.After almost being trampled during the Memorial Day sale at Sears in Southern California, I have decided to stay put at home on BF..love my life more than the deals..man !! there are certain sections of the crowd with people from other parts of the world that have 'murder' written in their eyes during these sales..
ScottsdaleSaint
10-31-05, 03:18 AM
i've had a blast the last three years on black friday! gotten some great deals for Christmas presents, as it's all about maximizing the dollar so i can get good stuff for everyone. i spend thanksgiving eve and day with my mom, dad, sister and friends, go home on turkey day around 7 pm, try to get a run in around 9pm, go to sleep about midnight.
i wake up around 4:30 am, shower get to the Pavilions, which has BB, CC, Target within shouting distance of each other. shop at those three, go to Wal-Mart afterwards, and i'm usually home by 9-10 am. i have some leftovers and then take a nap. i have a great time on this BF!
Classic Films
10-31-05, 11:42 AM
I think the crazy prices have already started with the Warner TV sets going for $16-$20 (Overstock.com has them for $20 now) at many places and the TV set discounts on Paramount and Fox sets that you can get at Costco.
hurricane
10-31-05, 12:55 PM
But $3.44 is 44 cents cheaper!!! :)
No doubt it'll be the same dreck as the current $5.50 bin.
It actually will not be the same stuff in the $5.50 bin.
cajun_junky
10-31-05, 02:46 PM
i've had a blast the last three years on black friday! gotten some great deals for Christmas presents, as it's all about maximizing the dollar so i can get good stuff for everyone. i spend thanksgiving eve and day with my mom, dad, sister and friends, go home on turkey day around 7 pm, try to get a run in around 9pm, go to sleep about midnight.
i wake up around 4:30 am, shower get to the Pavilions, which has BB, CC, Target within shouting distance of each other. shop at those three, go to Wal-Mart afterwards, and i'm usually home by 9-10 am. i have some leftovers and then take a nap. i have a great time on this BF!
Very similar situation for me. Get up and do my shopping at BB, Office Depot, Target and Walmart (all of which are in walking distance). Home by 10-11am for some leftovers and a nap.
Awesome fun!
Tarantino
10-31-05, 03:40 PM
I work at Best Buy, and I'll be working at 3:30am on Black (Green) Friday. Whatever deals we've got going on, I'll be able to get no problem...other stores, well...I won't get that chance. If I didn't have to work on the day after, I wouldn't dare go out shopping. I'd be holed inside with some good food doing nothing.
Last year the only thing I bought was 24: Season 1 for $12.99.
= J
videoguy
10-31-05, 06:52 PM
i've had a blast the last three years on black friday! gotten some great deals for Christmas presents, as it's all about maximizing the dollar so i can get good stuff for everyone. i spend thanksgiving eve and day with my mom, dad, sister and friends, go home on turkey day around 7 pm, try to get a run in around 9pm, go to sleep about midnight.
i wake up around 4:30 am, shower get to the Pavilions, which has BB, CC, Target within shouting distance of each other. shop at those three, go to Wal-Mart afterwards, and i'm usually home by 9-10 am. i have some leftovers and then take a nap. i have a great time on this BF!
I agree as well. And this is similar situation to my wife and I. For all those complainers, I'm sorry, you WILL have something little that will happen to you that will be bad. There WILL be someone in line with a negative attitude. You WILL get bumped around a little because of the crowd (ever been to NYC during rush hour on the subway?! Doesn't come close, man!) You SHOULD go as a two person team, one to get stuff, one to stand in line as soon as you walk in the store. You SHOULD NOT do any shopping whatsoever on Black Friday UNLESS it is one of those advertised bargains. You SHOULD fill out the rebates and make copies of everything and double and tripple check the instructions! Just be courteous and hey, first come first serve, but no running or shoving like you're in kindergarten. If you miss something, oh well, not a big loss. And if someone gives you a hard time, don't start a fight by being obnoxious back to the person.
I know the bigger item draws at my Walmart are in the trailers outside. One year they handed out the tickets for them while we were in line, we walked in, all the other people walked around in the store, and we went directly to the register and checked out, and then went outside and picked up our product. Really, just use your brain to think strategy. Park closer to the exit in the parking lot so you can get out easier. Bring cell phones if you go with another person. You know, things like that.
videoguy
10-31-05, 06:54 PM
... Last year the only thing I bought was 24: Season 1 for $12.99.
= J
I'm kinda pissed that the only TV season sets that ever get really cheap (besides Simpsons) are all the Season 1's. What about Season 2 of everything?!
Shagrath
10-31-05, 07:08 PM
I'm kinda pissed that the only TV season sets that ever get really cheap (besides Simpsons) are all the Season 1's. What about Season 2 of everything?!
The season 1's were put on sale so that people could impulse buy them and get hooked on the series. I don't think many people would impulse buy a season 2 of a show without already being a fan.
Aphex Twin
10-31-05, 08:14 PM
I work at Best Buy, and I'll be working at 3:30am on Black (Green) Friday. Whatever deals we've got going on, I'll be able to get no problem...
Will you be able to buy stuff for anyone here who asks or will you have a limit?
Dravecky
11-01-05, 12:22 AM
I'm kinda pissed that the only TV season sets that ever get really cheap (besides Simpsons) are all the Season 1's. What about Season 2 of everything?!
Target was good for later seasons of a bunch of different shows (mostly FOX) last year. I'm hoping it's the same this year and I can use my same route. (Get to Staples early for crazy technology prices, drive to Target and walk in to get cheap cheap DVDs from the big piles still left in the displays, go to Walgreens for a handful of sweet deals when they open at 9am, then breakfast and home.)
sotra
11-01-05, 08:08 AM
Target was good for later seasons of a bunch of different shows (mostly FOX) last year. I'm hoping it's the same this year and I can use my same route. (Get to Staples early for crazy technology prices, drive to Target and walk in to get cheap cheap DVDs from the big piles still left in the displays, go to Walgreens for a handful of sweet deals when they open at 9am, then breakfast and home.)
We just had a Walgreens open here. What kind of deals do they usually have on BF?
masetodd
11-01-05, 11:32 AM
Uh....so is this sale supposedly only good on that one day? Or will the prices continue thru Chirstmas?
ScottsdaleSaint
11-01-05, 12:14 PM
Uh....so is this sale supposedly only good on that one day? Or will the prices continue thru Chirstmas?usually they're only good for the first two or three hours of the day on a lot of items. for the rest the prices are usually good through the weekend. circumstances vary by store, so just study the ads the day before, as thursday's paper is usually loaded with black friday specials. that's without even mentioning that the best items sometimes are OOS, if you wait till later in the morning or afternoon.
mattressman
11-01-05, 06:21 PM
I work at Best Buy, and I'll be working at 3:30am on Black (Green) Friday. Whatever deals we've got going on, I'll be able to get no problem...other stores, well...I won't get that chance. If I didn't have to work on the day after, I wouldn't dare go out shopping. I'd be holed inside with some good food doing nothing.
Buy: