bboisvert

Plus Harry Potter and Blade Runner sets:

http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6461120.html

smashthesymbols

That fifth disc must be one hell of a disc if it raises the price nearly $44.

TylerDurden_73

Thought I would post the article for those click challanged...

Warner sees profit in pricey DVD mega-sets
HOME MEDIA EXPO: Harry Potter, others coming in Q4
By Susanne Ault -- Video Business, 7/17/2007


JULY 17 | LAS VEGAS—Summer blockbusters get a lot of the buzz in the fourth quarter on DVD, but Warner Home Video believes retail also will find deluxe box sets particularly valuable because of their relatively richer profit margins—and at the studio’s Monday night reception here, retailers agreed.

At the event for key retailers, Warner showed off 14 such DVD collections that the studio will make available for retail this fourth quarter. Since many of these multiple-disc sets are lavishly packaged and include exclusive add-ons, they carry pricing of $100 to $200 or more. Sets will include Harry Potter Years 1-5 Limited Edition Gift Set and The Gilmore Girls: The Complete Series.

“There are opportunities in the marketplace at a time when there is erosion in pricing,” said Jeff Baker, Warner senior VP and general manager of theatrical catalog and sales. “We are moving upwards in price" with the upcoming collections.

The high-end collections fit a new merchandising scheme rolled out in Circuit City stores in April this year.

“We re-merchandised the highest margin product into the highest trafficked areas of the stores,” said Leigh Ann Moore, Circuit City merchandise manager. “There are great margin opportunities when you put your best foot forward [with deluxe product offerings]. We have sold Troy as low as $6.99. And now this is another way to invest" in that title.

A Target buyer also praised Warner’s premium pricing initiative, explaining, “DVD collections are a great part of the overall business.”

Such DVD collector sets represented more than $500 million in consumer purchases last year, according to Warner research. Year-to-date, the category is 7% higher in sales than the same 2006 frame, the studio believes.

Baker also singled out Warner’s upcoming 25th anniversary Blade Runner releases, which include four-disc and five-disc configurations, as especially critical for the studio.

Taking Blade Runner and Harry together, “this will mean $40 million in consumer sales,” estimated Baker.

Title details

The Harry Potter set, priced at $119.97 standard-definition and $149.99 Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD, will hold the first five films including the most recent theatrical installment, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. It represents the first time Warner has enhanced a Potter collection with exclusive memorabilia, which includes bookmarks and collectible trading cards.

The five-disc Blade Runner set is $78.92 and four-disc is $34.99. Blu-ray and HD DVD versions of the five-disc configuration also will be available day and date.

At $258.82, Gilmore Girls carries all seven seasons of the show packed into a collectible retro doll case. It features a 60-page booklet, among other items.

Exact street dates for Potter, Blade Runner and Gilmore Girls sets haven’t yet been specified.

Warner also is touting upcoming new versions of catalog releases, including the Sept. 18 bow of Troy Ultimate Collector’s Edition Director’s Cut, not yet seen in theaters, for $39.92.

Other top-line Warner collections heading to shelves during the holidays include The O.C.: The Complete Series (street date not set), featuring all 92 episodes across 28 discs held in a keepsake box for $179.92; Full House: The Complete Series, Nov. 6, spanning 192 episodes across 32 DVDs, $169.72; Planet Earth/Blue Planet Box Set, Oct. 2, carrying 15 hours of programming on 10 discs for $119.99; and America’s Game: The Super Bowl Champions (street date not set), holding 40 episodes of the NFL TV series across 40 discs; pricing still to be determined.

starman9000

I like my Harry Potter movies, but why would someone shell out that kind of money for a box set that will be trumped a few times in the next couple of years? The Planet Earth/Blue Planet set has my attention though.

shyguy1083

does the release of box sets generally mean that the individual season sets get a price break?

MTRodaba2468

The five-disc set must have deluxe packaging or come with some collectible bells-and-whistles or something. Why else would it be $44 more?!?!

As far as the complete series box sets, I'm not really looking forward to any of those. I'd get a Veronica Mars: The Complete Series set (especially if they had more extras than the season sets do), but with 3 seasons, I don't see that happening...

Geist

The first season of THE O.C. was released fullscreen. I wonder if they'll fix that for the box set.

Dayewalker

This is exactly the question I came here to ask. That would be the only thing that would get me to double dip on this series.

dx23

It seems that the 5 disc Blade Runner set is bringing a Replicant with it, because the price is insane when compared to the 4 disc set. Is either that or.... will they release an R1 Briefcase version?

tbwmp88

Hope so, but I doubt it. I'll only buy if every season is widescreen.

Boba Fett

10:1 the 5-Disc Blade Runner set has the CD soundtrack and might sport the Voight-Komf test case that the R4 edition had.

Sabrett

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=7687

Rusty James

According to DavisDVD, looks like the five-disc set will come packaged in the suitcase thing, which may explain the extra $$$. They also have a breakdown of what content to expect.

http://www.davisdvd.com/news/spy.html

Quack

Actually looks kinda cool packaging.

DVDFreaker

Yeah, I agree except I wonder how the discs fit in the house? If I didn't have DVDs already, I would have brought it but it would look weird next to the other DVDs I have....

The Monkees

I wonder if there will be anything special besides the packaging of Full House. I all ready have Seasons 1 through 6, if they include anything really special I may need to sell mine and get the package, but if nothing worth it, then I'll just buy the last 2 seasons.

livingdeadking

the breifcase is for the Australian R4 EZDVD exclusive, it means the extras could be the same for the R1, R1 almost never gets packaging like that

Bluelitespecial

I really have to laugh at the packaging for the full house complete series set since its a replica of the tanner house.

Superman07

I've only bought the first two OC sets and haven't even opened S2, so depending on what's what it may be worthwhile for me to get this complete series set.

dolphinboy

Doll house packaging? So absolutely no straight men watched Gilmore Girls?

It's not like I'm gonna buy a set for Michel.

GuessWho

Have mercy.




Cut! It! Out!

Imail724

Full House box reminds me of an Invader Zim boxset I saw at a movie store in the mall a while back

Libby

I love it when they bunch whole series together because it saves time and money trying to get deals and specials for the seasons seperately. Plus a lot of good design goes into the sets as well. Look at the six feet under series boxset for example and Im sure there are tons others.

animatedude

exactly.

shyguy1083

i just wish that you could get the series packaging from the studios if you've already purchased the season sets beforehand. at least in the certain cases where the series set is basically the season sets in new outer packaging and not an entirely new set-up (six feet under v. west wing, for example)

and while it does save time and money finding deals, it also means you might have to wait a REALLY LONG TIME, depending on how many seasons a show runs and the speed at which they release them. like gilmore girls. had the series actually been renewed for an 8th season, a complete series set would've been pushed back another year or two, maybe longer if they somehow found a way to get them to sign on for s9 and s10.

unfortunately, i don't have the patience that some people have to go a few years without a certain title, but i guess that's how the studios make their money: people buying the sets right away + people waiting for the complete series + people who will double dip on the complete series.