jeffbase34

Hastings used to be my favorite place to shop for dvds. They had good prices on used dvd boxsets and regular 30% off sales on used.

But a year or so ago, they raised prices on used boxsets to about 50% off MSRP price. I went in today, and the prices are still ridiculous. They are selling used Star Trek dvd seasons for $73 dollars! This is used, folks. Way above brand new price at every other freaking store. Lost Season 3 is 36 dollars used.

I just can't believe consumers would be that clueless to buy from them. Looks like they would have bowed to competition and lowered the prices. Yet, I see the same dvd sets collecting dust on their shelf.

Josh-da-man

I remember shopping at Hastings in the late 80s/early 90s. They were, at the time, strictly a music store. That's where I bought a lot of my heavy metal albums on vinyl at the time. They generally had a very good selection of stuff that interested me. Prices weren't that great, but at the time we didn't have Amazon, Best Buy, or the internet, so you pretty much had to buy stuff where you could find it. Bargain shopping didn't really exist then.

Then they moved out of the mall and opened a big standalone store with books and video rental. By that time, I was buying all of my music at other places like Best Buy and online.

I rarely go there now; it's probably been four or five years. It's like a Borders store run by the Salvation Army. Half of their stuff is used (and over-priced), and the rest is like this weird hodge-podge of stuff. It seems like they've had the same books on the shelves for ten years. And their CD selection seems random, like they just get boxes of random CDs that other stores don't want and throw them on the shelves.

kevin75

i go to hastings quite often, probably at least once a week. are their used prices bad? usually yes. for years i have told them how bad it is to price a used dvd at $16, and then right beside it a new one for $18, but their answer is that their pricing is set by corporate. however, the store here sells used books, etc along with movies and music so there are some good deals to be had if you are patient. every so often you can pick up some good deals with their B2G1 used dvd sales. plus, many of the people who work there are clueless, which is how i was able to get the die hard blu ray dvd collection (all 4 movies) for $19.

cdollaz

Revenues>Expenses

BuckNaked2k

Give that man an MBA!

hermes10

I used to hit it every week. As their used prices got more and more ridiculous I went less and less. And it's not just the prices: they're also taking longer to put new releases out for sale used.

I stopped by the local Hastings the other day for the first time in three months and left without buying anything. With their prices jacked up to $15 for a used recent release even their B2G1 sales are no longer competitive. Why on earth would anybody pay up to $30 for three previously viewed recent releases --on sale with one "free"-- when you can go right down the street and get three for $20 at Blockbuster and you can regularly get 2 for $20 at Hollywood and Movie Gallery?

And frankly, I don't get why anybody would pay $15 for a used DVD, marred with a Hastings label, and scratched, and a month after it comes out, when it could have been purchased from any number of sellers for from $16 to $20 on the day of release.

Undeadcow

I noticed the Hastings near me (Round Rock, TX) posted "Going Out of Business" signs (doors close 10/18). Any word of store closings beyond this one?

I'm kind of sad because they carried more novel discs.

Ropes Pierre

Steal underpants
Revenues>Expenses
?????????
Open a Hastings

mike07

I've never been inside a Hastings store, but have ordered some cheap DVDs from their website before their shipping cost went up. Personally, I think the reason they stay in business is the same as why many F.Y.E. stores stay in business. It's true the prices of used products are usually the same if not more than the new product, but as someone said if you're patient enough - you can find some really good deals there, plus the selection is remotely bigger than your average Best Buy, Target, or Walmart store..