DiscGuy

I visited six different Big Lots looking for DVDs over the past couple of day. I collected a bunch of rumors. Some of these fit together while others were contradictive. My main question: does Big Lots intends to stop selling DVDs in the near future. The consensus seems to be either yes, they will stop selling altogether or that future shipments will be much smaller.

New CEO David Campisi (May 2013) is making a lot of changes: video games - gone, much of the auto dept. – gone, all power tools – gone, arts and crafts – going. But I can’t ascertain what the short term plans are for DVDs. The “color-coded-sticker-sale” may either be an inventory adjustment or the beginning of a DVD exit strategy.

Big Lots has named its typical customer “Jennifer.” From a David Campisi conference call: “Candidly, a lack of ‘customer first’ mentality has hurt the business. The good news is our core customer still loves us. She brags about us, and we have a better understanding of who she is and how she shops.”

More changes are coming: add 3rd party financing of furniture, expanding the food section (including much more refrigerated foods), and begin accepting EBT cards. EBT purchases are big business and Big Lots sees EBT as a huge new revenue stream.

In the end, I still couldn't find out if Big Lots will continue selling DVDs.

DiscGuy

One of the Big Lots I visited was in Newnan, GA (where DVDTalk member Berigan sometimes visits). All of the “color-coded-sticker-sale” DVDs had been removed from the four-sided wire rack and dumped into two shopping carts located near the front door. Two carts piled to the top with the sale DVDs. Much worse than a Wal-mart dump bin, I had to unload the carts to see anything below the top layer. Stupidity on parade: unused DVD shelf space because the sale DVDs were dumped into carts. ARGHHHHH!

You can't sell them if you don't display them.

ddrknghtrtns

Best to give that guy the axe while the axe giving is good. That guy will have them going bankrupt within the end of the year.

MooMooMooMoo

No refrigerated food at all here. That would be nice.

MScottM

If you encounter the shopping cart bins again, might I suggest you grab an empty shopping cart to transfer one cart into and then use the newly emptied cart for the second cart transfer. Not really a big deal or extremely difficult to figure out.

As for Big Lots getting out of the DVD sales business. While I hope that doesn't happen, if it does, someone else will pick up the slack. It just means you willl have to shop somewhere else. And again, that will hardly be a life shattering problem.

Quatermass

Last time I was there (a couple of weeks ago) I noticed they had a lot more Big Lots branded food. They used to sell overstocked/unsold merchandise from various suppliers, which was kind of fun seeing the oddball brands and flavors. Now they had a wall of potato chips and snacks that had a brand name I can't remember but if you look on the back, it says " Big Lots Stores". I think Dollar Tree does this with their "Greenbrier" brand name. They still had a few non-BigLots brands but not as many as they used to. I bought some of the prepared Indian foods branded Kohinoor and when you open the box, the inner flap is printed "Big Lot." I'm guessing they are moving away from the overstock inventory and heading towards custom branded products. It makes business sense to have a steady supply of things that sell well, but I hope they don't totally do away with the oddities. That's the main reason I go there.

BobO'Link

Their store brand is "Fresh Finds" and we've found it to be mostly very good quality, at least on what we've purchased (mostly juices, cookies, crackers, and green olives). We thought it would be more consistently stocked but their store brand is still a crap shoot for many items at the store here (one of my favorite cookies in particular - a mint chocolate covered graham cracker).

But, yeah, those "oddities" are a big draw for us too. It's kind of neat to stumble across some odd brand/import of something you've heard about but never tasted. We've sampled lots of things, especially foreign foods, that are unknown and/or hard to find in our part of the country. While there have been some disappointments there have also been some we've attempted to keep in the pantry and stock up when BL has it on the shelf.

MooMooMooMoo

I've posted this before: I believe Oldies.com is getting the product BL used to get & is charging almost twice as much.

MooMooMooMoo

They often have a couple food items that other liquidators don't (Carr crackers, salt free chips & a particular brand of sugar free with sauce) that I do tend to buy. They also have the best price in the area on paper plates.

Cardsfan111

I've only received 1 coupon ever since they changed the Buzz Club program. My wife just received email notice of a $5 off of $15 one on her account and asked me to print it out. I logged into her account and she had 2 sitting there! One good from 4/11-4/20 and the other from 4/18-4/27.

MooMooMooMoo

Just got back from the local BL. Couldn't find $20 to use the coupon on.

DVD's: small batch of $3 GARBAGE
Weird batch of $55: high quantities of around 5 titles; all of which were 100% garbage except for Jesus Christ Superstar some anniversary edition, that might have been interesting at $3.

Clearance sale seems to be over.

Not even much food, furniture, etc. I considered 3 of the $8 20 gallon tubs, & decided in this economy I can live without them.

If the local BL is the norm across the country, I ? if they're close to going under.

All of my old connections except 2 are gone, & I pretty much never see the 2 I know anymore.

That'sAllFolks

Notable finds (well some are)
$3
The Fly II CE
Kingdom Hospital the complete series
My Dumb Diary
Hell BD/DVD
Delhi Safari

$5
The Bucket List
J. Edgar

was barely able to do a 5/20. (No, I didn,t get My Dumb Diary)

Cardsfan111

Took the $5 off of $15 coupon in today. Most of the DVDs (and that number has dropped considerably) at my local store are on shelves set up between the first 2 registers. I really dislike this setup, because there always seems to be quite a bit of congestion.

There were a few $8 BDs in the mix--nothing that hasn't been seen before: Treasure Buddies, Santa Clause 3 and multiple copies of The Help. That was a little disappointing, since I had given up ever seeing that one some time ago and ended up purchasing it elsewhere.

So I used the coupon on other stuff.

boc4ever

I used my $5 off $20 coupon and got an assortment of home goods plus Mortal Kombat for $3 and Morons from Outer Space/Alien from LA for $.75 This was at the Exton location and there was not much there at all.

PhantomStranger

Big Lots is in a tough spot with DVDs and Blu-rays. The primary retailers carry large sections of DVDs priced at $4 and $5 these days, while hundreds of catalog Blu-rays can be had at Walmart for under $8. Due to the nature of their business, Big Lots is mostly carrying inventory of movies that aren't very attractive, even when priced at $3. They really can't go any lower in price but they aren't going to start carrying newer hits, either.

That'sAllFolks

I just wish they'd get the overstock of older titles they used to get. It's the same crappy titles over and over again or it's some newer stuff I'd rather have on blu-ray. I did get the Fly II CE and a doc on the KJV that were excellent finds yesterday, but I can't tell you the last time I was really excited about a BL shipment. I guess somebody will always be around to take my money, but the glory days of BL are long gone.

MooMooMooMoo

Yep.

madmod20061

Went today and picked up a few titles for $3 each. I tend to like independent and Focus Features movies and they seem to have a good selection of those, but they probably aren't for everyone.

3 Worlds of Gulliver (old Ray Harryhausen movie)
Pretty Bird
In the Company of Men
The Forsaken

MooMooMooMoo

My coupon expires after today, so I checked out Bridgeport. Found 1 somewhat interesting title for us oldies fans (though it's even cheaper on Amazon): In Old Arizona 1928 with Edmund lowe. Never heard of it before. The DVD is Fox (20th Century) with no cut.

The did have quite a bit more than Pearl (used to be the opposite) but weak titles. If you still need Shock Treatment, they had a ton of those.

JohnIan

My mouse died.

Went over to pick up a new one; it is what it is, they last about six - eight months. Then buy a new budget one. *shrugs*

Anyhow...

I saw some new titles. Well, not a lot; just a few.

Picked up "The Original Nancy Drew: Movie Mystery Collection" for five dollars. I remember when this first came out (2007) that I wanted it, but had other titles that took my attention and greenbacks - then I forgot about her, until today. Sway.

Both discs are mint. I only saw one copy (cut on UPC). Not many new stuff and they seem to be one each.

Sorry, but I don't recall what I saw, just glance at the rack.

hasslein

As soon as I spend my 5 off 15 they send another. I received another today.

MooMooMooMoo

I used to get that too, but it's been months. I wonder what Algorithm they use?

That'sAllFolks

I think it was last month I got 1 every week for about a month, then one a week ago and now nothing.

g

Don't use your Buzz club account very often. I was using it alot and never got any coupons. Now I only use it when they send a coupon. Best Buy does something similar in it sends special certificates to those that rarely shop there. I just shop at Big Lots without swiping the card unless I have a coupon that requires it.

Rexxriot

I haven't had a coupon in about a month, which was the last time I bought anything from them. I'm starting to think it's worth having a couple of different accounts, perhaps tied to different stores, to increase the odds of getting a coupon.