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Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
Once Big Lots became just another ordinary retail outlet following Target and Kohl's, I knew they weren't long for this world. I think they spent a ton of money refurbishing their stores about a decade ago and wondered why they thought they could keep up with places like Walmart.
Looks like Ollie's kind of shoehorned themselves into the space Big Lots used to occupy, running a barebones operation aimed at poorer people. I will always have fond memories of the great WB DVD dump of 2008 and 2009, which cost me more money than I'd like to admit. I still have pristine copies of practically the entire Hanna-Barbera catalog available on DVD thanks to it. |
Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
Originally Posted by Alan Smithee
(Post 14455041)
News today is that Big Lots may be the latest retail casualty. At least 2 stores in my area are closing now with possibly 4 more to follow. Haven’t bought many movies there recently since I’m COMPLETELY out of shelf space now thanks mostly to all the cheap discs I’ve gotten from them over the years. With fewer discs being made now anyways they likely won’t be able to get as many clearance ones anyways. It was fun while it lasted. Pour another one out.
This may be the beginning of the end but so far they have announced they are closing 10% of their existing stores which is 142 of a total of 1392 nationwide. https://www.furnituretoday.com/store...t-store-count/ That said, there were only 2 Big Lots within driving distance of me and they both closed in 2023. So store closures were happening before this announcement. https://rocklandreport.com/big-lots-...et-is-closing/ |
Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
THe store by my house is closing. I don't go there often, but I am not happy.
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Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
I just went to the Bellingham, WA store and they are in the midst of closing for good with 20% off on all inventory. The media was sparse and mostly picked-through but I bought "Street Smart" DVD (MGM version) for $3.99 with 20% off.
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Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
No Texas stores are said to be impacted at this point. There are quite a number of them in about a 30-mile radius where I live. They still seem to stay somewhat busy but not at the level they used to be.
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Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
Stores all over the Hoosier state have been taking an extra 11% off all purchases for the last several weeks. Anyone else experiencing this?
I used a pair of $5 off coupons to cover the cost of the first season of A Football LIfe on DVD. I'd never heard of the show put out by the NFL Network back in 2011. It's also the first time I've seen it on a shelf. It was priced at $6.99 |
Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
Only extra discounts here other than the sale discounts are the $5 off $15 coupon you get for making a donation to their charity and the usual coupons you get for making multiple purchases. I recently stacked enough of those to get ~50% off a larger purchase. Totally impressed the checker (she'd never seen me come through before - most of them know I'm a regular and do that fairly frequently).
The store here has had a fairly decent stock of media lately (2 waterfalls) but nothing new, or at least nothing I "need." Blue Planet 2 and Black Sails - Complete Series on BR are ones that stood out but I own both already - don't remember the prices but they are decent and lower than Amazon. That stock also seems to be moving very, very slowly. The newer store in a neighboring town (~20 miles away) has very little media (would fill half a waterfall) and it's kind of stuck off on a shelf in a corner near the food area. |
Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
Store that's shutting down near me is not discounting parts of their stock. There was no sign about a discount on films.
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Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
Went to the other store left in Tacoma yesterday with a 20% coupon. No box fans (in August??), no food I wanted, & no films I wanted (less than 3/4 of a metal fixture. And this was one of the superstores..... No wonder they're going out of business.
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Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
Both Big Lots stores in my area are on the list of closing stores.
One of them just opened up in September of 2022 :( |
Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
The list of Big Lots Stores ClosingHere's The List of Big Lots Stores Closing (msn.com)Alabama
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Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
They seem to be closing down locations that aren't working. The two locations I see closing down which I have some familiarity with were newish locations that I never saw busy even on weekends. Only 4-5 years old if I'm remembering correctly.
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Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
They're closing most of the Wa state stores. They've really had little (almost no movies) that have interested me in a long time.
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Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
Remember the $1-$3 Black Friday box sets from a few years back?
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Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
BL announced 12 more closings in Wa state today, including the most subjectively busy store near me. I'm going to have 1 BL within reasonable driving distance (15-20 miles).
I expect Bankruptcy soon. Wonder if $ Store will get the media or.........? |
Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
I doubt Dollar Tree ever gets in more media.
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Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
Originally Posted by PhantomStranger
(Post 14465134)
I doubt Dollar Tree ever gets in more media.
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Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
DT has gotten rid of media
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Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
My local Dollartwentyfive Tree has had the same DVD's sitting there for the past two years. If they couldn't sell them when they were $1.00, I doubt anyone will grab them now at $1.25. I do wish they'd get BluRay's or CD's again, but I doubt that'll happen. Sad sign of the times.
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Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
Originally Posted by MooMooMooMoo
(Post 14465144)
How long has it been? I haven't been in there in ages.
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Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
Big Lots filed for bankruptcy this morning.
Big Lots files for bankruptcy protection, sells to private equity firm as it promises to keep offering 'extreme bargains' (msn.com) |
Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
I suspect they are merely extending their lifespan a few months. The chain just doesn't have a reason for being anymore and they fill no useful niche. The transition from an overstock store to a poor man's Target was poor planning.
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Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
The studios probably aren’t producing that many excess discs now anyways, so they won’t be getting many more in. The party’s over. I’m out of shelf space anyways.
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Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
The last store in my city is closing. It's a BL "superstore", which makes it a bit of a surprise. They apparently closed the next city over (Puyallup) in the last batch.
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Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
The two Big Lots stores in my area have officially closed :(
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Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
The chain is hearing its death rattle.
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Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
Got an eblast from Big Lots today with a ‘$10 off $20 or more’ coupon which is certainly more generous than their usual offerings. Presumably it will help them clear out a lot of stuff from the remaining stores. Doubt I’ll be in the U.S. to use it, but one never knows (and the Michigan store I visit does have a minor selection of movies).
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Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
Originally Posted by Brian T
(Post 14501964)
Got an eblast from Big Lots today with a ‘$10 off $20 or more’ coupon which is certainly more generous than their usual offerings. Presumably it will help them clear out a lot of stuff from the remaining stores. Doubt I’ll be in the U.S. to use it, but one never knows (and the Michigan store I visit does have a minor selection of movies).
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Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
Originally Posted by MooMooMooMoo
(Post 14502055)
I guess because all the local stores are closed or closing, I'm no longer getting those.
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Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
I visited my closest Big Lots yesterday to look for other things and decided to take a look at media. Very few Blu's and a bit more DVD's.
I haven't seen the store on any list of closures but their stock levels on about everything, except some new seasonal Christmas "stuff" was very low. |
Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
Good Bye Big Lots. All remaining stores are closing.
https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/b...201333453.html |
Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
Sigh........... no surprise.
What's left for inexpensive film? I've read here that Dollar Tree has stopped carrying media. |
Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
Yeah... can't say I'm surprised. I'll be sorry to see them go as we spend lots of $$ at Big Lots. Everything from food to entertainment to furniture to household items. I buy the totes I use to store my media from Big Lots (Target sells it too, but BL sales make it less expensive there). We know the long-term employees by first name (we've had one here for at least 15 years) and when one opened in a nearby town, many of them went to work at that store - one we visit every time we're in *that* town (which is semi-regularly) as the store there is larger/nicer. During their major media stocking years the employees would see me come in and let me know if there were new DVDs in stock. I was given "first access" to BF media items (I would be taken to the store room to look over everything and pull what I wanted. It would be set aside for me to come back any time BF to pick it up). Even now they'll alert us to upcoming % Off sales when were there shopping.
And customers like me may be part of the problem. We really utilize their "loyalty" program to earn and stack discounts. I've gotten as much as 60% off on several trips over the past few years by stacking coupons with sales. I know how they stack better than the checkers. Little things like "Oh! That last coupon didn't take/work right!" - Hmmm... what's the total before tax? OK... I need another $1 - here, add this candy bar and scan the coupon again. "Wow! That worked!" (adding a ~$1 candy bar allowed a $15 off coupon to work - otherwise it would have been only $5 off). After that 2nd store opened in the next town their "warehouse issues" became quite apparent to us. I mentioned to the local manager that the other store had more variety and was better stocked. He indicated it was mainly because they were supplied from a different warehouse and partly because the other store was a "new" location. The warehouse supplying the local store just wasn't doing a very good job. Over a year later and it's still not stocked/supplied as well. Hopefully that 2nd sales attempt will be worked out and they'll survive a while longer. I'm not holding my breath... |
Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
No sooner had I posted the above message I get an email from BL announcing "All Stores Closing - up to 25% Off!" - starts immediately... bummer...
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Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
The thing I'll miss is the seasonal Christmas items. Picked up a lot of Christmas stuff over the years from Big Lots which were more or less exclusive to the chain. The general Christmas decorations market takes another hit.
I kind of gave up buying media from them a couple years ago. I'll always have the late 2000s WB DVD sell-off memories, some of my favorite shopping highlights. |
Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
Originally Posted by BobO'Link
(Post 14526328)
Yeah... can't say I'm surprised. I'll be sorry to see them go as we spend lots of $$ at Big Lots. Everything from food to entertainment to furniture to household items. I buy the totes I use to store my media from Big Lots (Target sells it too, but BL sales make it less expensive there). We know the long-term employees by first name (we've had one here for at least 15 years) and when one opened in a nearby town, many of them went to work at that store - one we visit every time we're in *that* town (which is semi-regularly) as the store there is larger/nicer. During their major media stocking years the employees would see me come in and let me know if there were new DVDs in stock. I was given "first access" to BF media items (I would be taken to the store room to look over everything and pull what I wanted. It would be set aside for me to come back any time BF to pick it up). Even now they'll alert us to upcoming % Off sales when were there shopping.
And customers like me may be part of the problem. We really utilize their "loyalty" program to earn and stack discounts. I've gotten as much as 60% off on several trips over the past few years by stacking coupons with sales. I know how they stack better than the checkers. Little things like "Oh! That last coupon didn't take/work right!" - Hmmm... what's the total before tax? OK... I need another $1 - here, add this candy bar and scan the coupon again. "Wow! That worked!" (adding a ~$1 candy bar allowed a $15 off coupon to work - otherwise it would have been only $5 off). After that 2nd store opened in the next town their "warehouse issues" became quite apparent to us. I mentioned to the local manager that the other store had more variety and was better stocked. He indicated it was mainly because they were supplied from a different warehouse and partly because the other store was a "new" location. The warehouse supplying the local store just wasn't doing a very good job. Over a year later and it's still not stocked/supplied as well. Hopefully that 2nd sales attempt will be worked out and they'll survive a while longer. I'm not holding my breath... |
Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
I was down in Virginia today and saw that the Sterling Big Lots, where I bought a TON of DVDs in the early DVDTalk years, was completely closed. Not sure if it happened this week with the announcement, or was an older thing. After reading that BobO'Link ’s storage containers are sold there, figured I better hit my local BL. Those Sterilite 32 quart containers are just $5+ after discount, so I bought them all. Might check another location tomorrow after church.
Fwiw, the manager at the local store told me that they’ll be open at least into January, and that there is still hope that they don’t close down. |
Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
Stopped by my local store today and it was a zoo. I lean towards it because of the Saturday before Christmas, because there's not a lot of signage about the store closing. Though I guess everyone on their mailing list received notice. The large sign as I entered said the entire store was up to 25% off, but I saw no specific discount signs so I don't know how they're ringing things up.
Like Bob, I stacked coupons often. I also bought cheap clearance food items often to trigger more of the coupons coming -- had employees know me so well that one would send me text messages when they would increase the discounts on stuff. So a related question -- I have 2 $5 coupons on my account. Are those still good? There were 15 people in the checkout line and no other employees around to ask today. I don't want them to go to waste, but thought I remember saying they weren't valid anymore with a store closing. |
Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
Sigh..... the BL's by me were often higher than regular grocery stores on food. Paper product were cheap.
I remember a time I used to literally spend $1500 a month on dvd's chainwide, as BL was cheaper than wholesalers. |
Re: Big Lots Blu-rays
The biggest draw that got me into Big Lots with alarming recurrent visits was the beginning of the studios’ DVD dumps starting in 2008. Rare classics at $3 a pop was making me giddy, still have many of them sealed.
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