Josh-da-man

I don't doubt it. I remember when the entire center floor of the store, probably 4000 or more square feet, was nothing but CDs. They had a better selection of music than places like Musicland and Camelot. Now it's something like two short racks.

Alan Smithee

And put many media-only retailers (like Tower and Virgin) out of business, as they could not compete with Best Buy on price. Had they still been around today, they likely would have done some outside-the-box thinking to sell more product, rather than give up on it like Best Buy is doing.

I've read that Wal-Mart, surprisingly enough, has been the #1 media seller for many years though, even with their selection that has always been rather limited.

JimRochester

Strong marketing presence, tons of stores, numerous bargain bins. They have more locations and their clientele loves those $5 DVD's

asianxcore

I do remember Best Buy having a wide selection of DVDs. I used to go there for all of my Unearthed Films, Blue Underground, Mondo Macabro releases.

I was just confused reading a lot responses on this board about Best Buy and their changes (which have been slowly been in effect over many years).

Is everyone disappointed that they will (and are) carrying less?

Are people wanting them to fold up?

Does everyone hate them?

Amazon price matches all the B&M stores, if another folds, what is stopping Amazon from charging whatever they want?

Alan Smithee

My main gripe is that they helped put so many other stores out of business with their loss-leader pricing, and now they're giving up on media when sales are down. If the Virgin Megastore that used to be close to Best Buy here were still open, I could at least get stuff there albeit at higher prices, but with Best Buy being one of the only remaining choices it just sucks they're reducing their stock so much. (And I'm just as guilty as anyone for buying stuff at Best Buy instead of Virgin back when Best Buy had the prices and selection.) This is why we aren't getting as many catalog releases now as there were in the 'golden age' of DVD- so many stores are out of business, and stores that still do sell discs are cutting back on them.

No, I certainly don't want to see Amazon being the only place left to buy discs- I much prefer to go into a store than order online and wait for stuff to get here and God help me if it arrives damaged. If Best Buy is going to act like this though, I would like to see them fold- it would just serve them right for helping so many other stores fold. As I've mentioned many times, they're practically useless for most of the other stuff they sell (idiot salespeople and not being able to really try stuff out before you buy it, plus read their Facebook comments on any day for a good laugh)- the only reason I went in at all was for discs.

We have just ONE remaining record store (a local chain with 3 locations in town), and they've commented that stores that don't specialize in media cutting their selections is a good thing for them as that'll lead more people to their store. They still haven't done a great job stocking Blu-Ray titles (and they rely a lot on used items, which I simply won't buy) but hopefully they'll get a chance to improve in that area.

My Other Self

I don't like derailing threads but your reasoning for wanting Best Buy to close is just odd. There's more than three Dimple locations, which I'm surprised you didn't realize since you mention them enough. Even if you meant the city proper, there are only 2.

Elk Grove
Folsom
Arden Way
Citrus Heights
Roseville
Downtown

And who's "commented"? One of their hipster employees behind the counter to you as you've bought one of their overpriced new releases?

Your justification to me is baffling just like in that other thread. They're a media store that pretty much specializes in used music, movies and video games. They tend to have new releases... for full retail because they can't compete with other B&M stores. It's more than just Best Buy. The one in Citrus Heights is by a Target and a Best Buy. The one in Roseville is between a Fry's and a Target. Best Buy going out of business isn't going to improve any chances of them carrying more new titles for a reasonable price. That's dillusional. If anything it will give them reason to keep their new releases overpriced since there's less competition from another chain.

Who wants to pay more for anything? Just for spite? And so what if something arrives damaged? I didn't realize it was impossible to return things online. Print out the return label and hand it to the mailman.

You're not the only one here hoping for their ultimate demise but this kind of crap went on when Circuit City was still open and look where we're at now. It never makes sense to me. If you don't like it, fine, don't shop there but less competition is never good for anybody.

davidlynchfan

The media section at my BB is still quite healthy looking. Personally,I'm just too spoiled by the U&S program to want to buy anything without those coupons. I did pickup The Fly (1958) the other day for 5 bucks after using my RZ cert. If BB folds,it folds (though I don't hope for it), if Amazon acts like a price-jacking bullie..then I can just easily retired from collecting movies altogether.. I feel like I already have most of what I want. So basically for me.. whatever happens,happens..bring it on.. I can move on and so does life.

Alan Smithee

Well, I'd be happier if Best Buy just went back to carrying the stuff they used to, but what they're doing now isn't helping anybody. With fewer stores, or existing stores carrying fewer titles, there's less incentive for studios to put out stuff that won't sell a million copies on the first day. Yes, it sucks that 'real' stores charged full price and probably nobody can get away with that anymore- besides Dimple, which at least sometimes has decent sale prices, the only remaining store I've seen that charges full retail is Barnes and Noble and they don't seem to be doing too well. However I'd rather have something come out at full retail (under $30) than not at all- and if Amazon becomes the only game in town, not only will they have less stuff to sell but they'll have little reason to be competitively priced anymore. (And there's been plenty of times when Fry's or Best Buy has had stuff on my wish list cheaper than Amazon.)

Borders had a good thing going back in 2000- they had a great selection, everything was about $5 off list price, and they were more of a 'real' media retailer than Fry's or Best Buy. Then they started jacking prices back up to full list and cut their selection, and now look where they are (or aren't.)

PhantomStranger

The only remaining stores still selling physical media in 2020 will be Walmart. Every other retail chain will have gotten out of that market. It's inevitable as digital streaming takes over everything.

DVD Polizei

Digital Streaming will never take over (quote me in 2020 if anyone remembers), and movie studios won't let it (ok, maybe in 2100). You really think studios want consumers to stream a video of the latest Disney or Pixar movie--paying $5 for it or so--and not sell some cheap-ass plush toy or plastic figurine for $45? And do we really expect consumers to stream the latest movie for $10 or more? Fat chance of that happening without any physical product to go along with it.

Digital streaming only just doesn't make sense. They'll lose billions. Americans especially want physical product, even in this little faddy time of big-screen gadgets.

What we will see, is more direct buying from the studios themselves and less retail stores attempting to lure consumers. Studios are probably looking at this, and wondering why they've put up with so many middle-sellers for so long. We may see some outlet stores which have the studio name on it, who sell exclusive merchandise.

Yeah, I could be wrong, but Best Buy and other retailers are currently going through stock changes and scrambling to get some profits, but this can always change. Best Buy is getting on the smart phone bandwagon a few years late, and I doubt it will payoff. Maybe if Samsung subsidizes them for the next 5 years, but even so, these types of gadgets are flooding the market, and eventually consumers won't be buying them either--or at least not as much.

Streaming has its place, and I use it a lot myself. But for movies I really want to see over and over, I will buy the physical media. With Netflix sucking total donkey ass with their collection of movies and frequent bandwidth problems, I fail to see the future of streaming taking over.

E Unit

The biggest problem I see (using my extended family as reference since they love them some Netflix) is that there is no one streaming service that will allow us to see any movie or TV show they want. There never will be either. I for one won't be paying Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu Plus, etc just so I can have full access to whatever I want to watch. Plus, I love that we still get great extras on movies that we'd never be able to really see on Netflix. As far as I know, Netflix streaming doesn't offer commentary, featurettes, etc.

Abob Teff

I wish I could agree with you ... But the studios have cut their own throats before (going away from rental pricing; revenue-sharing deals with rental stores). The short-sighted view of "look at all the money we can save by not producing a physical medium" will eventually win out over the marketing logic you point out.

DVD Polizei

Probably.

That'sAllFolks

Yeah, that's kinda how I feel. I don't want BBY to fold, but there always seems to be somebody to take its place. I'm finding alternatives already, so it's just less I buy at the big 4.

Alan Smithee

Rental-priced DVDs would have blown up right in the studios' faces- I know they were threatening to do that for a while, but given that it's even easier to illegally copy a DVD than it is a VHS tape, you would have seen a lot of people doing that if new movies sold for $80-100. Besides, there's hardly any rental stores left now that would pay that much for them! Redbox and Netflix sure as hell couldn't afford to charge the prices they currently do if discs cost that much.

If movies become available only through downloading or streaming, some hacker out there will figure out a way to save those to disc, though they most likely won't look as good as legitimate Blu-Rays do now.

And Circuit City was such an awful company- they screwed me a long time ago when their servicepeople screwed up a TV I had then refused to fix it any further, plus there was that whole DIVX thing. Competition is good, but Circuit City was just SO awful at everything they did (yes, far worse than Best Buy) that they just had to be put out of their misery.

My Other Self

No company is that bad. They had some excellent deals on video games and release-day CDs and their DVD prices in their final 5 or so years were on par with Best Buy.

Even if you didn't like the store you could still pricematch their ad at Best Buy which I did more times than I can count.

You people have personal vendettas agianst these companies. Most of this forum is so anti-BB and before that it was anti-CC. Then people wanted Blockbuster to crumble. I just don't get it.

inri222

applesandrice

This thread is for bargains. Please take the anecdotal discussions to the store thread.

sleepyhead55

Anyone know when this sale on the $5.99/$6.99 titles end? I might want to pick up a few more on Monday.

I picked up Boogie Nights and Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure the other day. The few times they've ran the U+S promotion, Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure was always priced at $14.99. So at this current price, this is a far better deal.

Steve

You got quite a bargain, my friend. the shelf tag at my store was clearly $29.99...

DirkBelig

I tried to find THX-1138 at two Beast Buys with no luck. At the second, I asked the clerk if they had it and she checked the computer and said they were supposed to have two copies, but it's been discontinued and was likely in the dump bin that was labeled $7.99. My g/f and I spent 10 minutes rummaging through it - I wanted to dump it all out on the floor and then toss stuff back in - but couldn't find it. As I walked to the car, I hit the Beast Buy app and ordered a copy with free shipping to be sent to the house for the same price. Should've done that first.

DVD Polizei

Not sure (generally, they quit sales on some titles on late sunday night), but we're headed into the holidays, so I really doubt if you'll miss out on a deal if passing up this time.

E_v_i_l

The sale is supposed to end on Nov 23rd.

cannibalchris

I received an email containing a certificate that has to be redeemed at checkout. The kicker? You have no idea how much it's good for, anywhere from $5 to $5000 bucks. Anyone try using it yet? I'm tempted, I know it's probably only going to be for 5 bucks though.

Scotts35

Got the same email. It will get me in the store to check it out later this week.