what he said!

Customer. I have over 2000 DVDs but by the definitions in the original post I am most certainly not a "consumer." Personally I can't fathom why anyone, regardless of their financial standing, would waste money on films just because the "in" crowd likes them.

Don't get me wrong I'm not saying we shouldn't be open to try new things or pick up recommendations from friends both online and off but if I'm not a fan of "X" actor or "Y" genre then I don't care how much group "A" loves the film I'm not going to purchase it just to be one of the crowd. Now if I research it and it looks like something that, despite my typical tastes, I might be interested in then I'll give it a try.

In terms of being a consumer and buying all the "cool" DVDs left and right I have to wonder what's the point?? Who would really care?? Who is truly impressed by a DVD collection in ones house. Sure if you have dozens upon dozens of discs your family/friends will likely be impressed but I doubt any of them have ever gone over ones collection and analyzed their tastes with a fine tooth comb. If I was dead set on impressing someone via material possessions DVDs would be the last place I looked, I can't see too many people getting lucky with "hey baby wanna come over and see how big and hot my DVD collection is!!!"

I'm always happy to blind buy, to try new things, and to take recommendations to heart but I'll never be one to purchase solely because "other" people like it.

Ditto, and I consider myself a customer. That said, I've been known to execute a few blind buys as of late, but at these prices, how can I afford not to? Case in point, I found Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law Vol. 1 this morning, a 2 disc set, for $4 ($20 @ Amazon)


I own 550, and I prune and add weekly, determined by what I have seen and wish to watch again, and the current retail worth, because I'll sell/trade to pick up other titles I know I'll want to hang onto.

Both...but more of a customer.

I don't buy to impress....but what I buy and how I build the library impresses the shit outta people.

Guess I'm a customer. However, I'm doing something rare. I'm actually building a library of personal faves and essentials. Therefore, I end up with a few milkduds that may not be faves....but important anyway. For example....I love Fulci...but many of his films are crap...in their own sweet way. Since I am a Fulci completist....I must have them in the library as at least a reference tool.

Please add a third choice...like dvd slut. We are in a world of our own.



Having all your faves at your fingertips for enjoyment and research. Thats what a library is for.

Well, the New York Times sent a reporter and a photodude to my house a few years back for a big layout....guess they were a little turned on by the whole concept.

Those crazy kids!

I think all dvd buyers are a cross between being considered a Customer/Consumer. Not just one or the other. In the end, how I have always seen it, if you have the intent to buy something, that is consuming period. It just depends on how far you take it. So, I am going to say that I am a little bit of both Customer/Consumer.

Definitely a customer. Before I even started collecting DVDs I made a Wish List of about 300 DVDs at that time that I wanted and then over time added more to it as I reached that goal. I've had a good share of blind buys but they were movies I had always wanted to see. I won't buy something because someone tells me it's good. I research it and decide if I want to buy it, usually renting it first.

My blind buys are mostly films and TV shows that I've wanted to see (to some degree) and/or have heard very good things about from people I trust, often combined with good prices.

Customer, though the thought of having an incomplete TV series on shelf doesn't fly with me for some reason, so I get all of those.

No need to slam the shit down my throat every minute of the day. Whats the hurry? The public library has books and music that has not been loved(checked out) in years. Does this mean they are worthless? Nope....'cause someone will want them at some point...be it tomorrow or in 2 years.

I bought the Kinski bio book a few days ago and while I was reading it....I really wanted to reference a few scenes from some of his films. My library of faves makes this task an absolute pleasure.

I also forgot, there are going to be a FEW titles in there that I like moderately, and may have gotten on the cheap merely for entertaining guests, etc.

OMG - finally someplace where I can fit in!

Rent? Please do not use foul words like that....I never rent.

I really only viddey HD programming on TV. Oh sure.....some sports are not in HD but I do watch anyway. I will NOT watch a film with TV programming unless it's HD. Maybe a little news and a few HD primetime shows but other than that....dvds for the most part.

I watch a fairly regular rotation of my titles. Usually it's at least 1 new release a day followed by 2 catalog titles.....depending on how thick the new stack is. Not always, but I try to get in 3 a day and more during my marathons which now happen once a month.

I own my own biz and schedule my own jobs/hours. I usually take Super Tuesday off when there are solid new releases. After my kind of brutal 10+ hour workdays...all my throbbing body can do is sit in the lazyboy....twist a fatty and viddey films till I puke.

What personal life?

Oh yeah...our kids are out of the house and we are in our 40's. My wife and I LOVE watching films. Many times we will trade off and I'll give her the theater and I'll take the upstairs viddey room and we will watch our own selections. She HATES seeing nuns get raped...and me grabbin' my crotch rocket.

Our personal life is fine....plenty of time to whatever we want. So sad....my kayaking trips to the boundry waters will take up a lot of time this summer.

Ehh....maybe an hour or less each day....at least right now. Many times that means 5min every few hours or so.

I read every night when I hit the sack. Every night.

So see...time is like $. You can manage it with ease.

According to your description I'm a customer. I normally buy movies that I've already seen atleast once & know I'll want to see again. Usually if I blind buy something it's because one of my favorite actors is in it & it's cheap. I think that there are a lot of what you're calling consumers on here because I always read tons of people on here talking about buying tons of the new releases that come out & I can't fathom them liking all of them.

Count me in as a customer (with a few scattered instances of consumerism thrown in for good measure).

I'd consider myself a customer...I have a relativley small collection (less than 300 at the moment) consisting mostly of DVDs I'd rewatch over and over.

However, I'm also a little consumer as well. I don't buy just to impress, if I did I'd own every Criterion. I do, however, listen to what people have to say about a movie I haven't seen and then make my own decision about whether I'd: blind buy, rent, or skip it altogether.

Sure I've purchased a few stinkers, but because I have an open mind and listen to others, I have been exposed to some of the greatest films ever, that I would have otherwise passed on.

I have about 300 and growing. What's the point in having a collection of only movies that you've seen. On a cold rainy day I have many unwatched movies of different genres to choose from.

I save all the DVD's I've watched. My wife may never have watched them and may want to. Also, if I have guests or family staying at my home, they'll have something to do when we're not around.

Buying new release DVD from street/online retailer.... I'm a customer

Buying super discounted titles..... I'm a consumer.

Buying used DVD (mint condition/no scratches) from pawn shops... I'm a consumer. I bought everything that cheap and looks as new (I watch all types of movie genre)

Strictly a customer based on your description. I used to get caught up in the hype of some blockbuster releases, but have had too many saving graces in say, the last year or so due to renting. The most recent was Transporter II. I enjoyed the first Transporter and my first instinct would be to take up Blockbuster's new release price to fulfill my impulsive needs to see and add to my collection. Not any more.

I do quite a bit of blind buying, mostly due to my foreign film interests, but I do my research beforehand. Unfortunately, I still fall into the trap of picking off some bad titles from bad info, but I generally do alright. I'd prefer to design my collection based on genre, director, whatever and be happy with it. I could care less about what others have to say as I enjoy 90% of my collection and can easily rewatch any of it. The remaining 10% or so is being cleared out as I type ...

I would definately consider myself a customer. I do blind buy, but it isn't in regards to what is popular. It is based upon the types of films I like at any one time. For example, I bought Panik House's Sex & Fury and Female Yakuza Tale because I am a big Christina Lindberg fan and love exploitaion films. I enjoyed these, so I got the Pinky Violence Collection at Christmas. I hadn't seen any of these, but tastewise, I felt they would be things I would enjoy. If I have ever drifted towards consumerism, it would be regarding The Criterion Collection which for a while I was buying all the titles (not anymore, too damned expensive). I don't actually see this as consumerism though, as I had been buying their discs from the beginning and was also basing my buying on the respect for the movies they put out. I really cannot name one of their releases that I haven't enjoyed (a few less so, like Jubilee), so this feels less like consumerism than educated risks on my part.

I'd say that I started a bit as a consumer, but now I'm a definate customer. After a while it adds up $$ when you don't like the titles you have

Definitely customer. Don't have the money to buy DVD's just for the sake of it, and no one I know gives a rat's ass about the size of my collection. And even if they did, that's the last thing on my mind.

Im a customer. I only buy what i like.

Another Customer. Although once and awhile I'll blind buy if it's a film I've either been curious about, or I've read plenty of good reviews and comments about and it sounds like something I might like, i.e. The Call of Chuthulu.