"Blu-ray is dead" proclaims Robin Harrs.
11-03-08 | 12:48 PM
#201
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Last edited by pro-bassoonist; 11-03-08 at 12:53 PM.
11-03-08 | 12:49 PM
#202
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My in-laws are like that. Pretty frustrating isn't it? I always have to turn it to the HD channel when we go over there and have sneakily turned the picture settings off Vivid. I'm pleased that my parents are much more savvy and don't have those issues at all. I helped them with picture settings on their plasma and several friends of theirs have bought plasmas after seeing the picture on their TV.
11-03-08 | 12:54 PM
#203
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on a somewhat related note, I think part of the problem is the ridiculously low prices for DVDs that we have been spoiled with. I was at Big Lots the others and debating whether a SE of a major film was worth $3. I had to stop myself to realize what I was thinking. We are at the stage of pricing where $3 for a SE (ANY SE) may be too much? And if I am thinking this about $3 DVDs, how will I react to $25 BRD?
Now, while I have obviously benefited from these cheap prices, it really is incredible. Regardless of why (mass production, overflowing inventory, DVD as a commodity, etc.) it is rare where I spend more than $5 for a movie. Even the 4/$20 PVD at BBV seems high for those films now.
Not sure how many other people feel the same way I do, but this can't be good for BRD. My point is that - at least from my perspective - BRD is not just " a little more" expensive than DVD. If my base is $3-$5/movie, then BRD is easily - what - 4 to 8 times more expensive? That places an unreasonable high expectation/standard on BRD. Honestly, can anyone justify that a BRD is 8 TIMES better than SD? That's a hard one to explain to my wife..
Just thought I would share that.
Now, while I have obviously benefited from these cheap prices, it really is incredible. Regardless of why (mass production, overflowing inventory, DVD as a commodity, etc.) it is rare where I spend more than $5 for a movie. Even the 4/$20 PVD at BBV seems high for those films now.
Not sure how many other people feel the same way I do, but this can't be good for BRD. My point is that - at least from my perspective - BRD is not just " a little more" expensive than DVD. If my base is $3-$5/movie, then BRD is easily - what - 4 to 8 times more expensive? That places an unreasonable high expectation/standard on BRD. Honestly, can anyone justify that a BRD is 8 TIMES better than SD? That's a hard one to explain to my wife..
Just thought I would share that.
11-03-08 | 01:03 PM
#204
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More titles does not equal more space. Shelf space is real estate. If whatever is sitting on that shelf isn't adding to the bottom line, it will be phased out.
11-03-08 | 01:26 PM
#205
Sadly, I don't think most people understand this. Target is not going to devote an entire row (150 titles) + a TV showcasing Blu-ray just for their benefit. Its because they are getting paid to do it. Just like Best Buy was, and just like Circuit City (R.I.P). I'm curious to see after the holidays if the section remains the same or gets reduced back down.
Please remewmber that the BDA is likely paying stores for those huge sections, according to reports (and common practice). The will come a point of critical mass where the store's customers need the BD section in place more than the BDA does, and if that point does not come then sections will be reduced. Simple marketing.
Starting in July, the chain reconfigured its home entertainment sections, granting Blu-ray titles 18 feet of in-rack display space. For two Los Angeles-area stores, that amounts to room for 150 title facings, marking a 67% jump from these same outlets’ disc slots in May."
"“Our goal is to create a fun, intuitive shopping environment where our guests will find all of their wants and needs under one roof,” Target spokesman Joshua Thomas said. “Our guests are becoming increasingly interested in high-definition, and we are committed to providing them with a great assortment of the industry’s best solutions.”
http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6605722.html
Last edited by Mr. Cinema; 11-03-08 at 01:30 PM.
11-03-08 | 01:36 PM
#206
Does any store carry every DVD made? If (and we have no idea of numbers here so lets not act like we do) Target has a product that can make them more money than the BD section does, whether through sales or incentive (and again, I am not knocking this practice; it is standard in retail to sell shelf space) then the BD section will shrink.
More titles does not equal more space. Shelf space is real estate. If whatever is sitting on that shelf isn't adding to the bottom line, it will be phased out.
More titles does not equal more space. Shelf space is real estate. If whatever is sitting on that shelf isn't adding to the bottom line, it will be phased out.
11-03-08 | 01:43 PM
#207
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With more players sold this holiday season and more new BD owners start looking for movies, they're going to want to see a bigger selection at retail. I don't think Target is going to stay with 3 sections of BD. There will be more and more new releases hitting BD and more new catalog titles that they will carry. I can see them adding 4' sections when necessary. I would think they'd want another section of movies that sell for over $20 and remove a section of dvds that are priced at $5.50.
Those $5.50 titles are the ones that get asses in the stores to buy all other kinds of shit like clothes, food, toys, etc.
11-03-08 | 01:56 PM
#209
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The bottom line is that if another item can increase the bottom line more than BD, then they will move it. Target is especially fickle, so your words could come back to bite you using them as an example more than other retailers.
11-03-08 | 02:04 PM
#210
I'm gonna say it's clothes, food, and other items that would cause someone to shop at Target first.
11-03-08 | 02:10 PM
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No, not the majority, but selling loss leaders like cheap DVDs is a standard practice for retailers to nab sales on profitable items. This is one reason why the electronics department is located so far from the store's main entrance.
11-03-08 | 02:12 PM
#212
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Yup. The margins on food and such are much higher than electronics. A general rule of thumb is that the further from the door, less for the store. Exceptions might be toys, where they anticipate adults walking with children through the aisles, etc.
11-03-08 | 02:21 PM
#213
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"Target has significantly stepped up its Blu-ray Disc software and hardware merchandising, as it responds to rising customer demand for the format.
Starting in July, the chain reconfigured its home entertainment sections, granting Blu-ray titles 18 feet of in-rack display space. For two Los Angeles-area stores, that amounts to room for 150 title facings, marking a 67% jump from these same outlets’ disc slots in May."
"“Our goal is to create a fun, intuitive shopping environment where our guests will find all of their wants and needs under one roof,” Target spokesman Joshua Thomas said. “Our guests are becoming increasingly interested in high-definition, and we are committed to providing them with a great assortment of the industry’s best solutions.”
http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6605722.html
Starting in July, the chain reconfigured its home entertainment sections, granting Blu-ray titles 18 feet of in-rack display space. For two Los Angeles-area stores, that amounts to room for 150 title facings, marking a 67% jump from these same outlets’ disc slots in May."
"“Our goal is to create a fun, intuitive shopping environment where our guests will find all of their wants and needs under one roof,” Target spokesman Joshua Thomas said. “Our guests are becoming increasingly interested in high-definition, and we are committed to providing them with a great assortment of the industry’s best solutions.”
http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6605722.html
Look, its not a bad thing (the BDA or studios should be advertising BD like crazy right now) but to think Target decided to devote several bays to movies that don't move that much would be insane. Its business and Target is in the business to make money. If Sony is willing to provide them with a flat panel HDTV advertising Blu-ray and several other merchandising perks (see Warner) then good for them.
11-03-08 | 02:25 PM
#215
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With more players sold this holiday season and more new BD owners start looking for movies, they're going to want to see a bigger selection at retail. I don't think Target is going to stay with 3 sections of BD. There will be more and more new releases hitting BD and more new catalog titles that they will carry. I can see them adding 4' sections when necessary. I would think they'd want another section of movies that sell for over $20 and remove a section of dvds that are priced at $5.50.
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/...highlight=tmnt
With so many new BD releases each week they are running out of space for them. They could easily expand to 5 rows if they really wanted too...but I'm enjoying picking up some sealed "AS-IS" titles for $8. Just grabbed an HD DVD they must have found for $4 last month! Passed on several BDs yesterday (TMNT, Appleseed) for $9 each since I own them on HD DVD.
11-03-08 | 02:26 PM
#216
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Do you think retailers will really advertise they are being paid to promote certain items? They will spin it into a positive manner - especially if it means more money in their pockets by consumers. Again, nothing wrong with it.
11-03-08 | 02:29 PM
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11-03-08 | 02:31 PM
#218
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You can't honestly believe that the BDA did not help pay for any of those displays or addition space. Just like the BDP300 end cap last year - all stores sell "merchandising" endcaps like Best Buy, Game Stop, Wal-Mart etc. If you have worked for any of those stores before you know exactly what I am talking about. Game Stop is known to plug a certain game studio a month with phone tags, an entire row devoted to their games and pre-order bonuses if you buy certain titles.
Look, its not a bad thing (the BDA or studios should be advertising BD like crazy right now) but to think Target decided to devote several bays to movies that don't move that much would be insane. Its business and Target is in the business to make money. If Sony is willing to provide them with a flat panel HDTV advertising Blu-ray and several other merchandising perks (see Warner) then good for them.
Look, its not a bad thing (the BDA or studios should be advertising BD like crazy right now) but to think Target decided to devote several bays to movies that don't move that much would be insane. Its business and Target is in the business to make money. If Sony is willing to provide them with a flat panel HDTV advertising Blu-ray and several other merchandising perks (see Warner) then good for them.
Pro-B
11-03-08 | 02:35 PM
#219
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Show us some proof that BD sales are on the rise. Two weeks of data are encouraging, but those weeks had HUGE titles. From where I have been watching, BD sales have been pretty level all year long.
11-03-08 | 02:52 PM
#220
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Seems to me what Mr. Kornblau states in the Variety piece is rather serious: the studios really aren't looking at the social group you refer above as asses. In fact, he made it very clear that the specific group of people that drives DVD sales represents about 10% of the overall traffic. Which is what the studios wish to capture and move the market in a different direction.
Pro-B
Pro-B
11-03-08 | 02:58 PM
#221
Almost every Target I shop at the electronics section is right next to the entrance, especially if it has two entrances for the larger Targets.
11-03-08 | 03:05 PM
#222
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FWIW, the two Targets I go to in my neck of the woods have electronics on the far ends of the stores. One is in the far-right/far-back, and the other is on the wall opposite the entrance.
11-03-08 | 03:06 PM
#223
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Pro-B, there's a quite popular slang expression, which I can only assume you must be unfamiliar with, that our friend Mr. Rocket was employing. Using the term "asses" as he did was not -- as you seem to have inferred -- a slur against any particular socio-economic group, but was in fact a glib reference to the physical persons of consumers in general. Incidentally, the term gets used quite often in the motion picture business, where you might hear it applied thusly: "getting asses into seats".
11-03-08 | 03:07 PM
#224
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I've noticed that my "Regular" Target Stores have the electronics section in the back and the "Super" Targets have it next to the door.
11-03-08 | 03:09 PM
#225
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From: Blu-ray.com
http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/11/01...nding-october/
Who'd a thought that The Incredible Hulk would sell so well? We sure didn't, as we predicted sales to be down more than 1.26 percent, on this week's Nielsen VideoScan chart courtesy of Home Media Magazine. Thanks to the Hulk, Blu-ray managed to net $17.71 million this week, which makes October the biggest month in history. In fact, consumers spent $76.86 million in October alone, which is more than all of August and September combined -- it will be very interesting to see if Blu-ray can keep this up through the last two months of the year though. For whatever reason the green monster was a hotter seller on Blu-ray than DVD, as it outsold Indiana by about 4:1, which is about twice as much as the DVD version managed against the same competition. This showed up on the Blu-ray title share chart, as the Hulk stole over 18 percent away from its DVD version, which to our memory is the best of any day-and-date title ever. The fun is over next week though, as there are only so many comic book movies around, and the next one isn't due for about a month. But when the latest Batman does hit the shelves, watch out, as it should easily outsell every Blu-ray title to date including the mighty Iron Man
Pro-B