DVD Polizei

You and kms_md are currently living in heaven, and don't realize it just yet. It's too bad they don't have a DVD version of POTC running alongside the Blu-ray version for consumers to see an immediate difference.

jiggyblau

Same here...my Walmart now has far fewer blu-rays than it had before. Only new releases, and only locked up in a case.

Gizmo

Could be the BDA pulled out whatever incentives Wal-mart had to support Blu-ray so much. When the promotional money drys up so does Wal-marts need to showcase $25 movies?

shinoff2183

Ive got 4 wal-marts in my are and Ive been to 2 of them recently. Those ones seem to have cut alot of their blu-ray selection.

RoboDad

And if this WSJ report proves accurate, and the company does expand its selection of discs and movies throughout their stores over the next few weeks, I'm sure there will be some conspiratorial explanation for it, won't there?

Gizmo

So they went small at first, went bigger, now shrunk it, and in a few weeks will re-expand it? Why not just keep it big like it was a month ago and not shrink it to only expand it mere weeks later?

If they are shrinking the Bu-ray section it either means poor sales or whatever promotional money they received to provide x amount of space to the format ran dry. Otherwise Wal-mart would not shrink something that was bringing them in money - from either sales of discs/players or money from some unnamed source. We've discussed this before on this forum and those options appear to be the most likely. No store will provide a huge amount of space to something that is not selling unless they are getting a kickback to do so. Now, if the product sells like crazy (i.e. Wii and Wii games) it makes sense for a store to provide a bigger space because that item brings them sales.

RoboDad

Or it could mean poor decision-making at the local or regional level. My local Walmart has never given Blu-ray much space. They did cut from two to one shelf segment about 4 months ago, but that change (from small to smaller) didn't amount to much.

By contrast, some other Walmart stores I've been to, even recently, have had significant shelf space devoted to the format. Whatever alleged "kickbacks" may have been paid to the company clearly did not translate to a chain-wide promotion. Or else some store managers (maybe they were disgruntled HD DVD supporters ) refused to "play along".

I just don't see the point, today, in couching posts in tone and language that continues to imply that Blu-ray is some kind of unwanted and/or unneeded format that cannot succeed on its own merit, and only "succeeds" when evil corporate suits pass money under the table to try to foist it on an unsuspecting public.

Gizmo

You must be misunderstanding me - I am all for Wal-mart to display as much Blu-ray stuff as they want, but when they cut back it either means they are not selling as well as they did to take up x amount of space or the promotion money is all gone. There would be no reason for Wal-mart to shrink the size of a section that makes them money (i.e. Wii).

Keep in mid all Wal-marts are different and cater to different demographics. In some places high-end product may sell vs. low-income cities where $5 bargain DVDs rule. I've personally witnessed my local Wal-mart go from 2 bays of Blu-rays down to 1 (while still maintaining some on the new release end cap). I try to only go there once a month (they are the only place that carries my Taco Bell hot sauce I love) and I always walk through the BD section to see what they have.

But c'mon, you really can't deny that it is possible some promotional money was being paid to Wal-mart to stock something (maybe not even Blu-ray - let's say McFarlane toys) to devote more shelf space (compared to Hasbro GI Joes). It happens all the time at all different kind of stores and you would be silly not to think it may be happening with something like Blu-ray where the studios are trying to force consumers to re-buy movies, again, at a higher price. Or are you telling me Wal-mart is shrinking the Blu-ray section because they are selling way to well?

TheMovieman

Yep, I recently went into the Wal Mart in my town and how they had the BDs displayed was one side full of catalogue titles, players in the middle and (mostly) newer titles on the other side. Now all the catalogue titles are gone with only the new movies remaining (and some of those $10 BDs, which were there before).

RoboDad

I never denied such possibility, but I pointed out that it is just as likely that the decrease in presence noted at some Walmart stores is the result of poor management decisions. Do you deny that Blu-ray shelf space has increased in other retailers (such as Target), where product appears to be selling well?

Both of the Target stores close to me have significant space devoted to Blu-ray, both in the prominent DVD new releases end cap, as well as dedicated Blu-ray new release end cap, and around 15 feet of additional shelf space. If the product isn't selling, why would they do this? It isn't a promotion, since it has been the case almost nine months.

So, I guess I fail to see this as the indictment of the format that you do.

MovieBuff_Flea

Wal-Mart is still working on getting more blu-rays. It's definitely something wrong on the management side.

Gizmo

Just by looking at this thread and people who noted a shrink in the display and list their states: Oklahoma, Louisiana, Oregon, Kansas, Pensylvania...I doubt its the work of some "poor management decisions".

argh923

Mine also has reduced its shelf space. Looks like the article was wrong.

Drexl

Mine hasn't added or reduced space yet, but they're doing something elsewhere in the store. They moved some of the cosmetics/drug aisles over, and they're building something where some of those were. I'm kind of curious as to what it is.

Maybe this is some kind of restructuring, where stores that sell slowly are getting less stock, and stores that sell more are getting more? Perhaps there's a net gain for BD, but it will vary by store.

orangerunner

This is very true. Stores that make extra room to create a large, attracticve display for a newer product get what they call a "display allowance" in which the store gets paid an extra fee to display their customer's product in a desirable, "high traffic" location in the store.

It's the same tactic that is used in all grocery stores to boost sales of certain products initiated by the product's sales reps.

Stores need to generate X amount of dollars per square foot of floor space. If a product, after the display allowance has run out, is not giving them the return they desire, they reduce the display or shelf space.

The same goes for advertising space in the store flyers. In my local Best Buy flyer they were really pushing the Blu-ray new releases during Christmas. Then they returned to advertising mostly the DVD versions and now I see they have reverted back to pushing Blu-ray.

It's sometimes hard to tell whether this is an indication of promotional money being paid out by Blu-ray of whether it's a reflection of the actual store sales figures.

Jon2

^ Maybe it's just the times we live in.

RoboDad

Of course stores are paid to promote items. Let me say this again, so everyone is clear. NO ONE EVER SAID OTHERWISE.

The question is whether the BDA would mount such a protracted "promotion" tactic for the format, or whether the fact that some stores in some chains are expanding Blu-ray shelf space while others are shrinking might be the result of a combination of other factors.

It is a fact that both Target and Walmart stores in my area began expanding Blu-ray shelf space at around the same time. One Walmart store only expanded to roughly 10 linear feet of space, and then shrank back to 5, while a Target store, just two miles down the road, continues to expand theirs.

Is that evidence of some kind of conspiracy? I suppose, if you want it to be, it could look that way. But it sure doesn't look like anything is failing to me, when the product at Target continues to sell well.

But all of this discussion is really academic. Either the WSJ report is accurate, and over the next month or so we'll see a more widespread increase in shelf space in Walmart, or it is incorrect, and nothing much will change. I haven't been to any of my local Walmart stores this week, so I have no idea if anything has happened yet or not.

Shazam

Wow, that's crazy about WM locking up BDs.

With the Wal-Marts here, there's giant bins full of $15-20 BDs. It's a total mess

WMAangel

Well, judging by your location (presumably Canada), it is no wonder your Walmarts would not be locking up their BDs....everyone knows the USA is full of crime and guns, and our neighbors to the north are friendlier and more trust-worthy!

Gizmo

Well, as others have pointed out in this very thread (and another in DVD Bargains) Wal-mart is shrinking Blu-rays 'space' in stores. So we have two options 1. The BDA (or whomever) is no longer paying Wal-mart to promote Blu-ray so much or 2. The movies are simply not selling well enough to stock so many. Feel free to add a 3 in there but I can't see why Wal-mart would cut back on Blu-ray movies if they were selling and making the store money. I mean, that's all I keep hearing about is how well Blu-ray is doing and how player sales are through the roof etc etc etc. So if stores, even some, are scaling back, it could mean one of the two above. If stores continue to maintain the same space (i.e. from a few months ago) maybe the news has not hit them to shrink the display yet?

Now, I've been to Target and their BD space has pretty much been the same for about 9 months (around Q4). Best Buy remains roughly the same. Fry's just recently (like last week) took over a huge amount of space (1 row - front and back) but they got new shelving so I think they had no choice since each shelf now holds less films. Wal-mart is the only store that I have been into that has shrunk space for movies.

And to answer your question - the BDA (which is all the studios) has everything to lose if they don't promote the heck out of Blu-ray and get consumers onboard to double/triple/quadruple dip on films. They want to sell us the same films we bought on VHS, than DVD, and now Blu-ray. They want to 'correct' the pricing and make us pay $15 for a catalog film and $25 for a new release. They want the money. I really don't care if the BDA pays for hundreds of feet in Wal-mart - if it means I will get my favorite movies in HD then do it.

Gizmo

Well, they carry a higher pricetag than DVDs and are smaller which means they are more prone to theft. We have a Game Stop right next to Wal-mart where I work and, as usual, Tuesday night Game Stop would have all the new DVD releases "used". Now, there is no way to prove they were stolen...but obviously they were. Unless someone watched Sopranao's S5 in 5 hours!

WMAangel

How do you know whoever traded them in didn't actually buy them new that morning, go home and "rip" the discs (and burn copies to keep), and then take them to the store while they are still worth the most in value? I'm not saying that it is not just as questionable ethically....but it is also a possible scenario to explain why they would already be at the store as "used" that evening....

Gizmo

Because they didn't. I would witness some of them remove the plastic wrapping outside to come in and sell for cash. It was very common when GS bought DVDs/BDs. Can't prove they were stolen (and not my job to do so as a customer that wanted to live) but it was pretty obvious.

RoboDad

No, as others have pointed out, some Walmart stores have decreased space, while others have increased it. But then you already knew that, didn't you?

Qui Gon Jim

Both of you need to give it up.

However, Gizmo is active around here all the time. Robodad, you have not participated in a while here, and when you do come back it is on the white horse to defend detractions made against the BD format.

Enough is enough. The format war is long over. Move the fuck on.

Time will tell who is right on this one. I think that there were incentives made by the BDA, and perhaps those incentives are ending and those stores that do not produce BDA sales-wise may see reductions.

Both of you are likely right, depending on your perspective.