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Best Buy publicly snuffs HD-DVD
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The following comments relate to this news article:
article published on 12 February, 2008
The largest electronics chain the U.S. has announced that it will begin focusing its recommendations to customers toward Sony's Blu-ray technology, according to an article by Reuters.
"Because we believe that Blu-ray is fast emerging as that single format, we have decided to focus on Blu-ray products," Brian Dunn, Best Buy's president and chief operating officer, said in a statement Monday.
... [ read the full article ]
Please read the original article before posting your comments.
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hughjars
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12. February 2008 @ 13:28 |
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Since when did Best Buy not favour Blu-ray anyways?
....and btw they are not dropping HD DVD entirely; from your link -
Quote:
Best Buy will prominently feature Blu-ray hardware and software beginning in March, but will also carry an assortment of HD DVD products for customers who want those, Best Buy said.
How arrogant are these people, hmmmmm?
The consumer neeeds a store telling them how to spend their money and on what products now eh?
Not quite what anyone sane would call 'freedom of choice' and 'free & fair competition', is it?
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eatsushi
Senior Member
3 product reviews
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12. February 2008 @ 13:33 |
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I just don't know how HD DVD can keep up the fight.
First, the #1 online rental service drops you.
Then a few hours later the #1 electronics retailer in the US makes it official company policy to support BluRay.
You can say the BB has been favoring BluRay all along but there was no announcement of official company policy - until now. You can expect HD DVD hardware and software to become less and less prominent at their stores and become relegated to "request-only" status.
You can bring up theories about payoffs and incentives all you can but remember this is business. Bottom line is the BDA played the game better than the HD DVD group. The BluRay side just made the right moves at the right time and HD DVD was simply outplayed.
Yesterday was a really bad day for HD DVD and their weak response to the events compounds their problem:
http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9869591..._______________
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 12. February 2008 @ 13:37
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gnovak1
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12. February 2008 @ 13:37 |
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That does it !! I'm buying blue Ray. I no longer need to decide.
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RIPHDDVD
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12. February 2008 @ 13:40 |
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Paging Dr. Kevorkian. You're wanted now.
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12. February 2008 @ 13:54 |
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Its all comes down to marketing & BDA did a better job.Toshiba sat on there hands for months & didn't do anything to off set any motivation BDA start having in January 07.If you go into BB & CC your would see at lease 3 LCD hooked up to BD players.HD-DVD player would be in the back hooked up to one TV.WHY ? because BDA knew they had to market there product aggressively & they did.Blockbuster's stores are getting Sony - 46" 1080p Flat-Panel LCD HDTV with a PS3 hooked up as a BD player on display for the next few months my BB just got there display last week.Yet another aggressive move for BDA but you don't see Toshiba doing this they are hoping that price point win sells but don't want to do any aggressive marketing.
Its all Toshiba fault they loss this format war they had a very strong lead in 06 but they forgot that if you have a low price point you still got to market your product.
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 12. February 2008 @ 13:55
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aznsai
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12. February 2008 @ 14:03 |
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Proud owner of Ps3 !!! Blu-ray All the Way!!
HD-Players are flooding Fleabay.....
I can see Universal, Paramount, DreamWorks Animation JUMPING SHIP SOON....
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sciascia
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12. February 2008 @ 14:22 |
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Quote:
The consumer neeeds a store telling them how to spend their money and on what products now eh?
Not quite what anyone sane would call 'freedom of choice' and 'free & fair competition', is it?
Welcome to sales. Their objective is to sale their store's goods, so obviously they'd be attempting to persuade you to buy whichever product they benifit most from. The real question is, why did they pick Blu-Ray? I'd like to say because they want to end all confusion for the good of the consumer but I wouldn't be supprised if there was some underhandedness going on here.
Also, most people go into a store like Best Buy in search of something specific. I mean, who goes into Best Buy and browses? Even more so, who is stupid enough to get the store's opinion on a potential purchase? Give people some credit.
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Senior Member
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12. February 2008 @ 14:38 |
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Quote:
Since when did Best Buy not favour Blu-ray anyways?
True, as mentioned in previous articles Best (or really Worst in my opinion, I have always hated Best Buy) Buy has always put Blu-Ray out for display without any (or very small) notice to HD DVD. Heck, I went searching for HD DVD movies at BB the other day and at both best buy's in my area they had a nice big tag showing where Blu movies were and even though HD DVD's were right next to the Blu-Ray there wasn't anyway to notice unless you walked down the isle.
I have seen a few pages in the ads dedicated to HD DVD but its only for the few BOGOs and sales on the players. Blu-Ray has had the front cover several times if I remember right, with no notice on the front for HD.
I wonder if Sony had a hand in this or if it was just employee bias? I would bet my money on both.
Peace
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varnull
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12. February 2008 @ 14:58 |
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DRM-Buy.. another reason not to buy their low cost poor quality crap.
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goodswipe
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12. February 2008 @ 15:09 |
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LOL @ that varnull, so true. Also I agree with Pop, Best Buy needs to change their name to Worst Buy. Only time you will find anything at a "best buy" is if you are purchasing something that comes bundled with some free stuff, otherwise that place is way over priced.
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eatsushi
Senior Member
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12. February 2008 @ 15:28 |
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It's sad to see people trashing Best Buy like this.
They're just the number one electronics retailer in the US and I would venture to say the number one contributor to HD DVD's numbers in both Neilsen software and NPD hardware data.
I bought 2 HD DVD players from Best Buy (at very good prices) not to mention several HD DVD discs which were on BOGO or B2G1. Next to amazon Best Buy has run the most special offers for HD DVD movies. So much so that the average price I've had to pay for an HD DVD disc there is a measly $15.
One of the senior members here on AD (diabolos) works at Best Buy and I'd like to hear his take on this. BTW - he's a staunch supporter of HD DVD.
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 12. February 2008 @ 15:29
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hughjars
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12. February 2008 @ 15:30 |
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Originally posted by goodswipe:
Only time you will find anything at a "best buy" is if you are purchasing something that comes bundled with some free stuff, otherwise that place is way over priced.
- Which is so true of so many B&M stores.
That is also why anyone trying to make huge deals out of retail stats that ignore the enormous & rapidly growing on-line trade - as we have just seen with those leaked NPD numbers - and especially a retail giant like Amazon, are so absurd.
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SProdigy
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12. February 2008 @ 15:52 |
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Having worked at Best Buy in the past Sony OWNS end cap space throughout the store. You will ALWAYS see a top notch Sony HDTV display on an endcap in the home theater section, and this is what their president is reinforcing. The end cap will be all Sony products, including the HDTV< BD player, movies, accessories, etc.
Not to make this a bash post, but Sony also has an endcap in the digital camera section, typically featuring a camcorder and also a setup for PS3, all of which is paid for by Sony for advertisement.
Intel also pays for the same privileged shelf space in the PC section, which showcases Centrino platform laptops, or media center PC platforms, and may be bundled with Gateway, HP, etc.
Before someone questions this, ask someone that works at Best Buy in the merchandise department, why they cannot deviate the floor plan (ie. put other product in a "Sony" endcap) when that space is empty, etc.
Bottom line, Sony used their advertising muscle and the strategy looks to have paid off.
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goodswipe
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12. February 2008 @ 16:07 |
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Quote:
Next to amazon Best Buy has run the most special offers for HD DVD movies.
Errr, I can go into my local Frys electronics and pick up about 80 percent of their HD DVD's at prices anywhere from 15 to 19 dollars. Best Buy, if it's not a BOGO deal, would cost you around 24 dollars for the same movies. Even Frys new releases are 3 to 5 dollars cheaper then Best Buy. They don't carry a large selection of a/v equipment such as toslink or HDMI cables and the ones that they do have are all those absurdly high priced Monster cables. If Best Buy wants to have their customers in "the know", they should start by getting rid of those high priced a/v cables and carry a bigger selection of cheaper cables that will give you the same result. To me, that's not leaving the customer in "the know".
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eatsushi
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12. February 2008 @ 16:16 |
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I don't have Fry's within a hundred mile radius of me - sorry.
Best Buy or CC is still the only viable option for me.
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goodswipe
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12. February 2008 @ 16:22 |
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Have you been into CC lately? I went in there the other night and the HD DVD selection was nowhere to be found. Either it's flying off the shelves or they are phasing it out. Is yours like that?
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djeazyg
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12. February 2008 @ 16:24 |
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Quote:
How arrogant are these people, hmmmmm?
The consumer neeeds a store telling them how to spend their money and on what products now eh?
Not quite what anyone sane would call 'freedom of choice' and 'free & fair competition', is it?
It says "recommend" Blue-ray not "force you to buy" Blue-ray. I figure your intelligent enough to know this but most consumers have no idea how or what to buy when it comes to electronics and need the store to guide them. You, me and all the other posters here with a clue what they are talking about are the minority in all this.
....and how is this any different from what you do here on Afterdawn every day? You try your hardest to shove HD-DVD down everybody's throat with every post you make. Let?s not be a hypocrite and take your loss like a man.
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camaro17
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12. February 2008 @ 16:26 |
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Originally posted by varnull:
DRM-Buy.. another reason not to buy their low cost poor quality crap.
ok if they are so poor quality then why does everyone complain about how hard and expensive it is to make them huh?
Peace
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12. February 2008 @ 16:42 |
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Originally posted by SProdigy:
Having worked at Best Buy in the past Sony OWNS end cap space throughout the store. You will ALWAYS see a top notch Sony HDTV display on an endcap in the home theater section, and this is what their president is reinforcing. The end cap will be all Sony products, including the HDTV< BD player, movies, accessories, etc.
Not to make this a bash post, but Sony also has an endcap in the digital camera section, typically featuring a camcorder and also a setup for PS3, all of which is paid for by Sony for advertisement.
Intel also pays for the same privileged shelf space in the PC section, which showcases Centrino platform laptops, or media center PC platforms, and may be bundled with Gateway, HP, etc.
Before someone questions this, ask someone that works at Best Buy in the merchandise department, why they cannot deviate the floor plan (ie. put other product in a "Sony" endcap) when that space is empty, etc.
Bottom line, Sony used their advertising muscle and the strategy looks to have paid off.
Your right i work at BB part-time for 4 years.Sony does pay for those end cap spaces but Toshiba has the same right its called marketing.
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vinny13
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12. February 2008 @ 17:08 |
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I don't know... Best Buy is over-priced but FutureShop (Canadian, owned by BestBuy) has some pretty good deals here and there... I bough a 1TB EXT HDD for $170 and a Sharp 42D64U TV for $1300 (cheapest I could find,save something like $500 off of the org. price and $900 off of BB's org. price).
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hughjars
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12. February 2008 @ 17:35 |
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Originally posted by djeazyg:
....and how is this any different from what you do here on Afterdawn every day?
- Er, at what stage am I looking to take any amount of money (nevermind large amounts) off of anyone in exchange for the goods I choose to stock and am 'advising' them to buy, hmmmm?
Just a bit of a massive & glaring difference, I'd say.
Originally posted by djeazyg:
You try your hardest to shove HD-DVD down everybody's throat with every post you make.
- No, it's called contibuting to an open & free discussion board with my POV.
No-one forces you to read it or accept it or do anything with it that you don't want to.
Originally posted by djeazyg:
Let?s not be a hypocrite and take your loss like a man.
- Maybe this means something in your own head?
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Junior Member
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12. February 2008 @ 17:55 |
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although it's probably simply because it's better for their bottom line, maybe best buy is accidentally doing the right thing. they leave hd-dvd on the shelf, but let consumers know many in the tech community consider it a dying format. i'm sure that's not how it's working out, but it sounds good in theory.
also with the best buy bashing...they seem to have better deals than circuit city, and i'm 98% certain those two are the only truly national big box electronics retailers. there aren't any other options where i'm at.
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domie
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12. February 2008 @ 18:16 |
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I have to laugh at all the Blu-ray bashers on here bitching about huge incentive deals and massive pay offs to stores and film companies etc to get them to promote their stuff when they have absolutely no evidence to support that claim.
Even if it was true then you should be bashing Toshiba & Universal etc over the head for not doing the same thing and if the reason they didn't is because they don't have the same power/money then stupid fools them for going up against Sony in the first place !
As for denying consumers the freedom of choice etc - consumers have had the freedom of choice for over a year now - and they chose blu ray in every continent - even in the USA but look at Japan/Asia and Europe and HD-DVD barely exists !
From what I can see, far from denying consumers choice - they have been very closely analising consumer choice - the consumer has chosen and they have listened - you can't blame them for not continuing to back a format which is obviously destined to be eliminated from the market place pretty soon for all essential purposes. Why should they stock HD-DVD when the vast majority of their customers are asking for blu ray ?
If they had enough demand for HD-DVD then of course they wouldn't drop it - they are a business after your money - if Netflix and Best Buy have gone or are heading to Blu Ray exclusivity then it's for a damn good reason - their business analists have worked out they can make money that way and that supporting HD-DVD will drag them down.
Remember there is a recession on the horizon, nobody wants to continue this insanity of 2 HD format discs especially when neither one of them is even remotely close to universal popularity over the DVD yet.
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hughjars
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12. February 2008 @ 18:36 |
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Consumers have not chosen Blu-ray over HD DVD across the world.
The PS3 buyers have bought some Blu-ray movies.
There's a big difference.
The sad things about all of this is that we can see from the stunningly poor (and falling) high def movie sales that Blu-ray (assuming it wins this - which is a huge if at this point still) can only ever be a niche product.
Their replication limitations alone mean that they are bound to be a niche product.
HD DVD could escape the niche as it shares replication facilities with SD DVD and Twin discs (and to a lesser degree combo discs) mean the switch to high def can be made with no-one getting hurt or left behind.
Blu-ray can never do that.
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vinny13
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12. February 2008 @ 18:37 |
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Oh ya the freedom of choice thing is kinda retarded... They don't take away the customer's freedom of choice at all... They just help a newcomer arrive at a decision of which player to get.
A local newsgroup interviewed some people that worked in that department at BB and they said that if you didn't want to spend too much then get the HD-DVD as it is cheaper but if you have the extra money then they said that you should probably buy a Blu-Ray player or even a PS3 as it has a much larger selection and is currently winning this war...
I don't find that bias at all.
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 12. February 2008 @ 18:37
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