Blockbuster

[movienut]

Rumor has it that Blockbuster is lobbying Hollywood to raise prices on DVD's when they are initially released to send more people to video store. The way I see it, Blockbuster is the devil and we can't let that little sucker take us for a spin...oh, did I mention I work for Blockbuster? Well, something I'm not proud of, but someone has to be on the inside...

[1138]

Welcome to the forum movienut!

Yeah, we've discussed it in several threads around here and nobody really seems to take BB's side. Dumb bastards...

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1138 - DVD File Forum Greeter
Odo: You'd shoot a man in the back?!
Garak: It's the safest way, isn't it?

[walk]

You mean Rental Pricing?

[Chromy]

Exactly.

[Joe Michaels]

Basically in order to save us from always buying movies, the rental system was born, but in order to buy movies the prices are artificially inflated to force us to rent. Sounds like a deal with the Devil.

[roger thornhill]

Warner's at least isn't likely to do so (at least not for Blockbuster's sake)

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dds #070

[1138]

Yes, thankfully, Warner is fighting the good fight for us in this one.

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1138 - DVD File Forum Greeter
Odo: You'd shoot a man in the back?!
Garak: It's the safest way, isn't it?

[manigrasso]

I don't think a rental chain, no matter how much power they have or percieve themselves to have, should dictate how the studios release their product. But I honestly don't have a problem with rental pricing.

The quantity of titles on DVD has insured that there is a lot of pure unmitigated crap out there, many titles that many people will consider a "rental" only. So the studios will only make a decent profit selling them at a high price to rental outlets. 'Fess up: How many of you bought Super Dave: The Movie? How many will buy the next Corey Haim opus?

Then a few months later, they'll reduce the price and hope that between the people who saw it in the theater, people that rented it, and the curious, they can move some decent units.

But, like VHS, when there's a title that the studios know will sell in high units, they'll strike while iron is hot, and release them at a sell-through price.

This reminds me of a different thread, where people talked about the thrill they get from getting a DVD before the release date. I know I'm in a minority, but that kind of stuff really smokes my turkey. It just makes people sound so damn impatient-gotta have it and gotta have it now, sooner than now.

If rental pricing comes to be (and I really think it will, has to), I think it would be excellent PR for studios to offer an extra discount for people who rented the title, once the title is released sell-through. But the big titles will still be sell-through from Day One, and the less-popular titles will still be available eventually.

But Blockbuster shouldn't force the studios to make that decision, and they shouldn't get a price break and drive smaller stores out of business.

[saraswati]

honestly, i hope they don't go through with rental pricing for the little guy video stores more than us dvd owners. i rent dvd's all the time, and rarely from blockbuster. because of rental pricing, there is a better selection of discs, and usually at a low price, generally a dollar or so per day. and Hollywood Video (Blockbuster's main competitor) has 5-day rentals on all DVD's, for only about $3.50, meaning you have plenty of time to check out all the extras (honestly, who listens to the commentary back to back with the film?).

also, the lack of rental pricing helps lagging stores stay in business. i grew up in a small town, where DVD was unheard of until about 2 years ago. the store that started it all was a little place that started stocking dvd's to keep up with blockbuster and hollywood, which barely had any dvd selection at the time. i worked at that store when they started stocking dvd's, and business soared due to the new cool technology. the lack of rental pricing on dvd's is the only thing keeping that video store in business.

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"Warriors! Come out and plaaaaayyyy!"

[Damian]

I'm not certain if Blockbuster has opened one of these yet, but Hollywood now has a Hollywood DVD store in my area (Walnut Creek, California)
All DVD's, nothing but DVD's and still more DVD's. Had some decent pricing on their previously viewed DVD's. (Around $12.00)
I think I might have just found my new favorite DVD store.


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"They're us....we're them!"
-Damian

[fitprod]

Damian,

FYI, it is the last "Hollywood DVD" store that will be opened as well.

Due to the recent finacial FUBAR that has occured withing the company, there will only be conversions and closures this year.

Fitprod

[fitprod]

Since I also happen to live in that general area, I'll lay odds at 2 to 1 that the store is losing truckloads of money. It never seems that busy, outside of the weekends. They have a tons of stuff that wouldn't rent if people were paid.

It was probably stocked with discs left over from the Reel.com implosion. What else can explain 20 copies of ED-TV in DTS.

Fitprod

[hdtv00]

I call BB rental nazi's.I refuse to rent from them period!