Price Drop on X-Files Sets - DVDfile.com forum for DVD, Blu-Ray, and HD-DVD

manigrasso · 05-04-2004, 09:06 PM

So Fox is apparently releasing Season 9 of The X-Files with a MSRP of $99.98. Is this because the last season sucked so bad? Or that there's only 20 episodes? A little from Column A, a little from Columbine perhaps?

The OTHER news is that Fox is also dropping the price of all the other X-Files Season Sets to be $99.98 as well.

Now, maybe I'm a greedy bastard but I don't think it's enough of a drop.

I picked up the first 5 seasons of the X-Files, back when you did pretty good if you could find the sets on sale for 90 or 100 bucks. THe X-Files was amongst the first, if not THE first, series to sell season box-sets. They set the standard for the market, and has shown studios how much money can be made by releasing series on DVD. And I gobbled them up because I enjoyed watching the series (I came to appreciate it late and missed the first half of the series' run), and since there was so little product out when the X-Files was first being released, AND since prices were often higher for DVDs than they are now, getting a season of a series, almost 18 hours of entertainment, for 100 dollars seemed like a bargain, you know?

But since then, other hour-long dramatic series are being released in season box sets at around the 60-80 dollar range, with the major exceptions being the X-Files and Star Trek series. I don't see any incentive to pick up the last 4 years of the series I don't own already own at such a price. The DVD-Rom games are not an incentive. A decent price is.

I'm guessing that fans of the show have already picked up all the seasons, OR all the seasons they ever intended to get, and probably wouldn't buy any more unless it was close to the 60 dollar price range established by other Fox Dramas on DVD. Does anyone else think the price drop as it is, is enough incentive to get people to buy if they already haven't?

MooglePorn · 05-04-2004, 09:07 PM

I already covered this in the bargain bin...

Shoegaze99 · 05-04-2004, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by manigrasso

Does anyone else think the price drop as it is, is enough incentive to get people to buy if they already haven't?

Not for me.

I'm an X-Files fan and would gladly be buying the sets were it not for their absurd pricing. At $100-plus, there is no way I would even consider purchasing one of the sets, much less season after season. Until I can routinely find them in the $50 to $60 range, I will be skipping them altogether or borrowing them from my father (also a fan).

A "drop" to $100 only continues an unreasonably high price, in my opinion, a high price I'd wager Fox assumes they can charge because of the rabidly loyal following X-Files has. At twice the price there are those who would pay.

I'm not one of them.

MooglePorn · 05-04-2004, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shoegaze99

A "drop" to $100 only continues an unreasonably high price, in my opinion, a high price I'd wager Fox assumes they can charge because of the rabidly loyal following X-Files has. At twice the price there are those who would pay.

I'm not one of them.

It's a drop to $100 MSRP, which means you'll find them for $60 - $70 most places...

decorm · 05-04-2004, 10:13 PM

If season sets cost $50 or less, I would own all of the X-Files, DS9, TNG, B5, Farscape, and probably many others. Since they don't I only own the first 3 DS9 sets and nothing from any of these other series. I really hope the prices for season sets become more reasonable in the near future. The Alias sets were about $50 each and I had no problem picking those up.

Frank Gunn · 05-04-2004, 10:21 PM

I wouldn't pay more than $50 for a season of anything.

Notoriousaurus · 05-04-2004, 10:34 PM

I think this price drop is a conspiracy to draw attention away from the top secret alien info that A_Band_Apart exposed.

drudo-182 · 05-05-2004, 03:36 AM

Ill probably end of renting then burning. I'm not paying that much for it either. I did find some sets used for like $60. I may have to take it up.

-drew-

Reaver · 05-05-2004, 03:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frank Gunn

I wouldn't pay more than $50 for a season of anything.

Eh, I can go more, though $80 is my absolute limit. If I could find the X-Files sets for anywhere between $50 - $80, then I buy 'em. Otherwise, not interested. And the same for Star Trek TNG.

MooglePorn · 05-05-2004, 04:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drudo-182

Ill probably end of renting then burning. I'm not paying that much for it either. I did find some sets used for like $60. I may have to take it up-

Not to start a debate, but I love how people seem to have no qualms about admiting theft...

Reaver · 05-05-2004, 05:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MooglePorn

Not to start a debate, but I love how people seem to have no qualms about admiting theft...

I know... It's fucking pathetic, and the more I see people talk about it so casually, the more sympathy I have toward the RIAA and the MPAA. For some people, it ain't no thang to blatantly just STEAL.

MooglePorn · 05-05-2004, 05:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reaver

I know... It's fucking pathetic, and the more I see people talk about it so casually, the more sympathy I have toward the RIAA and the MPAA. For some people, it ain't no thang to blatantly just STEAL.

And this is coming from two people who constantly complain about the price of these sets... still, stealing isn't the answer...

Mikado · 05-05-2004, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MooglePorn

It's a drop to $100 MSRP, which means you'll find them for $60 - $70 most places...

Thank you! I thought no one else was going to recognize that. The MSRP is what, $124.99 right now? And you can find those for $99 at places.

Also the X-Files sets are loaded and very well made. A lot better made then a lot of sets out there, with tons of extras especially in the early seasons.

I just checked on Amazon.com and X-Files sets are selling for $69.99!

Brikar99 · 05-05-2004, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MooglePorn

Not to start a debate, but I love how people seem to have no qualms about admiting theft...

To be fair, he/she did say they were going to pay the rental fee...

No, I don't think this is enough of a drop. But used sets are about the price I would want to pay for them. I don't mind getting things used, because they're generally only sold if they're still in working condition and often are guaranteed if they're not.

invincyble · 05-05-2004, 05:33 PM

dvdsoon.com is selling them for 63.31 each, no shipping charges either, looks like i will finally buy season 3 and 5.
I have had 1,2, and 4 for years now..........

Reaver · 05-05-2004, 07:17 PM

deepdiscountdvd.com has them for $73.19 each, free shipping. And, Amazon has them for $69.99, free shipping there too. Crap... now I have no excuses...

theta · 05-05-2004, 07:32 PM

I'm glad they're dropping the MSRP, but frankly, it ain't low enough for me to buy it. It's going to have to hit $70 MSRP before I'll think about picking it up.

Honestly, I can get Buffy and Angel and 24 and just about every other series Fox produces for, at most, $45. This whole X-Files pricing scheme was just to rip off the fans; I've heard from friends that the sets did not sell as well as Fox had ultimately hoped. They were thinking once they got a few seasons out there people would cave; no dice.

MooglePorn · 05-05-2004, 07:52 PM

Let us not forget that The X-Files was one of, if not the, first complete season sets ever released on DVD. It was Buffy and the rest that came along LATER and UNDERCUT them, not Fox starting off at double the price for shits and giggles. I think finally now that people can get most sets for $40 Fox finally has to change the pricing, and should have a while ago.

Mikado · 05-06-2004, 04:20 PM

yes Moogle you're right. And also the X-files sets are made of better quality packaging than 24 etc....

scottfs · 05-06-2004, 05:30 PM

This whole X-Files pricing scheme was just to rip off the fans ...

Nobody was ripping off anybody. It's a marketplace, and the way the marketplace works is that you can ask for any price you want to ask. If the consumer wants to pay that price, everybody's happy. If the consumer doesn't want to pay it, he/she doesn't have to. So who's getting ripped off?

You get ripped off when you agree to pay a price for a product and the product isn't what it was advertised to be.

theta · 05-06-2004, 05:46 PM

There's a difference between charging a fair price and tacking more than $40 (yeah, that much) onto the cost of the sets for no other reason than you can and you think the fans will shell out for it. Fox was greedy, that simple. That's not the way to treat loyal customers, as Paramount is discovering the hard way.

Morticia · 05-06-2004, 06:14 PM

But still -- nobody *forced* the fans to buy them at that high price.

Either the fans thought they were worth that much money, or they didn't, and therefore did not buy the sets at the high price.

I'm a fan, yet I didn't want to pay that much money for a season. I voted with my money, and it's paid off. Now I can get the season sets for a more reasonable price. Or wait for another price drop. My choice, not theirs.

Mikado · 05-06-2004, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theta

There's a difference between charging a fair price and tacking more than $40 (yeah, that much) onto the cost of the sets for no other reason than you can and you think the fans will shell out for it. Fox was greedy, that simple. That's not the way to treat loyal customers, as Paramount is discovering the hard way.

Exactly Scottfs! I'm a huge X-Files fan and was happy to pay the $ to get the seasons on dvd. In fact most of them were Christmas presents. They didn't just tack on $40 to the sets. They were the first show to have the seasons on dvd. And their sets are packed with special features. Truth behind each season and cast interviews extras, and a computer game on each one. When they first started these, having to pay all the actors for interviews probably jacked the price up. That and the fact that the Dvd tv market hadn't taken off to where they thought they were gonna sell enough to recoup the $ for the appearance fees on extras etc...

MooglePorn · 05-07-2004, 02:39 AM

No one knew what to charge for a complete season when X-Files started... it wasn't done before (or at least not on something high profile). If you think about it, you're getting 20 hours of entertainment, which is quite a lot. Fox went for the $100 mark, and in the end that was a little too high... now that the "standard" is around $50, they are lowering the price.

I don't think Fox is ANYWHERE near the wrong on this one. If you want to yell at someone, yell at Paramount, who launched their Next Gen seasons after prices started dropping but kept the $100 tag, and continues to charge that much today (for sets like Voyager 1 that have crappy packaging and only 15 episodes!!).

Reaver · 05-07-2004, 03:39 AM

Moogle, you and I are like THIS.

* crosses middle and index fingers to symbolize complete unity of thought *

Mikado · 05-07-2004, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reaver

Moogle, you and I are like THIS.

* crosses middle and index fingers to symbolize complete unity of thought *

Is there room for another finger in there? haha

theta · 05-07-2004, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MooglePorn

No one knew what to charge for a complete season when X-Files started... it wasn't done before (or at least not on something high profile). If you think about it, you're getting 20 hours of entertainment, which is quite a lot. Fox went for the $100 mark, and in the end that was a little too high... now that the "standard" is around $50, they are lowering the price.

I don't think Fox is ANYWHERE near the wrong on this one. If you want to yell at someone, yell at Paramount, who launched their Next Gen seasons after prices started dropping but kept the $100 tag, and continues to charge that much today (for sets like Voyager 1 that have crappy packaging and only 15 episodes!!).

Debate Lesson #3: Using your opponent's logic against him.

By your logic, Fox IS wrong on this one because they maintained the extremely high price well after prices sank like rocks. Let's not forget there have been nine of these seasons and only NOW are they at $100. In other words, Fox and Paramount acted in exactly the same way on their crown jewel shows, therefore, I can criticize them all I please.

I'm not actually that pissed about Fox's X-Files pricing policy. As I've noted already, instant karma got them in the end; the sets just aren't selling as well as Fox Home Entertainment expected. According to my friend the intern, it's been clobbered by "Buffy", "Family Guy" (especially "Family Guy", that set breaking 1 million in sales shocked everybody there), and "Futurama" and it's barely selling better than "Angel", which has half the number of sets out. Ouch.

Not nearly as funny as what's going on over at Paramount: apparently they think the reason those sets aren't selling as much as Fox's is because of the packaging.

It's just fun to argue and poke Moogle with a stick.

MooglePorn · 05-07-2004, 06:38 PM

Point is, (because I love grabbing sticks and retaliating with them), in your earlier posts you acted as if evil Fox studio execs sat in their offices running their hands together malicously saying "we will charge twice as much for X-Files sets, and people will pay, and our wallets will be FAT!! BWAHH HAH HAH!!!!" I, on the other hand, think they were just severly undercut by other sets and have just taken a bit too long to adjust to the new market standard. Should they have been cheaper since Season 5 or so? Probably... but that's a much lower sin than what you were upset about at first... In the end year and a half is not an entirely long time, especially with DVD set to last a while. Fox did the right thing in the end... now lets hope those greeedy fuckers at Paramount follow suit...

And FYI, though I don't know if it's the reason they're selling poorly, which I'm sure price has a large factor in, Paramounts ST sets are packaged like ass...

05-04-2004, 09:06 PM	#1 (permalink)
manigrasso Forum Sage Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: NJ	Price Drop on X-Files Sets So Fox is apparently releasing Season 9 of The X-Files with a MSRP of $99.98. Is this because the last season sucked so bad? Or that there's only 20 episodes? A little from Column A, a little from Columbine perhaps? The OTHER news is that Fox is also dropping the price of all the other X-Files Season Sets to be $99.98 as well. Now, maybe I'm a greedy bastard but I don't think it's enough of a drop. I picked up the first 5 seasons of the X-Files, back when you did pretty good if you could find the sets on sale for 90 or 100 bucks. THe X-Files was amongst the first, if not THE first, series to sell season box-sets. They set the standard for the market, and has shown studios how much money can be made by releasing series on DVD. And I gobbled them up because I enjoyed watching the series (I came to appreciate it late and missed the first half of the series' run), and since there was so little product out when the X-Files was first being released, AND since prices were often higher for DVDs than they are now, getting a season of a series, almost 18 hours of entertainment, for 100 dollars seemed like a bargain, you know? But since then, other hour-long dramatic series are being released in season box sets at around the 60-80 dollar range, with the major exceptions being the X-Files and Star Trek series. I don't see any incentive to pick up the last 4 years of the series I don't own already own at such a price. The DVD-Rom games are not an incentive. A decent price is. I'm guessing that fans of the show have already picked up all the seasons, OR all the seasons they ever intended to get, and probably wouldn't buy any more unless it was close to the 60 dollar price range established by other Fox Dramas on DVD. Does anyone else think the price drop as it is, is enough incentive to get people to buy if they already haven't? __________________ manigrasso I used to have a little cropped mustache and wear brown shirts with swastika armbands. Then I read about this guy named "Hitler." Man, was my face red! No wonder why Inga was the only girl who'd go to Prom with me!

05-04-2004, 10:34 PM	#7 (permalink)
Notoriousaurus Rezident Non-Black MetroSexual Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mesa, AZ	I think this price drop is a conspiracy to draw attention away from the top secret alien info that A_Band_Apart exposed. __________________ DVDFile Mascot \| A Metrosexual DVD Collection! \| STAY IN SCHOOL KIDS! "I sure hope she doesn't have a penis because that would just ruin it for me." - Damian

05-05-2004, 03:36 AM	#8 (permalink)
drudo-182 Actor Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Lee's Summit, MO	Ill probably end of renting then burning. I'm not paying that much for it either. I did find some sets used for like $60. I may have to take it up. -drew- __________________ http://www.reviewstew.com http://www.shyamalan.cjb.net August evenings bring solemn warnings to remember to kiss the ones you love goodnight.

05-05-2004, 05:33 PM	#15 (permalink)
invincyble Actor Join Date: Feb 2002	dvdsoon.com is selling them for 63.31 each, no shipping charges either, looks like i will finally buy season 3 and 5. I have had 1,2, and 4 for years now.......... __________________ until the time next . . .

05-05-2004, 07:17 PM	#16 (permalink)
Reaver Metrosexual in Training Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Beyond the outer rim...	deepdiscountdvd.com has them for $73.19 each, free shipping. And, Amazon has them for $69.99, free shipping there too. Crap... now I have no excuses... __________________ My personal website (get updates on my novel) The Dead Robots' Society (a podcast I co-host with other writers on writing)

05-04-2004, 09:07 PM	#2 (permalink)
MooglePorn Actor Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Philadelphia, PA	I already covered this in the bargain bin...

05-04-2004, 10:13 PM	#5 (permalink)
decorm Actor Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Hudson, NH	If season sets cost $50 or less, I would own all of the X-Files, DS9, TNG, B5, Farscape, and probably many others. Since they don't I only own the first 3 DS9 sets and nothing from any of these other series. I really hope the prices for season sets become more reasonable in the near future. The Alias sets were about $50 each and I had no problem picking those up.

05-04-2004, 10:21 PM	#6 (permalink)
Frank Gunn Actor Join Date: Oct 2002	I wouldn't pay more than $50 for a season of anything.

05-05-2004, 07:32 PM	#17 (permalink)
theta Cheap Cerebral Paralysis Join Date: May 2002 Location: In aintnosin's basement	I'm glad they're dropping the MSRP, but frankly, it ain't low enough for me to buy it. It's going to have to hit $70 MSRP before I'll think about picking it up. Honestly, I can get Buffy and Angel and 24 and just about every other series Fox produces for, at most, $45. This whole X-Files pricing scheme was just to rip off the fans; I've heard from friends that the sets did not sell as well as Fox had ultimately hoped. They were thinking once they got a few seasons out there people would cave; no dice. __________________ "I need bling, I tell you, BLING!!!" --Palmerlime Theta's discs, 300 mark crossed, 400 here we come!

05-05-2004, 07:52 PM	#18 (permalink)
MooglePorn Actor Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Philadelphia, PA	Let us not forget that The X-Files was one of, if not the, first complete season sets ever released on DVD. It was Buffy and the rest that came along LATER and UNDERCUT them, not Fox starting off at double the price for shits and giggles. I think finally now that people can get most sets for $40 Fox finally has to change the pricing, and should have a while ago.

05-06-2004, 04:20 PM	#19 (permalink)
Mikado Actor Join Date: Jan 2004	yes Moogle you're right. And also the X-files sets are made of better quality packaging than 24 etc....

05-06-2004, 05:30 PM	#20 (permalink)
scottfs Actor Join Date: Mar 2004	This whole X-Files pricing scheme was just to rip off the fans ... Nobody was ripping off anybody. It's a marketplace, and the way the marketplace works is that you can ask for any price you want to ask. If the consumer wants to pay that price, everybody's happy. If the consumer doesn't want to pay it, he/she doesn't have to. So who's getting ripped off? You get ripped off when you agree to pay a price for a product and the product isn't what it was advertised to be.

05-06-2004, 05:46 PM	#21 (permalink)
theta Cheap Cerebral Paralysis Join Date: May 2002 Location: In aintnosin's basement	There's a difference between charging a fair price and tacking more than $40 (yeah, that much) onto the cost of the sets for no other reason than you can and you think the fans will shell out for it. Fox was greedy, that simple. That's not the way to treat loyal customers, as Paramount is discovering the hard way. __________________ "I need bling, I tell you, BLING!!!" --Palmerlime Theta's discs, 300 mark crossed, 400 here we come!

05-06-2004, 06:14 PM	#22 (permalink)
Morticia Administrator Emeritus Film Class Goddess Part-Time PRN Princess Panty Thief Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Devil's Point. Burn baby burn!	But still -- nobody forced the fans to buy them at that high price. Either the fans thought they were worth that much money, or they didn't, and therefore did not buy the sets at the high price. I'm a fan, yet I didn't want to pay that much money for a season. I voted with my money, and it's paid off. Now I can get the season sets for a more reasonable price. Or wait for another price drop. My choice, not theirs. __________________ Nope, you really haven't lived until you've fed a naked Fire Dancer a S'more...cooked from her own flaming baton. I reject your reality and substitute my own! "Freeze dried moles. Price as marked." -- Nixon, Suicide Girl

05-07-2004, 02:39 AM	#24 (permalink)
MooglePorn Actor Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Philadelphia, PA	No one knew what to charge for a complete season when X-Files started... it wasn't done before (or at least not on something high profile). If you think about it, you're getting 20 hours of entertainment, which is quite a lot. Fox went for the $100 mark, and in the end that was a little too high... now that the "standard" is around $50, they are lowering the price. I don't think Fox is ANYWHERE near the wrong on this one. If you want to yell at someone, yell at Paramount, who launched their Next Gen seasons after prices started dropping but kept the $100 tag, and continues to charge that much today (for sets like Voyager 1 that have crappy packaging and only 15 episodes!!).

05-07-2004, 03:39 AM	#25 (permalink)
Reaver Metrosexual in Training Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Beyond the outer rim...	Moogle, you and I are like THIS. * crosses middle and index fingers to symbolize complete unity of thought * __________________ My personal website (get updates on my novel) The Dead Robots' Society (a podcast I co-host with other writers on writing)

05-07-2004, 06:38 PM	#28 (permalink)
MooglePorn Actor Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Philadelphia, PA	Point is, (because I love grabbing sticks and retaliating with them), in your earlier posts you acted as if evil Fox studio execs sat in their offices running their hands together malicously saying "we will charge twice as much for X-Files sets, and people will pay, and our wallets will be FAT!! BWAHH HAH HAH!!!!" I, on the other hand, think they were just severly undercut by other sets and have just taken a bit too long to adjust to the new market standard. Should they have been cheaper since Season 5 or so? Probably... but that's a much lower sin than what you were upset about at first... In the end year and a half is not an entirely long time, especially with DVD set to last a while. Fox did the right thing in the end... now lets hope those greeedy fuckers at Paramount follow suit... And FYI, though I don't know if it's the reason they're selling poorly, which I'm sure price has a large factor in, Paramounts ST sets are packaged like ass...