Does anyone else feel like preordering or release day purchases are a waste of money?

[Fryman86]

Or is it just this time of year when Amazon is trying to be super competitive? Over the last several months I've made release day purchases/preorders and I know prices are going to go down, but when it's less than a month after the release you feel a little burned. Now, when a good deal comes along like the $5 off on Super 8 making it $14.99 or the $10 off the 3 disc Lady and the Tramp making it $19.99 (and may drop a few more dollars before release) I'm cool with that, but just looking at the top deals bar at the top of the page I see:

Green Lantern
Crazy Stupid Love
Horrible Bosses
Scream 4
Harry Potter DH Pt 2

All for $14.99. During Black Friday week Thor and Captain America could be had for less than that. Now, I didn't buy all of those, but of the three I did buy (Cap, Thor, and Harry Potter) I could have saved $20. I think from now on I'm going to not preorder unless there's a good coupon or a special edition, and just price track until they go down to at least $14.99 or start a movie fund and then just go for one massive haul during black friday week lol.

[timcat4843]

I prefer waiting for blu-ray titles to fall to the $9.99 price point before I buy.

[Atreyu]

I still preorder if it's a favorite title, as those I want right away, but others I will usually wait for. I have also seen on the forums that some members have gone to their Walmarts, K-Marts, Best Buys etc. on release day to find the new title they wanted was not on the shelves, so this way I still get my title by the end of release week(as I opt for the cheapes shipping).

[MEB]

Only if you feel going to the movie at the theater is a waste of money.

$12 x 2 = $24 + $8 (popcorn) + $5 (soda) = $37

So, no, I don't feel paying $14.99-$19.99 for a Blu-ray on release day is a waste of money.

Mark

[P@t_Mtl]

I like pre-ordering certain Criterion and KINO releases. Sometimes when they go up for orders they have a lower price then what is usually the prices for these movies. Plus these movies never go down much in prices except if there is a sale for them which only happen a few times during the year.

[robertc88]

I have a movie pass from Blockbuster (I dumped Netflix) and the nearest store isn't even five minutes away. I've been renting more and more on release date now and then just waiting for the BD price to drop to pull the trigger.

So I got my cake anyway (watching on release day) and I'll eat the lower cost when the price drops down the road which isn't taking very long with lots of BDs now it seems. And I save money!

[djgeneral]

I typically don't mind because when I go to the theater, I only pay either $4.25 (if the movie is before 12pm) or $5 (from 12-6pm). I've never paid more for a movie except for the occasional 3D film (+$2.50 more) or maybe once a year with friends who want to go at night. I also never get pop, candy, or popcorn unless I have free coupons. At my theater, every 5 times you go, you get something free and you can use your card up to twice a day. Also, every 50th swipe, you get 2 free tickets, 2 free popcorns and 2 free pops

So basically, a lot of the movies I see are super cheap so I don't mind paying a bit extra the first day.

My limits are $19.99 for a single disc blu and $22.99 for a combo pack. I would never pay anything more period. Most of the time, I wait for $14.99 for single discs and $19.99 for combo packs though.

The only time I really get mad is when I buy a film and don't watch it and then the price goes down. But with price matching promises, that isn't even a big deal either.

[HD Goofnut]

Yep, pre-ordering is a waste of money 99% of the time.

[Fryman86]

Originally Posted by MEB

Only if you feel going to the movie at the theater is a waste of money.

$12 x 2 = $24 + $8 (popcorn) + $5 (soda) = $37

So, no, I don't feel paying $14.99-$19.99 for a Blu-ray on release day is a waste of money.

Mark

That's a entirely different scenario. Popcorn and Soda are options not requirments, and theatre prices don't go down. It's not as if two weeks after a movie is released they are going to knock the ticket price down. You make a decision about whether or not you want to see a movie in the theatre and experience it that way, or if you can wait and watch it at home. With the Blu Ray issue, the experience is going to be the same. The point I'm trying to make is that lately there has been a trend with big releases from the major studios, where a month or so after release the price is dropping significantly. In the example I gave, I could have saved $20 between three purchases by only waiting one to two months after each release. I think $15 is going to be my new buy point for my most wanted movies and black friday week for the rest.

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

I like pre-ordering certain Criterion and KINO releases. Sometimes when they go up for orders they have a lower price then what is usually the prices for these movies. Plus these movies never go down much in prices except if there is a sale for them which only happen a few times during the year.

I can certainly understand that. Certian things like Criterion releases or Disney classics rarely drop in price unless there is a sale like the one B&N has for Criterion, or a coupon like Disney uses to entice people to get the movies during release week, so those make more sense.

[Todd_Gaines]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

I like pre-ordering certain Criterion and KINO releases. Sometimes when they go up for orders they have a lower price then what is usually the prices for these movies. Plus these movies never go down much in prices except if there is a sale for them which only happen a few times during the year.

I am the same way. If there is a Criterion or Kino I want I always make sure to get the pre-order price from Amazon locked. Still trying to figure out why Kino's Rapt has not dropped price from $31.99.

[Shallow_]

Yes, buying on release is a huge waste!! Oh wait, I do that all the time...

[nelly_platinum]

I buy on release for multiple reasons,mainly because of coupons,example fright night (2011)3D with preordering you got $5 off aswell which brings the current price down to 24.99 thats a steal for both 3D and a disney movie

[Lemmy Lugosi]

I don't think it's a waste of money if you're going to watch it ASAP, or, if there were some sort of limited number of discs released, which might preclude you getting a copy, were you to wait too long (ala Twilight Time).

But, ummm, normally? Yeah, I wait for a lower price.

[22soultaker]

Originally Posted by MEB

Only if you feel going to the movie at the theater is a waste of money.

$12 x 2 = $24 + $8 (popcorn) + $5 (soda) = $37

So, no, I don't feel paying $14.99-$19.99 for a Blu-ray on release day is a waste of money.

Mark

HAHA thats what i do it ends up costing $37 + 19.99 (or whatever) for one movie thats 56.99! That i spent on 1 movie. Its crazy. I feel that i usually get the best deal on release day, to wait for it to be in like a Blockbuster deal or 9.99 deal would take almost a year. If you can wait then good for you also if you wait most times it wont be a combo disc or slip cover.

[avecha]

The odd occasion i will wait but i usually buy everything release day pretty much as soon as the stores open regardless of price.
Or if New Zealand's release dates are behind America or the UK i will pre order it so i get it first.
Money is meant to be spent. You cant take it with you at the end.

[wormraper]

Originally Posted by avecha

The odd occasion i will wait but i usually buy everything release day pretty much as soon as the stores open regardless of price.
Or if New Zealand's release dates are behind America or the UK i will pre order it so i get it first.
Money is meant to be spent. You cant take it with you at the end.

say that again when you're trying to retire

[StoogeFan1118]

I think it all depends on personal preference we all have different opinions on what is considered a reasonable price for a blu. I dont always buy release week especially with catalouge titles. If I really want the movie on release day and I think the price is good I will either pre order or go out and buy it in a store day 1. around this time of year though you have to be careful and patience can be a virtue as prices tend to drop quicker or go on sale faster. So in other words only you can decide of pre ordering or buying day 1 is a waste of your money...

[bladerunner1]

I have been known to buy first day/week, save the receipt, and re-buy the movie again and return that copy with 'old' receipt a few times if the movie drops in price within the window.. of which i have found many places will ignore that window if the movie is still sealed.

[Aquel]

I only pre-order Steelbooks and movies which I really really want and of which I find the price acceptable (which means I only pre-ordered Star Wars for "normal" releases ).

Otherwise it is a bit of a waste IMO, if it isn't a special edition/packaging or a movie which could go OOP quickly (niche titles).

[MrHT]

The only reason why I don't like pre-ordering is because Amazon takes forever to ship it and thus, I receive it over a week after it was released when I could've walked to Best Buy or J&R and got it on release day for the same price.