Theories? Slipcovers on Titles Only Available Via Online Merchants—What’s the Point?

[Filmmaker]

Lately, I’ve noticed more and more titles (the latest being HITCHCOCK: BRITISH INTERNATIONAL PICTURES COLLECTION) that seem to only be available via online merchants (i.e. Best Buy, Target, Walmart and Barnes and Noble don’t carry them in stores) arriving with slipcovers. Since slipcovers were designed to help a title stand out from all the surrounding, competing purchases on the racks at stores, why do you think studios are still bothering with them on anything but the blockbuster titles?

[thecalm_7]

Originally Posted by Filmmaker

Lately, I’ve noticed more and more titles (the latest being HITCHCOCK: BRITISH INTERNATIONAL PICTURES COLLECTION) that seem to only be available via online merchants (i.e. Best Buy, Target, Walmart and Barnes and Noble don’t carry them in stores) arriving with slipcovers. Since slipcovers were designed to help a title stand out from all the surrounding, competing purchases on the racks at stores, why do you think studios are still bothering with them on anything but the blockbuster titles?

Hitchcock British set arrived today with slip under soft shrink wrap from amazon. I know that set will never be present in any of my local shops aside from a potentially used copy at a mom and pops shop.
Barnes and Noble never has slips whenever I go. Certainly not complaining. The last slip I got from there ordered or in store was the b&N exclusive on Cinema Paradiso. Beyond that, the original pressing of Up with the gold foil border. BBC titles never have them when ordered either. Mainstream titles that I know have slips are always bare in store.
Target typically has them in my area in store, Walmart is pretty reliable too and I don’t touch Best Buy. Online for them is hit and miss but I never order from them online unless it’s a great sale. Amazon is my go to mainly because if I complain to the post office about an amazon package missing or damaged, they make a slight effort to track it whereas if BB/WM go missing they yell at me that the label must have been wrong or anything to take blame off them.