Excess inventory driving Black Friday Blu-ray sales?

[xtop]

http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/10/28...blu-ray-sales/

Just two weeks ago the Wall Street Journal was telling us that Blu-ray still hadn't arrived, players having an average price way up there at $350 and only 1.7 percent of households owning one. Now the WSJ is telling us to watch out for Black Friday, indicating that retailers have warehouses full of dusty old BD-Live-less players and will be slashing prices to get rid of them. Brick and mortar shops are also said to be cringing at the looming threat of digital distribution, which could be another factor driving low prices this holiday season. The $150 price point, which we've seen predicted elsewhere, is mentioned again, and with units on store shelves around the nation for well under $200 we just might be getting close to mass adoption of the format. Now, if only they could do something about those $30 movies...

sorry ifi reposted, did a search.

lets hope for good movie deals to go with the cheap player prices!

[Bobby Henderson]

Considering the limitations of profile 1.0 players like the Sony BDP-S300 and Samsung BD-P1400, I wouldn't be too surprised to see stores marking them down as low as $99 on Black Friday.

I'm also expecting to see more movie bundle deals. That could happen with some of these "closeout" model BD players. Stores could price them at $150 and bundle in a movie or two as well.

[DC_Street]

with new players at $200 I'm expecting a lot of $100 blu-ray players as well

[Sonny]

I know for a fact that we will see 1.0 100$ BD players next month

[master_8ball]

Couldnt this work out badly for Blu? You will have all these uninformed people buying dated players that wont work with all the titles and uninformed staff selling them saying nothing about the profile.... might piss some folks off....

[DetroitSportsFan]

Originally Posted by master_8ball

Couldnt this work out badly for Blu? You will have all these uninformed people buying dated players that wont work with all the titles and uninformed staff selling them saying nothing about the profile.... might piss some folks off....

There will be some uninformed people who will buy a 1.0 player and will feel "ripped off" because they bought a player that can't play all of the features on their $20+ movies.

Unfortunately, this is pretty much unavoidable.

[Clark Kent]

Originally Posted by master_8ball

Couldnt this work out badly for Blu? You will have all these uninformed people buying dated players that wont work with all the titles and uninformed staff selling them saying nothing about the profile.... might piss some folks off....

As long as the 1.0 players actually play the movie, I do not think most people will care or know the difference. Anyone only willing to lay out $99 for a player can't expect the latest bells and whistles.

[mapledragon]

Originally Posted by master_8ball

Couldnt this work out badly for Blu? You will have all these uninformed people buying dated players that wont work with all the titles and uninformed staff selling them saying nothing about the profile.... might piss some folks off....

Should be a fairly short conversation.

1. Do you have internet router in your home?
2. Do you have an RJ45 connected to the router near your DVD player or TV?

At that point, internet is irrelevant to most americans who watch DVDs. Some day it'll happen, but not this year.

[atomik kinder]

Originally Posted by xtop

http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/10/28...blu-ray-sales/



sorry ifi reposted, did a search.

lets hope for good movie deals to go with the cheap player prices!

Weren't they the ones last year saying that $99 HD DVD players were going to take out Blu-ray and now sub $200 Blu-ray players is just excess stock that stores are trying to get rid of because they are afraid digital distribution is going to take over? Fist of all stores have every reason to push Blu-ray over digital distribution. How much money will they make from DD? Um nothing since they won't be the ones selling the movies. Also, correct me if I am wrong, but isn't most of the stuff that is sold cheap on Black Friday stuff that stores want to get rid of, as in old product that has been discontinued?

[Barbie-Shrimp]

Originally Posted by atomik kinder

Weren't they the ones last year saying that $99 HD DVD players were going to take out Blu-ray and now sub $200 Blu-ray players is just excess stock that stores are trying to get rid of because they are afraid digital distribution is going to take over? Fist of all stores have every reason to push Blu-ray over digital distribution. How much money will they make from DD? Um nothing since they won't be the ones selling the movies. Also, correct me if I am wrong, but isn't most of the stuff that is sold cheap on Black Friday stuff that stores want to get rid of, as in old product that has been discontinued?

yes, yes they were.

[Turnda643]

A $99 BD profile 1.0 player works out great in my opinion. Me personally, I will buy one for my mom. She wants the newest product/format, but necessarily won't take advantage of all that Blu-ray has to offer. So as long as she can see the movie and eventually get some surround sound. She'll be happy as a lark!! I think this will also work for alot of people who want Blu-ray, but also will not get all that they can from it.

But hey, thats just my opinion!!

[kjack]

The push is from the manufacturers to get ready for new players coming out 1Q09.

[jw]

Originally Posted by kjack

The push is from the manufacturers to get ready for new players coming out 1Q09.

Anything new and exciting planned?

[prankster]

Originally Posted by Turnda643

A $99 BD profile 1.0 player works out great in my opinion. Me personally, I will buy one for my mom. She wants the newest product/format, but necessarily won't take advantage of all that Blu-ray has to offer. So as long as she can see the movie and eventually get some surround sound. She'll be happy as a lark!! I think this will also work for alot of people who want Blu-ray, but also will not get all that they can from it.

But hey, thats just my opinion!!

i agree with you. not everyone would want/need to take advantage of all the 'newer' functions. the only drawback would be disc start-up speed for some players.

[dv8pdx]

Originally Posted by Turnda643

A $99 BD profile 1.0 player works out great in my opinion. Me personally, I will buy one for my mom. She wants the newest product/format, but necessarily won't take advantage of all that Blu-ray has to offer. So as long as she can see the movie and eventually get some surround sound. She'll be happy as a lark!! I think this will also work for alot of people who want Blu-ray, but also will not get all that they can from it.

But hey, thats just my opinion!!

Totally agree, this is a perfect DVD replacement for the bedroom and kids rooms that dont need the BD-live etc, but can still play dvd or blu movies, as discussed elsewhere when people wanted a blu-ray of Sleeping Beauty but wanted a dvd copy of the movie so the kids could be able to watch it thier room too, this solves that nicely.

BUT... I do agree, it may frustrate new adopters, that simply don't understand all the details and reasons like we do here. I can hear my dad yelling "What do you mean its outdated... I JUST BOUGHT THE DAMN THING!".
Just because its $99, and shouldn't have all the bells & whistles, many wont understand that. Like someone said, just because I bought a Hyundai, doesn't mean it shouldn't have a radio and a/c. So we'll see... if anything, it will at least get them to taste what blu is all about, and hopefull hook them on the PQ & AQ.

I love Black Friday... a $99 Blu-ray and a $399 37" LCD for the bedroom or kids room... not bad!

[Marquoz]

A 99$ blu-ray would be one for the kid's room. I don't quite want to spend 500$ on a player in there, but $100 would be perfect for a present for him. Heck, it might even give the ex-wife an incentive to buy one so every time I get a new movie I can send it home with him so he can watch it during the week.

[Maxell]

It's possible. Last year Walmart (and Toshiba?) saved thousands of hddvd 2nd generation players (3rd gen took over months before) for Black Friday $99 sale.