Best Buy to Offer Blu-ray Gift Card

[PaulGo]

Best Buy to Offer Blu-ray Gift Card

In another attempt to strike a decisive blow against HD DVD, Blu-ray has come together with Best Buy on a promotion to provide gift cards to those purchasing Blu-ray Disc movies.

According to the technology Web site Punchjump.com, the retail chain will offer $10 gift cards to the store with the purchase of two Blu-ray Discs, and $25 gift cards for those purchasing three. The offer covers all movies on Blu-ray, including Spider-Man 3, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End and Ratatouille.

http://www.dealerscope.com/story/sto...9355&var=story

[PaulGo]

I think this is the first step in Best Buy going Blu.

[reiella]

Bah I say, I don't think I'll be purchasing multiple discs for a while now .

[sudbury78]

I wonder when it goes into effect since I was going in there today to buy me a ps3 40GB and the Rock

[atomik kinder]

Originally Posted by sudbury78

I wonder when it goes into effect since I was going in there today to buy me a ps3 40GB and the Rock

It is going on now. I think there is a scan of the ad in the hot deals section of the forum.

[sudbury78]

dont see it anywhere. do you have a link

[atomik kinder]

Originally Posted by sudbury78

dont see it anywhere. do you have a link

Just scroll down after clicking this LINK.

[whoelse]

Definelty shows who they favor!

[BoomerKS]

This doesn't mean anything really. This is similar to the but 3 get 2 free HDDVD had a couple weeks ago. Now, if this would involve all blu-ray titles, it would be sweet. Unfortunately, all the titles in the ad are ones I already own.

[PaulGo]

From the latest Digital Bits Rumer Mill column!

1/21/08

Things are not looking good for HD-DVD, folks. Based on the reports we're getting from sources at the studios and in the retail industry, this format war is all but over. Frankly, we'd be surprised if HD-DVD still a viable commercial home video format much past the end of the year.

Word is that Best Buy has already decided not only to heavily favor Blu-ray in their stores, but they're actually planning the phase out of HD-DVD by the end of the 2nd quarter of 2008, so they can focus entirely on selling Blu-ray to their customers in the 2008 holiday season with a clear message. These sales you're seeing on HD-DVD hardware are - from the retailer's perspective - about clearing them off the shelves. Don't look for them to restocked. The exact timing of this will depend on sales, and HD-DVD software may be stocked for a while longer to service those customers who have already purchased players. But despite the retailer's public statements, which help Toshiba save face, privately they know which way the wind is blowing.

So too do Universal and Paramount. Paramount is expected to announce a return to Blu-ray Disc by mid-year, if not sooner. They reportedly want to give Toshiba some time to sell out current inventory, and to make their own preparations. Paramount at least has done all the ramp-up work needed to release on Blu-ray, as they've already done so as recently as last year.

Universal's position is a little more perilous, on the other hand, as they're more than two years behind all the other major studios in terms of Blu-ray development. Word is their HD-DVD video encodes can't simply be ported over to Blu-ray, as most of them "aren't good enough." So the digital film masters all have to be re-encoded, which is a lot of work. Sources are telling us that one of the things Universal is hoping to negotiate with the BDA is help doing just that. Nevertheless, expect Universal to have at least announced a decision to support Blu-ray going forward by the end of the year, if not sooner.

As for Toshiba's statements that they haven't yet lost the format war, again this is all about saving face. Yes, Toshiba hasn't officially waved the white flag... but it seems as if the rest of the industry is waving it for them. So while the fat lady may not quite be singing yet, let's put it this way: She's already standing out there on stage, all gussied up nice, with the band warming up, the spotlights lit and the curtains about to rise.

Frankly, Toshiba is going to have to create their own branded Blu-ray Disc player/recorder for the Japanese market or risk being left completely in the dust in its home territory, which is now 90% dominated by Blu-ray (and recorders are the preferred device in that market). So Toshiba's smartest move, at least in our opinion, would not only be to quickly embrace Blu-ray... but to move fast to create the best and most affordable Blu-ray/HD-DVD Combo player to sell here in the States. Right now, the available Combo players tend to be buggy and cost over $700. If Toshiba were to make a truly reliable one available for less than $500 in time for the holidays... they MIGHT actually move some units to early adopters and enthusiasts that have already purchased a lot of HD-DVD titles, but who will be looking to get into Blu-ray later this year. Guess we'll see.

http://www.thedigitalbits.com/rumormill.html#012108

[Arr MiHardies]

Originally Posted by PaulGo

Best Buy to Offer Blu-ray Gift Card

In another attempt to strike a decisive blow against HD DVD, Blu-ray has come together with Best Buy on a promotion to provide gift cards to those purchasing Blu-ray Disc movies.

According to the technology Web site Punchjump.com, the retail chain will offer $10 gift cards to the store with the purchase of two Blu-ray Discs, and $25 gift cards for those purchasing three. The offer covers all movies on Blu-ray, including Spider-Man 3, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End and Ratatouille.

http://www.dealerscope.com/story/sto...9355&var=story

I have gotten about 3 "buy 3 blu-ray movies, get 20$ off" coupons through their rewards program in the past month. Of course they wouldnt let me use it on the Resident Evil box set. (three movies in the set, and the coupon says nothing about needing multiple items) Of course, I -know- what the coupon means, but I also know it says nothing about needing multiple items. One could even argue the same about the Blade runner set, since there are technically 5 in that.

[Metalthrasher442]

Originally Posted by reiella

Bah I say, I don't think I'll be purchasing multiple discs for a while now .

Me too, but hopefully when better ones start coming out..these things will come in handy.

Only problem is I don't have a Best Buy close to me

[bigkurz]

Even with those giftcards, its still not worth paying the premium of in-store purchasing.

Amazon only for me.