What is the point of offering a BD for pre-order if there are no incentives?

[Member-38928]

I was just thinking about a few upcoming blu-rays and I swung by Amazon to see what they were priced at... #1 was Gladiator $27.99 , not an impressive price at all. Even if it was something like $23.99 id feel better about pre-ordering it.


Does anybody do better on pre-orders?

[geneboi]

Amazon is well known to lower the list price by 1-2bucks closer to release date....

Most people pre-order to build on the hype and anticipation. My opinion that is...

[geneboi]

and i think your topic is on the wrong section.

Nth related to hot deals at all...

[DreamReamer]

I think people have more money that brains. wait a couple weeks and there are price drops.

riddick preorder was 24.00 frys just had it on sale for 10.00 month or so after release.

[Moefiz]

Originally Posted by bentvalve

I was just thinking about a few upcoming blu-rays and I swung by Amazon to see what they were priced at... #1 was Gladiator $27.99 , not an impressive price at all. Even if it was something like $23.99 id feel better about pre-ordering it.


Does anybody do better on pre-orders?

Nope....with pre-orders you might fine it cheaper at some place but not by much the only place that I do any pre-orders from is Amazon, you can cancel at anytime before the order is shipped.

[Blu-Runner]

I've always thought pre-ordering was just a reservation of sorts, and not necessary at all. I can remember going into Electronics Boutique or Software, Etc. as a wee lad (now collectively formed into GameStop), and the clerks were always like "If you don't pre-order Orcarina of Time or Chrono Cross, you won't find it on release day". B.S. I just walked down to Wal-Mart and picked up one of many copies on the shelves.

[3p1ph3ny]

It's all about marketing 101. Pre-orders is the "skimming" phase where people who want it badly will pay the price they dictate and when all those people have bought it at that price point and no one else is buying they'll start dropping the price to drive sales.

[MikeekiM]

I've never preordered...until recently...

I ended up picking up on the Lost Season 5 pre-order for December... I figure I'll monitor the situation and can always cancel before December comes around... But with the price match guarantee, I am sort of hoping for a limited time short-term dip in the price that I wouldn't catch otherwise, and then have my price automatically reflect the lower price...

And the pre-order isn't close to retail... Even at $49.99, it's no steal...but it's no rip-off either...

[Blu-Benny]

i've only pre-ordered when there was a sale (x-men trilogy for $48) or something like that.

i missed out on the lord of the rings sale on wbshop.com and was pretty upset about it.

otherwise if nothing sparks my interest, for a buck or 2 i'll go to my local best buy and grab it day 1 if it's a title i really want.

[s2mikey]

Originally Posted by 3p1ph3ny

It's all about marketing 101. Pre-orders is the "skimming" phase where people who want it badly will pay the price they dictate and when all those people have bought it at that price point and no one else is buying they'll start dropping the price to drive sales.

Probably true sometimes. But, I did get Dark Knight on release day for a tad over $20 bucks locally and its still selling for roughly that. If Gladiator stays at $27, I might pull my pre-order. But, I suspect it will drop a bit and anything under $25 is a green-light for buying my favorite titles to have them early.

[richieb1971]

I pre-order at the time its listed so that I don't have to worry about forgetting when a title comes out. It just arrives in my mailbox. I am more concerned about getting steelbooks though since they are sometimes in ltd numbers.

You almost always get a discount for ordering more than 1 item. Using amazon, I have found it takes months for a store to come down to Amazon's price at retail. Like the other guy said, I don't use gas, i don't wait in queues/lines, I don't make unnecessary trips when some stupid store doesn't have it in yet or got 2 copies and sold out. It all adds up to a great service.

Of course if your not bothered if you get it on day 1 or day 300, then of course pre-ordering is a waste of time. After 300 days its likely at a price you'll pay and alot less than I would have paid on day 1. Simply economics states that.

[supersix4]

Originally Posted by Blu-Runner

I've always thought pre-ordering was just a reservation of sorts, and not necessary at all. I can remember going into Electronics Boutique or Software, Etc. as a wee lad (now collectively formed into GameStop), and the clerks were always like "If you don't pre-order Orcarina of Time or Chrono Cross, you won't find it on release day". B.S. I just walked down to Wal-Mart and picked up one of many copies on the shelves.

actually I've had that happen a couple times with games where I had to wait a few days extra to get it.

+ now with the exclusive content games are getting for pre-ordering extra gun color for gow2, demo early for kz2, some secret house in assassins creed 2 exc. I've got over 60 locked up in pre-orders.

As for movies I pre-ordered entourage season 5 and I was able to get it the first street date I guess bc amazon had it ready to go so I've been pre-ordering more stuff from them.

[DetroitSportsFan]

The only time I preorder is if a website has a really low price, and there's a chance it might go up before release day.

[BlueMilkAndCheese]

I never preorder.

[AlaskaDon]

If I'm browsing Amazon and see a title up for pre-order that I know for sure I want, then I usually go ahead and pre-order it. It's more of a convenience thing for me as I don't have to remember to do it later. That's especially true of catalog titles. For example, I know I want Towering Inferno in a couple weeks, and the chances are good that I won't be able to find it at all locally.

I quit doing that with box sets now though. I'm finding more and more often now that those can be picked up at the same price or less at Walmart or BB during release week. Since we have no sales tax here, I make out better buying locally if the prices are close.

[liam1972]

Originally Posted by bentvalve

I was just thinking about a few upcoming blu-rays and I swung by Amazon to see what they were priced at... #1 was Gladiator $27.99 , not an impressive price at all. Even if it was something like $23.99 id feel better about pre-ordering it.


Does anybody do better on pre-orders?

I agree 100%. I want to build up my blu collection with older titles but I'll be damn if I'm willing to pay $24.99-$29.99 for catalog titles that have been on DVD for a couple years already.
For example, I've been wanting these titles for a while now, but no way I'm paying these prices.

Miracle - $24
The Guardian - $24
Across the Universe - $24

Theres no reason older titles like these cant be prices at $20 or less. We already pay a premium price for brand new titles, especially if you happen to miss picking up a new release the first week its out at Best Buy. I still cant believe how much they jack up the price after the 1st week. (See my Best Buy Thread for my ranting about that issue).

[Travis]

The only reason to pre-order is to get it shipped at the first possible moment. Pre-orders are great if you just can't wait.