72% jump in catalog purchases

[Batman1980]

BD Prices Fall, Catalog Spending Rises 72%
Posted August 31, 2009 05:37 AM by Juan Calonge

Pricing for BD software has dropped significantly everywhere, fostering an increase in demand and spending. In the US, BD software pricing has fallen more than 10% for new releases and a full one-third on catalog titles since 2008. This has caused spending on theatrical Blu-ray catalog to increase 72% from the same 2008 period. However, retailers would like prices to drop more.
Works for me.

[DarkDune]

I say keep this trend going!

BD Prices Fall, Catalog Spending Rises 72%

[DetroitSportsFan]

Prices are falling, and sales are going up? No way!

[Steve46]

Futuresource's Alison Casey confirmed that “Research shows that Blu-ray player owners are making a value judgement call when deciding whether or not to pay the Blu-ray premium”, Casey added, remarking that BD player owners often continued to buy some titles in standard definition.

This seems like the wrong conclusion to me. I can see how someone might make a value call before owning a blu-ray player, but there's no going back once you have experienced the higher quality.

How many of us here decide to buy DVDs over BDs? It seems extremely unlikely to me. We simply shop around for a good price and then buy the blu.

They need to figure out why we buy before they can understand how to developing a marketing strategy.

[jetthead]

Originally Posted by Steve46

This seems like the wrong conclusion to me. I can see how someone might make a value call before owning a blu-ray player, but there's no going back once you have experienced the higher quality.

How many of us here decide to buy DVDs over BDs? It seems extremely unlikely to me. We simply shop around for a good price and then buy the blu.

They need to figure out why we buy before they can understand how to developing a marketing strategy.

Agreed. I haven't bought a new DVD since going Hi-Def.

[ack_bak]

Originally Posted by Steve46

This seems like the wrong conclusion to me. I can see how someone might make a value call before owning a blu-ray player, but there's no going back once you have experienced the higher quality.

How many of us here decide to buy DVDs over BDs? It seems extremely unlikely to me. We simply shop around for a good price and then buy the blu.

They need to figure out why we buy before they can understand how to developing a marketing strategy.

The people on this forum and other dedicated home theater type forums are not the average consumer. And you have to keep in mind, not everybody is going to drop $20+ on a catalog Blu-Ray title when the DVD is selling for under $10. I think people are also being more frugal due to the economy. I know I am. I rarely drop more than $20 on a movie anymore. I just wait for a sale.

[Steve46]

Originally Posted by ack_bak

The people on this forum and other dedicated home theater type forums are not the average consumer. And you have to keep in mind, not everybody is going to drop $20+ on a catalog Blu-Ray title when the DVD is selling for under $10. I think people are also being more frugal due to the economy. I know I am. I rarely drop more than $20 on a movie anymore. I just wait for a sale.

I take your point. There are certainly cases in which people will buy the DVD. Perhaps a Disney title for their child?

But I refuse to believe that people "often" buy DVDs over blu due to price. They hunt for a good price, wait, or buy used instead.

I have bought 196 blu's this year, and 1 DVD (a present for someone who doesn't have a blu-ray player).

[ack_bak]

Originally Posted by Steve46

I take your point. There are certainly cases in which people will buy the DVD. Perhaps a Disney title for their child?

But I refuse to believe that people "often" buy DVDs over blu due to price. They hunt for a good price, wait, or buy used instead.

I have bought 196 blu's this year, and 1 DVD (a present for someone who doesn't have a blu-ray player).

It also depends on the genre. Animated movies, and chick flicks? They tend to sell at a lower percentage on Blu-Ray vs action movies and horror flicks. It comes down to demographics. Blu-Ray is still a younger male dominated format. That will change as hardware prices continue to fall, more people are exposed to the format, more people buy HDTV's, and Blu-Ray movie prices fall.

The only DVD's I have bought over the past couple of years have been kids movies that were not avilable on Blu-Ray and a few other films that had no Blu-Ray release that my wife really wanted. Everything else has been in HD. I do think the price of new release comedies and chick flick movies is too high personally. I would never pay more than $15-18 for this type of movie unless it is that rare must have. I either rent it first or wait for a sale. I am much more likely to drop $18-22+ on a movie like TDK that I know will have strong replay value.

[sfmarine]

Glad to see that Blu-ray is putting in solid numbers. Wait until the holidays...Blu-ray players in homes will skyrocket.

[surfdude12]

just saw the Requiem review, its not even out yet and is only $13!

[Moviefan1203]

This is great news, but it also has been expected. Every quarter you're going to see BD sales increase by a pretty solid margin with prices falling. Blu-ray continues to show that it's the best way there ever has been to watch film and TV shows. As more and more consumers adopt the format into their homes, the stronger a hold Blu-ray will have on the market. It's going to be the dominate format for a very, very, very long time. And that should make us happy.

[DetroitSportsFan]

Hopefully there will be some good deals on players and movies for the holiday season. We need to increase Blu adoption.

[Clark Kent]

It looks to me like many of the studios are making a conscious effort to get some new catalog titles out in the marketplace at bargain prices. Not the better releases of course, but Lionsgate is selling a few new catalog titles for $9.99 at Target. Of course that does not even mention the $10 selection at Wal-Mart.

This is all good, and gets consumers into the habit of buying rather than renting Blu-rays.

[Anthony P]

Originally Posted by ack_bak

The people on this forum and other dedicated home theater type forums are not the average consumer. And you have to keep in mind, not everybody is going to drop $20+ on a catalog Blu-Ray title when the DVD is selling for under $10. I think people are also being more frugal due to the economy. I know I am. I rarely drop more than $20 on a movie anymore. I just wait for a sale.

most of the people that I know (if not all) that have moved to BD have stopped buying DVDs. It is not limited only to people on this forum. Also I think you miss one big thing. If the guy wants the BD then he buys it when it comes out (or drops a bit in price) but if he is happy to pay 10$ for a catalogue title on DVD then chances are that he bought it some time ago. If it is a movie he wanted, why would he wait to buy the DVD when the BD comes out?

[Terjyn]

Originally Posted by Anthony P

most of the people that I know (if not all) that have moved to BD have stopped buying DVDs. It is not limited only to people on this forum. Also I think you miss one big thing. If the guy wants the BD then he buys it when it comes out (or drops a bit in price) but if he is happy to pay 10$ for a catalogue title on DVD then chances are that he bought it some time ago. If it is a movie he wanted, why would he wait to buy the DVD when the BD comes out?

The release of the Blu-Ray reminds this guy that the movie exists at all, and that he kind of wants it. It's not really that the guy waited for the Blu-Ray to release to buy the DVD, it's that he kinda forgot about the movie altogether.

And I know several people who are utterly indifferent to Blu-Ray vs DVD, and own both. They buy whatever they deem is the best deal, regardless of which format it is. Now if you ask my why they bought Blu-Ray to begin with, I can't really answer that.

[owa]

Great news, thanks for the links.

[ls35a]

I was at Target last night. The 'Corpse Bride' dvd was five dollars. The blu-ray was twenty-five dollars.

This is just not going to fly with consumers. Double, maybe. But five times more?

Nope.

[Woody]

Blu-ray is in a conundrum.

Masses won't buy it unless it's cheap.

The rapidity of the price erosion on both players and movies concerns me.

Blu-ray was brought about to make studios and CE manufacturers $$. At the rate we are going it isnt going to make sense for them if the margins are the same terrible margins on DVD AND they cost more to make.

Price erosion is fine on a normal scale but that rate at which blu-ray has HAD to drop to build market share is alarming.

[vega2K]

Originally Posted by ls35a

I was at Target last night. The 'Corpse Bride' dvd was five dollars. The blu-ray was twenty-five dollars.

This is just not going to fly with consumers. Double, maybe. But five times more?

Nope.

Currently it is $9.99 at Amazon in Blu. This price inconsistency and the lack of knowledge by the general consumer (in terms of price shopping) is one big hurdle for blu-rays right now.

[STARSCREAM]

Originally Posted by DetroitSportsFan

Prices are falling, and sales are going up? No way!

+1. I knew as soon as the prices got reasonable they would sell like hotcakes.