Best Buy merchandising bias towards HD-DVD?

[nicoz]

We have two Best Buy stores in the Jackson, MS area. One of them (County Line Road) has configured the isles so that 3 sections of HD-DVD Discs are next to 1 section of Blu-ray Discs. I'm already a Blu-ray owner, and was in shock when I saw how many more HD-DVD Discs they had. It was only until I stepped over to the next row that I noticed two more sections of Blu-ray titles. The HD-DVD’s and one section of Blu-ray Discs are on a main isle that you would walk through and see even if you weren’t shopping specifically for either of these disc formats.

Anyone making an in store decision on a player and format would definitely think HD-DVD is the winning format unless they walk to the next DVD isle and find that they have approx. the same amount of shelf space dedicated to both formats.

Is this unique to this local Best Buy store? I did my time in retail as a High School and College student. We always received merchandising plans from home office and had to follow them closely. I would think Best Buy has the same policies... The other Best Buy in my area (Flowood), is a newer store and has an entirely different floor plan.

Your thoughts on this?

Clint.