Blu-ray 3D - Units Released / Sales Discussion Thread

[cmay91472]

So at least by me in Suburban Philadelphia, Best Buy and Target's are getting fewer and fewer 3D copies in store.

The BB I stopped by received ZERO of the 4K/3D Ghostbusters steelbook. They only had the regular steel book. They received 3 total copies of Ice Age CC 3D. They did have a number of Tarzan 3D though.

Target oddly did have 4 copies of Tarzan 3D which was unusual since they didn't carry Warcraft or TMNT 3D copies. They had ZERO Ice Age CC 3D.

Both stores had plenty of 4K of all of the recent releases that also had 3D versions. Are the studios providing less and less in order to push 4K or are the stores just ordering/carrying less? Either way it's a major bummer.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by cmay91472

So at least by me in Suburban Philadelphia, Best Buy and Target's are getting fewer and fewer 3D copies in store.

The BB I stopped by received ZERO of the 4K/3D Ghostbusters steelbook. They only had the regular steel book. They received 3 total copies of Ice Age CC 3D. They did have a number of Tarzan 3D though.

Target oddly did have 4 copies of Tarzan 3D which was unusual since they didn't carry Warcraft or TMNT 3D copies. They had ZERO Ice Age CC 3D.

Both stores had plenty of 4K of all of the recent releases that also had 3D versions. Are the studios providing less and less in order to push 4K or are the stores just ordering/carrying less? Either way it's a major bummer.

Get a region free player and import from U.K mate?

[dhvsfan]

Originally Posted by cmay91472

So at least by me in Suburban Philadelphia, Best Buy and Target's are getting fewer and fewer 3D copies in store.
...

People have complained about this. Its also true in Denver.

Now, most of my 3D is purchased on Amazon US instead of in store. Also, I've increased my purchasing of 3D's from Amazon UK. For UK purchases, I make sure they are NOT region B locked. Or as Steedeel indicates purchase a region free player. Another option is to rip to a hard disk as most (all ?) ripping software eliminates the region lock from overseas 3Ds. Finally, you can get some 3Ds from rahulandi.com which offers region free 3Ds from India.

So at least you have options where to get 3D blu-rays.

Also you could pre-order the 3D's you want to make sure you get them.

Unfortunately, all of these eliminate the impulse buy

[Impossible]

http://www.amazon.com

x

[revgen]

FWIW, physical media at Best Buy and other brick and mortar stores has been dwindling in general. It's not just 3-D Blu-Ray discs.

[cmay91472]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Get a region free player and import from U.K mate?

Yep. Have had a region free Oppo for sometime dating back to when 3D movies like Need for Speed, Ratatouille, Inferno (was this region locked?) had region locked 3D UK editions. Most of the imports I've ordered turned out to be region free though - have quite a few 3D imports.

Obviously ordering online will be more heavily relied upon, my comment was more of just disappointment in the way 3D has gone via the brick and mortar retail stores. Have no problem ordering from Amazon, but I've always been an instant gratification kind of guy and hate waiting on packages.

[dhvsfan]

Originally Posted by cmay91472

...

Obviously ordering online will be more heavily relied upon, my comment was more of just disappointment in the way 3D has gone via the brick and mortar retail stores. Have no problem ordering from Amazon, but I've always been an instant gratification kind of guy and hate waiting on packages.

I too am an instant gratification kind of guy. Also, I like going to a retailer and browsing the selection. You never know what you'll find and buy. For example, I found a multi-pack of all the Species movies at BB.

Bummer, that physical media for movies as well as music is dwindling.

[dartfrog298]

I preorder from BB and pick them up in store. That way I am guaranteed a copy. I also get to browse. I did notice today that the 3D selection is shrinking and the 4K section is growing. I have not been all that impressed with 4K blurays. T
he 3D versions still look better to me.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by cmay91472

Yep. Have had a region free Oppo for sometime dating back to when 3D movies like Need for Speed, Ratatouille, Inferno (was this region locked?) had region locked 3D UK editions. Most of the imports I've ordered turned out to be region free though - have quite a few 3D imports.

Obviously ordering online will be more heavily relied upon, my comment was more of just disappointment in the way 3D has gone via the brick and mortar retail stores. Have no problem ordering from Amazon, but I've always been an instant gratification kind of guy and hate waiting on packages.

Ok mate, fair enough.

[infiniteCR]

Best Buys and Targets are becoming fewer and fewer in general.

[Zivouhr]

Originally Posted by cmay91472

So at least by me in Suburban Philadelphia, Best Buy and Target's are getting fewer and fewer 3D copies in store.

The BB I stopped by received ZERO of the 4K/3D Ghostbusters steelbook. They only had the regular steel book. They received 3 total copies of Ice Age CC 3D. They did have a number of Tarzan 3D though.

Target oddly did have 4 copies of Tarzan 3D which was unusual since they didn't carry Warcraft or TMNT 3D copies. They had ZERO Ice Age CC 3D.

Both stores had plenty of 4K of all of the recent releases that also had 3D versions. Are the studios providing less and less in order to push 4K or are the stores just ordering/carrying less? Either way it's a major bummer.

I'm not concerned, but thanks for the details in your area. My local stores have always had a minimal supply of 3D stock since 2010, and here we are in 2017 almost, with blu ray 3D and stereo 3D in theaters still going.

[BleedOrange11]

In the not so distant future, Amazon is going start flying drones with your packages to your door, and Best Buy will be a thing of the past.

[Zivouhr]

Originally Posted by BleedOrange11

In the not so distant future, Amazon is going start flying drones with your packages to your door, and Best Buy will be a thing of the past.

Good point. Sad but true.

[cmay91472]

Originally Posted by Zivouhr

I'm not concerned, but thanks for the details in your area. My local stores have always had a minimal supply of 3D stock since 2010, and here we are in 2017 almost, with blu ray 3D and stereo 3D in theaters still going.

What area are you in? Very lucky regarding the theaters.

Even the theaters by me have started to phase out 3D IMAX showings as they now stagger the times on opening night so for example... the Captain America Civil War IMAX was 7:00pm non 3D, the 10:00pm was 3D, lastly the 1:00am back to non 3D. Batman vs. Superman was non 3D IMAX only starting the second weekend of showings. Since all four IMAX screens are Regal/United Artists, They pretty much follow the same pattern usually (but not always). Summer of 2015, if it was available in 3D, that's what the IMAX showed and if you wanted non 3D, you had to opt for the regular screenings. This past summer, if you missed opening weekend, then you pretty much missed the IMAX 3D screenings in my area (and Philadelphia and it's suburbs is a fairly large market).

[Zivouhr]

Originally Posted by cmay91472

What area are you in? Very lucky regarding the theaters.

Even the theaters by me have started to phase out 3D IMAX showings as they now stagger the times on opening night so for example... the Captain America Civil War IMAX was 7:00pm non 3D, the 10:00pm was 3D, lastly the 1:00am back to non 3D. Batman vs. Superman was non 3D IMAX only starting the second weekend of showings. Since all four IMAX screens are Regal/United Artists, They pretty much follow the same pattern usually (but not always). Summer of 2015, if it was available in 3D, that's what the IMAX showed and if you wanted non 3D, you had to opt for the regular screenings.

Sorry to hear about that. I visit the 3D and 2D Cinemark theaters most often, who are strong supporters of 3D and know how to properly project it onto the screens compared to some other questionable theaters who display the 3D with double images and projection errors on a regular basis. I spoke up about it to the other theaters (

[Show spoiler]Regal is one of them

), but they didn't do anything to correct the projection of the 3D and only offered free movie tickets to pacify the request to show 3D in the best way possible. I no longer attend the 3D at those theaters unless I have no choice.

Cinemark on the other hand, not only offers reliable 3D presentations, but also often has more 3D showings than 2D showings on opening day, which was true for Star Wars VII 3D among other 3D films, even though the walk in stores don't go big in support of blu ray 3D other than on release week.

[dogofwar]

I order all my 3D movies (or movies) from Amazon with few exceptions.

[Zivouhr]

Thankfully for a new blu ray 3D release week, my local bestbuy, target, sometimes walmart and a couple smaller stores tend to have the blu ray 3D in stock and on sale, so to support the local business, I'll buy from them directly on the day of release, unless I know it's a hard to find title as with Best Buy's exclusive It Came from Outerspace 3D, which I ordered, along with Metal Storm 3D among others, which I order online instead. But it was good to hear ICFOSpace 3D was available in stores to my surprise.

[Hardkore]

Some of the Walmarts around here don't even have a 3D section any more. Some times they may stock a few 3D's when they are first released.

Yeah, I have been pre/ordering online instead of trying to rely on the stores.

[Frank@Chicago]

Walmart at the retail levels seems to be out of the 3D game, other than newer 3D/4K combo packs.

That is a shame, but that may mean more sales for BB or Target (not super consistent on 3D sadly).

So the main goto retailers will BB or Amazon, with Target as an optional player. It is what it is, I guess.

If we continue to make Day One purchases and import when necessary, 3D will still be seen as desirable.

[Interdimensional]

Originally Posted by dogofwar

I order all my 3D movies (or movies) from Amazon with few exceptions.

I order online only as a last resort. And I haven't been especially pleased with Amazon's service, I've received discs that look like they were flung around the warehouse, and ones that were obviously returns sold new. But I appreciate the availability and the range they offer.

I'll support retail as much as possible to the bitter end, which unfortunately seems to be looming. I think it's vital to have the visibility that comes with retail. People already like to say physical media is dead, but when there is no retail presence and no shelves of new releases, it'll become harder to get people on board, harder to sell blu-ray players, harder on every level.