Seriously, retailers will stop selling HD DVD hardware/software before May

[getblu]

Why would retailers want to replenish HD-DVD software (let alone hardware) stock when the the end is basically here.

Really why bother? I don't think Warner will need to bother come March.

This is what the retailers wanted, as well as, the consumers.

Amazon and Ebay will probably the only places to go.

[AaronSCH]

Well, uninformed buyers will be quite pissed. The retailers should provide full disclosure or pull the plug on hardware.

[Tizflizz]

I have noticed a rapid decline in my area as far as retailers making more room for Blu rather then HD. I went to two BB in my area and found three displays showing Blue movies: Samsung, Sony,and LG. compared to only on for HD. As news filters down through the masses I am sure you will see it. Retailers will probably start announcing Blu exclusivity as well.

[navychop]

Yep. Why sell something that is likely to soon be returned by an angry customer who says you sold them something obsolete?

[The Don]

all we need is for Best Buy to choose a side...

it would be great to see 2 full aisles of Blu instead of 1 1/4 and 3/4 Red

[blu2]

Originally Posted by getblu

Why would retailers want to replenish HD-DVD software (let alone hardware) stock when the the end is basically here.

Really why bother? I don't think Warner will need to bother come March.
.

The answer depends on what Universal and Pararmount wind up doing. The footprint will shrink considerably, but there will still be some (small) market if the holdout studios still deliver titles on HD DVD (Universal could go neutral, not exclusive). Believe it or not there are still UMD releases out there.

[goodstuff]

Not to mention they're probably going to see a sudden surge in HD-DVD player/disc returns over the next few weeks as the news filters down to recent purchasers. The stores will look to cut off these types of headaches.

[TheTenth]

I talked to a FNAC assistant (big multimedia shop in France), when I told him Warner is now eclusive Blu-ray, he said he knew it for a very long time (??), and showing the HD DVD display, he said it will disappear soon

[hc666]

guaranteed... hd dvd will slowly disappear

[reiella]

Originally Posted by AaronSCH

Well, uninformed buyers will be quite pissed. The retailers should provide full disclosure or pull the plug on hardware.

Traditionally, such disclosures happen when the customer goes in, tries to find the failed format section, and asks the associate , "Hey where are are the <FAILED FORMAT>?" "Oh, we're using them as coasters now."

Or the "Hey, do you know when I am Legend is supposed to come out on <FAILED FORMAT>"

[mystiksuicide]

Originally Posted by The Don

all we need is for Best Buy to choose a side...

it would be great to see 2 full aisles of Blu instead of 1 1/4 and 3/4 Red

For BB to choose a side? After the WB announcement is there even a discussion?

[CptGreedle]

it is a very big thing for a retailer to "choose one format". Yes they can dedicate the entire HD section to one format, but cutting out all those potential customers who would want HD DVD is a big thing. It might not make as much as Blu-ray, but it might still make enough to make it worth holding onto for a while longer.
Eventually Blu will take over the racks completely, but it might be 2009 before we see HD DVD disappear.

IMO I think BBy, target, Walmart, and even Circuit City should all take the hint, and take the loss of sales. If they go exclusive to Blu, they will assure that one HDM format will win over DVD in the long run, and the Blu-ray will win in the short run. The sooner the better. People are confused as it is and the sales for both HDM formats is too small right now for it to really matter if they drop one.

[Superfluous G]

I would go exclusive blu in store and then have hd-dvd offered until it dies online.

[dperrone]

I think they might just let their supply die out with obviously no re-ordering/replenishing of any HD-DVD items. But again, then there is the question of selling a dead/soon to be obsolete format and angry customers.

[JTK]

Unofficially, slowly, but surely, even in my barely medium sized town's retailers I've seen an obvious shift to Blu across the boards. Sears, WalMart...heck you almost can't even find HD-DVD anymore and that's been the case since mid November.

[The Don]

Originally Posted by mystiksuicide

For BB to choose a side? After the WB announcement is there even a discussion?

I am saying within the next month....

so we can wrap this up...

the Warner decision makes BBY's decision easier....

I want all confusion to be set aside...

[getblu]

Most of these employees are under sales targets. I would be pushing Blu-Ray like a mother pushing a child at a beauty pageant. This is a no brainer.

how easy will it be to sell now? 70% of Hollywood studios are exclusive to Blu-Ray as of May 31. I highly recommend you stick with Blu-ray.

[NutsAboutPS3]

Originally Posted by blu2

The answer depends on what Universal and Pararmount wind up doing. The footprint will shrink considerably, but there will still be some (small) market if the holdout studios still deliver titles on HD DVD (Universal could go neutral, not exclusive). Believe it or not there are still UMD releases out there.

I agree, as long as Universal and Paramount remain exclusive to HD DVD, there will still be a need for HD DVD players, and retailers will still sell those movies. It makes little difference to retailers whether Uni/Para are HD DVD exclusive or BD exclusive, the shelf space required is the same either way. What retailers surely wouldn't like is for one or both of them to become neutral - if that happened, it's possible they might decide to only stock the BD version.

[Slapper]

I think retailers need to be really careful if they decide to keep selling HD DVD hardware. They need to really inform their customers of the overall market and explain to them that they can only get Universal and Paramount/Dreamworks movies on HD DVD or they risk ticking off their customers or getting high returns.

If it were up to me, I wouldn't sell the hardware anymore, but I would continue to sell the software for those poor folks that already bought into HD DVD.

[getblu]

Originally Posted by NutsAboutPS3

I agree, as long as Universal and Paramount remain exclusive to HD DVD, there will still be a need for HD DVD players, and retailers will still sell those movies. It makes little difference to retailers whether Uni/Para are HD DVD exclusive or BD exclusive, the shelf space required is the same either way. What retailers surely wouldn't like is for one or both of them to become neutral - if that happened, it's possible they might decide to only stock the BD version.

I disagree. HD-DVD is basically a niche now. Retailers could basically hurry Paramount and Universal to cross the river sooner rather than later.