Circuit City: Eager to Promote Blu-ray!

[Blu Titan]

Well Circuit City is getting rid of all HD DVD inventory to concentrate on offering Blu-ray as the "choice for high defenition". Very good news!

Circuit City discounts HD DVD for quick inventory sell-off
Also cuts price of Toshiba players
By Susanne Ault -- Video Business, 3/3/2008

MARCH 3 | Circuit City is closing out its HD DVD stock and expects to be rid of the products within the month.

The chain is eager to start offering consumers Blu-ray Disc as the one choice for high-definition, believing that the end of format war should encourage mass customer adoption, spokesman Jim Babb said.

In one deal, valid between March 2 and March 8, Circuit City shoppers can purchase three $29.99-priced HD DVDs and get two HD DVD titles for free. Featured sale discs include Universal Studios Home Entertainment’s The Bourne Ultimatum and Knocked Up and Paramount Home Entertainment’s Transformers and Mission Impossible: III.

Additionally, at the chain’s Web site, Toshiba’s HD-A30 player is being advertised for $129, representing a $70 chop from already reduced pricing in January.

Shortly after Toshiba announced it was dropping support for HD DVD, the manufacturer started helping retailers sell off players with price credits. These cuts followed Toshiba’s widespread sales earlier in the year in an attempt to boost HD DVD following Warner Home Video’s exit from the format.

“We are in clearance mode, and we expect to go through the remaining inventory in the next few weeks,” said Babb. “We’ve said all along that it would have been better for consumers and retailers if we had started with one format. Now, the end of the format conflict will mean people can invest with a lot more confidence in gear that they know will be useful for years to come.”

Babb noted that Toshiba HD DVD players are still worthwhile products because of their ability to upconvert standard-definition DVDs to near high-def quality.

“The way they are priced makes them pretty attractive, and it upconverts your DVDs,” said Babb. “That makes them still an option for people.”

He didn’t specify whether the disappearance of HD DVD will necessarily grant Blu-ray wider berth on shelves. Yet Circuit City is hopeful that Blu-ray will catch on with mainstream customers.

“We certainly recognize that the future in this is Blu-ray,” said Babb.

http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6537673.html

[Minimejer05]

Great info! Thanks for sharing.

[jkcheng122]

“We certainly recognize that the future in this is Blu-ray,” said Babb.

isnt it kinda pointless for him to say that now?

[OokieSpookie]

I really hope that studios work to start taking advantage of this push.
There are still too many releases that are hitting on dvd without a blu counterpart and it really is unacceptable.
I know Warner is working on making this a thing of the past, the other studios need to move into the same position and keep blu out there in people's minds.

[quaylie]

Babb is a little slow on the uptake..might explain why Circuit City has been doing so horrible as of late.

[iNCREDiPiNOY]

Great!

[Bango]

Originally Posted by OokieSpookie

I really hope that studios work to start taking advantage of this push.
There are still too many releases that are hitting on dvd without a blu counterpart and it really is unacceptable.
I know Warner is working on making this a thing of the past, the other studios need to move into the same position and keep blu out there in people's minds.

I never thought that made much sense...if these studios have as much money invested as been said, why wouldn't they want to push Blu-ray and release them with the DVD counterpart? THe more exposure...there more curious people who don't know about Blu-ray will become and eventually might buy into the technology.

[reiella]

My Circuit City was eager to get rid of everything . One of the three that closed, oh well.

I got a 600$ monitor for half newegg's price out of it .

Was hard to resist the 7.1 hdmi denon they had for 700$.

[jkcheng122]

Originally Posted by OokieSpookie

I really hope that studios work to start taking advantage of this push.
There are still too many releases that are hitting on dvd without a blu counterpart and it really is unacceptable.
I know Warner is working on making this a thing of the past, the other studios need to move into the same position and keep blu out there in people's minds.

well sony did just announce they're releasing 100 titles for 2008. of course only titles they mentioned are new ones when we all know those are coming but are more interested in knowing what catalog titles are coming.

[bluflu]

Just went to CC to pick one up, but was too late. CC had already put them behind glass and has started charging admission to view them.

[owa]

He didn’t specify whether the disappearance of HD DVD will necessarily grant Blu-ray wider berth on shelves.

It all sounded great until I got to the above statement. I usually buy from Best Buy or Circuit City but CC is a pain to browse. The've got all the blu-rays stacked in a small section and they're not in alphabetical order. So, you have to go through all of them to see if they have what you're looking for. Same way with HD DVD (by the way). They also stopped getting a lot of the catalog releases when their small section got filled. So, imo, just getting rid of HD DVD isn't enough. They need to expand their blu-rays section and at least get it somewhat organized.

[evo_dadi]

CC needs to make changes on their prices thats for sure

[jkcheng122]

Originally Posted by evo_dadi

CC needs to make changes on their prices thats for sure

all B&M retailers do.

[evo_dadi]

Originally Posted by jkcheng122

all B&M retailers do.

true but CC is pretty lousy on doing specials on them thats why i go to BB more.that and it seems like CC is starting to go downhill with customer service.

[wallendo]

Originally Posted by BlueNeon

...

In one deal, valid between March 2 and March 8, Circuit City shoppers can purchase three $29.99-priced HD DVDs and get two HD DVD titles for free. Featured sale discs include Universal Studios Home Entertainment’s The Bourne Ultimatum and Knocked Up and Paramount Home Entertainment’s Transformers and Mission Impossible: III.

...

http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6537673.html

$90 (actually $89.97) for 5 HD-DVD's doesn't sound like much of a deal.

[jw]

Originally Posted by wallendo

$90 (actually $89.97) for 5 HD-DVD's doesn't sound like much of a deal.

thats the same deal that was ran back in Jan by both CC and BB

[jkcheng122]

Originally Posted by evo_dadi

true but CC is pretty lousy on doing specials on them thats why i go to BB more.that and it seems like CC is starting to go downhill with customer service.

i havent gone to cc in a while b/c the closest one has very poor selection of titles.

[blu2]

Originally Posted by jkcheng122

all B&M retailers do.

And several of the studios.

[Argento Fan]

The early victory for Blu-ray is allowing the retailers and studios to make the necessary, timely startegic decisions necessary for the promotion of Blu. It is going to be a great year.

[Sylin]

Originally Posted by jkcheng122

“We certainly recognize that the future in this is Blu-ray,” said Babb.

isnt it kinda pointless for him to say that now?

Nope. Notice he says Blu-ray is the future... not DVD or DDL. My local Circuit City has had a fabulous Blu-ray display set up right inside the entrance for the last 18+ months. Of course, seeing as the southeast district manager (friend of mine... his wife works with my wife) is a Blu-ray fan, that's not surprising.

I say more power to them. Now... SALES PLEASE!