Weekly Roundup 12-15-2009 (1 Viewer)

[Mike Frezon]

Weekly RoundUp Update

In my local newspaper today (the Albany Times-Union), a glossy full-page color Best Buy flyer is advertising the following Blu-ray prices for the next THREE DAYS ONLY (December 17 - 19, 2009):

$16.99: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, The Proposal, TinkerBell and the Lost Treasure, Monsters vs. Aliens, Terminator Salvation, Four Christmases, My Sister's Keeper, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, Wolverine, Snatch, Bruno, Land of the Lost.

Regularly $24.99 to $29.99 each. Sale Price Applies only to the specific titles shown. See more deals @ bestbuy.com.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Originally Posted by Jeff Meyers ">[/url]

In the end, I wouldn't get upset by the process / policy. Retailers get ripped-off and scammed all the time, and they need to institute some safeguards to reduce or prevent the potential for fraud.

[/QUOTE]Aye. That sounds reasonable enough to me also although it can be a tad disappointing to some I guess -- but not every legit policy is gonna make everyone happy.

However, my beef w/ Target on a related matter is how they're handling their own $5 in-store-use-only coupon that's printed from their own website. My local Target gave me a hassle about using one for my very first time when I dropped by to pick up IB last night. The regular checkout guy told me, "they were told not to accept printed coupons" and that I'd need to go to the customer service center to try it. I had no clue it'd be a hassle to use their own in-store-only coupon, so that was rather frustrating, and I ended up deciding not to bother at all (after also feeling a bit betrayed by BestBuy's shananigans (spl?) earlier in the evening).

 

[Jason_V]

No problem in my mind either for all the reasons already mentioned.

This was SOP at Best Buy when I worked there back in 2001-2002.

Why couldn't you have asked her to allow you to open it in front of her? Thereby you both get what you want?

BTW: I was in WalMart and Voyager Season 3 was down to $29 and change.

Originally Posted by Alfonso_M

Well, I was having problems with "Inglorious basterds" freezing up right after the FBI warning screen, and just came back from an exchange..

The good news is they gave a new copy and a cash credit for the $3.00 coupon that didn't scan before, (it didn't scan now either but the clerk checked and decided to accepted it this time)...

The bad news is the Disc keeps freezing up at the same spot, so, since I don't see anybody else complaining about this title around here, I figure there is something wrong with my player... not really sure what to do, since the movie plays fine if I start it from the 'Chapters' menu instead..

On the weird Target return policy department..

The clerk insisted she had to physically open the exchanged new title before giving it to me, she claims this is POLICY.

I'm really pissed about this, not only I've never seen this done before in any store in all my DVD purchasing years, but It was kind of insulting to me to be forced to relegate the pleasure of opening an item I paid for to someone else. there is something wrong here..

What's next? I'll buy a new car and the dealer demands to drive it the first 10K miles for me?

 

[MarkBirds]

Thanks to a helpful PDF that contained 6 Target Blu-ray coupons, I picked up:

Predator
ID4
Speed
The Terminator
The Hangover
Inglourious Basterds (w/ Red Plum coupon)
for about 53 bucks.

No problem using multiple coupons. I can't wait to see the Sunday ad.

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

Yeah, I haven't had any problems using multiple Target coupons, either (IB for $11.99). But one strategy to keep in mind for those getting resistence - don't bring them to the front check out lines where the regular check out employees dwell ... buy your BDs in the electronics section. There is less people in line (hence, more patience with your coupons), and the clerk is usually a PS3/Xbox/Gamer/BDplayer-savvy geek like the rest of us. I've used them at three different stores, one multiple times, and the clerks in electronics have no issue. Hey, it's no skin off their backs. They'd do the same thing.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Originally Posted by MarkBirds

No problem using multiple coupons.

That surprises me. The coupons clearly say on them "Limit one offer per transaction." That would lead me to think they realize they can't limit how many times you can go in and out of the store using coupons...but they're not going to make it THAT easy for you: several coupons per order. For example, I was in a store last night and picked up a $9.99 title ($4.99 after coupon) as a blind buy. Would have picked out one or two more...but figured they wouldn't allow it.

Originally Posted by Hollywoodaholic

Yeah, I haven't had any problems using multiple Target coupons, either (IB for $11.99). But one strategy to keep in mind for those getting resistence - don't bring them to the front check out lines where the regular check out employees dwell ... buy your BDs in the electronics section. There is less people in line (hence, more patience with your coupons), and the clerk is usually a PS3/Xbox/Gamer/BDplayer-savvy geek like the rest of us. I've used them at three different stores, one multiple times, and the clerks in electronics have no issue. Hey, it's no skin off their backs. They'd do the same thing.

Sounds like a smart strategy, Wayne.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Originally Posted by Hollywoodaholic ">[/url]

Yeah, I haven't had any problems using multiple Target coupons, either (IB for $11.99). But one strategy to keep in mind for those getting resistence - don't bring them to the front check out lines where the regular check out employees dwell ... buy your BDs in the electronics section. There is less people in line (hence, more patience with your coupons), and the clerk is usually a PS3/Xbox/Gamer/BDplayer-savvy geek like the rest of us. I've used them at three different stores, one multiple times, and the clerks in electronics have no issue. Hey, it's no skin off their backs. They'd do the same thing.[/QUOTE]Actually, that's what I did and got rejected, and the guy even already opened up the security case before seeing (and rejecting) the coupon -- and the fact he was having a hard time putting it back in the case didn't convince him to just go thru w/ the transaction (and save himself the trouble) instead.

But you may be right though that it could have a bit to do w/ the long lines because there was a significant line even at the electronics section checkout. I (and my wife) did wonder if I (or maybe my wife) wouldn't have better luck w/ it at a less busy time. Perhaps, part of the reason why *this* Target decided to play it safe (by rejecting all printed coupons at checkout) is to save checkout time (so the checkout person doesn't need to scrutinize coupons) during this busy holiday shopping season.

I was gonna see about convincing my wife to drop by Target during the workday today when it would probably be far less busy, but no dice.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Finally picked up my copy of BB's exclusive version of the IB BD yesterday. BB really needs to get their act together for these exclusive releases. I had a heck of a time locating an actual copy of it after finding out that the BB where I ordered for in-store pickup had ran out of the exclusive version.

Had to visit 2 other BBs in Manhattan -- fortunately, they aren't that far apart -- to locate one (of a few remaining copies). The BB clerks at the first 2 locations probably thought I was a nutter since they seem to have no clue about the exclusive version (and thought I was either talking about the digital copy disc or the soundtrack CD on another version) -- and their inventory computers don't seem to differentiate them at all since the SKUs are apparently identical. The fact that BB had pulled mention of the exclusive on their website yesterday didn't help either. Seems like the only way to identify them is the extra sticker notice on the slipcover.

Anyway, I haven't gotten around to watching the exclusive extra disc yet, but I did watch the film itself last night (along w/ most of the extras) and loved it -- I told the wife that I *HAD* to watch this one right away given all the extra effort (and hassle) in acquiring it. Will get to the exclusive disc shortly...

_Man_

 

[TravisR]

Originally Posted by Man-Fai Wong

...their inventory computers don't seem to differentiate them at all since the SKUs are apparently identical.

Oddly enough, they are. Not that I keep a database but I don't remember any time that there has been an exclusive disc and they didn't differentiate between the two versions.

 

[ScottJH]

Originally Posted by TravisR



Oddly enough, they are. Not that I keep a database but I don't remember any time that there has been an exclusive disc and they didn't differentiate between the two versions.

Public Enemies just the week before was the same way. Same UPC only identifier was the sticker on the slipcover.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Originally Posted by ScottJH

Public Enemies just the week before was the same way. Same UPC only identifier was the sticker on the slipcover.

Yeah, I noticed that also when I was hunting down their exclusive IB. I didn't realize PE also had a similar BB exclusive until yesterday -- then again, I wasn't looking to buy PE before. There were plenty of copies of both versions of PE though. Maybe BB will restock both versions of the IB BD later when the current supply runs out.

Anyway, I watched the bit-over-hour-long exclusive extra disc, and I'm glad I got it. Definitely much better than most featurettes, etc. that usually come w/ these titles. There's a bit of overlap w/ the Tarantino+Pitt round-table interview, but not too much so. And Tarantino is definitely a lot more fun to watch/listen to in such things than most any filmmaker out there.

_Man_