My experience at Best Buy in relation to HD media

JeremyR · 01-29-2008, 10:57 AM

I was just wondering what other people were seeing. I am an HD DVD supporter, and have been expecting to see some of their visibility decaying. However, my local Best Buy in Independence, MO (Kansas City Metro) has one long aisle of HD media. One one entire side is HD DVD media, on the opposite side of the aisle about 3/4 of the aisle is Blu-ray. It appears the total numbers of titles is about equally split, the Blu-ray's appear to be stacked more tightly, HD DVD's are turned and more visible. One aisle has HD DVD players on the end, with one hooked up to a TV, the other aisle has a Panny Blu-ray player hooked up to a TV. Visibility for both formats is fairly low, however you can see HD DVD's from the aisle with all the new SD DVD new releases. I am admittedly biased, however for all purposes it does appear my local Best Buy is completely format neutral. In fact, since Christmas, visibility for both formats at my local BB seems to have remained fairly consistent or even increased slightly.

Rhoq · 01-29-2008, 12:10 PM

My local store is about the same - but no players set-up and 3/4 of one side HD DVD and the other full side Blu-ray. About an equal number of titles for each format, but the employees actively try to persuade customers to buy "Blu".

JeremyR · 01-29-2008, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rhoq

My local store is about the same - but no players set-up and 3/4 of one side HD DVD and the other full side Blu-ray. About an equal number of titles for each format, but the employees actively try to persuade customers to buy "Blu".

Really? They act fairly indifferent to customers in my store. I made a comment to one of them a couple of weeks ago (shortly after the Warner switch), about the Warner switch and he looked at me like I was speaking Russian. I don't think they really know what's going on in my store.

TravisR · 01-29-2008, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeremyR

Really? They act fairly indifferent to customers in my store. I made a comment to one of them a couple of weeks ago (shortly after the Warner switch), about the Warner switch and he looked at me like I was speaking Russian. I don't think they really know what's going on in my store.

Some of the people working in Best Buy probably have absolutely no idea what's happening with Warner's switch and even if you told them, they wouldn't care. It's just a job to them (and for the amount of money some of them are paid, I don't blame them for not caring).

Chris S · 01-29-2008, 10:59 PM

Your Best Buy sounds very much like mine. HD DVDs have a little more visibility from the door both are represented equally. My impression is that the final floor setup, with relation to rank placement, is governed by store management and not corporate.

**HTF Ads**

FrancisP · 01-30-2008, 12:40 PM

I notice the hd-dvds and blu-rays are treated pretty much the same way that they have been. There are one more rack of blu-rays than they have hd-dvd. Displays for blu-ray and hd-dvd are side by side.

I would prefer that the salespeople don't know that much. I wonder if some of these people that know something about it aren't pushing someone towards the format they like.

Bmoney · 01-30-2008, 12:57 PM

mine is:

1 and 3/4 rack (front and back) of BD

1/4 rack of HD-DVD.

also heard two workers talking about how the HD-DVD section is dwindling....and how they"just announced the death of it with the warner announcment"

3 distinct BD displays on end=caps...no HD-dvd displays. but plenty of players

Stephen_J_H · 01-30-2008, 06:21 PM

I bought an A30 @ Best Buy last night, and there was no trying to sway me to go Blu. I think my daughter's actually more excited than I am; she wants to pick up Stardust on HDD.

John Garcia · 01-30-2008, 07:56 PM

At my local BBs, BD and HD DVD are pretty much equally represented. Other stores are more BD though. There was an announcement that BB would remain neutral and stock both. That will likely change once Warner completes their final HD DVD releases unless something big happens...

Quote:

I bought an A30 @ Best Buy last night, and there was no trying to sway me to go Blu. I think my daughter's actually more excited than I am; she wants to pick up Stardust on HDD.

No swaying you? I own both too, but the war is all but over..

wally · 01-30-2008, 10:42 PM

St. Peters, MO BB last week-end had one side of an aisle HD software. 3/4 was Blu and the remainder HD-DVD. Had several Blu players running in the Magnolia section.