what's the deal with this rolling stones' four flicks at best buy?

RobertW · 11-09-2003, 09:02 PM

is this only going to be available at best buy, or are they just getting it ahead of everyone else? and is it a limited edition type release, or will it be available for some time?

Ian_H · 11-09-2003, 09:12 PM

Yes it is only going to be available at Best Buy for at least the rest of year. There has been alot of backlash against the Stones from other retailers. Here are some links to news stories about the controversy.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp..._best_buy_dc_2

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...g_stones_dvd_3

RobertW · 11-09-2003, 11:32 PM

think it's worth it? the madison square garden show appears to be the same as the hbo special broadcast earlier this year that i taped. but i'm a huge stones fan.

Gary->dee · 11-09-2003, 11:50 PM

It seems to me that the other retailers are jealous and are whining about the fact that Best Buy will be selling the DVD set until next year. And they should be jealous and whining. One less item to be bought from their stores while Best Buy gets the sale.

I'm not a retailer so I don't give ratsass, the consumer doesn't really lose as far as I can tell, but correct me if I'm wrong. You either get it at Best Buy or order it from their site. No big woop.

I guess the bottom line to the other retailers is you can't always get what you waaant...

Dick · 11-10-2003, 12:22 AM

This is another tactic that HUGE and SEEMINGLY INVINCIBLE coporations can use to deter people from visiting smaller retailers and mom and pop shops. It's WAL*MART again, folks, trying to take out the competition. Yes, this is America with its free enterprise and all, but I'm sorry, I find this deplorable. The rich get richer, same as always, while smaller record retailers, who don't have the zillion-item inventory to fall back on, get eaten up. Best Buy can use whatever it wants to as a loss leader. Smaller outfits RELY on big sales of releases like this Stones DVD. It sucks, and I blame the Stones as much as the distributors and Best Buy for once again screwing the little guys. Shame on them all. Is that what we really want: every town in America having Wal*Mart and Best Buy and Staples and Home Depot and Rite Aid, but no remaining trace of the fun little shops with their knowledgeable owners and salespeople, their distinctive atmosphere and their friendly personalities? I'm tellin' you, folks - other than the obvious money you save by shopping with the "big boys," you're gonna miss the diversity one day and it'll be too late. End of lecture. Just pisses me off.

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Gary->dee · 11-10-2003, 12:41 AM

Dick why are you so pissed? Are you one of the little guys, owner of or employee at a 'smaller record retailer'? I don't understand your anger if you aren't. Virgin stores, Walmart, Target, Wherehouse, Circuit City and a bunch of other stores that sell DVDs can hardly be considered 'mom and pop shops'. In my experience the real 'mom and pop shops' are generally more expensive than other stores anyway.

So the Stones signed a deal with Best Buy to temporarily sell their DVD set exclusively. And? Is the American economy going to collapse? Will all the other chains have to file for bankruptcy? Whatever stores you're complaining about that won't stock the DVD set come November 11th will still eventually end up stocking it next year after the contractual business with Best Buy expires. That is of course unless it's Virgin or whatever other store in the Yahoo article that had the snobby attitude of 'well they're going with Best Buy so we may or may not sell it when we get the chance, we don't want to confuse the consumers'.

More power to the Stones and Best Buy IHMO.

Andrew Radke · 11-10-2003, 09:47 AM

Here in Canada, this week's FUTURE SHOP flyer had it advertised. But then Best Buy stores are few and far between around here. I, for one will definitely be picking this one up.

Brian Kidd · 11-10-2003, 10:56 AM

The Mom and Pop stores are more expensive because the studios give discounts to chains like BB and WalMart that purchase a gazillion copies of dvds to spread around all of their stores, thereby allowing these large chains to get away with charging far less for their items than small Mom-and-Pop stores who must pay full price for their stock. The small stores are run out of business by the corporations. Indeed, there is nothing illegal about it, however in the end it kills small business which is the foundation of our economy. Like Dick said, the Rich get richer and screw everyone else.

Dick · 11-10-2003, 11:11 AM

Gary - I certainly was one of the "Mom and Pop" retailers, back in 1974. Bought a small record store in a mall which had two anchor stores: Zayre (now long since gone) and Sears. This was when records retailed for $5.98 and $6.98. My wholesale costs were $4.32 and $4.99 respectively, as I recall, about a 28% markup if I sold albums at full retail, which I did not. Now, in 1974 there was a major recession going on, so sales of commodities was falling off. At that very time, Zayre decided to run a promotion: all Top-100 albums were on sale for $3.99. I kid you not. $3.99! I spoke to the manager and begged them not to do this - it was simply a loss leader for them, but it was killing me. I was told, typically, "Well, we have no control over what the company does..." yadda yadda. So, they were selling the 100 most popular albums for less than my wholesale cost!!! By January of the following year, after a disappointing Christmas, I made the decision to close. I have not been in retail since, nor have I any desire to be. But I do speak to music retailers often, and their consensus is they are being screwed by the "big boys," pure and simple (and of course internet downloads hurt them mightily, too). If all of that does not give me good reason to come down on the Stones, Best Buy and their like, I guess I don't understand your post.

Malcolm R · 11-10-2003, 11:27 AM

So, they were selling the 100 most popular albums for less than my wholesale cost!!!

So why didn't you buy from Zayre at the lower cost? You would have still had to mark them up higher than the Zayre retail, but your initial costs would be reduced and your prices would be much closer to Zayre.

My parents own a convenience store and we frequently buy stock items at Wal-Mart, Costco, or area supermarkets if their retail cost is cheaper than what area wholesalers are offering. Granted, our inventory is quite varied so if you're concentrating only in music perhaps this is impractical.

But I don't see why other retailers, at least the small mom-and-pop's who only carry a couple copies at a time anyway, can't just go to BB and buy a few copies of the Rolling Stones DVD for resale? Is the packaging inscribed "Best Buy exclusive" in some way that is unalterable?

Sean Moon · 11-10-2003, 01:07 PM

Future Shop is owned by Best Buy, thats why they are getting it too.