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My experience at Best Buy in relation to HD media

post #1 of 16
1/29/08 at 7:57am
Thread Starter 
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.
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post #2 of 16
1/29/08 at 9:10am

Re: My experience at Best Buy in relation to HD media

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".
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post #3 of 16
1/29/08 at 9:45am
Thread Starter 

Re: My experience at Best Buy in relation to HD media

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.
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post #4 of 16
1/29/08 at 10:09am

Re: My experience at Best Buy in relation to HD media

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).
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post #5 of 16
1/29/08 at 7:59pm

Re: My experience at Best Buy in relation to HD media

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.
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post #6 of 16
1/30/08 at 9:40am

Re: My experience at Best Buy in relation to HD media

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.
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post #7 of 16
1/30/08 at 9:57am

Re: My experience at Best Buy in relation to HD media

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
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post #8 of 16
1/30/08 at 3:21pm

Re: My experience at Best Buy in relation to HD media

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.
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post #9 of 16
1/30/08 at 4:56pm

Re: My experience at Best Buy in relation to HD media

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..
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post #10 of 16
1/30/08 at 7:42pm

Re: My experience at Best Buy in relation to HD media

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.
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post #11 of 16
1/30/08 at 10:29pm
In three BB stores in my area (central Arkansas), HD-DVD and BD are equally represented, with about the same number of titles and working players connected to HDTVs. This also holds true to a BB store in Peachtree City, GA which I have visited several times over the past two months.
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post #12 of 16
1/30/08 at 10:54pm

Re: My experience at Best Buy in relation to HD media

My BB is split almost exactly 50/50 HD-DVD and Blu-Ray. Honestly, I can't believe they have as many HD-DVD titles as they do and I'm waiting for a hellacious clearance sale(if one ever happens).
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post #13 of 16
1/31/08 at 1:04am

Re: My experience at Best Buy in relation to HD media

About four months ago at my Best Buy, they were given the same amount of space, 1 sid each of a single aisle. As of mid-December, Blu-ray took over half of the HD DVD side to give it a 2:1 ratio in shelf space.

On the same token, I was in target this afternoon, and the shelf slots were 60-to-30 in favor of BD.
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post #14 of 16
1/31/08 at 11:09am

Re: My experience at Best Buy in relation to HD media

Media complement in my BB is slim to begin with (city of 75 000, redneck central, you get the drift); it takes up two gondola sections, one side only. Wal-Mart is still displaying close to 50/50, but may be closer to 60/40. I think that B&Ms should be avoided in any event for HD media, because the prices are just STUPID when compared to online, even with shipping.
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post #15 of 16
1/31/08 at 6:35pm

Re: My experience at Best Buy in relation to HD media

The Best Buy, FYE stores (TransWorld), and some of the Wal-Marts I've been in recently (near Albany, NY) have all been shifting from a 50-50 split to splits favoring BD.

In fact, the Best Buy near me, actually, until recently, favored HD-DVD...but has now gone to four shelf sections of HD-DVD to six sections of Blu-ray. One FYE store is now 75-25 in favor of BD. One Wal-Mart has eliminated HD-DVD altogether.

Retailers are going to make it tough for HD-DVD to maintain much of a profile now.
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post #16 of 16
2/1/08 at 2:50pm

Re: My experience at Best Buy in relation to HD media

Update: went to the BB in South Edmonton. Equal space devoted to both BD and HDD (2 1/2 gondola sides). However, prices are ridiculous. As well, the Wal*Mart Supercentre in the same retail complex is split 75/25 on BD/HDD media, but their selection is paltry.
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