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Borders stores dropping media (CD and DVD)

post #1 of 62
2/19/09 at 11:57am
Thread Starter 
The good news is that your local Borders store, like mine, may be having a 30% off sale on every CD and DVD in the store through March 1.

The bad news is ... that's because that store will no longer be offering media (CDs and DVDs). This is quite distressing to some of us who actually like to browse in a B&M store that features deeper catalog items than the usual top 40 stuff (Target, are you listening?).

I found out that only one of five Borders in my area will be carrying media anymore. Chances are this is happening everywhere, including your town.

So grab those 30% off items while you can, and they might be more than that off soon enough.
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post #2 of 62
2/19/09 at 1:48pm

Re: Borders stores dropping media (CD and DVD)

Yup. I got that e-mail for my Albany, NY Borders.

Sad news, indeed. Although it has been clear that they have been cutting back inventory for many months.
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post #3 of 62
2/19/09 at 1:57pm

Re: Borders stores dropping media (CD and DVD)

It's sad because they did have good selections and very pro-widescreen on DVDs, but it's hardly surprising. I often liked to visit Borders to browse around, but hardly ever bought anything there considering there much higher DVD prices than C.C. B.B. or Amazon. Even with 30% off you're still most likely paying more than what you could get at Amazon.
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post #4 of 62
2/21/09 at 7:20pm

Re: Borders stores dropping media (CD and DVD)

I actually think I got a decent deal at my local Borders at this sale tonight. They had a copy of the BD of The Passion of the Christ for $34.99.

30% off dropped it down to $24.49. The best price I had seen it for locally was $29.99. (It IS $22.99 currently at amazon).



The CD section was looking pretty depleted and very disorganized.
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post #5 of 62
2/21/09 at 7:57pm

Re: Borders stores dropping media (CD and DVD)

I'm guessing that the Borders in my area isn't getting rid of their DVDs (yet). About a month ago, they shrunk their DVD inventory by about 1/4 but there's no 'dumping our inventory' sales going on there.
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post #6 of 62
2/22/09 at 2:42am

Re: Borders stores dropping media (CD and DVD)

Back in 2000 they actually lowered the prices on all their DVDs so that they were at Best Buy levels, and I bought a lot from them then. They gradually crept back up though.

Their CD prices have always been high, so no surprise those aren't selling. You'd think with Tower gone the record labels would wake up and lower their prices so stores could sell them for less.
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post #7 of 62
2/22/09 at 8:46am

Re: Borders stores dropping media (CD and DVD)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jesse Skeen
Their CD prices have always been high, so no surprise those aren't selling. You'd think with Tower gone the record labels would wake up and lower their prices so stores could sell them for less.
Yeah, with all the incredibly low priced DVDs on the market, I've bought a huge amount. I don't even look at CDs much anymore. Record companies should be selling more around the price point that comes out to $3.99 at a Best Buy. Of course, the DVD market had a glut over the past few years and there's a lot of slow moving product out there...
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post #8 of 62
2/22/09 at 10:42am

Re: Borders stores dropping media (CD and DVD)

I love the Border's stores, but I think they've hurt themselves with those silly coupons & they've trained us not to come over unless we have it.

While their selection is great, they are out of touch with pricing. I never seem to have a coupon with me, and when they send me I only have 1 or 2 days to rush over there to get something. If they would just have reasonable prices everyday, I would stop in, but instead I think "oh I don't have a coupon". Without it, you are just hosed.
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post #9 of 62
2/22/09 at 2:42pm

Re: Borders stores dropping media (CD and DVD)

Strange, I haven't heard of the the removal of media from any of my local Borders stores, and I remember reading an article a year or two ago about how Borders was expanding it's media sections because CDs and DVDs sold better than books.
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post #10 of 62
2/22/09 at 6:50pm

Re: Borders stores dropping media (CD and DVD)

When I was in Borders the other day, the DVD shelves looked a bit sparse, but I haven't gotten an email or anything (yet) telling me that they were ending CD/DVD sales.

I was there to get a DVD of Wrath of Khan because I understand it's out of print now, and Amazon is sold out. Borders luckily had one copy left, and I had a 20% off coupon with me so I got it for just over $11 including tax. That's comparable to what Amazon was selling it for.
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post #11 of 62
2/22/09 at 9:00pm

Re: Borders stores dropping media (CD and DVD)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Graham
Strange, I haven't heard of the the removal of media from any of my local Borders stores, and I remember reading an article a year or two ago about how Borders was expanding it's media sections because CDs and DVDs sold better than books.

If this is in fact happening, I wonder if they're experiencing problems getting product and are cutting back by necessity rather than because they want to. As you may know, major book distributors will no longer ship books to Borders and so Borders has to use intermediaries in order to even have books on their shelves. Maybe the dvd distributors are cutting them off too?
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post #12 of 62
2/22/09 at 10:20pm

Re: Borders stores dropping media (CD and DVD)

Quote:
Originally Posted by MielR
When I was in Borders the other day, the DVD shelves looked a bit sparse, but I haven't gotten an email or anything (yet) telling me that they were ending CD/DVD sales.

I was there to get a DVD of Wrath of Khan because I understand it's out of print now, and Amazon is sold out. Borders luckily had one copy left, and I had a 20% off coupon with me so I got it for just over $11 including tax. That's comparable to what Amazon was selling it for.

$11 is nice...
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post #13 of 62
2/23/09 at 5:31am

Re: Borders stores dropping media (CD and DVD)

I have never found a single price worth paying at Borders. It's sad to see another B&M go away but the writing was on the wall for this one...
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post #14 of 62
2/23/09 at 10:49am
Thread Starter 

Re: Borders stores dropping media (CD and DVD)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Graham
Strange, I haven't heard of the the removal of media from any of my local Borders stores, and I remember reading an article a year or two ago about how Borders was expanding it's media sections because CDs and DVDs sold better than books.

Not all Borders are dropping their media ... yet. But if your local Borders currently features a 30% off sale on DVDs and CDs, it's one of them. That sale runs through March 1, after which the percentage off will probably go up until all inventory is cleared. They will not be replacing media inventory at those stores.

I read a lot of complaints about Borders prices, but as many have mentioned, if you are a Rewards member, you get coupons almost every week that often bring the prices down to levels of what you can get online. And this has the advantage of instant gratification, plus inspecting your media for any damages before taking it home. B&N has the same high retail prices, but I don't see them having coupon deals near what Borders has regularly offered.

It's not always the cheapest solution for media shoppers, but it was nice to have a B&M for browsing and impulse buys in addition to the usual online purchase sources (Amazon, Deep Discount, Overstock, etc.).

And now we have Best Buy phasing out DVDs as well.
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post #15 of 62
2/23/09 at 12:47pm

Re: Borders stores dropping media (CD and DVD)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hollywoodaholic
And now we have Best Buy phasing out DVDs as well.

Wayne: You just had me jump around the forum looking for a thread discussing this. I couldn't find one.

What are you talking about and what is your source?
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post #16 of 62
2/23/09 at 1:17pm

Re: Borders stores dropping media (CD and DVD)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Frezon
What are you talking about and what is your source?
There's a thread in the TV on DVD section that's misnamed saying that Best Buy is eliminating their DVD section and I'm sure it's creating confusion. The article in the thread says that they're cutting back some titles (the ones that don't sell) and not eliminating DVDs.
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post #17 of 62
2/23/09 at 1:27pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Borders stores dropping media (CD and DVD)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Frezon
Wayne: You just had me jump around the forum looking for a thread discussing this. I couldn't find one.

What are you talking about and what is your source?

Here's the thread from the SD TV shows and TV movies forum:

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htf/...ory-anime.html

That's my only source for Best Buy information. The Borders info came directly from a source at the stores. But it's not inaccurate to say Best Buy is phasing out DVDs, or at least standard DVDs. If you shop there regularly, as I do, you'll see the writing's on the wall (and off the shelf space) for SD DVDs.
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post #18 of 62
2/23/09 at 1:34pm

Re: Borders stores dropping media (CD and DVD)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hollywoodaholic
That's my only source for Best Buy information. The Borders info came directly from a source at the stores. But it's not inaccurate to say Best Buy is phasing out DVDs, or at least standard DVDs. If you shop there regularly, as I do, you'll see the writing's on the wall (and off the shelf space) for SD DVDs.
Can you explain why the writing is on the wall?

EDIT: I realize that DVD won't be around forever but it's going to be years until Blu-ray equals it (let alone supercedes and eclipses it) so I don't think that Best Buy is going to stop carrying DVDs for a long time.
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post #19 of 62
2/23/09 at 3:30pm

Re: Borders stores dropping media (CD and DVD)

I didn't think the bookselling biz was so hot that Borders could afford to drop revenue streams. I can see, perhaps, the CD's, but DVD is still a decent market.

Oh, well. I don't often shop there anyway. With the availability of used book stores, Amazon.com and Costco, I really try and avoid paying the full cover price for any book, anyway.
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post #20 of 62
2/23/09 at 5:58pm

Re: Borders stores dropping media (CD and DVD)

Quote:
Originally Posted by sestamuch
$11 is nice...
Yeah, I think the last time Amazon had it in stock they were selling it for $9.99 or thereabouts. I kept putting off buying it until they were out of stock.

Borders prices aren't that bad if you use a coupon or take advantage of their "buy 2 get 1 free" sales. Plus, the traffic at my nearest Borders is so light that it's a good bet they'll have a recently-OOP DVD on the shelf which is why I went there to find "Khan".

I'll be sorry if they stop carrying DVDs.
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post #21 of 62
2/23/09 at 7:50pm

Re: Borders stores dropping media (CD and DVD)

FWIW, the information presented in that other thread about Best Buy phasing out DVDs is completely false.

There are a couple of articles from anime "news" sites posted which announce that BB is cutting back some of its anime inventory at some of its stores. That's all. Nothing about phasing out DVDs altogether. A ridiculous thought.

======================

While we are all in agreement that Border's media prices were often too high, they used to carry an assortment and selection of CD and DVD titles that was much more thorough than at any other B&M in my immediate area. That truth, along with the omnipresent coupons for its "Reward Club Members" often meant that I could be relatively certain to find something there at a competitive price that I was surely NOT going to find at Best Buy or Target.

It's just too bad to see yet another local source for CDs and DVDs taken away.
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post #22 of 62
2/24/09 at 6:33am
Thread Starter 

Re: Borders stores dropping media (CD and DVD)

Quote:
Originally Posted by TravisR
Can you explain why the writing is on the wall?

EDIT: I realize that DVD won't be around forever but it's going to be years until Blu-ray equals it (let alone supercedes and eclipses it) so I don't think that Best Buy is going to stop carrying DVDs for a long time.

I started this thread in the bargains section to point out that Borders will be slashing prices on media in a large percentage of their stores that are now eliminating media inventory. Non-Rewards-members will be able to enjoy the same discounts members have been getting from coupons over the past few years. At least, as long as the media inventory lasts.

That information was factual, based on sources (hey, I did time as an investigative reporter for a newspaper chain, so I check my sources). The Best Buy stuff is purely observational.

There are four Best Buys within 15 miles of my house. Two are the new style versions and two the old-style versions. All of them have cut shelf space for DVDs or replaced a good portion of it with Blu-rays. That trend will obviously continue. I never said they were eliminating DVDs, I said they were phasing them out, which is observationally true. And particularly with deeper catalog items that I used to find regularly.

The newer Barnes & Nobles have dropped CDs (except for the very top sellers). You can only order them through a kiosk in the store. Their DVD sections are also significantly reduced. It just seems all B&M are starting to follow the same pattern. I really wouldn't be surprised if Best Buy moves the majority of their SD DVD sales to online with kiosks in the stores, too.
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post #23 of 62
2/24/09 at 9:19am

Re: Borders stores dropping media (CD and DVD)

There's a new Best Buy in Boulder as of last November, and they installed it with a full selection of all 3 -- DVDs, BluRays, and CDs.

But of course if you wait long enough, all things may come to pass.
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post #24 of 62
2/24/09 at 10:32am

Re: Borders stores dropping media (CD and DVD)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hollywoodaholic
The good news is that your local Borders store, like mine, may be having a 30% off sale on every CD and DVD in the store through March 1.

The bad news is ... that's because that store will no longer be offering media (CDs and DVDs). This is quite distressing to some of us who actually like to browse in a B&M store that features deeper catalog items than the usual top 40 stuff (Target, are you listening?).

I found out that only one of five Borders in my area will be carrying media anymore. Chances are this is happening everywhere, including your town.

So grab those 30% off items while you can, and they might be more than that off soon enough.

Border's 30% off sale = Everyone's else's retail price

Wonder why they had an issue selling?
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post #25 of 62
2/24/09 at 11:07am
Thread Starter 

Re: Borders stores dropping media (CD and DVD)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Doug Schiller
Border's 30% off sale = Everyone's else's retail price

Wonder why they had an issue selling?

That percentage will go up after March 1. There seems to be a tipping point. CC out of business sale marked everything up to retail before taking percentage off, and it took 40% to really make things move (according to an employee at my local store). I suspect when Borders hits 40% or 50% off, the stores will make some new friends for a while. And at least they had a deeper inventory to begin with, so you can find more stuff (like Criterion!).

But it surprises me the animosity toward Borders just because on the surface they charge retail. It's a brick and mortar. It has overhead. It carries deeper catalog stuff that doesn't move every week. You can browse there. You can wait for something to go on sale or clearance before buying it there. Or discover something there, and turn around and order it online.

I just find it sad to lose that option. Shopping by keyboard exclusively just doesn't really have the same discovery, impulse buy experience as finding something in a physical store, where you can pick it up and look it over.
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post #26 of 62
2/24/09 at 12:15pm

Re: Borders stores dropping media (CD and DVD)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hollywoodaholic
The newer Barnes & Nobles have dropped CDs (except for the very top sellers). You can only order them through a kiosk in the store. Their DVD sections are also significantly reduced. It just seems all B&M are starting to follow the same pattern.

A new B&N near me still has a full CD department (albeit smaller than what they had in their old location--but, they moved from a free-standing building and into a mall where there's much greater overhead at the expense of higher traffic).

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hollywoodaholic
I really wouldn't be surprised if Best Buy moves the majority of their SD DVD sales to online with kiosks in the stores, too.

Really, Wayne? I would be surprised at that--at least for the immediate future. BB is an electronics store for the masses. To sell hardware-only on-site would be, I think, a bad business decision for them. I don't think a lot of people would purchase ANY DVDs without being able to walk into a store to see them sitting on a shelf. I think for many people DVDs amount to an impulse buy--even at a place like Best Buy.
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post #27 of 62
2/24/09 at 1:18pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Borders stores dropping media (CD and DVD)

Here's the actual breakdown from an article in Billboard magazine:

"According to its last 10-K filing (the next one is scheduled to be filed in mid-April,), Borders typically carries about 7,000 video titles, and sources say that about 15 Borders stores will continue to carry that full assortment, while 120 stores will carry a nearly full assortment of 6,000 titles. Another 135 stores or so will carry about 4,000 DVD titles. Finally, 135 stores will reduce to about 1,500 titles while 108 stores will carry mainly the top 100 DVD titles."

Borders To Shrink Music Shelf Space

So only 15 Borders stores nationwide will be carrying full DVD inventory.

Anyone who doesn't think Best Buy is headed this direction, if not immediately, sometime in the foreseeable future, hasn't been to a Best Buy store in a while. The last ten years has seen their media software section shrink exponentially. Circuit City's most recently opened stores before they closed, completely de-emphasized (and nearly eliminated) media software, and focused on hardware. That appears to be the trend model of big electronics stores. HHGregg doesn't even offer media software.

It's not Chicken Little; it's just the way business for B&M electronic/media stores appears to be going. I used to be able to find almost any DVD at my Best Buy. Not even remotely the case today.
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post #28 of 62
2/24/09 at 1:45pm

Re: Borders stores dropping media (CD and DVD)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hollywoodaholic
Anyone who doesn't think Best Buy is headed this direction, if not immediately, sometime in the foreseeable future, hasn't been to a Best Buy store in a while. The last ten years has seen their media software section shrink exponentially.
I was in Best Buy this morning and their DVD inventory was bigger than it was in 1999.

Whatever sells, they will continue to stock. If it was legal and sold well enough, they'd even stock snuff films.
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post #29 of 62
2/24/09 at 2:14pm

Re: Borders stores dropping media (CD and DVD)

Yeah, I don't see any writing on the wall for Best Buy abandoning media. They know it brings in browsers each week, whereas people only buy a new piece of equipment maybe once a year.

There is no plan to phase DVD out of Best Buy, because there is no knowledge from the future about when DVDs will fall out of favor with the consumers. If it happens, Best Buy will respond. But until then, they'll just be trying to find the right balance between DVD and BluRay. Some smaller titles will be squeezed out since BluRay is taking up shelving, but, that's to be expected, and is not a sign that they'll not be carrying new titles each week.
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post #30 of 62
2/24/09 at 2:18pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Borders stores dropping media (CD and DVD)

Quote:
Originally Posted by TravisR
I was in Best Buy this morning and their DVD inventory was bigger than it was in 1999.

Whatever sells, they will continue to stock. If it was legal and sold well enough, they'd even stock snuff films.

Good point. I should have said the media sections have shrunk exponentially from when DVD sales had peaked a few years ago (not 10 years ago). DVD's only hit the mass market around 1997 and it took several years for the amount of releases on DVD to peak out. I was a member of NetFlix back in 1999 and remember the inventory going from like 1,000 to 11,000 in a couple years, but it was a while waiting for some of my deeper catalog favorites to come out.

Context is often lost in posting (that's why we have our emoticons, I guess), but I'm not trying to be the Paul Revere of DVDs leaving Best Buy; just read the business pages to see those trends coming (also, Digital Bits has lots of good posts on declining DVD sales, inventory, and the "rise" of Blu-ray). My tone was more wistful from my own experience as someone who has shopped at Best Buys extensively for the past decade, and now it's no longer a reliable source for the releases I look for.

But I've got my eye on a few items at Borders when the inventory clearance sale hits 50% off, probably in a few weeks.
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