Best Buy does it again.... Premium pricing for Widescreen Cats and Dogs (1 Viewer)

As I braved the crowds at Best Buy today, to do a little Christmas shopping, I made my mandatory visit to the DVD section. While browsing the family section I noticed several copies of Cats and Dogs in Widescreen. It was then I noticed a startling difference.

The widescreen versions were priced at 24.99 while the P&S versions which were in higher numbers were labeled at 22.99. Uninformed customers are obviously going to buy the cheaper version, even if they are not looking specifically for aspect ratios.

Hopefully this will not be a new trend at Best Buy, where we will have to pay a premium for widescreen titles where they order fewer copies. Online shopping is quickly becoming the best method to obtain discs once again.

J

I too wish they were priced the same, BUT if someone wants widescreen, they'll look for it on the case and spend the whopping $2 premium. If the customer doesn't care enough about aspect ratio to look for it or he just picks up the cheaper disc without asking or looking for a reason for it to cost more, do you really think they wanted the widescreen version in the first place?

It's not just with WS/P&S. At the Albany BB at least, the Unrated Basic Instinct SE is $22.99, while the R-rated is $17.99.

Jim, why should a premium have to be paid for the widescreen version when the MSRP of both discs is the same and it does not cost Best Buy anymore money to obtain the disc in widescreen.

If it comes down to paying the extra money for OAR I will always do so, but this could be the beginning of a new trend not only from the stores but also from the manufacturers.

J

I paid the extra $2.00 without complaint. Only a month ago it seemed like they would not even bother carrying the widescreen edition, much less have it at a bargian price.

The reason for the higher price may be do to the fact that they ordered the widescreen edition in much lower volume, plus they where orders probably placed after some complaints about not having the widescreen, and not pre-ordered from the manufacturers months in advance of its release, hence a higher cost to them.

Warner first announced this as being only available in Fullframe and that was the time that the big chain stores where placing their orders. They may look at the statistics on a film like CATS AND DOGS and figure how many copies they will need to order to supply all of their retail locations. Had the widescreen edition been solicited at the same time they may have cut back on the quanity of full-frame editions and ordered some widescreen copies in their place, but as they where most likely under the impression that there would only be one version of the film, they went ahead and ordered X amount of units. When Warner announced the Widescreen edition, Best Buy and many other stores, most likely already had ordered all the copies of this disc that they felt needed.

Also remember that even a lot of online stores where late in getting the widescreen version.

So by the time the widescreen edition was widely available, Much of the demand for the title had already passed by (People tend to want stuff the week it comes out)

The fullframe editions that you see on the shelves are probably still leftovers from the initial shipments which where most likey purchased at a lower per unit cost then the widescreen versions that are now finally starting to hit the shelves.

Huh. Unless a markup occurred within the last couple of weeks, I know for a fact that my local Best Buy had both versions priced identically!

$22.99 for both versions on the website with store pickup available.

That's strange. DeepDiscountDVD is selling the widescreen edition for 19.08 (with free shipping and no tax) and it's selling the "fullscreen" edition at 19.50.

Who needs Best Buy?

Actually I paid an extra $3.00 now that I think of it, No biggie. The Pan and Scans where 19.99 and the widescreens where $22.99.

Bought mine at Best Buy three weeks ago, and P&S and WS were the same price -- $19.99.

Scott, that's utterly unrealistic.
HERE is how you do it.
Take one of the WS copies up and have it rung up. If, indeed, the WS version scans at the higher price it is marked, then say to the cashier "Wait-a-sec! That price is $2 too high!"
"No it isn't; it's marked on the box".
"Yeah; it's too high. Every other copy back there is marked less than that. I'll go get a box and prove it; hang on a sec."
Then, run on back and grab 2-3 copies of the P&S version marked at the lower price. Show them to the clerk. One of two things will happen:
1) They'll never notice the red banner at the top of one and the blue banner at the top of the other, and now they'll be obligated to give you the lower price.
2) They WILL notice that there's a difference between the two copies, and at least you can pay your extra $2 knowing that you've made a difference. You've made them realize there's two versions back there. Even IF it's in the way of letting them know it's okay to charge a premium for the OAR version!
Which option do you truly, in your heart, think will occur?

Aw, don't go away mad. It's okay. I was just trying to be helpful...
{Sad that I've upset him} :frowning:

Scott Weinberg, that was f**king hilarious!

Scott, I enjoyed it. (of course I've wandered out of my Movies hole as well )
Really, since the P&S requires ALTERATION and since J6Pack is apparently just as adamant about obtaining a "non-ruined" version as we are, shouldn't the P&S go for $2 more?? I mean just look at the current "what I heard at Wal-Mart" thread. You think that guy wouldn't pay $2 extra for a P&S of Matrix, as well he should have to.
Seriously.

Whenever I get into the widescreen vs. P&S debate in a store, I like to rip off my shirt. Then I explain:

"In pan & scan, you could only see ONE of my nipples... you would totally miss out on the other glorious nipple, and if they have to zoom in, you might miss out on my luscious ripe Buddha-belly as well." Then I hold the fullscreen copy over one nipple and scream "FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT'S HOLY, DON'T YOU WANT TO SEE BOTH MY NIPPLES WITHOUT PAYING EXTRA? DAMMIT MAN, ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN IS YOUR GOD!" Then I hand a knife to the guy and tell him "Here, cut off my other nipple, film-adulterer! PAN AND SCAN MY NIPPLES, YOU DARK LUSTY HEATHEN! MY SCREAMS WILL ECHO IN DTS-ES DISCRETE ACROSS THE WORLD! CAN YOU HEAR ME, WARNER BROTHERS? YOU SIT IN YOUR HIGH-AND-MIGHTY FULLSCREEN TOWER, BUT I'M COMING TO TEAR DOWN THE WALLS, BRICK BY FULLSCREEN BRICK!" Then, I chew through my wrist and spray "16x9" across the big multi-screen monitor in my own blood and run away laughing. TEE HEE!

And I would've gotten away with it too, if it weren't for those damn meddling kids and their talking dog...

Scott-

What you said actually speaks volumes of truth about the state of Customer Service these days. Nobody cares. They are just there to collect your money. Nobody knows where anything is, and nobody knows anything about the product they're selling.

And you probably would've gotten the DVD for free because the manager would have no idea what you're talking about!