13,000 copies (1 Viewer)

[John McM]

everyone says Mad About You has been such a failure on DVD but I honestly don't believe it. I remember when the first season came out on DVD, that it was in the top 20 sellers the first week (maybe even second). I worked retail at the time and we couldn't keep it on the shelf. I think people (Columbia especially) fail to realize season 2 wasn't as successful because it was higher-priced. Season 1 retailed $29.99 for 22 episodes, Season 2 was $39.99 for 25. A lot of people didn't think 3 more episodes was worth $10 more. I think Columbia should just take to mind that is part of why season 2 wasn't a seller like season 1 was. I think they should go ahead and try season 3 out, at the $29.99 price season 1 was, and will see that it'll sell well... season 3 was the most popular season anyways.

 

[Lynda-Marie]

Gord, thanks for the quick answer on the question I had.

 

[BernieV]

It's not in a studio's interest to spread profits out over many years [except possibly for tax reasons]. A well run business tries to maximize its return on every investment. The higher the return, the faster income is generated which in turn leads to even greater profits. A company that fails to realize maximize profits must answer to unhappy investors.

In the case of DVD sales there are other factors to consider as well. The average customer doesn't have unlimited disposable income for luxury items. Studios can increase earnings by timing their releases to accommodate consumer budgets and taking advantage of free spending periods such as holidays. They may deliberately delay products to stimulate the market demand. This may be the reason that season box sets are spread out. Studios wait until demand peaks so they can charge more. It may sound cynical, but maximizing profit is what drives all business.

Releasing the highest margin products first may eventually limit what's left at the "bottom of the barrel". That may also be a good sales strategy, however. When there is nothing left to buy but the dogs, collectors will be more willing to pick them up. Our buying habits are what shape the market.

 

[Glenn Overholt]

But one man's crap is. How does that saying go?

Never mind. Look at the shows that did get out only because fans screamed and yelled, and signed petitions on line. MSCL & F&G. Both of those are single season, though. When the whole thing comes out at once it is a wait until that happens, but then it is over.

The multi-season sets are insane. It is like a crap shoot. Most of the time we have no idea when (if ever) the next set will be out. The worst part is that they never mention it again, unless someone is lucky enough to get a question in to them that gets a reply.

And what is out? How many times have you gone to a store expecting to see a show on the racks and it isn't there? There isn't a space for it! You ask and find out that it was never even ordered. You leave thinking that they must be nuts.

How is any studio supposed to keep up with this? They want all of their stuff on the shelves, and yet we get season 1's of 7 different shows nearly all at once. Ok, they will sell, but they MUST know that the regular consumers don't have that much money to buy all of them.

As for the store - All of these new shows are expected to be on the shelves, along with seasons 2 through 7 during the next couple of years. No one has that much floor space.

Sure, I am all for making money NOW, but they can't be thinking at all. I don't think that they will be picking up the crappy shows when that is all that will be coming out. They'll go back and buy the shows that they couldn't afford to get the last time around.

Of course, the worst nightmare that could happen would be for someone to pick up all of the 'old' season sets of his/her favorite show a week at a time, and then find out that 'season 6' is out of stock, and oop as well.

Glenn

 

[John McM]

It's not in a studio's interest to spread profits out over many years [except possibly for tax reasons]. A well run business tries to maximize its return on every investment. The higher the return, the faster income is generated which in turn leads to even greater profits. A company that fails to realize maximize profits must answer to unhappy investors.

what about Fox and The Simpsons? Hell, even HBO seemed to prolong "ending" Sex And The City on DVD by splitting season 6 up to the "summer 2003 episodes" and the "winter 2004 episodes", because they weren't ready to let such a profitable success for them end so quickly. I know the two parts of the season were aired seperately, but remember that HBO released all 18 episodes of season 4 (the final six were aired during early 2002, roughly six months later) together. So I do think companies sometimes are afraid of finishing up something that makes big $$$ for them.

Hell, even look at how Warner suddenly has really started taking their time with Friends when there was a period a new season was coming every 2 1/2 months, but now they're in the final stretch with only the final three seasons left.

 

[Buddy I]

John McM said...

Personally, I agree with John with the Mad About You price. I own both seasons. I bought Season 1 for $19.99 the day it came out. I ordered Season 2 from CD Universe/Video Universe for $27.99 plus shipping, and received it a few days later. I was surprised Best Buy had Season 2 priced at $39.99, and I haven't even seen it at Wal-Mart. It may cost more to produce multiple discs, but if Columbia slaps lower prices on their multiple-disc products, they'll make more money than they may think, if there's interest in the show. And, I'm sure there is interest in all of the shows they release, otherwise, they probably wouldn't release them; it would just be a waste of time and money! I would love to see bonus features included in their releases, but just owning the entire series is fine with me. Columbia should rethink their strategy on some of their releases.

 

[John McM]

very true. If CTS rereleased the MAY season 2 at a $29.99 price-point like season 1 was, it'd sell more. Apparently it does have a lot of fans because season one was in the top 20 sellers (Videoscan?) the first week out, and that was during a lot of the big fall releases, they just didn't wanna spend more for season 2 than season 1 when there was no real reason for a price upgrade (whereas some people understand spending more on a full 22-24 episode season next to a 12 episode half-season).

 

[R. Kay]

No more Jeffersons????

:frowning:

 

[Andrew Pezzo]

Where is the incentive to buy Season 1 of any TV Show if its very possible that the following seasons may never have a release? I am the type that likes to have complete collections and if thats not possible I would just as well stick to having them all on videotape and pass on the DVD's. That might be a little closed-minded but I would rather not have different formats just to have a complete collection of a TV Series.

 

[Jason Seaver]

You.

Are.

Not.

A.

Representative.

Sample.

 

[Andrew Pezzo]

Then why do people have 100's of DVD's in a collection, that is certainly more than 22 hours of entertainment. Add bonus materail and the hours just tack on.

I am not sure what you are trying to say by the last couple of lines you wrote. But are trying to tell me people only like the first season of any show and dont care about following seasons? If so that is a ridicouls statement. Maybe you are still punch drunk from the Sox world series win, I know I would be if I was a Sox fan.

 

[Jason Seaver]

No, I'm just saying you can't extrapolate what is good for the market in general from your preferences. Well, you can, but it isn't very useful.

And I'm not saying people aren't interested in subsequent seasons, but the reason to buy Season One of a TV series, even if there's no guarantee/timetable for the rest, is what's contained in the package. If that's worth your money, then whether something else comes out later doesn't matter - but the act of buying it makes subsequent series more likely to be released.

 

[Rodrick]

Thats why they make single copies of tvshows on dvd. You buy the 1 episode from a season 1 box set. If you want to buy the rest then you get $5 back when you purchase the entire season.

 

[John McM]

And I'm not saying people aren't interested in subsequent seasons, but the reason to buy Season One of a TV series, even if there's no guarantee/timetable for the rest, is what's contained in the package. If that's worth your money, then whether something else comes out later doesn't matter - but the act of buying it makes subsequent series more likely to be released.

that is true. It's just with a lot of shows, the peak seasons don't hit until the midway point. There's a few shows like Ally McBeal that if they released the first season, and nothing more, I'd be just fine. But many of the shows I like peaked around the third or fourth season.

 

[Andrew Pezzo]

This is a very good point. But if a studio only releases the first season they are missing out on a lot of potential sales by neglecting the "better" seasons. If season 1 of any shows makes a decent profit there should be no reason to hold back future seasons.

I will admit I am a little more extreme than most when it comes to collecting things becasue I want it all. If you were to look at my DVD collections you will see the following:

Every season of the X Flies
Every James Bond Movie (inlcuding Casino Royale)
Every South Park DVD to come out
Every season of the Family Guy
All Jurassic Park movies
All Aliens movies
All Star Wars movies

As for South Park, I even go as far as taping every episode. I refuse to junk the first couple of seasons on VHS even though they are on DVD now. I want one format and until the DVD sets catch up I will continue to hold onto my VHS tapes (and trust me, I cant wait to ditch those - IF they come out with every season on DVD).

Like I said, I may be a little extreme but I dont like things to be incomplete. I dont excatly like every James Bond movie but since I collect DVD's and am a fan of the series I want it all because I will watch, just not as often as the ones I like.

However TV shows are different than movies. When someone gets into a show generally they will watch until the series ends or it "jumps the shark". If they buy the first season why wouldnt they continue to buy future seasons? That is my point. Of course sales is the determining factor but as long as money isnt lost why stop at just one.

 

[Glenn Overholt]

Why do you guys have to have the complete series on VHS, even when you have a season or two on DVD? Is it too hard to switch machines after you have seen season 1 on DVD and have to watch the rest on VHS?

I have all of the SG-1 episodes. When I get done viewing season 7 on DVD I'll toss the VHS copiews that I had of it, and all I will have left after that on VHS is the current season, #8.

Glenn

 

[Andrew Pezzo]

I would love to trash what I have on VHS but like I said, I like to have the complete collection on one format. Call me anal but I am rather proud of my complete South Park collection, even if it is on VHS, the commecials are even edited out. I long for the day when I can finally rid myself of the VCR.