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Best Buy finally taking BR/HD-DVD seriously? (1 Viewer)

Mike_G

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Yesterday I was at my local BB to pick up the new releases for the week. Normally I'd have to hunt around 4 different areas where BR/HD titles would be scattered around the store in order to find anything. This time, I was pleasantly surprised to find that they dedicated an ENTIRE ROW of an isle to what they call "next gen DVD", with BR on the left side, HD-DVD on the right. No more hiding one format or the other, now both are on the other side of the "new release" row. I was impressed. Anyone else see this at their local BB?
 

Jeremy Little

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This has been planned for a while, it was just a matter of waiting until enough titles were available. As more become available, that area will seem to overflow compared to the DVD's until the company says to expand it further. As far as the stores go, if your local Best Buy doesn't have it this way they will within a week or two.
 

BrettB

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Haven't been in a while. Last time I was in it was 'scattered around' as you described. The employee that initiated a conversation with me (and stated that he was in charge of the floor) said that by Christmas half the space currently dedicated to sd dvd would be dedicated to the hd formats.
 

Larry Sutliff

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My local Best Buy on Roosevelt Boulevard has had a nice display of "Next Generation DVD's" right next to the SD DVD's for at least a month. They also have other BD/HD DVD displays sprinkled throughout the store.
 

ppltd

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Many changes at my local BB's. Easy to find HD displays, sales force that no longer pushes one format over the other, good supply of hardware (although they seem to have more HD-DVD then BR players, and seem to get them replenshed quicker), and a pretty good selection of movies from both camps.

And more amazing than this, there always seem to be customers looking em over. Maybe customer awareness is starting to take hold.

Thomas Eisenmann
 

Chris Dugger

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The BB here still has allot to learn on fair play for the formats....

Although they have finally moved the HD and BD into their rightful place in the dvd section, they have still to show both formats in hdtv sets....

The blue ray has been hooked up since day one with a nice end cap.... the Toshiba sit's on a shelf unhooked and among all the SD players....

Dugger
 

Steve Tannehill

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My BB in one of the larger markets has the same, new and improved setup. I am impressed.

- Steve
 

Roger Mathus

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Local Best Buy went to that display format where they are in the DVD section nicely displayed earlier this month. This week, however they did not receive some Warner new releases including T3, Robin Hood and Grand Prix on HD nor Corpse Bride on Blu-ray. Althought not deep, stock looks very complete for both HD and Blu-ray.

The local store has Blu-ray connected to Samsung 40 inch 1080p LCD set and the Toshiba connected to the 46 inch Sony XBR2 set. Both look super. They seem to be using the HD set ups to promote the 1080p Samsung and Sony sets rather than the players.
 

Paul Arnette

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Yes, I noticed the same thing at my Best Buy, to the right of the New Release racks were a shelf of HD DVD and BD each. Ironically, there were no 'New Releases' for HD DVD and BD though.

On top of that, it looks like Virginia Beach is finally getting a Magnolia room. We've hit the big-time here, boo yah! :rolleyes:;)
 

RickER

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Yea i saw the set up this week too. I posted in another thread how i saw a woman who doesnt own a Blu-Ray player almost buy a Blu disc. The media guy i was talking to saw her and said, "you have a Blu-Ray player huh?!" She said, "whats Blu Ray?"
Anyway it would be fun to see how many people return what they thought was a DVD that wont play on their $80 DVD player.
As for myself i was just looking to see what they were stocking. Close to making the leap. However, those standard DVD/ HD discs would be crap, and i would never buy one! $35 for Tokyo Drift!
 

Chris Dugger

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So far, I have a couple of the combo disc's and they have exhibited nothing short of a great presentation....

My only isssue on the combo side is the price tag....

If I hadn't gotten these at the 19.00 price point... I would have done without.

Dugger
 

Dave Moritz

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I was just at my local BB today to pick up T3 on HD-DVD. And on my previous visit to the same BB they had both HD-DVD and Bluray. In the same isle with each format taking up one section of shelves, (group of shelves from floor to top shelf). Well this trip to BB I walked to the same spot and poof no HD-DVD's. The instead had nothing but Bluray in the same space with the sign that said next generation dvd above the Blurays. The HD-DVD's where moved to a different isle away from the Bluray titles. I think its about time that BB got serious about HD and its nice to see that they are trying to seperate them to help avoid confusion.
 

TonyD

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bestbuy near me in north wilmington del is becoming a magnolia.
last week i went in looking for hd dvd and they had them all removed from the shelf and were on a cart so maybe they are also planning on a seperate shelf/display there.

thomas, that font size is really, really small
 

Jimjum27

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My local BB had "displayed" their HD-DVDs on a rolling cart that they bounced all over the store. Imagine my surprise when I asked where they were located this week and found a wall of HD-DVDs. Well...half a wall because Blu-Ray was taking up the other side. Regardless, it was nice to see them finally taking this format seriously. Although now I need to find a new excuse to give my wife for wandering the store aimlessly for an hour or two.

If only they would do a decent job of displaying the players. Blu-Ray is up and running, but the Toshibas are back in the stock room. Why? Plus everytime I say HD-DVD to these people they bounce back with "Oh...blu-ray?" To which I have to reply "No morons, is that what I said?" Anyway, just me venting.

A little off topic, but what's with these Magnolia rooms? They had a whole corner of the store covered for a couple of months and all it turned out to be was a couple rooms that were carpeted with TVs and speakers hung on the walls. I thought we were going to get some serious home theater gear? Call me when they have more than one projector hanging and have stopped insulting me by asking me to pay $150 for their experts to hook up my cables.
 

Dave Moritz

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I found it interesting that in the isle where my local BB where the Bluray movies are located. They have the following on the shelf, "Next generation DVD". And the HD-DVD shelf says just that HD-DVD. It just kind of weird. To me it makes it look like BB is favoring Bluray and is just offering HD-DVD just incase.
 

BrettB

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I don't think there's any doubt that Best Buy wants Blu-ray to win this thing. When I was in there a while back the employee was doing everything he could to steer me toward BR and away from HD-DVD, including lying. :)
 

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