DVD a ripoff? (1 Viewer)

[James Reader]

Maybe, and maybe not (its more than a few cents discount) but it doesn't alter the fact that on every MSRP, the retailers cut is calculated at about 20-30% of the price.

 

[Jeff Gatie]

You misunderstood. A loss leader is priced below wholesale cost, meaning the store is taking a loss on the sale.

 

[James Reader]

No I'm not particularly picking on retailers. Put the original poster was comparing the MSRP to the Chinese cost.

Really, it's pointless. How much do the Chinese pay for their houses? How much is the average weekly wage for them? Comparisons just don't hold.

And if the orinal poster wants to make a stand, import from China or similar countries. You don't have to buy R1 discs (although I accept it is harder to not do so in America).

America is all for Free Trade. Take advantage of it! If enough people do, prices may come down in America.

 

[Jonny_L]

hehehe...I wasn't actually, but I'm well aware that $150 special editions that werent uncommon.

It's interesting to read everyone's reaction. I personally feel DVD is the best consumer value of any media on the market, with video games and CD's competing for worst value. But that still doesnt mean charging for a certain percentage for the same product in different parts of the world is right either. A DVD is either worth $2 to the studio or its worth $20, they shouldnt have it both ways. Otherwise who is going to buy from North America again? I'm often amazed at how the UK gets ripped for pricing for example. They pay even more then in North America and movie lovers often just import from where its much cheaper.

Anyhow, the point of the whole opinion was supposed to be a duel focus on both the price and on how this plan wont stop piracy at all, just fuel it. Which is why it would make a great question for Warner Home Video.

I should point out as an experiment of my own I placed this same piece on a few other forums, and this one is the ONLY one where the members jumped at ME for saying anything more then $2 is a rip. All of the other forums were outraged at the studios instead. Berry, Berry interesting.

 

[Jeff Gatie]

Higher intelligence level on this forum that leads to a greater understanding of market forces...or we just don't like you.

 

[Allen Hirsch]

Must mean most of the folks on this forum actually work in the "real world" and understand market forces drive pricing, not just costs (perhaps b/c there are a LOT of software engineers and high techies posting here who have had real-world economics lessons force-fed them by the market for years).

The question is, how many tourists/visitors/businessmen to China are tempted to buy knockoff DVDs b/c "they're only a buck, vs. $15-20 back home"? Probably a lot (I know my son was one of those last summer, while he was at Peking University).

And how many of those will gladly pay $3 for the "real deal" instead, with real packaging, knowing the quality is higher, and they're still saving 80%+ over the cost of the DVD in their home market? That may be WB's real market, to stem the tide of counterfitters, rather than much of the local Chinese consumer market.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

how many tourists are there in China?

Come on, if I have the choice of buying an item for $1 vs $3 and they are virtually the same quality, I will buy the $1 for sure. It's still 200% more than the other item.

Hey, the reason I never bought a bootleg movie is just because there was no quality bootleg LD, and during the DVD time I'm already married to a guy whose income partially comes from royalties thus makes me want to support the (sometimes ridiculous) industry.

Like I said before, this scheme have been tried in many Asian countries by many recording (video/audio/PC software) companies and they all failed.

 

[DevinJC]

Just say no to intellectual property theft. If you don't like the economics of art and thought as property, don't play in the market, and instead just use what you've got in your head.

As for:


That should be in the dictionary for specious argument. The Wright Brothers tried and failed many times before flying, the Russians failed at stopping the Germans in WWII before finally repulsing them, etc. and so on ad naseum.

Acts of failure are not the equivalent of futility.

 

[DevinJC]

Oh and personally, I'd pay $3 of which the creative forces might see a dime of before I'd pay a $1 knowing that they would receive nothing.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

Video games are the ultimate "never pay retail" product. There are so many good games that sell for $10-$15 (new *and* used -- just due to age) that the idea of paying $50 for a game is ludicrous (to me).

$10 is certainly a decent value for a game that I might play for 10 or more hours overall (which is a low estimate for most games).

 

[Leon Liew]

I think WB's move in China by selling original DVDs at a
low price is a great move.If you can't beat them hurt them.

Them Chinese can and will fake anything. Take the cases
of fake infant milkpowder causing several infant deaths
and they even make fake eggs for crying out loud.

I guess it's WB's battle strategy for the China market.

 

[Jeff Gatie]

Naww, we just took Econ courses as electives because they were easy 'A's compared to our engineering courses. Plus, a few of us worked as salesmen before we got real jobs.

 

[Holadem]

OK... Did you even read the answers and examples provided to you so far with regard to the realities of different markets?!

Do you feel that way about other products whose price vary with the neighborhood in which they are sold, let alone with the country? It's the same basic principle, and it applies to just about everything that is bought and sold.

So is it just DVDs?

--
H

 

[Kelly Grannell]

Call us when they succeed, okay. My husband need more royalties monies.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

What's the difference between that and the fact that we make fake crab meat?

 

[Terry H]

Prices differ, but not by 1000%. Especially not in the same neighborhood.

 

[Jeff Gatie]

Try buying File Powder (a thickener used in gumbo) in the northeast. It is pennies an ounce in Louisianna, I paid 4.99 for a 3 oz bottle in Boston. Granted, specialty food items are more regional than DVD's, but the same market forces apply. Supply and demand makes for very strange prices. Your only answer is to go without. Bitching about the fact that China gets DVD's for 1/5th the price of us holds no water unless you want to reduce your wages to that of a comparable wage in China.

Any takers?

 

[Holadem]

Read the post again, I never said such a thing, I said the exact opposite of what I highlited.

Oh boy. This is high school level stuff. I give up.

--
H

 

[DaveF]

No they don't. If you don't like DVD prices, don't buy them. Go watch shadow puppets instead.

From a practical standpoint: the benefit of living in a Western nation with high wages and high (material) quality of life, is that you pay more for products. If you want, you could move to China and buy cheap DVDs. And also contend with, on the whole, lower wages and lower (material) quality of life.

 

[Terry H]

Oh right, I was thinking about different prices in stores in the same neighborhood and wrote the wrong thing.
That said, my point is still valid. Even in a different neighborhood a few miles down the road a price difference that great could not be overcome. The price could vary 10%. maybe even 20%... but 1000%? Never.