DVDs: sticker shock at a brick'n'mortar store. (1 Viewer)

[Jack Briggs]

There are several must-have DVDs that I am just now getting around to purchasing. Among them are Moulin Rouge and Star Trek: The Motion Picture. And since I lost the credit card I deligate for such purchases and have yet to receive the replacement, I thought I'd get a couple of my most-needed titles on my way home from work, at the Wherehouse outlet near where I live.

For some reason, I was entertaining the notion that B&Ms were pricing DVDs pretty closely to the levels established by the better e-tailers. So, sure, I thought, I'll pick up my two most-wanted titles last night.

Well, get a gander at this: Moulin Rouge was "sale priced" at $29.95. And Star Trek: The Motion Picture? Somewhere in the low $30 range ($32.95 or thereabouts).

Give me a break.

A quick looksee at DVD Empire revealed that both of these titles going for around $20 each. Even with shipping factored in, I still saved significant bucks.

Are all brick-and-mortar stores this bad?

Makes one wonder if DVD would have taken off as well as it did if not for the online vendors.

(Oh, I was able order online because I asked my bank to tell me the number on the new card they issued. And I posted this little cautionary tale here, as it is not meant as specific feedback about specific retailers--just an observation about prevailing conditions.)

 

[Don Black]

I get the same sticker shock when I buy anything "in-store." The online/offline disparity is crazy. I just placed a $1500 DVD order at CDNOW at about 70% off MSRP. Imagine what that would have cost at say Suncoast?!?

 

[brentl]

I can almost understand Moulin Rouge, since the Oscar nods it's been a hot movie. As for ST, I really wonder why somebody would pay that for ANY disc that isn't Criterion esp ST. It isn't a hot movie.

By the way, I got both discs for under $30 Canadian each.

Brent L

 

[Tony_Faville]

Not all B&M stores are that bad, both of those titles are in the $19.99 price range at 3 of the 4 main stores I shop at in my local area.

 

[Alex Spindler]

Slightly Off Topic, but Don Black

 

[Don Black]

Hehehe ... that put my collection over the 1,000 DVD mark. I've only watched about 1/2 of them. Let's just say I'm in the business (I designed one of the many e-commerce sites out there that everyone uses).

 

[Brett Hancock]

I don't find Best Buy to be all that bad. On harder to find titles they seem to cost 3-5 dollars extra but on new releases they are usually about the same price. Plus you don't have to wait for shipping. Now Suncoast is another story

 

[Michael*K]

I designed one of the many e-commerce sites out there that everyone uses

At 70% off MSRP, I assume that site is CDNOW.

 

[Joseph S]

Perhaps it was REEL and Don got in on their HollywoodVideo branded Enron stock.
It seemed like they were paying me to take the DVDs from them. $10 off coupons, AMEX Rebate over that, BFL and Ebates rebates + free shipping, and 50% off from the start. Must have been at least 105% off by the time I got done with an order.
Ahhh, those were the days. What's with the 70% off, haven't seen that since the Bond misprices.

 

[Scott Hayes]

I have a phobia about buying merchandise online, I just wont do it. So I really shop around. The new Walmart the next town over has an excellent movie selection. They usually have all the new movies but nothing too esoteric or out of mainstream. They cary both widescreen and P&S. They have all the new Superbit movies nad believe it or not I bought the Criterion edition of the Life of Brian for 25$. I also bought ST:TMP DC for 20$. To top it all off they are going to start selling DVD Audio in a couple of months. Amazing for a Walmart. This place seems to be one of the few good Walmarts.

The other thing I do is buy a lot of used movies from the rental stores. Just got Goldeneye, Dr No, Moonraker all three for 35$. My brother and I hit all the pawn shops in the area, most of them buy dvd's for 5$ and sell them for 10$ or 8$ a piece if you buy three or more.

Of course to find the deals you have to drive around and search, and you sometimes get scratched dvds if you dont check them before you buy them but I do get some deals. The internet would be a more efficiant way of shopping.

 

[Don Black]

None of the above! I actually should have said that I was in the business. The CDNOW prices were a combination of cheap gift certificates, plus a coupon, plus their everyday 20-30% off MSRP. I actually had $500 in GC left over which I offered up for sale in the Coupon/Bargains section of the forum with no takers. It kind of surprised me given the savings (60-70% off MSRP) but maybe no one wanted to make a $500 purchase.

 

[Chad R]

That's not sticker shock. A few years back I was looking at a record shop down near the tourist corridor (I-Drive for those familiar with Orlando) and saw Warner DVD's, that at the time had a full retail price of $24.95, priced $29.95! Every disc they had was priced above the suggested retail price!

Needless to say, that store is no longer there.

 

[Tony_Faville]

You can still find movies priced $5 over MSRP at Wherehouse and Tower Records. The only good thing about shopping Tower is they stock some of the more difficult to find titles.

 

[Holadem]

I got Spartacus and Stargate for $14.99 each, and the Apartment for $9.99, all from Walmart yesterday. The big chain stores (CC comes to mind) generally have good prices.

--

Holadem

 

[JakeR]

Is there any particular reason that music stores seem to have the highest mark-up on discs? My local record stores are just laughable when it comes to their pricing.

When I go DVD shopping, I prefer the tangible experience of a Sam's Club or Circuit City over shopping online. (For some discs, though, getting them OL is my only choice due to their narrow appeal.)

By FAR, the worst offender in my area is Barnes and Noble. Their prices are just ridiculous, which is a shame, since they stock a fair amount of obscure Criterion and foreign titles. They will be, on average, $5-$15 more expensive than the Sam's or Wal-Mart across the street.

Cuh-wazy!

 

[Justin Lane]

It seems like Best Buy has the best deals consistently now of days. Circuit City has occasional bargains but their regular prices are higher then Best Buy. Suncoast is the worst place to shop, and Border's is quite bad as well though they do have a nice selection of foreign films and Criterions.

I don't know how stores like Suncoast stay in business, when film is their only business, and the only discounts you find are on that weeks releases, and even those can't match Best Buy.

J

 

[MikeAlletto]

I've always found that places that have the worst pricing on dvd's are stores that were not originally movie sale places. Like Warehouse Music, Barnes & Noble. First one is primarily a cd store and the second a book store. They branched out to dvd's and movies, but it didn't seem they knew how to price them. Specialty stores should just stay with their specialty and not try and branch out, it never seems to work.

 

[Kelley_B]

I just buy from Best Buy in terms of B&M...I am pretty happy with them.

 

[DarrinH]

May sound cheap but I have been checking local flea markets and finding used DVDs in good shape for 12$. Picked up 5 in my last trip. Some people even have new ones that are just a bit dated for the same $$.

 

[MickeS]

Jack, no all B&M stores aren't that bad. What was that place you went to, Sam Goody's? They always seem to charge MSRP for everything.

Best Buy has pretty good prices, not to mention Costco. Costco has a limited selection though, but they have most new titles. I bought the fawlty Towers 3-disc set there for $39, most single-disc titles seem to be between $17 and $19.

/Mike