HELP: Need list of retailers that are pressuring the studios away from widescreen.... (1 Viewer)

[Dwayne]

I can only think of Walmart at the moment. What other retailers are following this practice?

 

[David Lambert]

Blockbuster and Hollywood Video often are spoken of. Problem is that it's just the chain stores for both of these; franchise locations are free to buy any way they want to.

Also, Blockbuster has stated that - starting this month - they will buy both FS and WS copies of all titles. No word yet if they are known to be keeping their promise; no new dual-format titles have been released yet (AI is next).

K-Mart's been mentioned, but they're heavy into bankruptcy and may no longer be a factor. Video Store Magazine has articles this past 2 weeks about just how MUCH money KaM-A-pART owes to Hollywood studios in home video purchases!

 

[Dwayne]

The reason why I asked is that I would like to send an email to each organization basically stating that I only purchase widescreen in dual release situations. I would further point out that the DVD format is the fastest growing format ever, even when most of the available software was released in widescreen only.

What would be even better is if the membership here could coordinate and all of us send an email to each of the targeted organizations within in an agreed timeframe, be it a day or what not. No one would have to type up different letters for each outfit. Just write one general purpose email and send it off to all of them. But I don't know how many here would be willing to do it.

One thing is certain, though. Can't do anything until a list of targets has been established.

 

[Patrick McCart]

Wal Mart seems to want dual formats.

My nearby Wal-Mart has both versions of The Mummy, American Pie 1 & 2 (no unrated, though), the Jurassic Park films, and also Grinch.

 

[Nick Graham]

For all the heat Wal-Mart gets on this issue, I always find a good selection of both formats at any Wal-Mart I run into. Now Target, on the other hand..................

 

[Dwayne]

I see to remember that when Silence Of The Lambs was released, Walmart was only carrying the PAS version. Have they since changed their policy?
List so far:
1. Walmart
2. Target
3. Blockbuster
Come on people. Give me some more.

 

[Sean Moon]

Blockbuster carries pan and scan for rent, yet the widescreen versions for sale.(except family films)

So as for sell thru they are not that bad, but on the rental side, thats a different story

 

[Noel]

I spotted 2 Super-Bit titles,Dracula and The Fifth Element today while @ the local Wal-mart.

 

[Hal Olson]

I'm in a small market area (city population less than 20,000) and both our Walmart and Target carry widescreen.

Target has been one of my best sources for new release DVD's, only $1.00 more than Best Buy sale prices, and I have to Drive 40 miles to get to Best Buy.

Hal

 

[Bill J]

My Blockbuster has all pan&scan to rent, just like every other Blockbuster. I don't even look at the DVDs on sale because they are usually like five to ten dollars more than what they cost online or at Best Buy. My local Best Buy carries both formats, so I don't think that they are a prime target. My local Target and Walmart almost always have pan&scan only.

Those three are the only places I can think of, I don't think that there can be too much left.

 

[Dwayne]

So all this pressure is coming from only three retailers?

I know Walmart is huge but I was expecting more than this.

Who would be interested in bombarding Walmart with well written emails?

 

[Bill J]

I'll happily e-mail Walmart, Target, and Blockbuster.

 

[Jeff Cooper]

I would post this question in the studio feedback area. The only responses people can give here would be mostly just speculation. The only people that can give you the real answer are the studios.

 

[Joshua Clinard]

I am evenutally going to have a list of retailers on widscreenadvocate.com If anyone has the contact info for the following retailers, I would be greatful.

I need a list of the mailing addresses of all the major retailers, including Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, Best Buy, Target, Kmart, Blockbuster Video, Costco, and Hollywood Vidoe, so that we can organize a letter writing effort.

 

[Malcolm R]

My local Costco will only stock Full Screen if there are separate versions available. I had to go elsewhere for the WS versions of "Mummy Returns," "JPIII," "Grinch," and "American Pie 2." I have e-mailed them about my preference for widescreen, and my hopes that they would stock both, but no response so far. Haven't been to Sam's Club in a while, so I'm not sure what they're doing.
I've generally been able to find both versions at my local Wal-Mart, so I'm not sure if they're really crusading for Full Screen or not. I have noticed that if the shelf space is half-empty, generally the copies remaining are FS, indicating to me that many customers are choosing WS first.
Rental chain in my area, Movie Gallery, seems to only stock Full Screen versions.
Won't this WS vs. FS debate be moot in the next 10 years or so? A lot of new TV's are widescreen. Will the non-savvy public then complain about having bars on the sides and demand their widescreen versions?

 

[Rob T]

I've never had a problem getting widescreen discs at my local Wal-Mart, but thats just me. I do check the back every time I make a purchase from there to make sure it's widescreen though.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

You have to understand exactly how much buying power WalMart and Blockbuster have. It's SIGNIFIGANT. It's measured in multiple double digit percentages of all product sold.

 

[David Lambert]

I need a list of the mailing addresses of all the major retailers, including Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, Best Buy, Target, Kmart, Blockbuster Video, Costco, and Hollywood Vidoe, so that we can organize a letter writing effort.

I'd forgotten a couple of those names. Plus, you forgot a few. Okay, let's break it down:
Wal-Mart: Everyone says that they're pro P&S-only, but in my experience I can get plenty of WS titles there, but in the case of duo-SKU releases they will lean toward P&S primary or P&S only, decided on a title-by-title basis
K-Mart: Same as Wal-Mart, except that they are a tiny bit more balanced about the P&S/WS inventory split, and might not even be a factor any more due to their bankruptcy. But since many a conglomerate has survived bankruptcy, they should be targeted, too.
Target: In my experience does not get enough flack compared to the others. 2-3 Target stores in my area I visit will NEVER have WS version if the P&S is a separate SKU.
Costco: P&S only on duo-SKU releases; big offender
Sam's Club: Same as Costco in my experience, although I hear that they have the WS SKU's in other locations. I prefer Costco myself, since their prices are lower on DVD, so perhaps I just don't know well enough about Sam's.
Hollywood Video: (For those who don't know, "franchise stores" are not owned by the conglomerate; they are locally owned stores that are licensed to use the conglomerate's name if they follow the floorplan, general business guidelines, & other agreed-upon strictures...they pay a *generous* franchise fee to the conglomerate but otherwise operate like a "mom & pop store". Most Burger Kings are franchised. So are many McDonald's. So are many Texaco's and Exxon's. You'd never know it, because they are SUPPOSED to look and act the same as the conglomerate...up to a point.) The HV franchise stores tend to buy WS-only or both WS and P&S for duo-SKU releases. The conglomerate owned locations, which outnumber the franchises drastically, only get the P&S releases, though.
Blockbuster Video: Same as Hollywood Video, except that they have issued a press release in the wake of a petition. In effect they state that they have listened to the petition and will start carrying limited quantities of WS stock for all Duo-SKU releases, beginning with items purchased corporately in February 2002. Yet to be seen if this is being followed yet; AI might be the first test.
Best Buy: Always can be relied upon to have the WS edition in the case of Duo-SKU releases, as long as they both street date on the same day. When one version precedes the other, especially when weeks or even months of difference are involved, they will not have the new edition on street date. They will instead slow-freight it in, taking up to an extra month to do it in the interest of saving money and funding their loss-leader discounts on hot new titles. This philosophy seems to apply whether the 2nd release is the WS or the P&S version. Fox's upcoming 10 titles reissued in P&S on the same day might be handled differently though, since this is the first time such a thing has happened. It could be seen by Best Buy as being a contradiction to sales of WS sets, though.
Ciruit City: Same as Best Buy, although they stock a less deep inventory and at higher day-to-day prices than Best Buy, so are more prone to being without one SKU or the other for longer periods of time. Since they sell the WS faster, they tend to be out of it for longer periods of time, making it seem like they push P&S. Why they just don't order a different ratio I'll never understand.
Suncoast: Will tend to have the WS version stocked more heavily than the P&S, so they appeal to their hard-core customer more. But they definately stock both.
FYE: Seems to have a different philosophy for each title that is Duo-SKU release. Tends to have WS in stock for most but on occassion will be P&S primary or P&S only. Might be good to send them a heads-up letter, rather than a letter of complaint.
Borders: Good stocker of both versions for Duo SKU releases. After the initial wave has past, they might eliminate one of the two SKUs, and it's always the P&S one. Good OAR supporter, whether or not it's on purpose. Prices too high for more regular support, though. :frowning:
Did I miss anyone?

 

[AaronMK]

Very nice list!

I really wish that CostCo was mentioned more as a P&S offender. They never, ever have OAR with dual releases. They also put the titles in that extra cardboard that will many times cover aspect ratio information.

IMHO, CostCo is the biggest retail offender by a long shot.

 

[Noel]

I also agree Costco should be at the top of the list of offenders.I buy at least 60% of my DVD's at Costco, would be more like 85% if the stocked WS dual releases.