OAR ACTION SQUAD: Your mission, if you choose to accept it... (2 Viewers)

[Jeff Kleist]

PROPOSAL

The studios claim that OAR does not sell equal numbers. We claim (and know) that OAR is NOT given an equal chance in most stores, in both copy depth and shelf space/placement.

YOUR MISSION if you choose to accept it

VISIT your local Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Best Buy, Circuit City etc etc etc

REPORT how many copies of P&S vs Widescreen have been stocked, and MOST IMPORTANTLY where they are placed in the store! Pay special attention to endcaps (displays on the end of an row)

ASK How many copies of each have been sold

IF POSSIBLE- PHOTOGRAPH these displays, ESPECIALLY where widescreen is absent or buried!

TARGET TITLES

May 7-Ocean's 11

May 28- Harry Potter & the Sorceror's (Philosopher's) Stone

These are BIG movies, and it WILL help our cause to have PROOF

 

[Rain]

As an ammendment to this, I think it would also be a great idea if we all made a point, for all DVDs where there are dual OAR and non-OAR releases, of buying them at places like this. Of course, we'd be buying the widescreen.

Even if this means taking a hit of an extra buck or two on the purchase, I think we have a chance of getting something accomplished in the long run.

 

[Wade K]

A little creative rearranging might not hurt either...

 

[Jeff Kleist]

NO

NO creative rearranging

We need to PROVE our case, that OAR is NOT being given a fair shake. Rearranging will not result in helping anything

 

[Wade K]

Well, I'll be sliding a few widescreens in front anyway. Nothing massive. I already do it anyway.

 

[Larry Gardner]

Sorry, some rearranging MAY have to be applied.

I have been surveying Best Buys, BJ's Warehouse and WalMart's in my area and have found that most have had WS but no longer. WHen reviewing the racks, they may have some WS but since there are only 5 or 6 copies, they are behind FS versions.

However, on the good note. Each place was not because FS was the predominate purchase - I was told by the store manager/clerk that the WS always outsells the FS version - especially the week it is released.

IN all the Best Buys, Spy Games WS was all but gone. The FS version was in plenty - but no one was purchasing. I told the manager that he should return some of the FS versions and replace with WS - but he said that coporate policy dictates to keep the FS - and just re-order more WS eventually. I told him doing that gives a false reading to the studios - since they think that FS is being purchased in numbers - but in reality - are just sitting on the shelves.

As far as Princess Diaries - I asked - he told me that like Willy Wonka and Cats and Dogs, the FS sold better because they didn't get the WS until much later (nearly two weeks later). In the case of WW and Cats&Dogs - it was more like 2-3 months later.

Now - where are the studios getting there information from?

 

[Paul E. Fox II]

I'm in as much as I can. When I get my camera back from the Repair Shop, I'll be snapping a few pics.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

You're not understanding what we are trying to do

We're trying to provide an accurate sample. Something that can be quoted and documented for giving to news agencies and other organizations. If you move discs around, you distort the sample.

At some point we could theoretically assign some OAR Avenger Ninja Squad to do subversive tactics like that, but this is strictly recon.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

I'm sad to see that I was right, that most people bitch and complain but don't want to kick in

If you want to help the cause, put your money where your mouth is

Otherwise, don't complain when P&S DVDs are flooding the market

 

[Malcolm R]

Be careful about snapping photos in these stores. Sometimes they get rather nasty about people taking photos or writing down price information.

 

[Kyle McKnight]

I can understand a "no picture taking" policy, but if any store gets upset with you writing down prices, you shouldn't shop at that store anymore.

 

[Patrick McCart]

Be sure to show how Super-35 works for both of these titles.

 

[Patrick Scott]

Well let me tell give you some heads up.
If your taking pictures in these stores I will guarantee you will be asked to leave. In my store I would personally ask you to leave or get security to do it for me. What would you do if someone showed up at your house and started taking pictures of your cars?
As far as writing down prices that will get you tossed as well if it appears you are comp shopping, we all do it in retail we just do it covertly.
In my store you will never or very rarely find cardboard displays with new releases. I hate these things and tear them down and place all of my product in a new release section, if it is a dual release such as Spy Game widescreen goes on the right, P&S on the left or WS on top and P&S on the bottom.
As far as asking for sales you probably won’t get much accomplished with that either but I will tell you what is happening in my store.
Spy game in WS sold twice as much as the PS version; A.I. sold about 20% more. Movies such as Princess Diaries, Jurassic Park III and American Pie tend to favor PS by a small margin. Don’t know why but I think it’s the dreaded J6P spending that welfare cash. When Remember the Titans was released it sold twice the amount of WS as PS and the widescreen copy is now the only one we sell. On dual releases we ALWAYS get copies of both movies. That should hold true for the other stores as well, if you can’t find it just dig a little. Generally the folks who do the stocking (my store the exception) could care less or don’t know the difference.
As far as buying the widescreen copy on your covert mission to WM, Target, KM, CC, BB ec. don’t worry about having to spend more, just take an ad and have them price match it. Heck if you shop my store you could walk out the door this week with Ali and NATM for less than $15.50 and JM for less than $16.50. (David Lambert sure does make my job easy)
Here are some tips from someone at store level who is trying to fight the good fight.
Ask to post a copy of the Widescreen Advocate’s flyers.
Spend some time talking to the department head, tell him your concerns, educate him, go to his or hers store on a weekly basis. Don’t berate him or try to make him feel small by your incredible knowledge of something he or she knows little of and more that likely could care less about. Follow the above, develop a positive customer relationship with them and you will be surprised at what will happen. I have always loved movies but never really had an interest in home theater until a friend took me for a ride on his. I was hooked. A suggestion would be to offer to demo your theater. Show the difference in WS and PS and you might just create a rabid monster thatt will join our crusade.

Even more important, If you REALLY want to have your concerns heard do not do it a store level. Hit the phones, the email or snail mail. Talk to the buyers who purchase the product for the stores. This is where change will take place. This is what J6P does. We should as well.
Scott,
Somewhere in New Mexico.
PS, it might not hurt to give the department head the address to this forum as well.

 

[Joshua Clinard]

I don't think studio's really care wheter the WS/PS versions are being given a fair chance. The only thing that will work, is for the demand of WS to go up! The only way for us to do that, is for us to create demend. Here is what I think we should do.

Pick a dual release, pick a retailer, and us all go out and buy as many copies as we can on that day/week. Totally boycott all other retailer/DVD's that week.

Then the next time a dual release comes out, pick a different retailer.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

AGAIN, this is NOT an education effort, YET

This is a fact finding mission. Raw numbers raw FACTS that can be put into things like press releases. If we can sample 40-50 stores across the country, it would be a decent sample to support our claim. Stores in NYC and LA and the surrounding area are probably going to put widescreen first, simply because of the large numbers of enthusiasts in that area, but every sample helps.

LATER we will cover things like Super35.

That's why you take your pictures covertly. My father was a private investigator, and he taught me a lot of the ropes (he was caught about twice in 20 years)

Better yet, why not do it honestly? TALK to the dept head, tell him you're doing research on DVDs, and just want some pictures of their racks to illustrate.

Pictures are NOT required, but a few would help. You also don't have to write anything down. Just note the number of DVDs of each kind, and where they're placed. I'm assuming most people can remember that information till they get out the door

If a store does not use cardboard displays, then you look at the new release section.

With Best Buy, Circuit City, Wal-Mart and Kmart, on major releases usually corporate does the ordering. The dept head just keeps the books and takes care of reorders in my experiece.

When I worked retail, I would always tell people how many we sold if I was asked, it's not a big deal

 

[Patrick McCart]

LATER we will cover things like Super35.

But the target titles are Super-35...
I think it's important to show EXACTLY how movies are presented in the various formats they're in. I know someone who could tell that the LBX Gladiator was missing stuff at the top and bottom and he thought it was censored. I had to explain that it was matted like a normal 1.85:1 film. Making Super-35 movies appear to be just like Panavision just makes things harder to explain.
We need to have EXACT illustrations for different aspect ratios and processes. It's just like that signature someone had with a cropped Columbia logo. The films Columbia released were not cropped neatly on the sides like the very incorrect picture stated, but exposed extra picture on the top and bottom. It's hard to explain to Joe Six Pack about widescreen and it's hard to explain to OAR supporters about film. I strongly suggest looking at every page on www.widescreenmuseum.com to get a real idea of what widescreen processes are like.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Patrick, the reason why I'm looking for this specific info is that I have been having a dialogue with an editor for a major video retailer publication. If I were able to provide them with hard numbers, then it's possible there would be an article in said publication. This will get around to the industry people, since they read said publication.

I can tell you right now. No corporate chain will allow us to put up flyers/banners etc. Any put up covertly will be ripped down. If we try to hand out said flyers, we will get kicked out of the store.

Bottom line, if it doesn't have their name on it, they don't want to see it

We can then USE these numbers to GO to those retailers and ask them if we can maybe help them find a larger widescreen customer by education, and providing them with materials

 

[Matt Pelham]

Here's my (shady and sleazy) idea:

Go to a store that seems to be leaning towards full-screen releases (Wal Mart, etc.) Get a huge armload or cart full of full-screen DVD's (preferably ones that aren't stocked at that location in widescreen). Go to the cashier and allow them to be rung up and get your credit card out like you are going to pay. Then, right before you hand the cashier your card or slide it or whatever say "These are all in widescreen, right?" When you find out that none of them are, act shocked and upset, firmly state you ONLY purchase widescreen DVD's and walk out of the store. The cashier will have to void out a multi-hundred dollar order and stores HATE doing credits like that. The manager will find out, everything will have to be explained, etc. That will definitely get the message across (especially if you do that several times a week!).

 

[Jeff Kleist]

No, that'll just piss off the poor person running the counter. You need to do something that DIRECTLY pisses off corporate

 

[Mike Friedrich]

Matt, even though that would piss off some people especially in line to purchase something it is a hell of an idea !
bodymov'n