Snow White and eBay (1 Viewer)

[Nick Pudar]

Since Snow White goes quiet for a decade after this month, I'm curious about what other HTF members thoughts are about what an effective eBay strategy might be. How long do you wait before selling, and what kind of prices do you think it will generate. (I'm talking about shrink-wrapped, unopened packages.) I've got to believe that there are going to be a lot of new parents in the next ten years that will JUST HAVE to get their kids the movie. Any thoughts?

Nick

 

[George Cifrancis]

I wouldn't bother trying to eBay it for at least a few years. The stores are stocked up and are going to have them for a long time I bet.

George C.

 

[Rain]

I wouldn't bother trying to eBay it for at least a few years.

...by which time, it will have been rereleased over and over and over and over again.

 

[Joshua Clinard]

My wal-mart was empty by the second week it was out!! I don't think that they will get any more in either, so it might work.

 

[alan halvorson]

I found just one copy at three stores Sunday - none at Sam's Club. This isn't, of course, saying there still isn't plenty of stock around. But even if it's low, don't expect to make a killing on Ebay. There's just too many around.

 

[Robert Harris]

For those who may be too new to home video to remember...

Disney released an oversized laserdisc boxed set of Fantasia in limited quantities, with the marketing folks stating that the film would Never be seen again.

Although Never is generally considered to be a longer period of time than Ten Years, is there one individual reading these messages who actually believes that Disney will be able to contain themselves from creating more copies of the film on DVD until 2012?

If I really believed this, I would probably bring in a thousand copies and begin selling them off about 2003, when the supplies in stores are deminished.

The bottom line has always been that the creation of new "collectibles" is fraught with problems and deceit. I would expect nothing less here.

Caveat Emptor.

RAH

 

[Dave H]

"is there one individual reading these messages who actually believes that Disney will be able to contain themselves from creating more copies of the film on DVD until 2012?"

If I'm not mistaken, didn't Disney hold up to their statement that Little Mermaid wouldn't be released on home video for some time? I think that was seven or eight years ago. Maybe someone out there knows the details about this.

 

[David Lambert]

Man, there are TONS of Snow White here in Memphis! At just about any store you go into!

Maybe I ought to stock up and compile my eBay strategy...

 

[James_M]

I wouldn't think it'd be worth it. I mean nobody's paying insane prices for the limited issues on ebay.

 

[Ron Eastman]

Disney's promises to refrain from releasing a certain title again are certainly more reliable than Lucasfilms. How many times have they said "This is the last chance to buy Star Wars" for the VHS releases?
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that Snow White only had 2 releases on VHS over the 20+ years that the format has been in existence. I'd say it's a good bet that you won't see it again on DVD for 10 years and there will be many more people adopting the format in that time frame. I think it might be a good investment if you held onto it for 5+ years.

 

[Matt Birchall]

Disney's promises to refrain from releasing a certain title again are certainly more reliable than Lucasfilms. How many times have they said "This is the last chance to buy Star Wars" for the VHS releases?

Once, as far as I remember--for the 1995 THX non-Special Edition remasters. And even then, it was "This is your last chance to own the original version of Star Wars"--which was true, since they knew that the SE's were on the way, and that they would be the only versions released from then on.

The Special Editions have been released on VHS twice now--the first time in August 1997 and the last time in November 2000, and neither have ever had any kind of "last chance" warning. . .

-mwb-

 

[Dave H]

I think selling copies of Snow White in a few years may work best. Obviously, there are still a number of people - including J6Ps - who don't own DVD players yet. In a year or two, when they buy a DVD player, they may be looking for Snow White on DVD, so who knows what you may get for it.
I'm thinking I'll be able to sell my original copy of Apocalypse Now by that time for a good price too.

 

[Dharmesh C]

2010? Maybe this is the only time Snow White will be on DVD. Can anyone say Hi-Def?

 

[Colin O'H]

It most likely will not rise in value greatly.Besides e-bay has become quite played out with regard to dvd sales.People charge more on e-bay than the current retail prices on many discs.It's impossible to divine the next ridiculous buying frenzy on dvd a/la Salo 120 Days and so on.Get the disc if you like it and maybe a few to sell later but don't expect a windfall comin your way.

 

[AaronJB]

I think you'll get a quicker return from one of the "Walt Disney Treasures" tins, such as the Mickey Mouse one. Those are limited to 150,000 and some of them are starting to become less easily attained.

 

[David Susilo]

At our Loblaws (any one of them, our grocery store) they havew gazillion copies of Snow White DVD. Nobody buys them.

 

[Ed St. Clair]

I see this "edtion" of SW not coming back for close to ten. However, a one disc version? I give 'em a week!

 

[Mark-W]

I don't suggest anyone count on these as a money maker.
With the heavy advertising and so on, it is not like
when a Criterion DVD goes out of print
(without too much fanfare or publicity),
and even those that have gone out of print recently,
like Dead Ringers are not
fetching high prices on eBay. The days of titles
like Salo or John Woo's
The Killer are long gone.
The DVD market has taken off, and those titles
are "rare," where Snow White will be
about as rare as windy weather in Chicago.
(And film buffs who "must have" that title,
are already entrenched in DVDland.)
You're better off getting a stock portfolio.
Mark