Posted from highdefdigest Marketingguru on black friday

Recherché · 11-21-2007, 02:43 PM

My staff and I just returned from an "in-store" tour of 14 Los Angeles area Best Buy stores to evaluate the chain's preparation for Black Friday and the products that are receiving the all important store placement and promotion...

Here is what I can report...

1. All 14 stores were loaded with large quantities of Toshiba HD DVD players stocked with 100 Units or more of the A3 model. All stores slashed it's retail price (On Monday) ahead of Black Friday (enough has been written in the price war area) and according to department managers, they have been "flying" out the door since. All stores had quantities of 50 units plus of the A30 model....

2. Toshiba's Players had critical "center aisle stacks" of the A3 model at the stores we visited..These are key places in retail stores where loads of merchandise are stacked in a high traffic area due to a sale or promotion..

3. Blu-Ray players stocked had no such presence in any of the stores visited..All models were stocked in their regular places in the DVD player aisle, and no access inventory was present to anywhere near the quatities of the HD DVD players and no center aisle stacks of any model.

4. The only featured Blu Ray was of course the Playstation 3 aisle stack in the GAMING area and no store had huge amounts of inventory in preparation of Friday..And what inventory they had appeared to have been there a while since all boxes were SPIDERMAN bundle offers.

5. 9 BB Stores we visited had aisle end caps with XBOX HD DVD players stacked.

6. Today's Blu Ray releases at all BB stores we visited were priced at $34.99 including the Die Hard films and Hairspray. I was gonna buy the new Die Hard film, not for $34.99 sorry folks.

7. On the dangerous side for HD DVD software, copies of HD DVD's Transformers had all but evaporated at all the stores visited, with few copies on the floor..We tried to see if quantities were shipping before Friday, but I did not confirm the stock would be replenished..In fact, many HD DVD titles needed restocking ahead of Friday. The same was true for Blu Ray however.

We de-briefed department manager after department manager at all locations and all stated that HD DVD had pulled out ahead to take a commanding lead away from it's counterpart because of volume sales and pricing, period. They conveyed that price points were at a level consumers would jump at adoption.

However, many of the managers pointed to the upconversion factor saying that when consumers were confused, they push the fact that the HD DVD player will still work with your standard def TV or HD TV and will make your standard def product look great...Dual use combined with price, they say, has become a strong selling point...

A majority of managers wondered why Blu Ray relied so heavily on Playstation promotions and not enough standalone discounts TO MATCH that of HD DVD...All of them felt that was a serious mistake going into the holiday breakout period and would change their opinion on what format would ultimately dominate...

My conclusion after this retail assessment, a clear advantage for HD DVD heading into the holiday, at least in this market and this retail chain, keep that in mind...If this is the norm at other retailers, the tide in software sales is bound to change shortly before or soon after 12/31..

Oh, All stores had sold out of the Star Trek HD DVD packs...Spiderman 3 was readily available in all packages and 10 stores were out of Ratatoille. Close Encounters was sold out at the display at all stores.

MidnightWatche · 11-21-2007, 03:13 PM

HD DVD: Complete, Competitive, Competent.

The_Omega_Man · 11-21-2007, 03:19 PM

Okay blu boys let's see what nonsense you can come up with, to try and Poo Poo on this information?

mschupp · 11-21-2007, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Omega_Man

Okay blu boys let's see what nonsense you can come up with, to try and Poo Poo on this information?

On the site this originated at they basically called him a liar. Then someone posted a copy with HD DVD and BluRay switched as another thread.
EDIT: I may go out to the local BB later and see if they have anything similar going on.

Lee Stewart · 11-21-2007, 03:31 PM

"Oh, All stores had sold out of the Star Trek HD DVD packs"

The_Omega_Man · 11-21-2007, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mschupp

On the site this originated at they basically called him a liar. Then someone posted a copy with HD DVD and BluRay switched as another thread.
EDIT: I may go out to the local BB later and see if they have anything similar going on.

I've been to mine and there are multiple Stacks of HD DVD players in plain view next to the Toshiba HD DVD endcap, with more lined up against the walls. I counted 28 boxes of A3s and A30s as of last weekend. There were exactly 14 boxes of (Sony & Samsung) Blu-Ray players visible to the customers.

Unfortunately, the software section was not adjusted for the sales ratios expected. 3:2 sections of Blu-Rays versus HD DVDs.

The_Omega_Man · 11-21-2007, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lee Stewart

"Oh, All stores had sold out of the Star Trek HD DVD packs"

Lee, how do you find this stuff! ROFL!

Lee Stewart · 11-21-2007, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Omega_Man

Lee, how do you find this stuff! ROFL!

Are you asking the magician to show you how he does his tricks?

The_Omega_Man · 11-21-2007, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lee Stewart

Are you asking the magician to show you how he does his tricks?

Yes Mr. Copperfield!...All great magicians need to mentor an apprentice! LOL

Super XP · 11-21-2007, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Omega_Man

Yes Mr. Copperfield!...All great magicians need to mentor an apprentice! LOL

11-21-2007, 02:43 PM	#1
Recherché HD DVD≥Women<Life Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 144	Posted from highdefdigest Marketingguru on black friday My staff and I just returned from an "in-store" tour of 14 Los Angeles area Best Buy stores to evaluate the chain's preparation for Black Friday and the products that are receiving the all important store placement and promotion... Here is what I can report... 1. All 14 stores were loaded with large quantities of Toshiba HD DVD players stocked with 100 Units or more of the A3 model. All stores slashed it's retail price (On Monday) ahead of Black Friday (enough has been written in the price war area) and according to department managers, they have been "flying" out the door since. All stores had quantities of 50 units plus of the A30 model.... 2. Toshiba's Players had critical "center aisle stacks" of the A3 model at the stores we visited..These are key places in retail stores where loads of merchandise are stacked in a high traffic area due to a sale or promotion.. 3. Blu-Ray players stocked had no such presence in any of the stores visited..All models were stocked in their regular places in the DVD player aisle, and no access inventory was present to anywhere near the quatities of the HD DVD players and no center aisle stacks of any model. 4. The only featured Blu Ray was of course the Playstation 3 aisle stack in the GAMING area and no store had huge amounts of inventory in preparation of Friday..And what inventory they had appeared to have been there a while since all boxes were SPIDERMAN bundle offers. 5. 9 BB Stores we visited had aisle end caps with XBOX HD DVD players stacked. 6. Today's Blu Ray releases at all BB stores we visited were priced at $34.99 including the Die Hard films and Hairspray. I was gonna buy the new Die Hard film, not for $34.99 sorry folks. 7. On the dangerous side for HD DVD software, copies of HD DVD's Transformers had all but evaporated at all the stores visited, with few copies on the floor..We tried to see if quantities were shipping before Friday, but I did not confirm the stock would be replenished..In fact, many HD DVD titles needed restocking ahead of Friday. The same was true for Blu Ray however. We de-briefed department manager after department manager at all locations and all stated that HD DVD had pulled out ahead to take a commanding lead away from it's counterpart because of volume sales and pricing, period. They conveyed that price points were at a level consumers would jump at adoption. However, many of the managers pointed to the upconversion factor saying that when consumers were confused, they push the fact that the HD DVD player will still work with your standard def TV or HD TV and will make your standard def product look great...Dual use combined with price, they say, has become a strong selling point... A majority of managers wondered why Blu Ray relied so heavily on Playstation promotions and not enough standalone discounts TO MATCH that of HD DVD...All of them felt that was a serious mistake going into the holiday breakout period and would change their opinion on what format would ultimately dominate... My conclusion after this retail assessment, a clear advantage for HD DVD heading into the holiday, at least in this market and this retail chain, keep that in mind...If this is the norm at other retailers, the tide in software sales is bound to change shortly before or soon after 12/31.. Oh, All stores had sold out of the Star Trek HD DVD packs...Spiderman 3 was readily available in all packages and 10 stores were out of Ratatoille. Close Encounters was sold out at the display at all stores. __________________ Samsung LN-S4095D (1080p 40" LCD) Samsung HT-1200 (HDMI, Digital Dolby & DTS, DVD Audio, SACD 5.1 850W HTIB...yeah, so what if it is) Toshiba HD-XA2 302 HD DVD's 27 BD's PS3 40gb

11-21-2007, 03:13 PM	#2
MidnightWatche High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 944	HD DVD: Complete, Competitive, Competent. __________________ "Without struggle there can be no progress."

11-21-2007, 03:19 PM	#3
The_Omega_Man Don't touch the remote! Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Encino,CA Posts: 3,431	Okay blu boys let's see what nonsense you can come up with, to try and Poo Poo on this information? __________________ Lvng Rm Sony KF50WE610 HDTV D* HR-21 HD DVR XA2 HD DVD Onkyo TX-NR905 JVC HR-S3500U S-VHS Hrmony One Energy Encore 5.1 Spkr Mstr Bdrm Tosh 46XF550U HDTV XA2 HD DVD D* HR-21 HD DVR Onkyo TX-SR606 Hrmony 659 Polk 5.1 Spkr Office Samy LNS3252D HDTV D* HR-20 HD DVR A2 HD DVD Sony RDR-HX715 DVD Rec. Fisher FVH-4910 VHS Onkyo TX-SR674 Psyclone PSC47 HDMI Sw. Hrmony 550 Polk RM6750 5.1 Spkr Gst Rm Samy UN46B7100 HDTV D* HR10 HD DVR XBOX360 Elite+HD DVD PS3 60GB Onkyo TX-SR704 Energy C-7 Spkr Hrmony 880

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11-21-2007, 03:31 PM	#5
Lee Stewart Behold - the future! Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Albuquerque, NM Age: 58 Posts: 25,188	"Oh, All stores had sold out of the Star Trek HD DVD packs"