The retail presence of the format war
With a full year of the format war under our belt we grabbed our camera and took some pictures of both formats on display at local retailers. We hit Best Buy (with a Magnolia built in), Circuit City, Target, Wal-mart, Sears, K-Mart, Sound Advice, and Costco. We tried to get some pictures from the east coast and the west coast of the US in a few major retailers, and discovered how different their offerings are depending on location. Check out the full gallery after the jump and a synopsis.In addition to our gallery we want to point out the best and worst displays we saw. Lets start with the best.The best HD DVD display: Sound Advice
You see this demo the second you walk in the door, there is no way to miss it. We are surprised that there wasn't a Toshiba TV connected to it, but still impressed to see a next-gen player first thing when you walk in.
The best Blu-ray display: Best Buy/Magnolia
Here in Florida the Magnolia stores are inside the Best Buy and they had the best display in the Magnolia section. It features the Pansonic Blu-ray player and a 65 inch Panasonic Plasma. It might not look like much in the picture, but in person it is something to see.
The most consistent display: Sony Blu-ray
We saw this in a number of stores on the end of an isle; in Best Buy, Circuit City and Sears. While not the most impressive display you can't miss it, and the nice Sony HDTV. With movies next to it to boot.
Most available product: Xbox 360 HD DVD add-on drive
Even though our local Target, Wal-Mart and K-Mart didn't have any next-gen format movies or stand alone players, they all had the Xbox360 add-on drive. In fact it was the only player we saw at every store. We're not sure if Microsoft requires everyone who carries the 360 to stock this product, but either way, good job on making HD DVD available to everyone.
Most movies in stock: Best Buy
We didn't sit and count them all, but from the looks of it, Best Buy carries every movie for both formats.
Best overall next-gen support: Best Buy
They had the most movies, the most players on display and the most available on the shelf.
Worst display: Sears
Not only did we almost get ran out of Sears for taking pictures, but their displays were a mess.
Biggest disappointment: Circuit City, tied with FYE
We don't expect much out of most retailers when it comes to HD, but Circuit City really has a long way to go get in the game with Best Buy. Yes that is all the HD DVD titles they have.
FYE at the same time is a major retailers for movies and music and to only stock a hand full of movies is a joke.
Check out all the pictures in our gallery.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Timezones @ Apr 30th 2007 3:09PM
Yeah, the Circuit City in my area (Timonium, MD) is pretty shabby when it comes to HD-DVD/Blu-Ray movies/advertising. Up till about 2 months ago they had a horrible Comcast feed going to all of their Plasma/LCD HDTV's that looked *TERRIBLE*. Now they finally have the flat panel monitors mounted and great pictures on them...yet there's hardly any HD-DVD/Blu-Ray advertising. You'd specifically have to go in there looking for HD-DVD/Blu-Ray players and movies to know they even sold them. (I guess this explains why the Bestbuy down the street is always busy, while Circuit City is always dead)
jason @ Apr 30th 2007 3:43PM
good article
andy @ Apr 30th 2007 4:25PM
Circuit City sells that stuff? I thought they only sold tv's now.
Seriously though, look at those pics and you can see the reason for the layoffs. Retail shelf space is one of the hottest commodities a marketing person can get for their product. Circuit city is utilitzing about 25% of their space on those shelves. It's a small wonder they're not selling anything. I can remember looking for a wireless xbox controller, communicator, and HD pack there a while back and couldn't score any of the three. Walmart and best buy had all three.
They sell tv's cheap to draw people in, but if there's nothing else to buy there, why sell the tv's cheap? It's the only thing you're selling at that point.
walk2k @ Apr 30th 2007 4:41PM
They must have improved a lot because the last time I went into a Best Buy (right after Xmas) they only had the Sony Blu-ray player, hooked up to a...... Westinghouse., UGH... and in the drive tray? A Sony _DVD_ demo disc. Yes that's right... not a Blu-ray version... A REGULAR DVD. :(
Jason @ May 2nd 2007 11:45AM
A work at Best Buy and the dumb thing about the DVD in the blu-ray player is that that is what sony sent to be played in the player.
William Buckley @ Apr 30th 2007 4:45PM
In the San Francisco Peninsula it is very frustrating to buy any next gen movies. The Best Buy stores do not carry all that many titles, and they seem to favor blu ray. None of them carried DVE or Planet Earth. Fry's has the next gen stuck on endcaps with no regular section to browse. Circuit City takes the cake for having the worst support as I have actually seen a store where they put the HD versions behind the regular DVD release. I am forced to make most of my purchases online.
DaiMac79 @ Apr 30th 2007 5:28PM
I used to be an Asst. Manager at F.Y.E. (stands for F&$K Your Employees), and everything they do regarding any new tech is a joke. The only reason to go to FYE is that they might randomly have a piece of hardware or movie by that Best Buy doesn't stock, but in general you pay 20-30% more for the same (or in the case of their electronics, lower) stuff you can get at Best Buy. Their service is arguably better in some cases, but since they insist on paying the bare minimum you generally are going to get less music/movie buff employees and more vapid high schoolers standing around making money to pay their car insurance, thats why I quit, no future or point in that endeavor, be better off at EB Games, and thats saying something.
JasonVA @ Apr 30th 2007 5:34PM
In my Walmart (Virginia Beach) they have the one of the Toshiba players, the 360 HD-DVD drive and some discs from both formats. They haven't really been pushing them and the maintenance on that area is horrid! The formats are often mixed in the displays and we know how clueless a good chunk of HD consumers are (buying HDtv and thinking you will get HD picture on everything!), so mistakes are probably made.
Kevin @ Apr 30th 2007 6:15PM
At least in california, Fry's Electronics seems to have a better selection (and prices) than Best Buy
DaiMac79 @ Apr 30th 2007 8:52PM
In case people are confused, F.Y.E. and Fry's are two different retail chains owned by different companies.
horngreen @ Apr 30th 2007 8:38PM
SEARS...now that was darn right hillarious.
Phoenixxx1974 @ May 1st 2007 8:53AM
i work at best buy and they don't carry every moviem you have to buy them online or go to like amazon. THey don't have Casablanca, scooby-doo, christmas story (not sure why it will sell), national lampoon's christmas vacation, ALSO they don't carry PLANET EARTH and DIGITAL VIDEO ESSENTIALS which could esily be sold with EVERY PLAYER.
Best buy likes to only carry big name movies and random selection of movies, they wil have old movies people never heard of and not carry old classics everyone asks for and don't even have a fdoreign section which everyone asks for. I am always upset with their selection. I agree with Frye's electronics has a MUCH better selection but the one by us is a HORRIBLE store really bad customer service and crappy stuff that is either DOA or died in a month. Customers who go to my best buy refuse to go to Fryes when i suggest it because they might have it. It's kinda funny how many times i hear people say NO i am not going to that place.
Jason @ May 2nd 2007 11:46AM
not sure what best buy you work at but we carry just about every HD-DVD and Blu-Ray movie INCLUDING Planet Earth
TMD @ May 1st 2007 3:11PM
The new SuperTarget in northern Peoria, AZ (known as the 'far north Peoria' store) has both HD-DVDs and Blu-Rays on a display side by side. Not a big selection, but they were there, quite surprisingly.
Matt @ May 2nd 2007 11:22AM
I noticed that you used our store as an example in a few of your photos. Did you get permission to use those photos? If it helps, we are in Tampa on Dale Mabry. You could probably figure out what store it is.
Ben @ May 2nd 2007 11:24AM
Considering the pictures I took from Wal-Mart, Target, Circuit City, Sound Advice and Best buy are all on Dale Mabry in Tampa. I can't figure out which store you are from.
I didn't know the press needed permission to take pictures in a public place for the purposes of a story.
Britboyj27 @ May 3rd 2007 1:10AM
Phoenix - Best Buy does carry Planet Earth, in both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray version. I bought it at the Fayetteville, AR location last week, not all the store have ALL the movies in store, they do carry them online (with the exception of HD-DVD essentials, as far as I can tell)
Chris @ May 3rd 2007 10:24PM
Ben:
"I didn't know the press needed permission to take pictures in a public place for the purposes of a story"
A retail store is not a public place. It is a private business that is open to the public. It is kinda like if you are selling your house and a person comes in and starts taking pictures of your underwear!
Personally I'm glad to see stories like this. Hopefully it brings positive attention to the stores that care about the products they sell. Some of the stores need to be reprimanded for their lack of caring. HD DVD and BLU-Ray should take a look at the big box retailers merchandising and they'll see why they've sold a measly 2 million discs between the two formats!