"Exlusive" CD's And DVD's To Certain Stores Is "Not Right"!

[The_Q]

OK, before I get started here with my "rant" I have to state that YES part of me feels the way I do because I do work for a "Mom And Pop" Brick and Mortar Indi Record Store. But I think when artists release their products exclusively through Best Buy, Walmart etc. they are hurting the industry. They may be expanding their wallets but isn't the idea supposed to be a happy medium between getting the product to the people AND money? Case in point, I walk into Best Buy yesterday to pick up the DVD "21" (Awesome movie BTW) and Anger Management (Sandler/ Nicholson) (Hilarious!) and see in the new release section a new live Poison DVD. It has a sticker on the from that says "Exclusive To Best Buy". So it got me thinking. I know by who comes into the store that if we had 20 of those DVD's that they would be gone. A lot of people don't go to Best Buy anymore because their CD/DVD (Music) catalog has diminished greatly! I guess I can't completely disagree with the bands but this is fast becoming something that may turn into pushing out the little guys. What do you guys think? I would be interested in hearing opinions.

 

[booB]

What do you guys think? I would be interested in hearing opinions.

I watched 21 last night, and it was surprisingly good. I have to give it props.

I generally can't stand Vegas-themed movies at all, because I hated living there and it brings back crappy memories.

 

[nailz]

Buy the Poison DVD's and resell them for a $2 profit.

 

[Rycher]

It really depends - I'm not going to go to Best Buy only because there's an exclusive bonus disc, etc. I'm going to go for the cheapest price. But they're doing what they have to do to get people in the stores. I can't fault them when Impulse isn't able to do the same.

Best Buy has great first-week release prices for fairly big-name releases. That's what keeps me going there despite the irritation of the fact that they could easily carry more metal titles but rarely do.

Impulse had the new Sabbath Rules of Hell box set last week for $45.99. Best Buy had it for $34.99, plus the bonus disc. As much as I'd love to support Impulse, it's easier to drive across the street from my office at lunch and get a big discounted price, instead of eating up 1/8 of a tank of gas or more to get there, and paying an extra $10.00 on the price on top of it. And the bonus disc was a nice touch and certainly factored into my decision.

I know that Best Buy can afford to put certain releases on sale and still make a killing where Impulse may not, but in this tight economy, prices matter to me.

And FYI - I spent $35 at Impulse a few weeks ago, so don't go ballistic on me!

 

[sh0kr0k]

Eh... people are free to choose who they want to sell their product, and hopefully that won't change.

 

[rushzil2112]

I have a guy that gets me everything straight from labels and importers for wholesale, so I get everything cheap and without tax that I want. So, I usually have no trouble getting what I want. I am sure the stuff that is exclusive to best buy and so on is also available straight from the label if you wanted it, and straight from the band itself.

 

[Kaosaur]

Eh... people are free to choose who they want to sell their product, and hopefully that won't change.

QFT


The mom & pop indie shop in almost all cases is no longer a viable business. (Unless you're selling underground Dub vinyls in Bristol, UK, then yeah, maybe.) Complaining that the major labels no longer have any confidence in your ability to sell and that your competitors are big bullies is not the way to adapt your business to a changing market.

Nobody is "pushing out" the little guys. They've been collapsing under the pressure of the industry for the last 10 years. WSJ and every other similar publication has been loudly crying the death of the CD store since at least 2003. If you're only deciding to listen now, it may be too late.