Blu-ray sales down

Geekyfanboy · May 02, 2008, 04:46:10 PM

No scramble for Blu-ray

Posted by Michael Hickerson on Friday, 2 May 200 (Slice of Sci fi)

A couple of months ago, we reported Blu-ray had won the format battle for HD players. However, if you were expecting a rise in sales of Blu-ray players, this next bit of news may come as a surprise to you–the overall sales of Blu-ray players is down.

Research by the NPD Group indicates that sales of players has fallen 40 percent from February to March. The sales tracked excluded Blu-ray players sold as part of Sony's PlayStation 3 console.

"When we surveyed consumers late last year, an overwhelming number of them said they weren't investing in a new next-generation player because their old DVD player worked well and next-generation players were too expensive," said Ross Rubin, director of industry analysis at NPD. "It's clear from retail sales that those consumer sentiments are still holding true."

There are several factors that could be contributing to the lack of growth in sales. One is the price-tag. While most DVD players are now less than a hundred dollars, the entry level for a Blu-ray player is north of $400.

Another factor that may be holding back sales of Blu-ray players is that anticipated models with Internet connectivity haven't hit the market yet. Current models can't be upgraded.

According to the Associated Press, , ABI Research, estimates that PS3s will account for more than 85 percent of Blu-ray players in use this year and that the number of stand-alone players and Blu-ray equipped PCs won't surpass them until 2013.

http://www.sliceofscifi.com/2008/05/02/no-scramble-for-blu-ray/

Rico · May 02, 2008, 08:34:02 PM

They might get a surge at Christmas but most people are not rushing to buy. Frankly, the average person doesn't have a TV capable of displaying the full resolution anyway.

Ktrek · May 02, 2008, 09:56:59 PM

I think it's funny how a spin can be given to make it seem like Blu Ray is struggling. The fact is all electronics and media in general are suffering. The downturn in the economy has forced many people to cut back on what are non-essential items. The same holds true that DVD player sales are down, DVD sales are down etc. Blu Ray isn't going anywhere and eventually the market will transition over. It took several years from VHS to DVD and the same will be true for DVD to Blu.

Kevin

Bryancd · May 03, 2008, 05:06:45 AM

PC sales sales are actually still strong.

Rico · May 03, 2008, 05:45:22 AM

Quote from: Ktrek on May 02, 2008, 09:56:59 PM
I think it's funny how a spin can be given to make it seem like Blu Ray is struggling. The fact is all electronics and media in general are suffering. The downturn in the economy has forced many people to cut back on what are non-essential items. The same holds true that DVD player sales are down, DVD sales are down etc. Blu Ray isn't going anywhere and eventually the market will transition over. It took several years from VHS to DVD and the same will be true for DVD to Blu.

Kevin

Some valid points. However this is a new technology so one would expect and hope for more sales. Most people have a DVD player so there are not a lot of new buyers there. I think what is maybe surprising people is there was a perception that when the HD-DVD vs. Blu-Ray war ended everyone would run out and buy the winner. I personally didn't feel the competition was keeping people who really wanted it from buying. But again, most people see little need for a Blu Ray player currently. There was a huge leap in quality from VHD to DVD. But from DVD to any form of HD isn't nearly as much of a leap. Especially when viewed on many smaller TV's that are not full 1080p. I would also argue they really need to drop the prices on the media itself. It really isn't worth double the price of a DVD. There is very little even I would bother buying on Blu-Ray right now. And I am into movies and this type of thing.

P.S. And Bryan is quite correct. PC and Apple sales both are strong right now.

X · May 03, 2008, 08:06:50 AM

One thing I would like to point out is that most of the people that I know that are buying blu-ray are not buying the players.

The PS3 costs the same and EVERYONE I know is going for it instead of a blu-ray because even if they are not gamers, why deny yourself the option of having a game system.

Since it's not included in the tracking I think that might be a factor.

I also think it's a great scam on Sony's part. They have a system that competes with blu-ray and does blu-ray and more and then it doesn't get counted into the sales figures. This gives Sony a pretty nice monopoly on the hardware while their counterparts wonder what is the issue with sales. Who would buy a Blu-ray when you can get a PS3 + Bluray + Harddrive + web for the same price?

Sony won the war and Sony is the only manufacturer in position to make a profit on the war.

Dan M · May 03, 2008, 08:33:28 AM

Lots of good points.

The movies still cost too much for me to consider buying a player. I know they'd look nicer, but not enough to justify the expense. If I was going to buy a player, I'd buy a PS3.

Rico · May 03, 2008, 09:51:26 AM

Yep - I will certainly get a PS3 when I take the Blu-Ray plunge. Best bang for the buck way to do it.

jedijeff · May 03, 2008, 09:55:20 AM

Last weekend my wife and I were looking at the players, and I feel the same as others, just makes more sense to buy a PS3 right now over a Blu-ray player. I suspect like Rico says, this will pickup at Christmas, or even when the Big Block Buster summer movies come out. I guess like most technology, it will drop in price at somepoint, and have more features. I am sure once there is another generation of players with the internet connectivity, and more models, it will heat up as well.

Bryancd · May 03, 2008, 10:22:44 AM

I still have a 38" CRT TV, haven't even upgraded to LCD or plasma widescreen yet. I think there are still a lot of very late adopters to the new gen. of home entertainment, people like me who have been waiting for the penetration to reach a point where the prices come way down. We are about there in LCD TV's. Once High Def. TV and broadcasting really takes hold, it will push the adoption of Blu-Ray, but that will be a few years yet.

Jen · May 03, 2008, 02:30:42 PM

I was going to buy a movie the other day for my normal, average, everyday DVD player and mistakened the Blue-Ray movies for the regular DVDs. I just about choked when I saw the price... then I realized it was Blue-Ray. I had no idea they were so pricy! There is NO WAY I'm going to buy one of those players until the price of movies comes down. Though, I'm sure the technology is worth the price I just can't see spending it on something like that. If I did decided to buy one, I agree with everyone else, I'd get a Playstation 3 (also over priced). At least they are multi-functional.

Bryancd · May 03, 2008, 04:40:23 PM

Case in point! Thanks Jen!