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  #21  
Unread January 25th, 2007, 04:23 AM
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Quite... our customers have learnt to head straight for the pre-owned to get the cheap stuff. In fact, to get what they want half the time. Especially with the games, the pre-owned stands are the only place to find a lot of them. There was mention earlier on this thread that games trade-in would be kept, but, from what I've since heard, it sounds like it's trade altogether.

Trade DVDs I could live without, but I still think we take enough rev on them to justify their presence. Games, it's unthinkable. We trade and sell so many every day. I'm not convinced if we didn't have them pre-owned, we'd sell more new, however.

Take that 'Barnyard' game. Waste of fucking time, I said it from the day it came in. We get that, yet we don't get 'Kingdom Hearts 2'? What gives? We'd sell retail games if we got what people wanted in.

We never do a back catalogue of games. I'm not saying it's a good idea to start, but old games sell at the right price. We can get them at the right price if we take them trade. I can't understand all this talk of it appearing "untidy".

We moved the trade to the back of the store -- did it make a shred of difference? Did it fuck. We could put them anywhere, and they'd still sell. What does that say? It tells me our customers want it. We can stop selling it, and force them to get new instead. But will that work? Or will they just choose to do their shopping elsewhere? That's what I warned about the overnight fiasco. It feels like it's just assumed that we can change whatever we want to force customers to buy what we want them to. But that's not so - they can walk out of our store and go somewhere else. And, like I said before, unless every retail store is going to agree to stop stocking cheap stuff, it's not going to work.


Does anyone else feel a bit cheated of late? I'm seeing so many things coming and going. They spent a lot of time (and, let's face it, time = money) convincing us how important trade would be to our business. Now we're being told that was all bollocks? We're going back to a price structure we had years ago. What does that mean? We should never have changed in the first place?


I just sincerely hope that this time, at least, they will trial any changes before implementing them company wide. Could avoid several issues.
  #22  
Unread January 25th, 2007, 04:25 PM
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You know blockbuster...theyre not happy if they havent got some crazy idea of the month to force on us

Getting rid of trade is a stupid idea - in my store its 50/50 trade/prp so getting rid of trade would take away half my pre-viewed stock....and it does sell well.

As for the new pricing system, I always thought that was a good, fair way to price the rental period.
The people that want it straight away and absolutely cant wait will have a better chance of getting it first weekend because
1. Some people will wait so they can have it for two nights and
2. The people that are taking it will be bringing it back the next day.

Its also good because it will stagger the rental demand over a longer period as the 2 night waiters will want to rent when the price code changes and so it should crate a second wave of rental interest.


In theory...
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  #23  
Unread January 25th, 2007, 04:39 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Aphrodite View Post
As for the new pricing system, I always thought that was a good, fair way to price the rental period.
The people that want it straight away and absolutely cant wait will have a better chance of getting it first weekend because
1. Some people will wait so they can have it for two nights and
2. The people that are taking it will be bringing it back the next day.

Its also good because it will stagger the rental demand over a longer period as the 2 night waiters will want to rent when the price code changes and so it should crate a second wave of rental interest.


In theory...

I don't have a problem with that price structure, not at all. Just that we used that exact price structure 3 and a half years ago (well... it was actually when we were only £3.75, but... you know...). It kind of feels like we've come full circle.

I'd like to see new chart stuff overnight for the first couple of weeks (but still only charged £1.95 per night), and chart drop-outs same price for 2-nights, but also make the older NR stuff a bit cheaper, say £2.75 for 2-nights? This would require a complete NR wall overhaul but I've always thought charging full price for something that's been out 9 months seemed a bit of a cheek. Or maybe we could offer a deal unique to the older NR titles like 2 for £5, or 3 for 2 or something...


Only trouble is with this move is that the customers that never ventured out of the woodwork to piss and moan about overnight when you rent one because they always took more than one might start whinging about not having time to watch it if it has to be overnight, no ifs or buts.


I'm still all for the step-price, where you pay one price for 1-night, or a bit extra for 2-nights. But I guess they think too many people will take it for 1-night and not pay full price?
  #24  
Unread January 25th, 2007, 04:58 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MissHailstorm View Post
Only trouble is with this move is that the customers that never ventured out of the woodwork to piss and moan about overnight when you rent one because they always took more than one might start whinging about not having time to watch it if it has to be overnight, no ifs or buts.
The 1 night rentals will be on the same deal we're doing now though. Same drop box, same process ect... it'll just only happen with Y code films now is all.
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  #25  
Unread February 2nd, 2007, 04:02 AM
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Rumour Mills Are On Overdrive

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Originally Posted by bbv007 View Post
blockbuster uk are looking into scraping trade in. my dm is moving all his stores around to shift the focus back to rental as this is our core business. all rental will be together at the front of the store then retail and trade at the back of the store.
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Originally Posted by the boy wonder uk View Post
trade will only end partially and only if we get something from the studios.

Games though will continue to be traded as the games companies see this as part of doing business.
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Originally Posted by MissHailstorm View Post
So it's "confirmed", is it?

I've heard that trade is to stop around November-ish this year.
MissH
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Originally Posted by MissHailstorm View Post
I thought trade was just coming off as a main focus... I hope it's not ending altogether
bbv007 I'm afraid your DM has led you up the proverbial garden path. As for MissH, your source should be 'shot' for even daring to suggest a date had been fixed, when according to my information the matter hasn't been seriously discussed.

Let's put a stop to the rumour mill...While Martin (our new MD) has made his dis-taste for Trade known) There are no immediate plans, and certainly no instructions to 'end partially' or fully the revenues enjoyed from Trade. (Trust me. I've a reliable source on this).

So, for whatever reason bbv007's DM has relayed his/her stores, has nothing to do with the demise of Trade or retail. In fact, the layout policy of demoting the presence of these areas, does not square with the fact the same new executive team are pulling all the stops out, to enhance our retail image with studios and widen the retail offering in UK stores.

A final point, if I may. Has anyone had hoards of customers complain they can't find rental products as their Trade and retail categories are in the way?! No seriously, because unless you have, I can't see what bringing your catalogue range to the front is meant to achieve.

Last edited by MrE.; February 2nd, 2007 at 04:32 AM.
  #26  
Unread February 2nd, 2007, 08:04 AM
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Originally Posted by MrE. View Post
As for MissH, your source should be 'shot' for even daring to suggest a date had been fixed
I'm sorry, I failed to realise that "November-ish" could be considered a "fixed" date
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  #27  
Unread February 2nd, 2007, 09:59 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MrE. View Post
bbv007 I'm afraid your DM has led you up the proverbial garden path. As for MissH, your source should be 'shot' for even daring to suggest a date had been fixed, when according to my information the matter hasn't been seriously discussed.
Just to further what Oz said... I never once stated what I was saying as truism, hence "I've heard" and "-ish".

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Originally Posted by MrE. View Post
Let's put a stop to the rumour mill...While Martin (our new MD) has made his dis-taste for Trade known) There are no immediate plans, and certainly no instructions to 'end partially' or fully the revenues enjoyed from Trade. (Trust me. I've a reliable source on this).
I can't speak for anyone else, but I certainly never take anything I read on here as Gospel, we're just discussing the possible consequences if it is true.

And while you seem certain of what you're saying, I'm still going to extend that proverbial "pinch of salt" to your words, if I may.

Quote:
Originally Posted by MrE. View Post
A final point, if I may. Has anyone had hoards of customers complain they can't find rental products as their Trade and retail categories are in the way?! No seriously, because unless you have, I can't see what bringing your catalogue range to the front is meant to achieve.
I think it's always best to keep rental at the back of the store, since it's about the one thing all our customers knowwe stock, so having to walk past things they may not know we stock may be a positive thing.

Anyways, I do often get customers bringing up retail stuff thinking it's to rent... if that's what you mean?
  #28  
Unread February 2nd, 2007, 10:38 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MrE. View Post
bbv007 I'm afraid your DM has led you up the proverbial garden path. As for MissH, your source should be 'shot' for even daring to suggest a date had been fixed, when according to my information the matter hasn't been seriously discussed.

Let's put a stop to the rumour mill...While Martin (our new MD) has made his dis-taste for Trade known) There are no immediate plans, and certainly no instructions to 'end partially' or fully the revenues enjoyed from Trade. (Trust me. I've a reliable source on this).

So, for whatever reason bbv007's DM has relayed his/her stores, has nothing to do with the demise of Trade or retail. In fact, the layout policy of demoting the presence of these areas, does not square with the fact the same new executive team are pulling all the stops out, to enhance our retail image with studios and widen the retail offering in UK stores.

A final point, if I may. Has anyone had hoards of customers complain they can't find rental products as their Trade and retail categories are in the way?! No seriously, because unless you have, I can't see what bringing your catalogue range to the front is meant to achieve.
Not sure who your "source is" , but the very fact that we are trying to increase our retail presence with major studios will force us to abandon trade. the studios hate the fact that we can make extra revenue on both PV and trade and we dont have to cut them in for a slice of the pie.

Martin H will use this as leverage to get more favorable terms out of the studios. this may well be 100% sale or exchange or increased margin . If a the studios are willing to replace this margin stream for us then we will exit trade as soon as they want to.

As for space merchandising , It is a retail rule that in Q4 all premium (ie retail for us) product goes front of house as it is the gifting season and this is the product most likelyto sell and what most retailers want thier customers to buy. this just coincided with the trade id dead messages on this board. we demphasised trade cause it was a wise retrail move for the 4th Qtr.
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  #29  
Unread February 4th, 2007, 04:51 PM
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Is Novermber-ish Exit Of Trade Vague ?!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by bbv007 View Post
blockbuster uk are looking into scraping trade in..." "...all rental will be together at the front of the store then retail and trade at the back of the store.
Quote:
Originally Posted by OzMan View Post
I'm sorry, I failed to realise that "November-ish" could be considered a "fixed" date
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Originally Posted by MissHailstorm View Post
Just to further what Oz said... I never once stated what I was saying as truism, hence "I've heard" and "-ish".
We, had the pleasure one of those ‘Royal Visits’ recently and this topic was discussed at length. From what was said it seems clear Trade is hear to stay, atleast until the business finds someway of removing our dependency on the profit the category generates. So you if your DM wished to be vague why not simply say "some time in the future". Unless your DM had been party to some inside information, it seems irresponsible to have suggested to you a time frame, which you felt confident enough to then post on a News forum on the Web for all to see.

During our visit, some research was shared, which I won’t go into; but you may be interested in hearing what was explained regarding the general business direction (all of which has been reporting in various trade media so I doubt if I’m breaching any confidentially)

The logic went something like this…
The majority of Blockbuster customers only rent from our stores and for various reasons (which I’m sure we could all list) go else where to buy new DVDs and Games. This in itself wouldn’t be bad news except that the rental DVD market, on which we currently over-depend, has for years been on a steady decline (again I’m sure we all understand the numerous reasons for this).

To paraphrase Martin H’s solution; Blockbuster UK needs to slow down the haemorrhage on our rental revenues, and grow market share from struggling competitors, (Hence rental pricing is being reviewed to ensure vfm to customers) At the same time, and equally important, Martin wants to secure the long-term future of the UK business by improving the value and range of our retail offering. (ergo the negotiations with studios, taking back control of games from GS, and plans to copy Xtravision’s success with other entertainment media).

Within the next month or so,we were told, as objectives for the year are finalised, we’ll know exactly the activities and roles we’ll play in achieving this vision. But I think it’s a good bet that relocating retail to the back of the store won’t be a major feature. (You never know, I could be wrong
  #30  
Unread February 4th, 2007, 05:25 PM
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Errors

For the anal-retentive perfectionists and grammarians among you, I apologies for the errors in the above posting. (missing ‘of’; 'hear' instead of 'here', and mis-spelt 'confidentiality')
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