Comments on: Time to set a standard for costs of movies to buy/rent in the UK… http://www.intomobile.com/2008/12/16/time-to-set-a-standard-for-costs-of-movies-to-buyrent-in-the-uk.html Cell Phone News, Information, and Analysis Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:14:21 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: mdk http://www.intomobile.com/2008/12/16/time-to-set-a-standard-for-costs-of-movies-to-buyrent-in-the-uk.html/comment-page-1/#comment-325470 mdk Wed, 17 Dec 2008 16:38:38 +0000 http://www.intomobile.com/?p=33630#comment-325470 I think there's a much less verbose way of looking at it. Do people REALLY say 'I believe I will shop for 5-7 dollars worth of entertainment tonight', or do they say 'I want to watch [insert movie title here]'? I think there’s a much less verbose way of looking at it. Do people REALLY say ‘I believe I will shop for 5-7 dollars worth of entertainment tonight’, or do they say ‘I want to watch [insert movie title here]‘?

]]> By: Dan Feather http://www.intomobile.com/2008/12/16/time-to-set-a-standard-for-costs-of-movies-to-buyrent-in-the-uk.html/comment-page-1/#comment-325445 Dan Feather Wed, 17 Dec 2008 10:15:59 +0000 http://www.intomobile.com/?p=33630#comment-325445 I'm afraid I have too agree with Andy Merrett. The standardisation of visual media on multiple formats would in theory be plausible with a consistent level of quality, demand and shelf life. I live in the UK and do enjoy browsing at retailers for a bargain. I often end up spending £30+ on multiple DVD's, which I would have no intention of buying, if it were not for the fact that I could buy 5 or 6 (for example) DVD's for the price of 2 full price new releases. The range of prices also maintains competition. If costs were standardised throughout (even just for new releases for example), main street media retailers would suffer a massive hit against the big guns of the retailing world such as Tesco, Wall-Mart, Asda etc etc. If I want to add a DVD to my collection for the sake of it, I want to go downtown to a retailer, not out of town a supermarket/Wall-Mart. The beauty of owning a DVD or Blu-Ray is being diluted by downloading and ease of access, but this doesn't reduce the benefits of convenience which are clearly advantageous too. But personally, for some one who enjoys films and half of the enjoyment is owning it. From the browsing of HMV (or alternate reputable media retailer), absorbing the variety around me, purchasing films which I would even pick up and look at if it wasn't for the £3 label on it (expanding my collection and broadening my own view on my interest in films) to having a collection which I can physically own and organise (at least 75%+ of readers here will have their own system in place I'm sure). And I just can't see standardising the cost of films allowing for underdog productions to break through the standardised price barrier to hit the big screens on our own home. I wonder how many films the readers own, that are on their shelves, in their CD wallets or stacked genre by actor... that would not have made it off the store shelf if it were not for the bargain of the day price tag on it leading the you into the, "for £3??? Why the hell not" way of thinking. And how many of you out there reading this have a film in your mind, which was in a sale, was that bargain that made you buy it, which you surprisingly enjoyed and now sits happily amongst your archive of beloved films? I’m afraid I have too agree with Andy Merrett. The standardisation of visual media on multiple formats would in theory be plausible with a consistent level of quality, demand and shelf life. I live in the UK and do enjoy browsing at retailers for a bargain. I often end up spending £30+ on multiple DVD’s, which I would have no intention of buying, if it were not for the fact that I could buy 5 or 6 (for example) DVD’s for the price of 2 full price new releases.

The range of prices also maintains competition. If costs were standardised throughout (even just for new releases for example), main street media retailers would suffer a massive hit against the big guns of the retailing world such as Tesco, Wall-Mart, Asda etc etc. If I want to add a DVD to my collection for the sake of it, I want to go downtown to a retailer, not out of town a supermarket/Wall-Mart. The beauty of owning a DVD or Blu-Ray is being diluted by downloading and ease of access, but this doesn’t reduce the benefits of convenience which are clearly advantageous too. But personally, for some one who enjoys films and half of the enjoyment is owning it. From the browsing of HMV (or alternate reputable media retailer), absorbing the variety around me, purchasing films which I would even pick up and look at if it wasn’t for the £3 label on it (expanding my collection and broadening my own view on my interest in films) to having a collection which I can physically own and organise (at least 75%+ of readers here will have their own system in place I’m sure). And I just can’t see standardising the cost of films allowing for underdog productions to break through the standardised price barrier to hit the big screens on our own home. I wonder how many films the readers own, that are on their shelves, in their CD wallets or stacked genre by actor… that would not have made it off the store shelf if it were not for the bargain of the day price tag on it leading the you into the, “for £3??? Why the hell not” way of thinking. And how many of you out there reading this have a film in your mind, which was in a sale, was that bargain that made you buy it, which you surprisingly enjoyed and now sits happily amongst your archive of beloved films?

]]> By: Snidely http://www.intomobile.com/2008/12/16/time-to-set-a-standard-for-costs-of-movies-to-buyrent-in-the-uk.html/comment-page-1/#comment-325443 Snidely Wed, 17 Dec 2008 10:02:04 +0000 http://www.intomobile.com/?p=33630#comment-325443 Wow, you really have the socialism in your blood. Sure, let's fix prices for everything! We'll all be happy in our workers paradise! How would fixing prices benefit the consumer? If a consumer is too stupid to search for a better deal, they should pay the high price. If they are even remotely intelligent they can look online and find things cheaper. This competition is what drives innovation (new features for the same price) and cost efficiency (same good for a lower whoelsale price). Your economic model died out 20 years ago, comrade. Wow, you really have the socialism in your blood. Sure, let’s fix prices for everything! We’ll all be happy in our workers paradise! How would fixing prices benefit the consumer? If a consumer is too stupid to search for a better deal, they should pay the high price. If they are even remotely intelligent they can look online and find things cheaper. This competition is what drives innovation (new features for the same price) and cost efficiency (same good for a lower whoelsale price). Your economic model died out 20 years ago, comrade.

]]> By: Andy Merrett http://www.intomobile.com/2008/12/16/time-to-set-a-standard-for-costs-of-movies-to-buyrent-in-the-uk.html/comment-page-1/#comment-325390 Andy Merrett Wed, 17 Dec 2008 00:29:19 +0000 http://www.intomobile.com/?p=33630#comment-325390 It's a nice theory, but I don't see why anyone's going to go for this any more that any other commodity. I really don't get your comparison to the financial services sector, either, as last time I looked you could shop around for vastly different deals on the same product (mortgages, credit cards, bank accounts, loans...) and some banks (HSBC for example) even have "sales" now. Sure, HD media should have some kind of premium, and downloads should be less expensive as at present they're of lower quality. However, retailers are always going to run promotions, loss leaders, etc. It's how the free market operates. It's why Amazon (US at least) runs huge promotions on Blu-ray discs - are you suggesting that this shouldn't happen and every movie you buy on Blu-ray should always be, say, £15? As you've said, retailers love sales and offers, generally because there are plenty of consumers who snap them up. It might not seem fair just after you've bought a full-price DVD to see it discounted elsewhere, but that's the chance you take with most products, from large to small. It’s a nice theory, but I don’t see why anyone’s going to go for this any more that any other commodity. I really don’t get your comparison to the financial services sector, either, as last time I looked you could shop around for vastly different deals on the same product (mortgages, credit cards, bank accounts, loans…) and some banks (HSBC for example) even have “sales” now.

Sure, HD media should have some kind of premium, and downloads should be less expensive as at present they’re of lower quality.

However, retailers are always going to run promotions, loss leaders, etc. It’s how the free market operates. It’s why Amazon (US at least) runs huge promotions on Blu-ray discs – are you suggesting that this shouldn’t happen and every movie you buy on Blu-ray should always be, say, £15? As you’ve said, retailers love sales and offers, generally because there are plenty of consumers who snap them up. It might not seem fair just after you’ve bought a full-price DVD to see it discounted elsewhere, but that’s the chance you take with most products, from large to small.

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