HD DVD loses UK retailer support in HD DVD vs Blu-ray war
By Sean P. Aune
Sometimes it’s easy to forget that the HD DVD vs Blu-ray is actually a global one, but the HD DVD supporters are painfully aware of it today.
UK retailer, Woolworths, announced today that they will no longer be stocking HD DVD players and movies in their physical stores. They will continue to carry them on their online store, but no word on how long they plan to continue with that.
Woolworths DVD buyer, Steven McGunigel, explained that Blu-ray outsold HD DVD by a 10-to-1 margin during the Christmas season. He further went on to explain the companies decision in more detail. “Sales figures clearly show that the market is moving towards one format of high definition DVD.” He went on further to explain what he had felt helped the market finally pick a format. “The main reason is the success of Sony’s PlayStation 3 machine. Because it plays Blu-ray discs, there are over three quarters of a million homes in the UK that can view the new high definition format. There is nowhere near that number of HD-DVD players around.”
The HD DVD Promotion Group, of course, had a response to this news. In a conversation with Amy-Mae Elliot, of Pocket-lint.co.uk, Olivier Van Wynendaele, the assistant general manager for Toshiba’s European Consumer Products Division, stated some figured that just don’t seem to add up. He said that HD DVD controlled 60% of the standalone player market in the UK, and, on average, HD DVD owners purchase 3.5 movies per player, as opposed to an average of under 1 for Blu-ray.
He went on to add, “While we’re disappointed by Woolworths’ decision, it is extremely early to spot which format will eventually win. As the figures I mention show – where consumers have a choice, they choose HD DVD. We’re confident that HD DVD’s affordability, fantastic choice of movies, great consumer experience and upcoming promotions will help it continue to strengthen its share of the market.”
It’s hard to say who has the more accurate numbers that represent the true landscape of the high definition format war in the United Kingdom, but it doesn’t really change the fact that Woolworths chose a side.
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Stumble It!
January 28th, 2008
Here is the official Woolworths press release;
http://www.woolworthsmediacentre.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=76&Itemid=33
You should remember that when the HD-DVD group quote attach rates they include the PS3 but when they mention their market dominance of 60% they strangely decide that the PS3 doesn’t exist.
In other words they are talking absolute shit.
On one hand we have news that the 817 Woolworths stores in the UK are dumping HD-DVD and beginning new promotions for BluRay. On the other hand we have the HD-DVD group forced to fiddle stats to deliberately mislead people into thinking their product has a better attach rate (which is utterly meaningless anyway lol).
HD-DVD is dead.
January 28th, 2008
Beware of dumping! Retailers will try to dump all of the remainder HD-DVD players and movies anyway they can. They will disguise this dumping as a “Sale”.
Don’t fall for it! Once is enough!
January 28th, 2008
Just shelled out for a hd tv and dvd player – only to find its nigh-on impossible to get my hands on any decent hd dvds. I bet other peeps are in the same situation, its gutting!
January 28th, 2008
Another nail on HD-FUD’s coffin. Next up- HMV!