Washington, D.C. (September 14, 2008) -- Retailers see Blu-ray player sales rising in the coming months thanks to the introduction of both lower-priced and higher-priced models.
That's according to an article by Video Business.
Best Buy and some retailers are now offering Blu-ray players for under $300 -- and some reports suggest prices will fall even further in the next few months. But retail executives say the introduction of higher-priced models, which come with more features, will also appeal to high-def enthusiasts.
Pioneer, Sony and Yamaha have all recently introduced feature-laden models ranging from $1,000 and $2,200.
“I would say that the biggest thing we can bring to customers is a wide choice. We have tech savvy customers who would be interested (in advanced features), but then not everyone can have the top-of-the-line model," Best Buy spokesman Brian Lucas told the publication.
Lucas and other executives noted that there was a short supply of Blu-ray players earlier in the year. The sudden end to the Blu-ray/HD DVD format war in March caught Blu-ray manufacturers by surprise and they were not ready to offer more product.
Ultimate Electronics tells Video Business that the $399 Sony BDP-S350 and $399 Samsung BD-P1500 models, and the $799 Pioneer BDP-05FD player, are the retailer's top sellers. Crutchfield's most popular sellers are the $399 Sony and the $999 Denon DVD-2500BTCI.
“The features of higher-end players do make them relevant,” said Ultimate's Matt Duda. “One of the biggest complaints that we hear is how long a Blu-ray player takes to start up, but the Pioneer player has really improved the start-up time much more than any of the entry-level players. There is definitely a premium with some of these brands, but Blu-ray can co-exist at different price points. You cover your entire customer base."
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That's according to an article by Video Business.
Best Buy and some retailers are now offering Blu-ray players for under $300 -- and some reports suggest prices will fall even further in the next few months. But retail executives say the introduction of higher-priced models, which come with more features, will also appeal to high-def enthusiasts.
Pioneer, Sony and Yamaha have all recently introduced feature-laden models ranging from $1,000 and $2,200.
“I would say that the biggest thing we can bring to customers is a wide choice. We have tech savvy customers who would be interested (in advanced features), but then not everyone can have the top-of-the-line model," Best Buy spokesman Brian Lucas told the publication.
Lucas and other executives noted that there was a short supply of Blu-ray players earlier in the year. The sudden end to the Blu-ray/HD DVD format war in March caught Blu-ray manufacturers by surprise and they were not ready to offer more product.
Ultimate Electronics tells Video Business that the $399 Sony BDP-S350 and $399 Samsung BD-P1500 models, and the $799 Pioneer BDP-05FD player, are the retailer's top sellers. Crutchfield's most popular sellers are the $399 Sony and the $999 Denon DVD-2500BTCI.
“The features of higher-end players do make them relevant,” said Ultimate's Matt Duda. “One of the biggest complaints that we hear is how long a Blu-ray player takes to start up, but the Pioneer player has really improved the start-up time much more than any of the entry-level players. There is definitely a premium with some of these brands, but Blu-ray can co-exist at different price points. You cover your entire customer base."
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