Posted on 10/11/2004 6:47:06 PM PDT by MattGarrett
Tonight, on the AL RANTEL SHOW, a caller - who is a manager at a local Blockbuster - said that they had TWO HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-EIGHT copies of FARENHEIT 9-11 and only EIGHT copies of Dick Morris' FarenHYPE 9-11.
Al's reply "Fair and Balanced at Blockbuster, eh?"
I highly doubt gross from the box office is the only thing they base their purchases on. Besides, to keep 600 copies of tPoC is ridiculous.
250 copies of Fahrenheit 9/11 is ridiculous too. Do they have 500 liberal customers who come in every week expecting to rent that title (2 rentals a week, 2-3 days per rental)?
I remember a few years ago when one of Rush's books came out, and the local "mall" bookstores had them practically hidden on bottom shelves. My friend played "lookout" for me, and I transferred them to their "rightfully prominent" eye-level shelves. Hmmmmmm.........I think it's time to pick up my friend and go to the video stores!
Perhaps they do for the first month or two after the release, and then they will sell the "used" DVDs once demand starts dying down. And rentals are for 5 days, I believe. However, as to your Passion example, I went to my local video store, and they had about as many copies of both Passion and F9/11. I didn't stop to count, but it was about the same amount of shelf space. Considering the Passion has been out for a bit, that's not surprising that they sold of some of the extra stock.
Supply and demand folks.. Like it or not Frankenheit was a national release that grossed over 100 Million dollars, it has a huge ad campaign out pushing its DVD, and Farenhype is a direct to video movie with little marketing budget outside of the conservative niche... Blockbuster fiscally would be irresponsible to have 100 copies of Farenhype in each of its stores.
Frankly 8 copies of a direct to video release is pretty damned good, considering most Direct to Video movies are lucky if you can find 1 copy in the stores.
For example my local Blockbuster on the week of release of the Disney direct to video 3 musketeers movie, which has had a national television ad campaign behind it only has 1 copy total in stock.
"Will no one rid me of that meddlesome freak?"
Hey, I report, you decide.
Which the video store clerk will remove before putting it back on the shelf.
Blockbuster is in the business of making money, not carrying our water for us.
I am buying a copy for my video store.
They are left leaning....I am sure they will refuse to buy their own, but I bet they will accept a handout.
Ever since they charged me several times for keeping a movie past the deadline when in fact it was their own lazy a$$ store clerks that weren't checking the movies in by the deadline, I have been boycotting them. In fact, my wife threatens me if I even talk about going there.
FahrenHYPE 9/11
by Dick Morris
George W. Bush will be reelected by a margin of at least ten per cent
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