When's the best time to buy a dvd?

[darth los]

I don't know about you guys but i've had it up to here with buying a newly released dvd only to have the director's cut/unrated/collector's edition to come out just a few months later with tons of extras on it. I feel totally taken to the cleaners here. Convieniently, they neglect to mention that these newer versions were coming out upon original release. So should i just wait longer or succumb to the thirst of buying a movie i've been dying to own. What do you guys usually do?

[DjfunkmasterG]

Well to be honest I am buying more used DVD's than ever before. With Blockbuster having 4 for $20 it works out to 5 bucks a disc and I only have to wait a month... Not too mention if a special edition comes out down the road I am not blowing $20.00 first time then another $20 later. Although most films today have an Unrated directors cut released at the same time, but older films tend to get more elaborate releases lately. However, they say DVD sales are hitting a low point lately. It seems DVD sales peaked in 2003 and have been on a steady decline since then with a leveling out coming soon. Now if I buy a DVD and two years or more later they come out with a special edition I don't mind double dipping, but if I know ahead of time, like with Sin City, I just waited it out, but in the mean time I did a netflix rental and made a copy of the original to tide me over until that special edition I wanted was released.

[CoinReturn]

I'll only buy a DVD if I really liked the movie, which averages out to about a DVD a month. I just download the rest.

[Danny]

there used to be a shop near my college called msuci zone that ,till it was msucled into closeing by the local HOOMVE' for "stealing customers with unreal prices", sold dvds even a week old at 10 quid, you can get some great pre owned one, especially from places you never expect, like buy one get one free on stuff like the matrix and ghost in the shell for a single pound, for TWO dvds!. nowadays you see dvds for around £15 to even the extortionate £30 and one movie on a plastic disc is not worth that much, the last highst priced dvd i bought was right at your door for 7 quid anything over a tenner that isnt a box set is jsut a rip off for an hour and a halfs entertainement you may only watch once in a blue moon.

[darth los]

you guys keep referencing used dvd's. I've always bout used games and never had a problem. I've been leery of used dvds though. You think that's the way to go?

[Cody]

ebay man!

[DjfunkmasterG]

When I buy Used DVD's I make them open the cases so I can see the discs. If they are too scratched I pass, but I will keep looking to find a decent one. As far as the jewel cases I can buy 100 new ones for $15.00 so it is easy to replace the covers. Why spend $19.99 when you can get them for $5.00 a pop.

[Graebel]

I'm fond of the Blockbuster special myself. But then I can't justify buying the special editions later (LOTR comes to mind). You could always buy the first one as cheap as possibly and ebay it when the limited edition comes out.

[darth los]

Well it looks like used is the way to go. But for some reason there's nothing like the feeling you get when you buy something brand new. I just wish they were more honest about it and gave the consumers an actual choice. For example, Microsoft is releasing halo 3 in the fall. Right up front they're telling you, look we have three different versions ranging in price from 60- 130 bucks and all with different , escalating extras. They're not trickling them out one by one in order to make people buy all 3 because they're like, "wow this newer, more expensive version comes with what!?!? I have to have it". That's just wrong.

[Danny]

no thats buisness.

[MinionZombie]

I wait and see what the extras/over all package is gonna be first...like Hot Fuzz, that's a quality 2-disc package, so I've got that pre-ordered already, and those guys like to put out the proper disc first time, Kevin Smith likes doing the same thing, so you can never go wrong there... You have to be a bit of a DVD nerd to know which to get when, but you eventually pick it up, listen to what the filmmaker's have plans for in DVD related interview snippets - like with Sin City, I got wind that they were gonna do it special for DVD, so just waited around. Sometimes though you can never avoid it - like the 4-disc BTTF trilogy box set which came out just after I'd bought the 3-disc......or special edition tie-in releases, like the 2-disc edition of 28DL that's just come out because of the new movie being just out. DVDcompare.net is also a very useful site for DVDs that are already out there, compares them all and rounds it up with which one you should get, ideal mate - indispensible.

[darth los]

That's one I'll definitely have to bookmark. It seems like the only way to find out about sites like that is if you look really hard or by word of mouth. Because you know the movie distributors will never tell you. The last thing they want are consumers that make informed decisions.

[bassman]

Because you know the movie distributors will never tell you. The last thing they want are consumers that make informed decisions. That's not always the case. Think of "Sin City". The special edition which was released several months after the bare bones disc was announced at the same time. Hell....think of Anchor Bay and the two versions of "Dawn". The Ultimate was announced around the same time as the U.S. cut, if I remember correctly.

[darth los]

That's not always the case. Think of "Sin City". The special edition which was released several months after the bare bones disc was announced at the same time. Hell....think of Anchor Bay and the two versions of "Dawn". The Ultimate was announced around the same time as the U.S. cut, if I remember correctly. Good point and that's very true. However, it seems that those are the exceptions rather than the rule. As for myself, I know i will remember the companies that do give a heads up in these instances and if at all possible give them preferential treatment when buying. It's just being considerate to the consumer. Too bad the "buy everything you possibly can among consumers is the norm" George Carlin put it this way. "People spend money they don't have on things they don't need", and big business is all too aware of that.. Unfortunately, Hellsing is right. That's business.

[MikePizzoff]

Everyone on here has been really salty with major corperations lately. "That's just business!" should be our slogan in our revolution against all the technologically incline corperate jerks!