Another example of movie studios screwing their potential customers, while whining about piracy
 

Here is, yet again, another perfect example of the dinosaur Hollywood studios screwing their *potential* customers and fans of their films.


The point of this obviously, is to try corralling people to buy the DVDs rather than rent them off the bat. And the studios will make more money. But this is backwards thinking. Most people don't want to purchase and own a DVD. How many times are the going to watch it before they sell it off, give it away or it starts collecting dust? People want to rent a movie and watch it once, and if they are big fan they may end up purchasing the movie for their collection, or renting it again.

Essentially, these studios are shooting themselves in the foot. How? The 56-day period of "retail only" availability is probably when people start looking for it on file-sharing and torrent sites to pirate. I am willing to bet, if it were available immediately for retail AND rental, we could see some drop in illegal download attempts.


Thoughts?

they make more money doing it the way they do.

How dare those pesky studios try and make the optimum profits from movies they spend 10's of millions if not 100's of millions of dollars creating! Fucking assholes! :1orglaugh:1orglaugh

Yes they will make higher short-term profits with their model. But this isn't about scolding movie studios for trying to reap the most profits possible for their products. They are a business of course they should strive for that.

The fact is they still do things the old way, when clearly the market and consumer behavior has changed. It's about doing things in a different way, that could quell some piracy and perhaps make studios even more money in the long-term.

When was the last time you rushed out to purchase a newly released DVD? Or do you wait until it's available for rental?

if the could make more money your way i'm sure they would.

I don't think the answer is that simple. And it's not "my" way, this has been discussed before. And I'm not sure that's how they're thinking, I beleive they are still fighting against new media distribution channels and clenching to their old model. Basically they don't want to "risk" it. But for now people will continue downloading illegally, if they can't find the products by other legitimate means.

I prefer to rent (over amazon on demand) but I don't really see anything wrong with this. When they made this deal with Netflix it also came with the subsidy of opening up more content for streaming. Win-win.

Who buys DVDs anyway?

I rent and buy most of my movies/shows off Vudu. I can't even remember the last time I bought and actual Digital Video Disc.

It's doing exactly what they want with their own property. A concept lost on many.

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if you want to watch the movie at home early you have to buy the dvd. simple.

why would they move to a model that makes them less money just to please reddit and torrentfreak?

2011 dvd sales and rentals $18 billion. online digital sales $3.4 billion.

I rarely buy DVDs and when I do it's a TV series that I couldn't get through my cable provider's vod system. And every time I do that, the lack of user-friendly-ness of a DVD always pisses me off.

VOD: sit on couch, use remote, watch an entire season.

DVD: get up, put disc1 in dvd player, get back to couch, use remote, waste time on watching an annoying anti piracy video at the beginning of the DVD, change language and or subtitle settings, watch 1 or 2 or 3 episodes, get up, take disc 1 out of the dvd player, put disc 2 in the dvd player,... , waste more time on an annoying anti piracy video, change language and or subtitle settings (AGAIN),... put disc 3 in the dvd player... waste more time on an annoying anti piracy video (at this point I'm so fed up with hearing that annoying guy tell me not to steal a car, a purse or a bear that I'm seriously starting to regret having spent money on a piece of archaic technology).

I've got an internet connection, so I could download every movie or tv episode out there... I could then put it on an external hd and watch it on my TV. But I don't. Instead I pay a lot of money to my cable provider because their system is easier to use.

I hardly think the "Fuck our customers, this is our property" attitude is anyway to create customer loyalty and good sentiment about your brand. Let's not forget that the consumers are the ones funding these companies.


And, it's not about pleasing torrent people or pirates. It's about marketing better to their consumer and fan base. Create a real loyal following for the brand. A concept lost by many companies.

Option 1: Go to movies
Option 2: Wait 56 days for retail (not even 2 months)
Option 3: Wait for netflix.

I can't see a problem here.

You can go straight away or wait a bit. Why is that screwing anyone ?

Even simpler: charge more for recent movies.
That's what my cable provider does and it works. No need to waste money, space, time etc on DVDs.

Exactly. It is easier for me to press "Rent" or "Own" from my TV apps like Vudu, Netflix, Blockbuster, than to go to my computer, download the media illegally and push it over to my TV.

Convenience is something customers like, and making them wait 56 days to be able to rent a product vs. owning it is NOT convenient. And to the people who think it's not about convenience and providing excellent service to your customers, then how are you even in business?

people's desire for garbage hollywood movies in endless. they have zero issues with consumer loyalty.

as a webmaster extrapolating your behavior onto the average consumer is bound to fail.

There are two problems with the above. The word "wait" twice.

Like U-Bob said, charge a higher amount for new-release Rentals, like they did at Brick and Mortars. Don't make your customers wait for a DVD.

OP used the word "screwing". Personally I don't feel that way, but as a consumer, I'm not going to start buying DVDs because I now have to wait longer before I can rent the movie through my cable provider.

As a consumer, I decide how and when I spend my money. If they want my money faster, they'll have to offer me a product or service I want. If they decide to wait x number of days before they offer me that product, they'll simply have to wait x days before they get my money.

I'm not going to spend my money on a product I don't want because I have to wait x days before I can buy the product I do want.

that is one of the oldest piracy justifications. "since you don't cater to me in a way that makes you generate less money with your intellectual proprty that gives me the right to steal it."

It's not about "a way that makes you less money" - as I mentioned before multiple times. It's convenience for YOUR customers. It's like having ONLY the option to send a check in the mail to purchase a subscription to a paysite. U-bob and I both mentioned ways they could increase revenue by making their customers more of a priority. While at the same time, garnering more respect from and loyalty consumers.


Also, movie studios have almost NO brand loyalty. I'm not sure what makes you think they have any loyalty or affinity from consumers. This is the whole issue.

um it's like people are going to boycott movies because they have to wait two months until they can stream it. whatever.

I never said that, and no that is not likely to ever happen. But they could shed some of the negative sentiment from consumers which is rampant today. Increase revenue, increase consumer loyalty/respect for the studios, decrease piracy somewhat. It's a classic example of a company not caring about their customers.

it's obvious that they make more money doing things the way they do. it's a business not your personal charity.

Did I say that?

If I want to watch a movie, I'll wait till I can buy it through my cable provider. If it takes 2 months before I can do that, I'll simply wait 2 months.
In those 2 months I'm not going to buy a movie ticket or waste money on a DVD I don't want. I'll simply wait till I can buy it through the sales channel that I prefer to use.

Apparently your not reading all of what I'm writing, I mentioned the possibility of increasing revenues through better relationships with their customers. This is not a foreign idea here, this is marketing 101.

I understand what you are saying "If they could, they would" - I agree and think yeah, wouldn't they? But like I mentioned, I think it's more complicated than that.

where is this in the general population? i have never heard any "negative sentiment?" maybe on websites where people complain about things like this that mean zero to the average consumer so they can justify torrenting shit.

if some studio thinks they can make more money doing this, they will. i doubt they are unaware of your scheme and have not researched it.

I hear negative sentiment from regular joe schmo consumers all the times regarding movie studios and record labels.


In any case, I get your points.

Undoubtedly they have looked into this possibility. But have they really looked into it? Or are they just looking at short-term quick profits from 56 day DVD sales instead of long-term higher revenues and better customer loyalty and sentiment.

The people who think Hollywood shouldn't do what they want also thinks porn studios shouldn't, right?

People would rather have a $9.95 month price point. We should do that and offer affiliates $10 PPS out of the kindness of our hearts.

Cheap porn for the masses (even if they bitch about the higher price but still pay it).

I am going to AGREE with DJ the Kid, & do so using an analogy...

(Naturally, it shall involve poo...)

Years ago, if you needed to take a shit, you went out into the garden, dug a hole, crouched down, did a poo, (play with it? - Optional) and then filled in the hole...

These days you just go into the bathroom, sit on a porcelain toilet, do a poo, (play with it? - Optional) and then flush....

Its called progress - Using the technolgy availible to make life simpler and more acceptable.

So, lets say I rent a room in your house - Monthly - Paid in advance - First month, I use the bathroom - Second month, you tell me the bathroom is off limits and hand me a shovel, and point me towards the garden...

1) I am going to be pissed off by this, and wont be staying another month - YOU LOSE MONEY...

&

2) Dont be surprised if I leave immeadilty, but that I also take a shit in your kitchen on my way out... (Hence the phrase, 'You dont shit where you eat' - But I digress...)

So while I dont agree with stealing MYSELF, I can see a lot of people who want to see the movie NOW (Cause they are a bit sad and cant wait) saying OK, if it were available now, to rent, legally, for a fee - I'd pay it...

But as its NOT... Lets see what PB has to say... :2 cents:


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so if they offer their movies immediately on netflix piracy will magically disappear? doubtful.

No, of course not. Netflix will be too expensive then.

This is not a magic act, no. But I am willing to bet it may decrease it slightly and more over time with better consumer relations and sentiment.

Piracy is never going to go away. But I think there are ways to quell it. And the way to do it is definitely not by playing whack-a-mole, which is what's going on right now...

Note the rises in traffic is when Megaupload was taken down:
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/...57_306x172.jpg

(Note, this also happened when Craigslist removed erotic ads, and other site like Backpage, etc saw huge traffic increases)

Whack-a-mole is a game a Chuck E. Cheese, not a solution to piracy.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencete...lose-site.html

Of course not. But they will make money off of a group of consumers they otherwise wouldn't be making money off.

Please stop talking perfect sense. Its like me posting and not talking about a certain bodily function ! :thumbsup

In otherwords, you took about 30 words to say exactly what I took 200 words to say :upsidedow

Speaking strictly as a consumer, I personally just wait until movies come on HBO or Showtime and watch them then. They don't get my money at the theatre, nor on DVD sales or rentals, not on Netflix or Amazon. I pay approx. $110/a month for DirecTV and I between the various tv shows I enjoy and a few movies a month I feel that I get my money's worth.

Just read the comments in this post too, I am not the only one that thinks the continued screwing of their customers is a bad idea :)

http://venturebeat.com/2012/01/26/wa...netflix-queue/


Not to mention this looks bad for Netflix too





Now, imagine if Warner Bros announced that they will make all new releases available immediately for rental, perhaps at a slightly higher price point. I can see the praise from consumers already.....

So DJ the kid who defended some of the biggest scumbags for months while people got their cards banged to hell is now upset about people doing bad business?

the people who complain and worry about this shit don't pull out the credit card to buy anything online anyways.

i'm sure you are the exception.

I like this quote in the article too:

Not allowing Netflix users to conveniently wait out the delayed availability of new DVDs fits within Warner Brothers new strategy. The company clearly wants consumers to feel the inconvenience and discomfort of not being able to watch these newly released movies immediately because it makes the option of buying the DVD much more attractive.

Honestly, I never go to the movies, I never buy dvds, I only watch what is on netflix streaming and I get the 1 dvd in the mail thing.

I would pay more to get more and earlier releases on netflix streaming... that is definitely the way to go. DVDs are shit

It proves the negative sentiment in real-time, and I'm sure those aren't the only people.

But I'm sure Warner is in parallel thinking with you: "Fuck these customers, what they say is worthless, we will continue to do things the way we want and inconvenience our customers. All while shooting ourselves in the foot at the same time."

At least the recording industry has a somewhat better perspective.

Do i need to remind people how DJ the kid while he knew how the people he worked for were banging cards on a massive scale called everyone who mentioned it an idiot and a liar here?

This thread is starting to read like the comments on an illegal tube.

instead of making up shit why don't you quote what they said was their motivation?

"One of the key initiatives for Warner Bros. is to improve the value of ownership for the consumer and the extension of the rental window...is an important piece of that strategy," Mark Horak, president of Warner Home Video North America, said in early January when announcing the new 56-day delay window.