M+E Daily

Shopper Site Offers Keys To A ‘Blu Christmas’

With a greater number of player models available at significantly lower prices than in 2008, Blu-ray seems well positioned for the holiday season. But for Blu-ray boosters to close the deal with consumers, prices will have to drop lower still — and marketers will have to sharpen their pitches, says consumer electronics shopping site Retrevo.

Nearly 40% of DVD players currently selling in the marketplace are Blu-ray players, compared to 15% in October of 2008, according to Retrevo research. Pricing on Blu-ray players has fallen by an average of 35% over the last 12 months.

However, nearly half of consumers (49%) say they have never seen a Blu-ray movie. That could be a factor in consumers’ continued price sensitivity toward the format: according to Retrevo, 34% say that $150 is the most they would pay for a Blu-ray player.

Retailers are well on their way of clearing the purported price hurdle. For example, Best Buy is its entry-level Insignia Blu-ray player for $179.

But the Retrevo survey speaks to the ongoing marketing challenge of convincing consumers that the upgrade from DVD to Blu-ray is an essential one. Meeting that challenge will rest on greater retail availability of discs, as Retrevo points out, as well as continued development of BD-Live features.