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Circuit City Phases Out VHS

Posted by timothy on from the we-join-this-plummet-already-in-progress dept.

Rashan writes: "Video Business Online is reporting that Circuit City is becoming the first of the mass merchants to state its intent to discontinue sales of the aging video format."

5 of 478 comments (clear)

  1. Keep in mind by joeflies · · Score: 5, Informative

    that this article is about phasing out pre-recorded VHS tapes. It doesn't say that it will phase out VCRs.

  2. Forcing the market change by M_Talon · · Score: 5, Interesting

    This is just the next step in the evolution of the format. Now that it's gained customer acceptance, the stores can get rid of the inferior technology (VHS) and concentrate their business. It happened with audio cassettes (vinyl was killed), and it happened with CDs (bye bye cassettes).

    As far as being a premature move, everyone that I talk to nowadays either has a DVD player or plans on getting one within the year. Sounds like the perfect opportunity for the stores to push those last few stragglers to DVD by eliminating the VHS market for new releases.

    Besides, wouldn't you rather have more room on the shelves for the latest anime imports? ;)

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    Electronic Frontier Foundation for online civil rights information
    1. Re:Forcing the market change by radish · · Score: 5, Informative

      It happened with audio cassettes (vinyl was killed)

      Really? That's strange. I could have sworn that last time I was in the Virgin Megastore in central London they dedicated at least 10% of their total floorspace (including CD/DVD/games etc) to vinyl. I must have been imagining it.

      Note to the unwise - vinyl sales are on the up, they have been for 5 years. At least 50% of the major single releases each week are available on vinyl. 100% of dance oriented ones are. The vast majority of dance music (the biggest selling sector in europe) is ONLY available on vinyl.

      And turntables regularly out-do guitars in the annual christmas gift surveys :-)

      --

      ---- Den ene knappen er powerknapp, den andre er Bender voice knapp "Bite My Shiny Metal Ass"

    2. Re:Forcing the market change by IxnayOnTheIxnay · · Score: 5, Funny

      Note to the unwise - vinyl sales are on the up, they have been for 5 years. At least 50% of the major single releases each week are available on vinyl. 100% of dance oriented ones are. The vast majority of dance music (the biggest selling sector in europe) is ONLY available on vinyl.

      "Did you know that disco record sales were up 400% for the year ending 1976? If these trends continue... AAY!"

      And turntables regularly out-do guitars in the annual christmas gift surveys

      I don't care, I'm still going to replace my record collection with my own guitar playing.

  3. But they don't want *recording*... by fmaxwell · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Anyway, since VHS is still the primary *recording* medium of the consumer, I wonder if they'll continue to sell VCRs?

    This is an example of how "electronics super stores" are bad for the consumer. Circuit City wants to make money selling not only electronics, but also pre-recorded entertainment. They don't want you to be able to record a pay-per-view showing of a movie because that could cost them a sale. The sooner they can convince you to scrap your VCR and, if you don't have one, buy a DVD player (from them), the happier they will be.

    That's why it was better when "record stores" sold recordings and "stereo stores" sold audio and video equipment. And this is why it was better for Sony to make consumer electronics and Columbia pictures to make films. The conflict of interest is now such that Sony would happily kill off the CD and replace it with a copy-protected equivalent -- much as they are doing to push DVD as a replacement for VHS. They want VCRs to go away so that they can sell you not only the player, but also the movie when you switch to DVD.