In a message dated 11/7/2003 4:02:19 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
audities-owner@smoe.org writes:
Would be interested to know how the DVD/CD market is doing 
in big-box stores like Best Buy and Sam's Club.
Actually I think that too little emphasis has been given to how DVDs have 
changed the marketplace for music! A few years ago Newburys introduced DVDs and 
they've done progressively better every year since, to the point where DVDs and 
CDs will be equal revenue-wise in about two more years. But consumers aren't 
pulling this money out of nowhere--it's got to come from somewhere, and the 
most OBVIOUS place is that they're spending less on music... doesn't that make 
sense?

Also Best Buy is DRAMATICALLY reducing their commitment to CDs in the very 
near future--new Best Buy locations already have a drastically scaled-down music 
section (closer to what you find at Circuit City, it's similar to when they 
reduced their commitment to music in the late 90s).

From what I understand, DVDs and CDs are doing extremely well at 
Target/Wal-Mart, etc., but obviously they don't offer much for selection. I think that for 
traditional record retailers to survive they're going to have to distance 
themselves from the top sellers and such and focus more on what product that the 
big boys won't/can't carry as well as on diversifying the product lines--walk 
into a TransWorld store nowadays and they're dead... but they only sell music. 
Walk into a Newburys and we still have customers, but we sell *tons* of fun 
stuff besides music. --Jason