Circuit City discounts HD DVD for quick inventory sell-off

Also cuts price of Toshiba players

By Susanne Ault -- Video Business, 3/3/2008

MARCH 3 | Circuit City is closing out its HD DVD stock and expects to be rid of the products within the month.

The chain is eager to start offering consumers Blu-ray Disc as the one choice for high-definition, believing that the end of format war should encourage mass customer adoption, spokesman Jim Babb said.

In one deal, valid between March 2 and March 8, Circuit City shoppers can purchase three $29.99-priced HD DVDs and get two HD DVD titles for free. Featured sale discs include Universal Studios Home Entertainment’s The Bourne Ultimatum and Knocked Up and Paramount Home Entertainment’s Transformers and Mission Impossible: III.

Additionally, at the chain’s Web site, Toshiba’s HD-A30 player is being advertised for $129, representing a $70 chop from already reduced pricing in January.

Shortly after Toshiba announced it was dropping support for HD DVD, the manufacturer started helping retailers sell off players with price credits. These cuts followed Toshiba’s widespread sales earlier in the year in an attempt to boost HD DVD following Warner Home Video’s exit from the format.

“We are in clearance mode, and we expect to go through the remaining inventory in the next few weeks,” said Babb. “We’ve said all along that it would have been better for consumers and retailers if we had started with one format. Now, the end of the format conflict will mean people can invest with a lot more confidence in gear that they know will be useful for years to come.”

Babb noted that Toshiba HD DVD players are still worthwhile products because of their ability to upconvert standard-definition DVDs to near high-def quality.

“The way they are priced makes them pretty attractive, and it upconverts your DVDs,” said Babb. “That makes them still an option for people.”

However, the chain is also accepting returns of HD DVD players for store credit up within 90 days of purchase. The usual return period is 30 days.

Babb didn’t specify whether the disappearance of HD DVD will necessarily grant Blu-ray wider berth on shelves. Yet Circuit City is hopeful that Blu-ray will catch on with mainstream customers.

“We certainly recognize that the future in this is Blu-ray,” said Babb.