Don’t forget that buying release week does show support to the company and helps fund more releases. I know it’s small comfort when you’re talking about your money, but it’s something!
Keep in mind though that initial release prices could be inflated simply to take advantage of the FOMO crowd. The price they later drop to could be the actual retail price appropriate for the product, which is where/how people should be supporting if my theory holds any weight.
Until I started watching you on here, I didn't realize how big the day 1 consumer market is. I've always been one to wait for a sale. It's very rare I pick up a day one release. It does happen, but I've noticed this trend in physical media for quite awhile now, and been using it to my advantage to get more movies.
Don't be afraid to buy used either. I picked up Black Panther and V for Vendetta on 4k a few weeks ago for $2 each at a pawn shop. Both are in new condition with slip covers
The way I look at it is that day one/early buyers are essentially subsidizing the cost for later buyers. If it doesn’t sell well initially, they can’t afford to lower the price any, otherwise the release won’t turn a profit. Once they’ve reached a certain amount of full price sales, I think that’s when they start lowering the price barely a month post release. While it sucks for early buyers, this is just how it’s always worked.
If it doesn't sell well initially, they'll have lower the price anyways to recoup what they can and minimize their losses. It's not like the price would never get lowered if people simply refused to buy it at the day one release price.. Now, if this scenario happens too many times, then they'll start taking less risks in terms of what physical media they even release in the first place.
@@duckpwnd You might be right. But obviously I'm not saying if it sells poorly the price will never go down. There's a big difference between a price dropping by 40% in two weeks vs two months.
Yeah if I buy something on day one it's because I'm anxious to buy it. I do so with full knowledge of the fact that the price is going to go down someday. You just have to make your buying choices and priorities with that in mind
Disagree. Sonys collection dropped 33% a mere TWOweeks after release. i totally expect it to drop a year later for black friday or a few months later on Amazons daily deal. But two weeks? Come on. Thats anti-consumer.
@@darrenlawn3302 If somebody can’t afford it then they shouldn’t buy it. If they can afford it then the price drop shouldn’t be too much of an issue. This happens a lot with other item, we should be used to it by now.
I unintentionally did an experiment this year in committing to saving for a new sound system. Because I was not spending as much money on movies every week and month, I rarely got day one pickups. In the end, it totally paid off and I was able to get a bunch of great deals on Black Friday or just at used media stores that still got me the movies I wanted and saved me money. Definitely something I’ll be carrying into next year!
Here in Canada, on Amazon, I find that if you don't get them day one they go up in price a few days after. And they don't go cheaper than what they were originally until many months later, if you can even find them, because some of them always seem hard to find. I don't mind buying day one because it shows studios that there is demand for 4K physical media. Someday it will be digital only, so I'm going to enjoy physical media while I can.
Absolutely agree, it can be impossible to find in Canada if you don’t pre-order and yes the price usually always goes up not down. You might have to wait upwards of a year before it’s in stock and on sale. Very few titles go on sale in Canada for Black Friday & Cyber Monday or Boxing Day.
I was a hardcore day 1 pickup guy for 6 years. 2 months ago I made my mind up that I'm not doing that any more. It's not that I can't. I'm tired of getting screwed. I mean are if they're only worth $72 today then they TRUELY were only worth $72 weeks ago. And that goes for any release and price point.
Love your channel and wide-range of content, I’ve been binge watching all night. I used to be a hardcore physical media collector, but sadly went to the dark side (digital) for financial reasons. I’ve been living that physical media lifestyle vicariously through these videos. I miss it. Thanks for helping to keep physical media and the Blu-Tube community alive and well.
Corey dude. I remember your channel. Maybe one of the first I watched on here. You could say you part inspired midlevelmedia here. Very cool to see you comment now and maybe one day, we'll see you back!
Thanks for the tip. I returned my Sony 30th and reordered. New one arrived Dec 12 and I have until Jan 31 to return preorder so even if you already opened it you can send back the new copy instead. I am extremely patient for sales and not afraid to return if I am going to save $7 on a new sale.
Main reason I am a day one purchaser is to increase my likelihood of getting a nice copy. Having said that more often than not, the item is damaged in shipping so I might as well wait til it drops in price.
I have somewhere around 400 4ks atm and I've only bought day one 4 times besides truly limited edition packaging. Alita Battle Angel, Joker, Ghostbusters Afterlife, and Top Gun Maverick are the only titles I've bought day 1. I wait for prices to drop down to $9.99 before I buy. Because I waited I picked up 17 4ks and the complete series of Dexter New Bloodon Blu-ray for under $200
As for backlog of movies to wa5ch I've probably got at least 100 plus a few thousand hours of television shows lol. I bought most of my television shows used off Goodwill's auction site for a few dollars a season though
Volver means "to return" in Spanish. It's pronounced by putting the emphasis on the e rather than the o. The word revolver shares the root meaning and applies it to a noun. So like, when you think of a revolver pistol, it's called that because the cylinder spins and comes back around.
I've learned the same hard lesson about buying on day 1. I bought many 4K titles for $10 on Black Friday & Cyber Monday that took the sting out of purchases made in Aug, Sep & Oct. I will buy new releases the first half of the year and avoid buying Jul, Aug, Sep, and Oct. Only time I found 4K's for less than $12 was at local buy & sell used physical media store. Never thought I'd see prices for 4K's drop under $10 this soon.
It's a double edge sword. If you buy it right away or preorder it you ensure you get one in case it sells out and starts getting sold for over cost online. But on the other hand, you pay a premium to be among the first to own it and you will see much lower prices later...unless it sells out. I pre-ordered the UK Robin Hood Prince of Thieves 4K the day it was announced. I was charged for my order and I also got a shipment notification and tracking number. The package tracking kept saying Royal mail is awaiting the packing. My arrive date came and went so I emailed Arrow UK to ask where my package is. I pretty much got this "oh sorry here's a refund." I replied with "please don't refund me I want the item." They replied with "sorry we already refunded you, just re-buy it." It's sold out 🤦♂️. So I found it on ebay for less. I was so incredibly disappointed with Arrow Video.
I think there are a lot more pros than cons for waiting, especially recently. Price is the big one but another one is whether the disc's picture/audio quality is any good. With the number of botched releases recently it pays in more ways than one to hold off for a while before buying new titles. The last time I bought day 1 was Top Gun: Maverick, absolutely loved it in theatres and owning it was a no brainer, but before that I can't remember.
With my job, I'm a very price concerned buyer. Sales like this make me feel good because I can actually participate in supporting physical media. If everything stayed at list price forever, I'd probably have given up and gone all streaming by now. Thankfully Mid Level Media is here to help me find the deals!
The only reason to buy early is for a slip. I heard a great interview from Cereal at Midnight with head of Kino and he said the problem for them with the sales is that everyone waits for them now so only incentive to buy early is slip covers and other bonuses.
Everything goes on sale eventually.. Usually during the holidays. This should not be a surprise to anyone. If it’s something I really love it by a day one if I can wait I wait.
Once I saw it on the disc father I placed my order. I was hoping it’ll drop to $150 but was drooling when I saw it under $150. Mine is coming Saturday.
Thank you. We just went to Amazon and ordered the box set for $139.99. Your Physical Media Day 1 is most appreciated. We should have waited on the Sony Columbia box set. That Sony reduced the price so drastically, so quickly means it's not selling as well as Sony thought. Let's hope that when box-set 4 comes out, they will think through the titles better. We have loved all of Sony's Columbia Box sets, 1-3, and will continue buying. Again thank you for alerting us to the price drop. We had it on our Amazon wish list, but get so busy, we don't always check on price drops hour to hour. Thanks again for the alert. You are the go-to-guy for all things Physical Media.
Sometimes I have to buy a 4k right when it releases to make sure I get the slipcover. The Northman is a good example where you had to get it right when it came out for that slip now im worried it could happen with any new release.
I ask myself is this worth the day one price to me and will I get mad if it drops, if I think its worth it then I get and don't get too upset if price then drops. Or I set a price like for this SONY Classics set, I said if goes 150 or less I will get. So I got it right away when saw the sale. But overall definitely waiting more than before b/c of this trend. I wait for Criterion and Kino sales like you said (but couldn't wait for Mystery Men).
Don't feel so bad, Ken. My friend picked this up at one of the Amazon return stores in my hometown for a fucking Canadian Loonie. Boy was I ever pissed because I was going to go to that one first but my other friend wanted to get a coffee from Starbucks and we went to the closer Amazon return store after he grabbed his coffee even though we passed the one that our other friend found the box set at originally. But he needed that fuckin' coffee. Sorry for the swearing but damn. The only reason why it was even returned was because the corner had a ever so slight ding in one of the corners.
I try to buy more from Target before amazon. If you use a red card debit card at Target, you have a 90-day return period to get price adjustments if it goes lower somewhere. When you place the order you can call and have the price adjusted for the price match if it's cheaper at Amazon right then.
Week 1 is reserved for special titles, such as favorites of movies watched already. Otherwise, waiting on WB, SONY and Disney titles..... the difference is staggering. Now, there is something to be said for acquiring some titles later on and showcasing them later. Like, hey, these still come with slips from such and such place. Like Blood Diner for Vestron.... I still don't know where you got that from.
@@jcaceres516 I said favorites. Something like a special 4k collectible edition of Blade Runner with a replica display pistol. Or even a bluray of a movie never on DVD, but I love the movie. Or it's God of War Ragnarok or Callisto Protocol. What are you willing to wait for and what are you not. These things do happen. It's having restraint is the point of this exercise.
You are wrong about Criterion. The half off sale goes on year round on Amazon. The most I've EVER seen a Criterion for on amazon is $27.99 and many are between $19.99-$23, no where close to the $39.99 B&N price.
@@midlevelmedia You're definitely saving on the new releases but I think a lot of people don't realize you can get most of the older titles for around $19.99 year round.
IMO, if you want something, buy it. No point in worrying about if/when the price is going to drop. That's how everything is. Whether it's a couch, a TV, or a car. Prices drop.
This is why I have to pick and choose what I buy Day 1.. being such a small channel I'm only able to review everything I want too day 1.. but that's life we all start somewhere..
When it comes to studio releases I wait now, unless it’s a steelbook or other exclusive. Even with the boutique labels, I’ll hold off unless it’s one that I am very eager to watch. Because sometimes boutique labels drop soon after as well. Look at The Funhouse 4K for instance. That started at $27.99 and then dropped down to $19.99 within a couple weeks. I like these types of videos, Ken. Keep them coming. 🤘
I could've told anyone not to pre-order anything, or wait until the price drops (for most releases). That's how new releases are across the board, and how studios make extra money on markup. Ntm, most people who are casual collectors aren't willing to drop that kind of money on 4K sets. Especially for maybe only 1 or 2 films they're interested in
Don't Amazon have like a 1month window for returns? In which case those that bought for $210 can just buy it again at the reduced price, and return it for a $210 refund. You're welcome... 😉
If you bought either the Sony Picture set or the Columbia Classics Vol 3 set at release from Amazon, it's still in the holiday return window. So, rebuy it and then return the original order and ship the 2nd one back.
This has been happening for a long time, it's nothing new. They know there are enough impatient/casual buyers that will pay full price on release day and that is where they make all their money. Then they discount the leftovers which is just icing on the cake. It's a win/win if you can be patient and wait for the inevitable price drop.
I bought both of those releases day one (Columbia and Sony Classics). I'm honestly not upset. They are both great and I'm just happy that more people are getting to experience them. Yes, waiting would have saved me a lot of money (in this case) but I was also just happy owning them day one and getting into the movies without a wait. I'm through with the Columbia titles and it was a very interesting and nice selection of movies. Now on to the Sony Classics which are also just such a fine selection. Is there any chance that you might review Run Lola Run? Bit of a long shot, I know, but the movie is really entertaining and special ... :)
Media drops in price all the time! Video games are $60 at launch, 6 months later it's $20. There's always gonna be a lower price unless it's a limited print.
1) Every time you say “Synecdoche,” I get a tiny physical shock. I was waiting for it this time. (It’s a pun on Schenectady. Also, as a former English teacher, I’m screaming: synecdoche and metonymy! Synecdoche and metonymy!) 2) Thanks for covering this. One thing you might add to the report (heh-I’m just coming up with more work for you to do) is reminding people which new releases are from companies that do lightning-fast price drops. For instance, everyone knows exactly (almost to the penny) how much a Criterion, Arrow, Powerhouse, VS, or Severin will go for because they have regular half-off sales; the only question is whether certain limited editions will stay in stock. (I’ll preorder Criterions on Amazon if/when I can see that the price is just a few bucks more than it’ll be at 50% off MSRP.) Imprint releases seem to come way down in price, or just vanish. Scream/Shout price drops are less predictable. And all know that everything from Kino comes way down. (On the other hand, in fairness, Kino’s pre-order discounts on the site are pretty generous-not as good as their fire-sale prices but not far off.) Maybe you could help us track the bigger studios’ patterns, and let us know which upcoming releases are from studios that do instant price drops. We know now that Sony is one to wait on, but it’s easy to miss that a particular release is from Sony. Getting the Rambo movies on 4K for $5/each this week was another “I need to wait more often” moment. I bought the big Sony Pictures Classics set on day 1, which sucks a bit, but I’m not mad; if nobody preorders these things, they’ll stop making them. I’m going to wait w/Sony in the future, though! 3) What do you think about Severin’s max-FOMO strategy of ONLY selling certain releases like The Blood on Satan’s Claw and Four Flies on Grey Velvet for two or three days a year? I think it’s an anti-consumer practice, but it always works on me. I don’t mind letting Severin pick my pocket once in a while since they do such a good job with big releases like the folk-horror set. (I’m even more willing to overpay Ignite, Cauldron, or the other tiny-tiny-tiny operations.) I know a lot of us want to kick some cash to the people who make beautiful physical releases… but these companies need to find the right balance. $70 off after a month feels slightly disrespectful.
I always wait on those box sets. They always go on sale for 50 percent off or more. Also, Lost boys 4k, among others, were $9.99 Amazon black Friday sale. I picked up a couple dozen 4k, big titles, for 7.99 to 9.99. over the course of November. It's all about having some patience, build an Amazon list and scan it once a day.
It's worth it for some of us because I'm not a traditional "collector". I used to collect anything they would put out even if I didn't like the film. Now I just collect movies I actually like. Which means the sets have movies I don't care for so I prefer buying individual movies.
It’s all a case of how many are left in stock on Amazon, how much they slash the prices until the stock numbers drop. You can hold out and hope the price drop before they sell out. If it’s something you want then get it at the price that you can afford, if you are buying just because then you may have a problem.
It’s been challenging out there for sure!, if you can wait, but it is also dangerous,you could miss getting a slip, or a steel book,the one thing that I am way behind is the criterion collection (I still haven’t gotten any 4Ks ) even with the sale there still 25$ a 4K
I buy day 1 mainly bc I want the slipcover or exclusive steelbook before they are gone. Yes I have a backlog of unwatched movies and more on the way from Amazon. 🤦♂️🤷♂️
Another risk with day one purchace is bad pressings, think Citizen Kane from Criterion. Better to wait to be sure rather than jump through the recall hoops
The bigger risk is not buying these and the studios no longer supporting the physical format. The more people buying these have let studios know they should make more. If they don't meet certain profits then it really wouldn't be worth the money to make it.
I got the Sony 30th Anniversary Set today for $140 it was too good a deal to pass up. The Columbia Pictures Boxed Set is a Day 1 Buy because I need to make sure I get it asap
The Die Hard 5 movie Blu set that includes theatrical and unrated of Live Free and has extended version of Good Day was at 27.99 at BestBuy , good price so I pulled the trigger (Sunday). On Tuesday it dropped to 17.99.
For me, if it's a film I really like or a store exclusive (like a steelbook), I will usually wait for a sale. For box sets, I normally wait for a sale, with few exceptions (I did pre-order the Friday the 13th box set on Amazon a couple of years ago). I also wait for the 50% off sales on Criterions because $30 is a bit high for a DVD and $40 is a bit high for a blu ray. Same with Arrow releases. I'm also not a 4K collector. I buy blu rays and DVDs, so that already saves money. The only time I buy 4Ks is if it's a store exclusive.
Saw "Pearl" (Blu-ray) on sale late one night online at Target a couple weeks back for $14.99. Was getting ready for bed, so I told myself I would get it to pick up the next morning. Next morning I went to get it and it was back at $22.99. Aggravating.
Very rare that I would ever buy Day 1. The Target preorders I do take advantage of when it qualifies for B3G1. Otherwise I'd wait as my movie backlog is huge. As you've said physical media has never been cheaper. I found the Commuter 4K for $3 at Best Buy; you get the 4K disc, standard Blu-ray, and the 4K digital for less than a cup of coffee.
Also, this isn't Sony dropping the price it's Amazon. They pay a fraction of the retail cost and can afford to only make a few bucks on the overall sale.
We don’t have to buy it week one, and not do you to make a video about it. The thing about physical media that isn’t a limited edition is that it isn’t timely. There’s no shelf date on buying and discussing a new release if people enjoy the content you make.
Yeah it’s definitely different for Canadian collectors we tend to pay more money and then they are really hard to find if anything they end up always going up in price but something like this in my opinion is just plain greasy. It’s annoying because the collectors are the ones that end up getting screwed and really the collector should be the ones getting the discounts because they buy so much of everything. I also like to pick up the steel books for certain titles that I really like and they are never on sale I had no clue that I could get Polterguys for $10 US at any point in any time so I probably missed the boat and that’s too bad the only reason I didn’t pick it up in the first place is because it was about 30 US But I did pick up the lost boys Steelbook and I paid bloody premium because again it’s very hard to get the stuff in Canada.
We don't have proper Black Friday deals in the UK, but buying a major studio release on day 1 doesn't make much sense to me. It's not like small boutique labels with smaller margins, where every sale finances the next release, but the big studios are not going to leave money on the table, and they aren't going to lose the rights to their own properties.
Very upset! I knew it would come down in price further but from Nov 22nd to Dec 8th? Only two weeks that big of a drop? I would of felt better if it was on a $10 drop but $70? You are right about media being priced right overall I still have my Best Buy sticker on my Avatar Blu-ray of 49.99. That is $70 in today's money according to online inflation calculators. I have a DVD circa 2002 advertising other DVDs at $24.99. That is $41 today. So even at $20-30 for a new release on the newest format is not terrible. PS Pay attention to Vinegar Syndrome the first week of January. It will be subscriber week with sales mentioned on their website including a new VSU (The Beastmaster, Six String Samurai, Cloak and Dagger, Road House) title. Forums are speculating it will be Sidekicks.
I really hope Sony releases ..Mr. Smith Goes to Washington ... from the first set. I need that one bad. Maybe they'll re-release the first set. If so, I'll buy it for that movie then sell the rest.
If it’s a non-limited edition studio release, just wait. And if your wallet still can’t take it, then pick only real favorites and not blind buy. Anything that’s even slightly more than $30 I’d spend some time thinking if I really wanted it. Especially when I’m a collector who isn’t buying to sell.
Couldnt agree more!!! I have been seeing the same thing and getting PISSED! Great video
Don’t forget that buying release week does show support to the company and helps fund more releases. I know it’s small comfort when you’re talking about your money, but it’s something!
Keep in mind though that initial release prices could be inflated simply to take advantage of the FOMO crowd. The price they later drop to could be the actual retail price appropriate for the product, which is where/how people should be supporting if my theory holds any weight.
Until I started watching you on here, I didn't realize how big the day 1 consumer market is. I've always been one to wait for a sale. It's very rare I pick up a day one release. It does happen, but I've noticed this trend in physical media for quite awhile now, and been using it to my advantage to get more movies.
Don't be afraid to buy used either. I picked up Black Panther and V for Vendetta on 4k a few weeks ago for $2 each at a pawn shop. Both are in new condition with slip covers
The way I look at it is that day one/early buyers are essentially subsidizing the cost for later buyers. If it doesn’t sell well initially, they can’t afford to lower the price any, otherwise the release won’t turn a profit. Once they’ve reached a certain amount of full price sales, I think that’s when they start lowering the price barely a month post release.
While it sucks for early buyers, this is just how it’s always worked.
If it doesn't sell well initially, they'll have lower the price anyways to recoup what they can and minimize their losses. It's not like the price would never get lowered if people simply refused to buy it at the day one release price.. Now, if this scenario happens too many times, then they'll start taking less risks in terms of what physical media they even release in the first place.
@@duckpwnd You might be right. But obviously I'm not saying if it sells poorly the price will never go down. There's a big difference between a price dropping by 40% in two weeks vs two months.
They problem with these sets is you never know when they are gonna be the next Ghostbusters 4K set and if you don’t preorder you will miss out.
If you're a collector, then either its worth it or it's not. Plain and simple.
Agree 100%. No point in worrying. If you want it, buy it.
@@hunterdean4766 facts
Yeah if I buy something on day one it's because I'm anxious to buy it. I do so with full knowledge of the fact that the price is going to go down someday. You just have to make your buying choices and priorities with that in mind
Disagree. Sonys collection dropped 33% a mere TWOweeks after release. i totally expect it to drop a year later for black friday or a few months later on Amazons daily deal. But two weeks? Come on. Thats anti-consumer.
@@darrenlawn3302 If somebody can’t afford it then they shouldn’t buy it. If they can afford it then the price drop shouldn’t be too much of an issue. This happens a lot with other item, we should be used to it by now.
If you are going to buy on day 1 and it is still on your shelf untouched when the price drops significantly then you probably should have waited.
Unless I know it's limited or I've been itching for it for years, I tend to wait for a sale
I think if there is a movie or set that you love and you buy it day one, then to me it's worth it.
I unintentionally did an experiment this year in committing to saving for a new sound system. Because I was not spending as much money on movies every week and month, I rarely got day one pickups. In the end, it totally paid off and I was able to get a bunch of great deals on Black Friday or just at used media stores that still got me the movies I wanted and saved me money. Definitely something I’ll be carrying into next year!
That would require some extreme discipline. Very impressive
@@midlevelmedia Haha that it does 😂 It’s about to pay off… should reach my save goal in January!
Here in Canada, on Amazon, I find that if you don't get them day one they go up in price a few days after.
And they don't go cheaper than what they were originally until many months later, if you can even find them, because some of them always seem hard to find.
I don't mind buying day one because it shows studios that there is demand for 4K physical media.
Someday it will be digital only, so I'm going to enjoy physical media while I can.
Absolutely agree, it can be impossible to find in Canada if you don’t pre-order and yes the price usually always goes up not down. You might have to wait upwards of a year before it’s in stock and on sale. Very few titles go on sale in Canada for Black Friday & Cyber Monday or Boxing Day.
I was a hardcore day 1 pickup guy for 6 years. 2 months ago I made my mind up that I'm not doing that any more. It's not that I can't. I'm tired of getting screwed. I mean are if they're only worth $72 today then they TRUELY were only worth $72 weeks ago. And that goes for any release and price point.
Love your channel and wide-range of content, I’ve been binge watching all night. I used to be a hardcore physical media collector, but sadly went to the dark side (digital) for financial reasons. I’ve been living that physical media lifestyle vicariously through these videos. I miss it. Thanks for helping to keep physical media and the Blu-Tube community alive and well.
Corey dude. I remember your channel. Maybe one of the first I watched on here. You could say you part inspired midlevelmedia here. Very cool to see you comment now and maybe one day, we'll see you back!
What's the point of buying everything at release day when the movies will just sit on your shelf collecting dust without you even watching them
Thanks for the tip. I returned my Sony 30th and reordered. New one arrived Dec 12 and I have until Jan 31 to return preorder so even if you already opened it you can send back the new copy instead. I am extremely patient for sales and not afraid to return if I am going to save $7 on a new sale.
Main reason I am a day one purchaser is to increase my likelihood of getting a nice copy. Having said that more often than not, the item is damaged in shipping so I might as well wait til it drops in price.
I have somewhere around 400 4ks atm and I've only bought day one 4 times besides truly limited edition packaging. Alita Battle Angel, Joker, Ghostbusters Afterlife, and Top Gun Maverick are the only titles I've bought day 1. I wait for prices to drop down to $9.99 before I buy.
Because I waited I picked up 17 4ks and the complete series of Dexter New Bloodon Blu-ray for under $200
As for backlog of movies to wa5ch I've probably got at least 100 plus a few thousand hours of television shows lol. I bought most of my television shows used off Goodwill's auction site for a few dollars a season though
I'm starting a 4k collection, I got abunch so far. There's alot of movies I haven't seen, it's pretty fun.
Volver means "to return" in Spanish.
It's pronounced by putting the emphasis on the e rather than the o.
The word revolver shares the root meaning and applies it to a noun. So like, when you think of a revolver pistol, it's called that because the cylinder spins and comes back around.
I've learned the same hard lesson about buying on day 1. I bought many 4K titles for $10 on Black Friday & Cyber Monday that took the sting out of purchases made in Aug, Sep & Oct. I will buy new releases the first half of the year and avoid buying Jul, Aug, Sep, and Oct. Only time I found 4K's for less than $12 was at local buy & sell used physical media store. Never thought I'd see prices for 4K's drop under $10 this soon.
It's a double edge sword. If you buy it right away or preorder it you ensure you get one in case it sells out and starts getting sold for over cost online. But on the other hand, you pay a premium to be among the first to own it and you will see much lower prices later...unless it sells out. I pre-ordered the UK Robin Hood Prince of Thieves 4K the day it was announced. I was charged for my order and I also got a shipment notification and tracking number. The package tracking kept saying Royal mail is awaiting the packing. My arrive date came and went so I emailed Arrow UK to ask where my package is. I pretty much got this "oh sorry here's a refund." I replied with "please don't refund me I want the item." They replied with "sorry we already refunded you, just re-buy it." It's sold out 🤦♂️. So I found it on ebay for less. I was so incredibly disappointed with Arrow Video.
I think there are a lot more pros than cons for waiting, especially recently. Price is the big one but another one is whether the disc's picture/audio quality is any good. With the number of botched releases recently it pays in more ways than one to hold off for a while before buying new titles.
The last time I bought day 1 was Top Gun: Maverick, absolutely loved it in theatres and owning it was a no brainer, but before that I can't remember.
Unless it's a slipcover that I want, I can wait on boxsets to go down in price. Gruv is the best!!!
Gruv has been a blessing in 2022 for sure.
With my job, I'm a very price concerned buyer. Sales like this make me feel good because I can actually participate in supporting physical media. If everything stayed at list price forever, I'd probably have given up and gone all streaming by now. Thankfully Mid Level Media is here to help me find the deals!
Heck yeah buddy!
The only reason to buy early is for a slip. I heard a great interview from Cereal at Midnight with head of Kino and he said the problem for them with the sales is that everyone waits for them now so only incentive to buy early is slip covers and other bonuses.
Hey Ken. Check the price of the Sony box set on Amazon uk, it’ll make you laugh!
Bloody hell £249.67 that's expensive
Everything goes on sale eventually.. Usually during the holidays. This should not be a surprise to anyone. If it’s something I really love it by a day one if I can wait I wait.
A bit surprising to see a 70 dollar price drop 2 weeks after release though.
Once I saw it on the disc father I placed my order.
I was hoping it’ll drop to $150 but was drooling when I saw it under $150.
Mine is coming Saturday.
I agree man
As a collector, I only buy day one if it’s a title I really want/need. Most of the time I stock up on sales.
Thank you. We just went to Amazon and ordered the box set for $139.99. Your Physical Media Day 1 is most appreciated. We should have waited on the Sony Columbia box set. That Sony reduced the price so drastically, so quickly means it's not selling as well as Sony thought. Let's hope that when box-set 4 comes out, they will think through the titles better. We have loved all of Sony's Columbia Box sets, 1-3, and will continue buying. Again thank you for alerting us to the price drop. We had it on our Amazon wish list, but get so busy, we don't always check on price drops hour to hour. Thanks again for the alert. You are the go-to-guy for all things Physical Media.
Thank you Holly. Glad you got it!
i passed on this years columbia classics didn't like the movies so when i saw the sony pictures set i bought
Most of the movies in those sets I don't care for. I only buy what I will watch over and over. I don't buy just to have a complete set.
I'm jumping on that Sony Pictures Classics. I usually wait for a deal, which means I usually miss out on the slipcover. It's give and take, I guess.
i saw the taking of pelham 123 4k from kino down to 24.99 on amazon and it hasn't released
Sometimes I have to buy a 4k right when it releases to make sure I get the slipcover. The Northman is a good example where you had to get it right when it came out for that slip now im worried it could happen with any new release.
I ask myself is this worth the day one price to me and will I get mad if it drops, if I think its worth it then I get and don't get too upset if price then drops. Or I set a price like for this SONY Classics set, I said if goes 150 or less I will get. So I got it right away when saw the sale. But overall definitely waiting more than before b/c of this trend. I wait for Criterion and Kino sales like you said (but couldn't wait for Mystery Men).
Don't feel so bad, Ken. My friend picked this up at one of the Amazon return stores in my hometown for a fucking Canadian Loonie. Boy was I ever pissed because I was going to go to that one first but my other friend wanted to get a coffee from Starbucks and we went to the closer Amazon return store after he grabbed his coffee even though we passed the one that our other friend found the box set at originally. But he needed that fuckin' coffee. Sorry for the swearing but damn. The only reason why it was even returned was because the corner had a ever so slight ding in one of the corners.
I try to buy more from Target before amazon. If you use a red card debit card at Target, you have a 90-day return period to get price adjustments if it goes lower somewhere. When you place the order you can call and have the price adjusted for the price match if it's cheaper at Amazon right then.
Week 1 is reserved for special titles, such as favorites of movies watched already. Otherwise, waiting on WB, SONY and Disney titles..... the difference is staggering. Now, there is something to be said for acquiring some titles later on and showcasing them later. Like, hey, these still come with slips from such and such place. Like Blood Diner for Vestron.... I still don't know where you got that from.
But if you watched it already? Why couldn't you wait?
@@jcaceres516 I said favorites. Something like a special 4k collectible edition of Blade Runner with a replica display pistol. Or even a bluray of a movie never on DVD, but I love the movie. Or it's God of War Ragnarok or Callisto Protocol. What are you willing to wait for and what are you not. These things do happen. It's having restraint is the point of this exercise.
I can’t imagine buying criterion’s unless there’s a sale going on. Prices are wayyy too high otherwise
Very true
You are wrong about Criterion. The half off sale goes on year round on Amazon. The most I've EVER seen a Criterion for on amazon is $27.99 and many are between $19.99-$23, no where close to the $39.99 B&N price.
Most new titles are $27.99 for the bluray and 34.99 for the 4K. You're still saving during the sale, but get what you're saying.
@@midlevelmedia You're definitely saving on the new releases but I think a lot of people don't realize you can get most of the older titles for around $19.99 year round.
@@hunterdean4766 For sure. That was a big reason I skipped the July one.
IMO, if you want something, buy it. No point in worrying about if/when the price is going to drop. That's how everything is. Whether it's a couch, a TV, or a car. Prices drop.
You must be in a lot of debt
@@TotalMeltdown2 Nope. I just don't stress out over saving $2.
This is why I have to pick and choose what I buy Day 1.. being such a small channel I'm only able to review everything I want too day 1.. but that's life we all start somewhere..
Very good point
When it comes to studio releases I wait now, unless it’s a steelbook or other exclusive. Even with the boutique labels, I’ll hold off unless it’s one that I am very eager to watch. Because sometimes boutique labels drop soon after as well. Look at The Funhouse 4K for instance. That started at $27.99 and then dropped down to $19.99 within a couple weeks. I like these types of videos, Ken. Keep them coming. 🤘
Thanks Anthony!
I feel ya awesome video
It has to be something severely limited or a top of my wish list for a format for me to pick up day one.
I could've told anyone not to pre-order anything, or wait until the price drops (for most releases). That's how new releases are across the board, and how studios make extra money on markup. Ntm, most people who are casual collectors aren't willing to drop that kind of money on 4K sets. Especially for maybe only 1 or 2 films they're interested in
Here in UK, HMV allready has Top Gun Maverick DVD reduced in price possibly via a multi buy. Blu-ray and 4k disc, no such luck
Don't Amazon have like a 1month window for returns? In which case those that bought for $210 can just buy it again at the reduced price, and return it for a $210 refund. You're welcome... 😉
If you bought either the Sony Picture set or the Columbia Classics Vol 3 set at release from Amazon, it's still in the holiday return window. So, rebuy it and then return the original order and ship the 2nd one back.
I'm just starting a 4k collection, any info is good news for me. I'm looking at that big box set, let's see what u see
The Columbia Classics Volume 1 box set had some great films and I missed out on it. I hope they re-release it again.
This has been happening for a long time, it's nothing new. They know there are enough impatient/casual buyers that will pay full price on release day and that is where they make all their money. Then they discount the leftovers which is just icing on the cake. It's a win/win if you can be patient and wait for the inevitable price drop.
I bought both of those releases day one (Columbia and Sony Classics). I'm honestly not upset. They are both great and I'm just happy that more people are getting to experience them. Yes, waiting would have saved me a lot of money (in this case) but I was also just happy owning them day one and getting into the movies without a wait. I'm through with the Columbia titles and it was a very interesting and nice selection of movies. Now on to the Sony Classics which are also just such a fine selection. Is there any chance that you might review Run Lola Run? Bit of a long shot, I know, but the movie is really entertaining and special ... :)
Media drops in price all the time! Video games are $60 at launch, 6 months later it's $20. There's always gonna be a lower price unless it's a limited print.
1) Every time you say “Synecdoche,” I get a tiny physical shock. I was waiting for it this time. (It’s a pun on Schenectady. Also, as a former English teacher, I’m screaming: synecdoche and metonymy! Synecdoche and metonymy!)
2) Thanks for covering this.
One thing you might add to the report (heh-I’m just coming up with more work for you to do) is reminding people which new releases are from companies that do lightning-fast price drops.
For instance, everyone knows exactly (almost to the penny) how much a Criterion, Arrow, Powerhouse, VS, or Severin will go for because they have regular half-off sales; the only question is whether certain limited editions will stay in stock. (I’ll preorder Criterions on Amazon if/when I can see that the price is just a few bucks more than it’ll be at 50% off MSRP.) Imprint releases seem to come way down in price, or just vanish. Scream/Shout price drops are less predictable. And all know that everything from Kino comes way down. (On the other hand, in fairness, Kino’s pre-order discounts on the site are pretty generous-not as good as their fire-sale prices but not far off.)
Maybe you could help us track the bigger studios’ patterns, and let us know which upcoming releases are from studios that do instant price drops. We know now that Sony is one to wait on, but it’s easy to miss that a particular release is from Sony.
Getting the Rambo movies on 4K for $5/each this week was another “I need to wait more often” moment.
I bought the big Sony Pictures Classics set on day 1, which sucks a bit, but I’m not mad; if nobody preorders these things, they’ll stop making them. I’m going to wait w/Sony in the future, though!
3) What do you think about Severin’s max-FOMO strategy of ONLY selling certain releases like The Blood on Satan’s Claw and Four Flies on Grey Velvet for two or three days a year? I think it’s an anti-consumer practice, but it always works on me. I don’t mind letting Severin pick my pocket once in a while since they do such a good job with big releases like the folk-horror set. (I’m even more willing to overpay Ignite, Cauldron, or the other tiny-tiny-tiny operations.)
I know a lot of us want to kick some cash to the people who make beautiful physical releases… but these companies need to find the right balance. $70 off after a month feels slightly disrespectful.
All great ideas! I'll get right to work!
Also this is a set for cinephiles.
This is a fantastic collection !
I always wait on those box sets. They always go on sale for 50 percent off or more. Also, Lost boys 4k, among others, were $9.99 Amazon black Friday sale. I picked up a couple dozen 4k, big titles, for 7.99 to 9.99. over the course of November. It's all about having some patience, build an Amazon list and scan it once a day.
If U look on ebay at 4ks that have run out of slipcovers,depending on the popularity, they are going for double sometimes triple the cost
It's worth it for some of us because I'm not a traditional "collector". I used to collect anything they would put out even if I didn't like the film. Now I just collect movies I actually like. Which means the sets have movies I don't care for so I prefer buying individual movies.
It’s all a case of how many are left in stock on Amazon, how much they slash the prices until the stock numbers drop. You can hold out and hope the price drop before they sell out.
If it’s something you want then get it at the price that you can afford, if you are buying just because then you may have a problem.
It’s been challenging out there for sure!, if you can wait, but it is also dangerous,you could miss getting a slip, or a steel book,the one thing that I am way behind is the criterion collection (I still haven’t gotten any 4Ks ) even with the sale there still 25$ a 4K
I buy day 1 mainly bc I want the slipcover or exclusive steelbook before they are gone. Yes I have a backlog of unwatched movies and more on the way from Amazon. 🤦♂️🤷♂️
I always unless wait unless it 4K Steelbook. Black Friday. Always try to get it on the cheap!
What if it goes out of stock?
It's crazy. Excellent video. I want some new releases of movies like 2001,2010, French Connection, and where eagles dare.
Another risk with day one purchace is bad pressings, think Citizen Kane from Criterion. Better to wait to be sure rather than jump through the recall hoops
The bigger risk is not buying these and the studios no longer supporting the physical format. The more people buying these have let studios know they should make more. If they don't meet certain profits then it really wouldn't be worth the money to make it.
I got the Sony 30th Anniversary Set today for $140 it was too good a deal to pass up. The Columbia Pictures Boxed Set is a Day 1 Buy because I need to make sure I get it asap
The Die Hard 5 movie Blu set that includes theatrical and unrated of Live Free and has extended version of Good Day was at 27.99 at BestBuy , good price so I pulled the trigger (Sunday). On Tuesday it dropped to 17.99.
For me, if it's a film I really like or a store exclusive (like a steelbook), I will usually wait for a sale. For box sets, I normally wait for a sale, with few exceptions (I did pre-order the Friday the 13th box set on Amazon a couple of years ago). I also wait for the 50% off sales on Criterions because $30 is a bit high for a DVD and $40 is a bit high for a blu ray. Same with Arrow releases.
I'm also not a 4K collector. I buy blu rays and DVDs, so that already saves money. The only time I buy 4Ks is if it's a store exclusive.
Saw "Pearl" (Blu-ray) on sale late one night online at Target a couple weeks back for $14.99. Was getting ready for bed, so I told myself I would get it to pick up the next morning. Next morning I went to get it and it was back at $22.99. Aggravating.
Ugh I've done that before. Wait wait then it's too late
I wait about a month before buy, I always get a better deal...but in December and November I wait until black friday
Not a bad idea
Bought the new Frighteners 4k box set pretty soon as it came out, not worried about that cause its gonna be highly sought after 🤑
Very rare that I would ever buy Day 1. The Target preorders I do take advantage of when it qualifies for B3G1. Otherwise I'd wait as my movie backlog is huge. As you've said physical media has never been cheaper. I found the Commuter 4K for $3 at Best Buy; you get the 4K disc, standard Blu-ray, and the 4K digital for less than a cup of coffee.
I fear that by NOT buying day 1, we could be sending the wrong message to the studios. Especially the longer this streaming bs is alive.
I buy the Argento box sets because they sell out. Other than that, always better to wait a month.
You don’t complain when they show up at your work for two dollars lol
Hell nah!
Just stating today 12-9 Best Buy has a $5.99 4k sale starting and going for 3 days
It's all about the movie for me. I really don't care about steelbooks and slip covers so I wait. There's always a sale coming up from somebody.
Buy 1st day if you want to watch it day one and can't wait, buy 1st day only if its a limited edition.
Amazon doesn't price match anything so if the price drops, they won't refund you.
Also, this isn't Sony dropping the price it's Amazon. They pay a fraction of the retail cost and can afford to only make a few bucks on the overall sale.
It’s sad though because if you wait sometimes it sells out😭😭
We don’t have to buy it week one, and not do you to make a video about it. The thing about physical media that isn’t a limited edition is that it isn’t timely. There’s no shelf date on buying and discussing a new release if people enjoy the content you make.
I'm just not interested in those huge sets. Space is at a premium in my apartment, and I have nowhere to display them.
Sony doesn’t have a “habit” of putting these on sale.
The merchants are putting them on sale.
Yeah it’s definitely different for Canadian collectors we tend to pay more money and then they are really hard to find if anything they end up always going up in price but something like this in my opinion is just plain greasy. It’s annoying because the collectors are the ones that end up getting screwed and really the collector should be the ones getting the discounts because they buy so much of everything. I also like to pick up the steel books for certain titles that I really like and they are never on sale I had no clue that I could get Polterguys for $10 US at any point in any time so I probably missed the boat and that’s too bad the only reason I didn’t pick it up in the first place is because it was about 30 US
But I did pick up the lost boys Steelbook and I paid bloody premium because again it’s very hard to get the stuff in Canada.
We don't have proper Black Friday deals in the UK, but buying a major studio release on day 1 doesn't make much sense to me. It's not like small boutique labels with smaller margins, where every sale finances the next release, but the big studios are not going to leave money on the table, and they aren't going to lose the rights to their own properties.
Steelbook are exception but now they are randomly re-releasing them.
Very upset! I knew it would come down in price further but from Nov 22nd to Dec 8th? Only two weeks that big of a drop? I would of felt better if it was on a $10 drop but $70? You are right about media being priced right overall I still have my Best Buy sticker on my Avatar Blu-ray of 49.99. That is $70 in today's money according to online inflation calculators. I have a DVD circa 2002 advertising other DVDs at $24.99. That is $41 today. So even at $20-30 for a new release on the newest format is not terrible.
PS Pay attention to Vinegar Syndrome the first week of January. It will be subscriber week with sales mentioned on their website including a new VSU (The Beastmaster, Six String Samurai, Cloak and Dagger, Road House) title. Forums are speculating it will be Sidekicks.
I really hope Sony releases ..Mr. Smith Goes to Washington ... from the first set. I need that one bad. Maybe they'll re-release the first set. If so, I'll buy it for that movie then sell the rest.
It is getting risky Ken I would just wait until a box set I like goes on sale
What’s this “day one” you’re talking about? I don’t understand that concept.
This just in: things go on sale. More at 11.
Stay tuned!
On today's episode of Ken Komplains: a sale happened and Ken isn't happy. Join us next time when he doesn't get something early.
I buy less and less new prices drop so fast in Canada it's not worth buying new
If it’s a non-limited edition studio release, just wait. And if your wallet still can’t take it, then pick only real favorites and not blind buy. Anything that’s even slightly more than $30 I’d spend some time thinking if I really wanted it. Especially when I’m a collector who isn’t buying to sell.
People still buy first day? I stopped years ago.