Trade in Warner DVDs for Blu-Ray » DVDs Worth Watching

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November 17, 2009

Warner has announced a trade-in program called DVD2BLU. In short, you choose DVDs to trade in, you pay $8 or $10 a disc (plus $5 shipping if you order less than $25 worth), and you get Blu-Rays in return. (US only, allow 4-5 weeks to receive replacement.)

Now, this is a nice offer if you want to upgrade. But financially…

Movie	Trade-in Cost	Blu-Ray Price	Used DVD Value	Do Math
Beetlejuice	7.95	10.49	4	6.49
Blazing Saddles	7.95	8.99	2	6.99
A Christmas Story	9.95	15.99	5	10.99
Elf	9.95	17.49	3.50	13.99
The Fugitive	7.95	12.49	1	11.49

This selection was based solely on “movies I’d like to watch”, and the prices were shown on Amazon at the time I was writing this. The column labeled “Do Math” is the cost to buy the Blu-Ray outright minus the used DVD price (assuming you sold it to someone else).

So in some cases you’re better off just buying a replacement and selling off your DVD, especially if it’s a catalog title on discount. The $10 trade-ins are discs in more demand, apparently, or not as old. I was surprised to see how much some Blu-Ray prices have fallen! As always, do some research before you take the deal. If the numbers work out for you, it’s a nice gesture on the part of the studio. Plus, they get some used DVDs out of the market.

10 Responses

Dwight Williams writes:

November 17, 2009 at 6:11 pm

Since I’m still not planning to buy Blu-Ray players, let alone discs…sorry, WB. You’re just going to have to keep making DVDs.

Thom writes:

November 18, 2009 at 1:02 am

I think this is a nice way to do it. I essentially purchased the Ultimate Matrix collection twice, and still paid $30 less to buy the set on Blu outright once.

For a person like Dwight who presumes they will not adopt up in technology, this is, of course not useful. For others? It is.

I am curious…what if, in three or four years, studios start phasing out DVD’s-just like they did with VHS. Are people going to accept it, as they did with VHS? Or will we see people refusing to change anyways? I am not saying it *will* happen… but it is a distinct possibility, considering how quickly Blu-Ray prices have dropped- and far more quickly than they did with DVD. But not everyone had DVD players when they quit making VHS films…they essentially forced people to make a choice then. And they could do it again.

Xenosphobatic writes:

November 18, 2009 at 4:39 am

I’m kind of two minds about Blu-Ray players and discs. On one hand, I realize that eventually the market will move on and abandon DVDs altogether.

On the other hand, I don’t plan on buying hardware (TV, receiver, etc) that can support or even come close to justifying the expense of a Blu-Ray player, so until I’m forced to buy a new player, I’ll do without.

Johanna writes:

November 18, 2009 at 8:34 am

Thom, if they stop making DVDs, I’ll do these things:
* Make my own of movies I love by recording TV showings (as I’ve done with favorites when TCM airs them)
* Buy closeout DVDs at big discount prices

If companies stop making DVDs, I’ll stop buying from them. If they think they can force the upgrade, I think they might be very disappointed. Like Xeno says, I may try Blu-Ray if/when my current equipment quits, but that shouldn’t be any time soon. Many observers think that the era of plastic discs is ending, anyway, with plenty of customers moving to digital versions.

Thom writes:

November 18, 2009 at 10:07 am

What sucks about the era of digital though? You know those special features we all like? Gone. As far as I am concerned, digital downloads are two steps back. Why pay $14.99 for just a download of the film, when for the same price or slightly more, I can get a hard copy I own with commentary tracks, multiple language options, closed caption, featurette, etc. Digital downloads are aimed at people who watch a movie once and walk away. Not people who buy DVDs and Blu-Rays.

Thom writes:

November 18, 2009 at 10:17 am

One point I would make…I don’t think that if they stopped manufacturing DVD it is any worse than when they finally said, “Listen, if you want to watch movies…get a freaking DVD player. We are done with VHS.”

But even if it does happen, I cannot imagine it will be soon. It would be a few years down the road, if Blu-Ray became the more dominant player. That is entirely possible, as it has already avoided the fate of laser disc. They are hardly high end electronics at this point and rapidly have entered affordability-faster than DVDs did. Laserdisc always stayed a niche market. But Blu-Ray has managed to penetrate the mainstream. It may be limited at this time, but I suspect that as more people buy hi-def TVs, that will change.

VHS held on, I suspect DVD and blu-ray will co-exist for awhile.

Johanna writes:

November 18, 2009 at 11:13 am

I’m with you on downloading, Thom. I like owning (which provides backup in case of a crash) and special features. But there is a significant part of the general public that likes renting, in whatever form, so they don’t have to store objects. And digital renting — whether iTunes, pay-per-view, or otherwise — means not having to leave the house to get what you want.

Thom writes:

November 18, 2009 at 5:10 pm

Yeah, I think it’s definitely convenient for those people…but I do think the people predicting the future where everything is digital are missing the point that there is a fair number of people who will want to own movies they really like is a solid form. I watch stuff on in demand and over netflix, but if I really like a movie, I want to own it. And not just digitally. I want a hard copy. Full of special features. Most everyone I know has movies they want to own in a tangable sense, and would be satisfied with just watching them via a download. Plus, if cable companies are going to charge more for monthly bandwidth, are people going to want to pay a fee for the film and then routinely get hit with fees for going over their monthly alloted bandwidth? For not quite hi-def quality in picture and audio?

Charles RB writes:

November 20, 2009 at 11:06 am

“But not everyone had DVD players when they quit making VHS films…they essentially forced people to make a choice then. And they could do it again.”

This is why the term ‘free market’ makes me snigger.

Dwight Williams writes:

November 20, 2009 at 1:52 pm

Amen, Charles. It’s not really a free or just/fair(your choice) market. Not yet. The work of making it become such is an ongoing effort.