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Wal-Mart Threatened by iTunes Movies?
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It's just like what happened to Music. Even if it takes off on the iTunes Store, I dont think that the sales of DVDs will be affected very much. So I dont see what the deal would be. Unless its a unionChickenSwartz said:
brepublican said:It's just like what happened to Music. Even if it takes off on the iTunes Store, I dont think that the sales of DVDs will be affected very much. So I dont see what the deal would be. Unless its a union
I meant union as in Wal Mart fears its employees forming a workers union...nothing to do with movies or Apple.
Whether it's true or not all I have to say is this,
WALMART GO **** YOURSELF! AND THAT DAMN SMILEY FACE YOU RODE IN ON!
WALMART GO **** YOURSELF! AND THAT DAMN SMILEY FACE YOU RODE IN ON!
I happen to work for a vendor that supplies Walmart.. I believe this story to be true.. Walmart breaks the antitrust laws everyday.. and get away with it since they bribe and payoff key people in the goverment.(They call it contributions)
I know a vendor(He owned the company) who supplied Walmart with quality vacuums and vacuum accessories.. Walmart decided that they wanted a better price for his vacuums and so they demanded that he cut the price of his vacuums by 30% and that he downgrades the build quality(They had a 10 year guarantee) so they would break down more often thus forcing people to buy more vacuums.
He was in the 4th year of a 10 year contract where it stipulated that HE decided the pricing and everything.. So he refused to lower the price of the vacuums since he would ACTUALLY LOSE MONEY if he sold them at the price Walmart wanted.. Walmart tore up his contract and kicked him out of the store.. when he threatened to sue them for breach of contract they laughed and told him to do it.. it would end up costing him millions to successfully sue Walmart and he would lose money if he attempted that.
I know a vendor(He owned the company) who supplied Walmart with quality vacuums and vacuum accessories.. Walmart decided that they wanted a better price for his vacuums and so they demanded that he cut the price of his vacuums by 30% and that he downgrades the build quality(They had a 10 year guarantee) so they would break down more often thus forcing people to buy more vacuums.
He was in the 4th year of a 10 year contract where it stipulated that HE decided the pricing and everything.. So he refused to lower the price of the vacuums since he would ACTUALLY LOSE MONEY if he sold them at the price Walmart wanted.. Walmart tore up his contract and kicked him out of the store.. when he threatened to sue them for breach of contract they laughed and told him to do it.. it would end up costing him millions to successfully sue Walmart and he would lose money if he attempted that.
Archmagination said:
Wow. I always figured this was the stuff of conspiracy theorists and urban legends (e.g. "Who Killed the Electric Car" etc).
However, it would sure explain a lot of the crap that's out there in the markets these days. Flimsy plastic junk...
If you're correcting someone's spelling, it looks better if you spell the word "spelling" correctly.skwoytek said:
Back on topic, this would be short-sighted of Wal-Mart. Ten years from now, movies and music on physical media will largely be things of the past, much like cassette tapes are today. The change won't come right away, but it will come. If Wal-Mart wants to beat Apple at this game, it will have to introduce its own movie download service.
i hate walmart but is low prices and being open 24/7 forces me to go there at times. i mean you need to eat right lol
There is nothing wrong with shopping at Wal-Mart, whether it be for school supplies, tv for a college dorm room, or toothpaste.
To the point, there are documentaries and sociological studies that exist documenting Wal-Mart's "bullying" ways in the marketplace. Just like the vacuum story - they demand lower prices from their suppliers so they can provide lower prices for customers. If they don't get what they want, they'll go to China. I hope they finally get caught. Wal-Mart is an easy target right now, but at least my toothpaste is cheap.
To the point, there are documentaries and sociological studies that exist documenting Wal-Mart's "bullying" ways in the marketplace. Just like the vacuum story - they demand lower prices from their suppliers so they can provide lower prices for customers. If they don't get what they want, they'll go to China. I hope they finally get caught. Wal-Mart is an easy target right now, but at least my toothpaste is cheap.
swingerofbirch
macrumors 68040
Good lord, why is Walmart so threatened?
Most of their customers have satellites built into their RVs and wouldn't get movies from Apple anyway.
Most of their customers have satellites built into their RVs and wouldn't get movies from Apple anyway.
Apple pays what? Always the LOW price?
I wouldn't be shocked if WalMart were telling studios don't sell to Apple. The ethics of Walmart have never been in question: they don't have any.
The thing that sticks out in this article, if it's true and it is the Post so...., is that Apple is paying $4.51 more for a movie than it can sell it for. Does this make any sense? The iTunes Store is not like Walmart where you can pick up prepackaged meat, cookies and Preparation H while you're getting a movie. Is it because Steve makes money either way? I would think the idea of selling movies is to make a profit on them. And if Walmart is ALWAYS the low price does that mean new movies will be less than iTunes?
Also, if this story is true I wonder how well Walmart will fare in receiving their shipments of new iPods for Xmas. I saw them at Target yesterday. I wonder if Walmart's got any yet.
Hal
I wouldn't be shocked if WalMart were telling studios don't sell to Apple. The ethics of Walmart have never been in question: they don't have any.
The thing that sticks out in this article, if it's true and it is the Post so...., is that Apple is paying $4.51 more for a movie than it can sell it for. Does this make any sense? The iTunes Store is not like Walmart where you can pick up prepackaged meat, cookies and Preparation H while you're getting a movie. Is it because Steve makes money either way? I would think the idea of selling movies is to make a profit on them. And if Walmart is ALWAYS the low price does that mean new movies will be less than iTunes?
Also, if this story is true I wonder how well Walmart will fare in receiving their shipments of new iPods for Xmas. I saw them at Target yesterday. I wonder if Walmart's got any yet.
Hal
ChickenSwartz said:
Yes they are. They are pulling out of both Germany and South Korea due to the competition.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5273642.stm
In China the staff actually got their union.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4778973.stm
Antitrust Enforcement: Take Action
Here is a copy of an e-mail I sent to the FTC and DOJ yesterday (by way of copy from an e-mail to David Porter, the offending Wal-Mart executive). I urge everyone to do something similar:
Send to dporter@walmart.com, antitrust@ftc.com, and antitrust.complaints@usdoj.gov
Dear Mr. Porter:
By this letter and by copy to the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice I hereby notify you that your reported behavior constitutes numerous violations of the Sherman Antitrust Act and the Federal Trade Commission Act. As reported in a wide variety of sources, you have been meeting with the heads of large movie studios and threatening to purchase fewer or return product from those studios that agree to distribute movies over Apple iTunes service (see, e.g., http://www.macnn.com/articles/06/09/22/wal.mart.threatens.studios/). This is an egregious restraint of trade that severely effects interstate commerce. News reports indicate that you have already "punished" Disney by returning thousands of DVDs and refusing to sell them. Because Wal-Mart sells 40% of the physical DVDs in the United States, you are in a privileged position and are abusing your market power. You are seeking to obtain concessions to sell content at Apple's prices (which does not include the manufacture, shipment, and sale of a physical item). Apple has innovated - something WalMart is incapable of -- and WalMart now wants to take advantage of Apple's innovation.
I urge the FTC and the DOJ to open criminal investigations into your behavior. In addition, your conduct violates your own "Corporate Code of Ethics," making a mockery of your supposed corporate values.
You should be ashamed of your luddite and monopolistic behavior.
Here is a copy of an e-mail I sent to the FTC and DOJ yesterday (by way of copy from an e-mail to David Porter, the offending Wal-Mart executive). I urge everyone to do something similar:
Send to dporter@walmart.com, antitrust@ftc.com, and antitrust.complaints@usdoj.gov
Dear Mr. Porter:
By this letter and by copy to the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice I hereby notify you that your reported behavior constitutes numerous violations of the Sherman Antitrust Act and the Federal Trade Commission Act. As reported in a wide variety of sources, you have been meeting with the heads of large movie studios and threatening to purchase fewer or return product from those studios that agree to distribute movies over Apple iTunes service (see, e.g., http://www.macnn.com/articles/06/09/22/wal.mart.threatens.studios/). This is an egregious restraint of trade that severely effects interstate commerce. News reports indicate that you have already "punished" Disney by returning thousands of DVDs and refusing to sell them. Because Wal-Mart sells 40% of the physical DVDs in the United States, you are in a privileged position and are abusing your market power. You are seeking to obtain concessions to sell content at Apple's prices (which does not include the manufacture, shipment, and sale of a physical item). Apple has innovated - something WalMart is incapable of -- and WalMart now wants to take advantage of Apple's innovation.
I urge the FTC and the DOJ to open criminal investigations into your behavior. In addition, your conduct violates your own "Corporate Code of Ethics," making a mockery of your supposed corporate values.
You should be ashamed of your luddite and monopolistic behavior.
Freedom!!!
I am American. Perhaps thats something the executive team at Wal-Mart has forgotten about. I am free to choose where and when I spend my hard-fought dollars. Though Wal-Mart and its team may be able to manipulate those choices, I will always - ALWAYS - have the choice NEVER to spend another dollar at Wal-Mart. Ever.
I mean what the hell I live in America, not Wal-Mart-ica!
I am American. Perhaps thats something the executive team at Wal-Mart has forgotten about. I am free to choose where and when I spend my hard-fought dollars. Though Wal-Mart and its team may be able to manipulate those choices, I will always - ALWAYS - have the choice NEVER to spend another dollar at Wal-Mart. Ever.
I mean what the hell I live in America, not Wal-Mart-ica!
If Wal-Mart stop selling DVD's by Studios who join the iTunes Store then I guess mu MR friensd in the US can just go buy somewher else.
I don't get it - if Wal-mart doesn't sell something does that mean no-one will buy it - at all? Just go elsewhere to get what you want.
Idiots!
I don't get it - if Wal-mart doesn't sell something does that mean no-one will buy it - at all? Just go elsewhere to get what you want.
Idiots!
I haven't read all the posts in this thread (the MBP discussions are most of what I'm caught up in now ), but I noticed an interesting article on MacNN that talked about this as well. To paraphrase, it said that when the iTunes TV shows were first made available, Walmart sent back DVDs of Lost, Desperate Housewives, etc., refusing to sell them. Looking on Walmart's site now, though, both Seasons 1 and 2 of Lost are available, both online and in stores (just as an example).
Threatening not to sell movies has a limited impact. I think Walmart is responsible for some 40% of DVD sales (not positive on that number), but if people can't buy DVDs at Walmart, they don't think: "Well shoot, I guess I just won't get this movie." They'll either complain or go somewhere else. This may be tough in communities where Walmart is the only major shopping center, but Walmart can't really blame movie studios when Walmart is the one refusing to sell the product.
I agree with other peoples' posts when they say that Apple's primary movie market will not really affect Walmart's sales (mostly wealthier middle class types who can afford to dump $300 on a streaming media device). I refuse to shop at Walmart for a variety of reasons myself; this just adds to the list.
), but I noticed an interesting article on MacNN that talked about this as well. To paraphrase, it said that when the iTunes TV shows were first made available, Walmart sent back DVDs of Lost, Desperate Housewives, etc., refusing to sell them. Looking on Walmart's site now, though, both Seasons 1 and 2 of Lost are available, both online and in stores (just as an example).Threatening not to sell movies has a limited impact. I think Walmart is responsible for some 40% of DVD sales (not positive on that number), but if people can't buy DVDs at Walmart, they don't think: "Well shoot, I guess I just won't get this movie." They'll either complain or go somewhere else. This may be tough in communities where Walmart is the only major shopping center, but Walmart can't really blame movie studios when Walmart is the one refusing to sell the product.
I agree with other peoples' posts when they say that Apple's primary movie market will not really affect Walmart's sales (mostly wealthier middle class types who can afford to dump $300 on a streaming media device). I refuse to shop at Walmart for a variety of reasons myself; this just adds to the list.
Who knows if the story it true or not. Regardless Walmart bully's everyone, small stores who are in its path as well as suppliers. They're some suppliers who sell merchandise at Walmart at a loss just to get on their precious shelf space.
Lol @ Wal-Mart-ica, but yeah I can see where this is going.. over in england its most likely going to be tescos moaning about iTunes Movies..rk-hates-spam said:
iAlan said:
Disclaimer: I am not defending Wal-Mart I think they have some very poor business practices and I rarely shop there.
In rural America a lot of the time there is not other choice than Wal-Mart. I know people that drive 40 miles to get to a town that has a Wal-Mart to do all their shopping. It would be over 100 miles to get to a city with a BestBuy or some other store that sells DVDs. For a lot of people, if they don't have it at Wal-Mart, it doesnt exist. I know this is sad but it is true.
I know Wal-Mart has a lot of bad practices, they treat their employees like crap, kill small companies that cant meet there supply requirements, etc. But, just a reminder, they are (for the most part) operating WITHIN THE LAW. So if you really disagree with what Wal-Mart does, you should contact your legislator and ask them to support laws that curtail these activities or contact your local district attorney's office if you think they are breaking the law.
Mac-Addict said:
I doubt it.
The percentage of DVD buying public in the UK who meet the requirements of:
* High speed broadband
* Modern computer capable of hosting the downloaded films / TV programmes
* Desire to buy yet another piece of electrical equipment to squeeze under the TV
* Desire not to have a physical DVD on their shelf which they can take to friends
* Have access to the full range of titles available in the supermarket, in the highstreet or online at the likes of Amazon from the UK iTMS
is not likely to be high enough to worry the likes of Tesco.