The Wicker Man (1973) - 50th Anniversary (4K+2D Blu-ray SteelBook) (Best Buy Exclusive) [USA]

paulboland · Aug 23, 2023

Release date: October 17, 2023
Purchase link: Best Buy
Price: $21.99
Group buy: hosted by apsmith21

Maksym · Oct 16, 2023

apsmith21 said:
Pretty sure that Lionsgate will continue milking this ca$h cow with a different retailer. Remember that lead time for any steelbook release is months, but that doesn't mean a distributor can't shift the other to another retailer that wants in.

Plausibly, here's another thought...I remember how record shops / small media retailers - like in my area Bull Moose, could get a sub allocation of a steelbook if it's considered trade wide....but they could also do something like how they'll do
an "indie store exclusive" for vinyl.

Despite these big retailers dropping physical media, the demand is there, we know it is.

Totally agree. I do however think, that print runs of steelbooks will become smaller as Bestbuy was the leading force in selling them. I think casual customers who used to occasionally buy a steelbook or two when they happened to be in store will now cease to exist, and steelbooks will be for collectors only, hence it would make sense to really limit print runs or most will just not sell out. Eventually less movies will get Steelbook treatment too

PoLskA · Oct 16, 2023

just got my shipping notice... being overnighted via FedEx

apsmith21 · Oct 16, 2023

Maksym said:
Totally agree. I do however think, that print runs of steelbooks will become smaller as Bestbuy was the leading force in selling them. I think casual customers who used to occasionally buy a steelbook or two when they happened to be in store will now cease to exist, and steelbooks will be for collectors only, hence it would make sense to really limit print runs or most will just not sell out. Eventually less movies will get Steelbook treatment too

Scanavo always had the party line of minimum print runs in the USA, so I think it's very plausible it could change in the future as they try to keep as much business as they can.

KrazyAssKatzen · Oct 16, 2023

Maksym said:
They have different distribution localities, so not everything can be shipped everywhere. I’m located near NYC. Very often I’m not able to order some steelbooks, while my friends are able to order them in Florida or West Coast etc.

It’s not uncommon that pre-orders are days early, so they arrive before a release date. Been happening for years

Aha, thanks for that info.

The weirdness continues: I was charged by BB again today for the order, but it doesn't show up in my account as being in progress or completed. And the status on the item page is the same as before. So I'm somewhat optimistic that it will just show up in my mailbox with no fanfare.

K1SK1S · Oct 16, 2023

samdavies said:
No, but Bestbuy are.

That's bad for US. How you guys feel about that?

MattBowers2020 · Oct 17, 2023

Maksym said:
Totally agree. I do however think, that print runs of steelbooks will become smaller as Bestbuy was the leading force in selling them. I think casual customers who used to occasionally buy a steelbook or two when they happened to be in store will now cease to exist, and steelbooks will be for collectors only, hence it would make sense to really limit print runs or most will just not sell out. Eventually less movies will get Steelbook treatment too

I actually saw just yesterday that Best Buy only accounts for 4% of physical media sales. If true I doubt they are the leading seller for steelbooks in the U.S. at this point. 10 to 5 years ago? Sure, but not now.

Maksym · Oct 17, 2023

MattBowers2020 said:
I actually saw just yesterday that Best Buy only accounts for 4% of physical media sales. If true I doubt they are the leading seller for steelbooks in the U.S. at this point. 10 to 5 years ago? Sure, but not now.

Because most physical media sales are Walmart and Amazon selling DVDs. Steelbooks is a tiny market, where Bestbuy was leading in US for years.