Best Buy YMMV Thread

[mikeshinobi]

Can we have a thread where we share deals we find at our local Best Buys? Of course they're always YMMV but it would give us ideas of what to look out for.

I have two local best buys and each of them had different deals:

Best Buy #1:

• Dragon Quest Builders 2 (NSW): $15.99

Best Buy #2:

• Disgaea 4 (NSW): $15.99
• Dead Cells (NSW): $10.99
• Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology (3DS): $12.99 (didn't get this, very sad)
• Some other 3DS title I was extremely sad I missed out on (3DS): $10.99

There were some others but these were the ones that stood out the most that I can remember.

Also for anyone who doesn't know, if your Best Buy has a price placard out for a game but they're sold out, you can ask an employee to order it for you from their website and they will match their in-store price! Of course they have to have stock on the website though.

 

[nightc1]

That's why it seems so ... stark. They used to be really solid, and I missed Gamer's Club but they were still the most reliable and consistent place to order. But these days. Yeah, sometimes they get it here exactly on release, but when they miss - they miss big time. And won't do anything at all to make it right.

I think it's their fulfillment process shifted from mainly just regional warehouses (for me It was mostly Kentucky even though there are two closer near Atlanta) to using the stores for fulfillment of online orders (with Birmingham being my closest one). Even though my stores aren't close, the one I usually get games from when ordering online seems well run and the trip to my area is pretty simple with a fedex distribution center nearby. My guess is whatever store you get shoveled off to either doesn't have staff that care, they are so overloaded they get behind, or both. But that's just a guess. It could also be just fedex for whatever reason is inconsistent to your area.

 

[pjmomo]

Not game related, but picked up Call of the night (anime) complete blu ray for $15. Still show $49.99 on best buy site.

Spoiler

[attachment=38270:20231019_112810.jpg]

[attachment=38271:20231019_112850.jpg]

 

[Sonicyogurt]

According to my orders on the Best Buy site, I'll have the art print for Super Mario Bros. Wonder tomorrow, and the game is shipping tomorrow. We'll see if it shows up on Friday.

Ditto.

It's been a while since a game I pre-ordered for delivery from Best Buy hit its release date, so I'm expecting the same here.

Edit! Color me surprised. Both the art print and Wonder showed up this morning, even managing to pass through the FedEx black hole of Ellenwood, GA swiftly. Now I kinda regret not pre-ordering Spidey 2 from Best Buy! I'll have to wait until late this afternoon for that one.

 

[shadowysea07]

I think it's their fulfillment process shifted from mainly just regional warehouses (for me It was mostly Kentucky even though there are two closer near Atlanta) to using the stores for fulfillment of online orders (with Birmingham being my closest one). Even though my stores aren't close, the one I usually get games from when ordering online seems well run and the trip to my area is pretty simple with a fedex distribution center nearby. My guess is whatever store you get shoveled off to either doesn't have staff that care, they are so overloaded they get behind, or both. But that's just a guess. It could also be just fedex for whatever reason is inconsistent to your area.

Additionally it could be smartpost if that happens still. Where it gets delivered to the post office by FedEx or ups with surepost and gets derped up since the tracking doesn't work well when switching providers. I can't count how many packages were in limbo at my post office because of those and I have to go ask for them. But again I'm not sure those are even still around.

For me everything best buy usually comes ups (rarely) or the post office these days on the occasion that shipping is available. The closest best buy to me is 40 minutes away round trip iirc. And more often than not I have to do store pickup. So I don't order from them very often.

For my 2 best buy stories I have nier automata which I ordered and they sent me 3 copies of the outer wild whatever by mistake. No gift card or apology for returning them on top of being only able to refund my order since nier wasn't in stock. I would expect some damn gratitude considering each of those copies were 30$ at the time. I should have just kept them and sold them for cheap to get a profit.

The second one was soul hackers 2 which they sent to me with the case smashed with broken plastic everywhere.

So unless a deal is pretty good and I'm feeling like making the trek out there I'm not usually that insentivized sp? To shop through them.

 

[TheLegendofTyler]

According to my orders on the Best Buy site, I'll have the art print for Super Mario Bros. Wonder tomorrow, and the game is shipping tomorrow. We'll see if it shows up on Friday.

Best buy just shipped my Mario Wonder UPS next day air, so should be here tomorrow. Target on the other hand has spider man 2 back ordered until next week. Target is the absolute worst with shipping pre orders.

 

[thadoggfather]

Best buy just shipped my Mario Wonder UPS next day air, so should be here tomorrow. Target on the other hand has spider man 2 back ordered until next week. Target is the absolute worst with shipping pre orders.

Agreed, been burned by Target too many times. Unless the discount is steep, which is usually why I go with them (though we haven't seen anything for preorders in a while now imo), I've gotten games sometimes a FULL WEEK after release or a FULL WEEK and change, spilling over into the Monday after next. Yikes.

Fortunately my Walmart copy of Spidey2 arrives tomorrow, and my Mario Wonder supposedly from BB arrives tomorrow too

 

[TheLegendofTyler]

Agreed, been burned by Target too many times. Unless the discount is steep, which is usually why I go with them (though we haven't seen anything for preorders in a while now imo), I've gotten games sometimes a FULL WEEK after release or a FULL WEEK and change, spilling over into the Monday after next. Yikes.

Fortunately my Walmart copy of Spidey2 arrives tomorrow, and my Mario Wonder supposedly from BB arrives tomorrow too

Yeah there was a 15% off a couple weeks ago that worked for pre orders, so I went for it. I've been burned by Target on numerous occasions with pre orders but was hoping for the best. Target circle just gave me a $10 off in store purchase for this week so I think I'm going to cancel my online order and just go in tomorrow and grab it with the $10 off.

 

[RedvsBlue]

Agreed, been burned by Target too many times. Unless the discount is steep, which is usually why I go with them (though we haven't seen anything for preorders in a while now imo), I've gotten games sometimes a FULL WEEK after release or a FULL WEEK and change, spilling over into the Monday after next. Yikes.

Fortunately my Walmart copy of Spidey2 arrives tomorrow, and my Mario Wonder supposedly from BB arrives tomorrow too

And then every once in a while, like probably 1 in 20 preorders Target ends up sending it so early you get it a couple days before release date. Pretty rare but definitely surprising when it happens.

 

[TheLegendofTyler]

And then every once in a while, like probably 1 in 20 preorders Target ends up sending it so early you get it a couple days before release date. Pretty rare but definitely surprising when it happens.

That did happen to me once

 

[super1upqueen]

Best buy just shipped my Mario Wonder UPS next day air, so should be here tomorrow. Target on the other hand has spider man 2 back ordered until next week. Target is the absolute worst with shipping pre orders.

Target is absolute trash for video game pre-orders. I've noticed they love to pre-auth your card every 2 weeks or so until your game comes out, so that's annoying (and can really screw you over if your bank account is low for a day). And, they love to backorder stuff for weeks until they eventually tell you it's not coming. I pre-ordered the deluxe edition of Horizon Forbidden West during one of their buy 2 get 1 free sales and I watched it backorder itself by a week for over a month. It was sold out everywhere and I got such a good deal that I just kept waiting. Finally, Gamestop got it back in stock and I pounced, leaving the Target order open for a little while longer just out of morbid curiosity, but after a few more weeks of backordering, I canceled. They also tried to backorder my Sephiroth amiibo but I canceled that the second I found him in a store. Target is my absolute last resort for video games pre-orders.

 

[nightc1]

I've noticed they love to pre-auth your card every 2 weeks or so until your game comes out, so that's annoying (and can really screw you over if your bank account is low for a day).

This isn't an attack... this simply got me thinking...

I don't have a debit card and don't plan on ever getting one. This is where a CC (and a backup CC... especially when travelling) works out better. I don't like the idea of anyone having access to my bank account unless it's me making a payment at a utility website or another bank using a checking draft (nothing is set for automatic payment). Seems like every store at some point has been hacked. So on my bank side, I only have maybe 14 transactions (including pay deposits, cash withdrawals, and all bills) a month to reconcile my balance and nothing is automatic payments as it's easier to fight an issue before they take their money. Like say, an unusually high power bill. The fewer entities that have info and the more control I keep the less chance of something getting compromised that actually matters. But I also still pay cash when I can. Like gas and groceries are typically cash unless the grocery store self checkout is card only.

Sorry to derail for financial stuff. I am a little passionate about security on banking. Protect your actual money folks. CC companies are far far better at fighting fraud.

 

[psunami]

My copy of Super Mario Bros. Wonder is on a UPS truck for delivery today.  The art print will arrive tomorrow.  

I'm totally fine with that shipping sequence.  

 

[nightc1]

My copy of Super Mario Bros. Wonder is on a UPS truck for delivery today. The art print will arrive tomorrow.

I'm totally fine with that shipping sequence.

That's pretty much the same order things arrived when I preordered Zelda TotK. When the art thing arrived I gave it a look and then offered it to my kids.

 

[super1upqueen]

This isn't an attack... this simply got me thinking...

I don't have a debit card and don't plan on ever getting one. This is where a CC (and a backup CC... especially when travelling) works out better. I don't like the idea of anyone having access to my bank account unless it's me making a payment at a utility website or another bank using a checking draft (nothing is set for automatic payment). Seems like every store at some point has been hacked. So on my bank side, I only have maybe 14 transactions (including pay deposits, cash withdrawals, and all bills) a month to reconcile my balance and nothing is automatic payments as it's easier to fight an issue before they take their money. Like say, an unusually high power bill. The fewer entities that have info and the more control I keep the less chance of something getting compromised that actually matters. But I also still pay cash when I can. Like gas and groceries are typically cash unless the grocery store self checkout is card only.

Sorry to derail for financial stuff. I am a little passionate about security on banking. Protect your actual money folks. CC companies are far far better at fighting fraud.

Oh, 100% agreed! I use the credit card for pre-orders and either CC or Paypal for online transactions for specifically those reasons! And of course for if places like Target get pre-auth happy. And at gas stations if God forbid there's a skimmer (it's been a major problem in my area). I just felt I should point it out since it's a big reason why I stay away from Target. Even using a CC with them doesn't solve the issue because it's super annoying to constantly see that pre-auth charge pending on there for no good reason. And if you do have to use debit for whatever reason, those constant pre-auths can really mess you up. A business shouldn't need to "check if a card is active" every two weeks. The game isn't out, you don't need my money yet, relax. That's why I love how Amazon and Gamestop don't even do pre-auths. Seriously, if the card is declined, that's my fault. Don't nanny my account until release. Just charge right before and let me default if the card is busted ("me" in the general sense; I've never defaulted lol).

 

[defpally]

This isn't an attack... this simply got me thinking...

I don't have a debit card and don't plan on ever getting one. This is where a CC (and a backup CC... especially when travelling) works out better. I don't like the idea of anyone having access to my bank account unless it's me making a payment at a utility website or another bank using a checking draft (nothing is set for automatic payment). Seems like every store at some point has been hacked. So on my bank side, I only have maybe 14 transactions (including pay deposits, cash withdrawals, and all bills) a month to reconcile my balance and nothing is automatic payments as it's easier to fight an issue before they take their money. Like say, an unusually high power bill. The fewer entities that have info and the more control I keep the less chance of something getting compromised that actually matters. But I also still pay cash when I can. Like gas and groceries are typically cash unless the grocery store self checkout is card only.

Sorry to derail for financial stuff. I am a little passionate about security on banking. Protect your actual money folks. CC companies are far far better at fighting fraud.

You are spot on here, use a credit card for pre-orders, then they can re-auth to their hearts content and you aren't out anything. Ideally even use a store card if you have one and pay off immediately when the game ships and the bill arrives. I have a debit card, but do NOT use it for anything online, mostly just the local grocery store/etc. You are typically protected from fraud, but you tend to be out that money until they have finished investigating except for certain banks which are a bit more proactive.

Also, when you use a credit card, you might have one for rewards that give you an extra bonus and as long as you pay off immediately, you come out batter. But as soon as interest and/or fees kick in that goes away very fast, especially for a store card.

 

[Z-Saber]

My copy of Super Mario Bros. Wonder is on a UPS truck for delivery today. The art print will arrive tomorrow.

I'm totally fine with that shipping sequence.

Backwards for me. Can't wait to play my art print.

 

[VCR2077]

This isn't an attack... this simply got me thinking...

I don't have a debit card and don't plan on ever getting one. This is where a CC (and a backup CC... especially when travelling) works out better. I don't like the idea of anyone having access to my bank account unless it's me making a payment at a utility website or another bank using a checking draft (nothing is set for automatic payment). Seems like every store at some point has been hacked. So on my bank side, I only have maybe 14 transactions (including pay deposits, cash withdrawals, and all bills) a month to reconcile my balance and nothing is automatic payments as it's easier to fight an issue before they take their money. Like say, an unusually high power bill. The fewer entities that have info and the more control I keep the less chance of something getting compromised that actually matters. But I also still pay cash when I can. Like gas and groceries are typically cash unless the grocery store self checkout is card only.

Sorry to derail for financial stuff. I am a little passionate about security on banking. Protect your actual money folks. CC companies are far far better at fighting fraud.

I'm quite the opposite. Currently possess 2 debit cards, about 10 credit cards, and a Target "debit" card (highly recommended, no credit check necessary). PayPal acts as my intermediary gatekeepers. On auto-pay (to avoid late fees) for most of my cards; no fraudulent activities, no unauthorized transactions, no financial issues. Only problems I have had are the handful of botched eBay purchases due to seller incompetence and complacency, bless PayPal Protection. Cashback maximized; Chase Freedom and Freedom Flex currently offers 5% cashback on wholesale (Costco, Sam's Club, etc.) and PayPal purchases, Discover It 5% on Amazon and Target, US Bank Cash+ 5% on Utilities, Mobile, and Internet. I keep track of everything on a spreadsheet, good habit. Only a small amount of cash for tips and OfferUp transactions.

 

[billyrox]

what's a target "debit" card if it doesn't do a credit check

 

[lildirtygamer]

what's a target "debit" card if it doesn't do a credit check

It has to be linked to a checking account.

 

[super1upqueen]

Before, we were talking about vacuums, now we're talking about personal financial choices. Clearly, not much is happening over at Best Buy.

 

[VCR2077]

Before, we were talking about vacuums, now we're talking about personal financial choices. Clearly, not much is happening over at Best Buy.

Especially when Best Buy ain't one of the 5% cashback categories rn.

 

[Twilightsparkle]

Especially when Best Buy ain't one of the 5% cashback categories rn.

US Bank Cash + card - you get to choose 2 categories for 5% cash back each quarter. I always have one set to electronics stores for Best Buy so I always have 5% back.

 

[VCR2077]

US Bank Cash + card - you get to choose 2 categories for 5% cash back each quarter. I always have one set to electronics stores for Best Buy so I always have 5% back.

Cool! Never realized BB falls under electronics but durrr. Thanks!

PSA: GameStop is NOT categorized as electronics despite selling electronics...tested a purchase awhile back.

 

[Shad0WeN]

That’s interesting to hear about a ‘product recovery agent’. I have a similar story, perhaps others can relate.

Last year I ordered an external hard drive by mail since it wasn’t sold in best buy stores. It came in a white plastic bag and was crushed. Contacted support and they sent a replacement after I returned the damaged drive. This new one was lost in transit. Called back to support and was told they only replace an item once, I have to place a new order to get it again. I chose just to get a refund and buy the hard drive elsewhere.

Fast forward a week or two, I get a new hard drive in the mail. I know some people at my local store and told one of their management team the story. They said to just keep it and use it. A month goes by, I get an email from best buy corporate saying I need to return or pay for the hard drive that randomly got delivered to me. I had no issues returning it, though it was past return policy and the store could not return an item out of return period. Plus the order on my account was closed, and their PoS system in store wouldn’t accept the return. I wrote back to this email about my attempts to return and never heard back from them.

Man, what a complete cluster. Also, just reading about this so-called 'product recovery agent' -- it just seems like giving something a less aggressive-sounding name to soften what really seems like something that could be rather shady or nefarious. I'm sort of tempted to regard it as being on a similar level as a telemarketer, scummy collections agent, or even a scammer. That is to say a degenerate anthropomorhpic cockroach.

Heck I'd buy GameFly used before even considering GameStop.com new.

Yeah because GameStop 'new' games are often a complete fallacy.

I think it's their fulfillment process shifted from mainly just regional warehouses to using the stores for fulfillment of online orders

And a practice that is commonly employed by GameStop, which is why when you order supposed 'new' games you frequently will get shipped a gutted copy from a random store -- which is a misleading representation of the product and inherently dishonest practice that I despise.

For my 2 best buy stories I have nier automata which I ordered and they sent me 3 copies of the outer wild whatever by mistake. No gift card or apology for returning them on top of being only able to refund my order since nier wasn't in stock. I would expect some damn gratitude considering each of those copies were 30$ at the time. I should have just kept them and sold them for cheap to get a profit.

As they say, no good deed goes unpunished. Never mind trying to be a good citizen when a soulless corporation is involved. You'll find it a thankless one-sided affair and they don't care about you beyond how much money they can get out of you (and employing unethical practices in some cases to achieve that end) so why should you care about them or do them a favor? Forget that, I would have kept those puppies instead and flipped them like you said. You didn't steal them and it happened by accident. And as far as I'm concerned their mistake is their own fault and their problem, not yours.

 

[Shad0WeN]

Oh, 100% agreed! I use the credit card for pre-orders and either CC or Paypal for online transactions for specifically those reasons! And of course for if places like Target get pre-auth happy. And at gas stations if God forbid there's a skimmer (it's been a major problem in my area).

On a side note: Along similar lines, I don't like handing a credit card over to an attendant at full-service gas stations. I insist on inputting the transaction and pumping the gas myself, and if they refuse for any reason then I'll take my business elsewhere.

 

[nightc1]

On a side note: Along similar lines, I don't like handing a credit card over to an attendant at full-service gas stations. I insist on inputting the transaction and pumping the gas myself, and if they refuse for any reason then I'll take my business elsewhere.

I know this is still a thing but I've never been to a full-service gas station like that ever in my life. Though I've not been through NJ yet (Or what is it, Oregon? that used to be big on this).

 

[Starcrest]

I know this is still a thing but I've never been to a full-service gas station like that ever in my life. Though I've not been through NJ yet (Or what is it, Oregon? that used to be big on this).

Oregon repealed their Only Full Service gas law this year; NJ is the only state that prohibits pumping your own gas now.

 

[super1upqueen]

I can't stand full service gas stations for the same reason I don't do drive up pickup at places like Wal-Mart and Target: I don't want people touching my car. I don't have a fancy car by any means, but it's my car and I do my best to take care of it. I don't want a stranger getting fingerprints all over it or bumping into it or hitting it with my groceries or spilling gasoline onto the paint. And it's not like I'm just trying to be an asshole by implying attendants and store employees aren't careful, I just don't trust anyone. When I was younger and my parents and I would drive through NJ to go to the Paramus Ikea (I'm from NY), I'd watch them cringe getting gas, and I eventually turned into them lol I live in Florida now, so no chance of having that problem, but I just can't stand the idea. Why the hell am I not trusted with pumping my own gas?

 

[Shad0WeN]

Oregon repealed their Only Full Service gas law this year; NJ is the only state that prohibits pumping your own gas now.

Good to know, thanks. I've had a credit card compromised before and while I can't prove it I think it may have happened at a gas station. They seem like a prime place where stealing of credit card info can happen, especially if someone working there is in on this kind of organized crime. Consequently, I don't trust anyone. So it's good that Oregon did that. Sucks about NJ though because the gas there tends to be a bit cheaper.

 

[nightc1]

Good to know, thanks. I've had a credit card compromised before and while I can't prove it I think it may have happened at a gas station. They seem like a prime place where stealing of credit card info can happen, especially if someone working there is in on this kind of organized crime. Consequently, I don't trust anyone. So it's good that Oregon did that. Sucks about NJ though because the gas there tends to be a bit cheaper.

I know we are going down another rabbit hole here... but this is why I just pay cash. No worries about a compromised card. Especially when traveling.

 

[super1upqueen]

I know we are going down another rabbit hole here... but this is why I just pay cash. No worries about a compromised card. Especially when traveling.

Pictured: nightc1 responding on here

I'm kidding of course, cash is still the safest way to pay for anything. And full disclosure, I'm a two-finger typer (though I'm very fast lol).

Apparently, we need to rename this thread to "Random Thoughts YMMV Thread."

 

[Twilightsparkle]

Good to know, thanks. I've had a credit card compromised before and while I can't prove it I think it may have happened at a gas station. They seem like a prime place where stealing of credit card info can happen, especially if someone working there is in on this kind of organized crime. Consequently, I don't trust anyone. So it's good that Oregon did that. Sucks about NJ though because the gas there tends to be a bit cheaper.

I only buy my gas at Costco. In addition to having the cheapest gas, they have those sticker seals all over the readers and I think the attendants check to be sure none have been tampered with.

 

[Gideon68]

Good to know, thanks. I've had a credit card compromised before and while I can't prove it I think it may have happened at a gas station. They seem like a prime place where stealing of credit card info can happen, especially if someone working there is in on this kind of organized crime. Consequently, I don't trust anyone. So it's good that Oregon did that. Sucks about NJ though because the gas there tends to be a bit cheaper.

I know we are going down another rabbit hole here... but this is why I just pay cash. No worries about a compromised card. Especially when traveling.

I know it was a gas station with me. I kept swiping my cc at the pump and kept erroring on me. I finally went inside to pay but never thought about the pump having a skimmer. It wasn't until months later when I tried to pay for dinner and it was declined that I realized someone had my cc#. The good thing was my cc company reversed all the fraudulent charges. A police officer from the area of the gas station called a few weeks later saying they arrested people in a motel and my name was on some of the credit cards in the room. They got in touch with cc company but I don't know what happened after. This was before the cc chips started being used.

Cash is good for less expensive purchases but a cc is more convenient for most everything else and you can get reward points for your purchases.

 

[elessar123]

I know this is still a thing but I've never been to a full-service gas station like that ever in my life. Though I've not been through NJ yet (Or what is it, Oregon? that used to be big on this).

When I went through last year, I had to deal with this. Then the attendent kid didn't screw the gas cap on right and my check engine light came on for the next 100 miles.

Edit: Use NFC on your phone. Google Wallet for example, generates a number instead of using your real credit card number. And I have a card for I use when I travel.

 

[nightc1]

Pictured: nightc1 responding on here

I took typing High School. I wanted to know how to type, but more importantly was the Apple IIe computer lab behind the typing room everyone got to use after they finished the lessons which had games. So, as a gamer, I got damn good at typing. Which nicely helped with some of those old adventure games where you had to type words in.

I know it was a gas station with me. I kept swiping my cc at the pump and kept erroring on me.

Thank goodness things have changed a lot since then. Like the main card I use I get a text when my card is first tapped with the authorization charge. It's so nice seeing something happen like that in real time. Also the fraud departments have gotten better at flagging suspicious activity over the past couple decades and even calling when something happens.

I totally get the whole points thing with CC's but I don't currently do any of that. Maybe one day.

I only buy my gas at Costco. In addition to having the cheapest gas, they have those sticker seals all over the readers and I think the attendants check to be sure none have been tampered with.

I mainly use Mapco. They have a free discount program that get's $0.03 every day, points on all purchases (I just buy gas) which can be used for deeper discounts on gas or free items, and then every thursday and sunday they send an email that if you click the link it gives an additional discount. And all discounts stack. It usually ends up the cheapest where I live, but we also don't have Costco. The discount thing is just a barcode .. so easy enough to keep track of.

 

[Nothing-]

An editorial on Best Buy, and exiting the physical media market:

A Digital Bits Editorial: Hollywood Can Reap the Rewards of Physical Media Again, But Only If…   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Disney did a complete about-face and released Loki season 1 steelbook on UHD this month.  That is a big deal to those of us whom wanted Mandalorian and it was never going to happen.  After years of acquiring 21st Century Fox, winding down disc offerings, saying they weren't going to be putting out Fox catalogue titles going forward, limiting their operations with retailers, and saying that certain shows would remain exclusive to the DIsney+ streaming services.   Well, all that has changed and they need money now, more than ever.   So we are getting The Mandalorian S1-2, Wandavision, and Loki on UHD.   Their premium television production offerings. 

Best Buy is leaving the market but it doesn't matter.  The industry is shifting, and there are still plenty of retailers.  That is just one example.  My copy came from Amazon last week and it is glorious:

Spoiler

 

[Mattiful-Joe]

I only buy my gas at Costco. In addition to having the cheapest gas, they have those sticker seals all over the readers and I think the attendants check to be sure none have been tampered with.

Plus the 4% cashback on gas using the Costco Visa. I know some folks won't accept membership retailers but Costco is a no-brainer for those who do the math.

 

[VCR2077]

Plus the 4% cashback on gas using the Costco Visa. I know some folks won't accept membership retailers but Costco is a no-brainer for those who do the math.

Third quarter this year, Chase Freedom (discontinued) and Chase Freedom Flex (Mastercard) offered 5% CB towards gas; Citi Custom Cash (Mastercard) can also offer 5% CB as long as gas is the majority/main purchase per monthly cycle.

PSA: Costco does not accept Mastercard; Sam's Club, YMMV.

 

[Mattiful-Joe]

Third quarter this year, Chase Freedom (discontinued) and Chase Freedom Flex (Mastercard) offered 5% CB towards gas; Citi Custom Cash (Mastercard) can also offer 5% CB as long as gas is the majority/main purchase per monthly cycle.

PSA: Costco does not accept Mastercard; Sam's Club, YMMV.

Citi Costco (Visa) is 4% CB on gas, 3% on restaurants, and I forget the rest, but that's all-year. I like Discover's quarterly 5% promos, too. Bottomline- cc CB on stuff you already buy can be a nice perk.

 

[Twilightsparkle]

Third quarter this year, Chase Freedom (discontinued) and Chase Freedom Flex (Mastercard) offered 5% CB towards gas; Citi Custom Cash (Mastercard) can also offer 5% CB as long as gas is the majority/main purchase per monthly cycle.

PSA: Costco does not accept Mastercard; Sam's Club, YMMV.

Costco.com does accept Mastercard so you can always just buy a cash card (their GC) to use in warehouse.

 

[RedvsBlue]

An editorial on Best Buy, and exiting the physical media market:

A Digital Bits Editorial: Hollywood Can Reap the Rewards of Physical Media Again, But Only If… ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Disney did a complete about-face and released Loki season 1 steelbook on UHD this month. That is a big deal to those of us whom wanted Mandalorian and it was never going to happen. After years of acquiring 21st Century Fox, winding down disc offerings, saying they weren't going to be putting out Fox catalogue titles going forward, limiting their operations with retailers, and saying that certain shows would remain exclusive to the DIsney+ streaming services. Well, all that has changed and they need money now, more than ever. So we are getting The Mandalorian S1-2, Wandavision, and Loki on UHD. Their premium television production offerings.

Best Buy is leaving the market but it doesn't matter. The industry is shifting, and there are still plenty of retailers. That is just one example. My copy came from Amazon last week and it is glorious:

Spoiler

Disney almost seemed poised to wind down their Disney Movie Club at one point also but they seem to have backtracked that. In fact, I ended up ordering Loki and Wandavision from there because it was inexplicably cheaper than anywhere else (well technically the same price but buy 1 get 50% off).

Since the studios apparently knew Best Buy’s plans before they were announced it’s entirely possible this was a significant factor in these decisions to re-embrace physical media by Disney.

 

[Twilightsparkle]

Disney almost seemed poised to wind down their Disney Movie Club at one point also but they seem to have backtracked that. In fact, I ended up ordering Loki and Wandavision from there because it was inexplicably cheaper than anywhere else (well technically the same price but buy 1 get 50% off).

Since the studios apparently knew Best Buy’s plans before they were announced it’s entirely possible this was a significant factor in these decisions to re-embrace physical media by Disney.

Even if individuals don’t buy physical media as much, libraries certainly still stock them. I know the TV series have a lot of activity at my library because people simply can’t afford to be subscribed to everything just to watch a show or 2.

And certainly some older people don’t want to bother with juggling streaming services. My own mother doesn’t have cable. We just set her up with an antenna, added the free streaming apps to her Roku and set her up with a decent blu ray player. She borrows stuff from the library weekly.

If the streaming apps keep increasing prices I see more people going that route.

 

[nightc1]

I think for Disney they realized they were leaving money on the table and encouraging piracy because people want this stuff in their collection and if Disney isn't offering a legit way to get it... just set sail and grab a copy.

I've gotten so used to stuff just being available on Disney+, I'll happily just skip these ~$50/season releases and stick with paying for Disney+ when I want to binge something if I'm not just doing the thanksgiving deal.  Maybe if they hit $15 on regular BR, I'll cave.  Currently, I'm still on the deal from last thanksgiving week that bundled Hulu (w/ads) and DIsney+ (noAds) for $5/mo.   I will probably drop Disney+ if they offer the bundle again because once Loki is done, I think we might be done for the year for new SW/Marvel content.  There's also Doctor Who and it's 3 specials in November.  Hopefully that's over before my renewal on the November 27th.

 

[Nothing-]

Everyone has an opinion.

Some of us are steelbook set collectors and 4K enthusiasts. 

I get Disney+ for free, watched all three series there, and still bought them on disc. If I'm going to spend time watching movies then I'm going watch them in the highest quality available, with HDR. It's like the same attitude as wanting to play with "next gen gaming".  Not a low-bitrate stream, with artifacting and macroblocking everywhere, scenes that look terrible in the dark, buffering issues, and some glitched out moments.  That don't work when my internet service is out, like it was two mornings ago from 8am to 10am. I also own the steelbooks and they will each be worth a hundred bucks the moment they go OOP. 

 

[Shad0WeN]

I think for Disney they realized they were leaving money on the table and encouraging piracy because people want this stuff in their collection and if Disney isn't offering a legit way to get it... just set sail and grab a copy.

Sound like anyone else you know? For many people, Nintendo could certainly learn something from this. I doubt that will ever change though.

Even if individuals don’t buy physical media as much, libraries certainly still stock them. I know the TV series have a lot of activity at my library because people simply can’t afford to be subscribed to everything just to watch a show or 2.

And certainly some older people don’t want to bother with juggling streaming services. My own mother doesn’t have cable. We just set her up with an antenna, added the free streaming apps to her Roku and set her up with a decent blu ray player. She borrows stuff from the library weekly.

If the streaming apps keep increasing prices I see more people going that route.

A well though-out post and all great points. These streaming services have their pitfalls/shortcomings and a major one is that it all just feels so segmented. It seems like everyone is trying to do their own thing to grab their piece of the pie and just who the hell wants to sign up for 10 different services to get the things they would be interested in? And which they keep raising the prices on mind you. Too many choices and too much fragmentation of the market can be a bad thing for consumers. In that respect it's not unlike the North American video game crash of 1983/1984.

Anyway I'm glad you brought up community libraries because it was on my mind and as far as I am concerned it is a great perk for those of us fortunate enough to have a good selection of media to pick from for free. The libraries around here even have a sort of unified system where you can request items from other locations within the same county and then pick it up from your local library when it's ready.

 

[Pookymeister]

An editorial on Best Buy, and exiting the physical media market:

A Digital Bits Editorial: Hollywood Can Reap the Rewards of Physical Media Again, But Only If… ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Best Buy is leaving the market but it doesn't matter. The industry is shifting, and there are still plenty of retailers. /spoiler]

Good article - makes sense to me. I prob have bought one title from Best Buy in last year or so (excluding BF), most other purchases have been Target, Amazon, or boutiques like Shout.

Disney almost seemed poised to wind down their Disney Movie Club at one point also but they seem to have backtracked that. In fact, I ended up ordering Loki and Wandavision from there because it was inexplicably cheaper than anywhere else (well technically the same price but buy 1 get 50% off).

Really can't beat DMC for Disney/Fox stuff- i had the 60% off offer, so grabbed Loki for $45, then Wanda and both Mandos for $18 each.

 

[nightc1]

Everyone has an opinion.

Some of us are steelbook set collectors and 4K enthusiasts.

I get Disney+ for free, watched all three series there, and still bought them on disc. If I'm going to spend time watching movies then I'm going watch them in the highest quality available, with HDR. It's like the same attitude as wanting to play with "next gen gaming". Not a low-bitrate stream, with artifacting and macroblocking everywhere, scenes that look terrible in the dark, buffering issues, and some glitched out moments. That don't work when my internet service is out, like it was two mornings ago from 8am to 10am. I also own the steelbooks and they will each be worth a hundred bucks the moment they go OOP.

Oh, no shame on anyone who does buy and watch their discs over and over or has a rocking great system and can appreciate the higher fidelity options. I actually don't like the way HDR or motion smoothing looks... it comes out looking too "fake" to me.

My main tv is a 55" Samsung Plasma that's about a decade old and maxes at 1080P. I prefer stereo and less clutter of speakers and stuff. Even my kids with higher def monitors on their gaming pc's notice how damned good disney+ looks (currently using an Onn 4K GoogleTV device) on the old Samsung. No glitches or other issues and because it's plasma the fluid movement in high action looks better than a lot of more modern sets. I haven't seen video buffering since my days on DSL.

I wonder if maybe you are on an AppleTV 4K... supposedly the app doesn't do as well with Disney+ as some other devices with the bitrate dropping on some content. I think a lot of the FireTV devices also have issues due to the poor way they manage memory and the forced apps. But I think there's some problem in your setup because none of that is normal.

 

[Kirin Lemon]

Really can't beat DMC for Disney/Fox stuff- i had the 60% off offer, so grabbed Loki for $45, then Wanda and both Mandos for $18 each.

How'd you manage to get discounts on these? I've been wanting to do this for weeks, but all the Disney+ sets have been "not eligible for discounts". Did they used to be?

 

[Nothing-]

How'd you manage to get discounts on these? I've been wanting to do this for weeks, but all the Disney+ sets have been "not eligible for discounts". Did they used to be?

Disney Movie Club is how; it has some deal when you buy multiple things. It's not unlike Columbia CD catalogue mail-order stuff we used to get in the mail in the 90's. It's a movie ordering club. Where you commit to ordering a bunch more things. I looked into it and there were weird terms and conditions and vague requirements on the amounts you had to spend buying one movie each month or something. So it was easy to pass on, and forget about.

Some of column A, some of column B. You are still spending.

You probably save a bunch upfront. But you are also committing to buying new movies for a year. They charge you for one hot title that they select each month, or something.

 

[Kirin Lemon]

No, I'm aware of all that. I have VIP status, but for the last several weeks at least, those Disney+ seasons have not been eligible for the buy-one-get-others-60%-off promo (or any other promo). Maybe they removed their eligibility recently?