Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - (Page 32) ADVERTISEMENT PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS STAR APPEAL MSRP: $29.95 What would you do if you found a naked man from Mars standing on the side of the road? Turns out is he is gay! From China’s leading gay underground filmmaker Cui Zi’en, Star Appeal explores the world of differences in modern society. Prebook: Now Street: 9/19 NEWS www.homemediamagazine.com Retailers Prepare for Q4 With Summer Store Makeovers By Erik Gruenwedel RETAIL Facing a tough economic climate, some retailers are upgrading stores, displays and product selections in an effort to improve customer satisfaction and transform back-toschool shoppers into fourth-quarter regulars. Circuit City Stores partnered with Microsoft to provide sales personnel with handheld PCs that grant immediate access to product recommendations, demos, usage questions and competitive pricing for myriad items, including entertainment. “We knew we had to create a more consistent approach to how we engage guests in our stores,” said Dave Romero, senior manager of new concepts for Circuit City. David Gruehn, U.S. retail industry director at Microsoft, said retailers are pressured to stay on top of the trends while ensuring competitive pricing, clean stores and well-stocked shelves. Entertainment retailers upgrading their instore consumer experience with increased capital expenditures include Movie Gallery, Trans World Entertainment’s f.y.e. chain and Hastings Entertainment. “Companies have been rolling out in-store improvements to sell more merchandise,” said Ed Woo, media analyst with Wedbush Morgan Securities in Los Angeles. Blockbuster Inc., which saw a 12% revenue increase when it began test-marketing 30 prototype Rock the Block concept stores, said it would separately implement so-called White Tornado Plus renovation, to about 600 stores this year and next. Spokesperson Randy Hargrove said changes include new paint, fixtures, carpet and lowerhanging store shelves for kids, among other improvements. Unlike Rock, which is aimed at a technologysavvy customer comfortable using kiosks and interactive displays, Tornado also looks to enhance select areas of a store, including video games, the children’s area and fountain beverages. “White Tornado is just a better Blockbuster store without these other high-tech enhancements,” said CEO Jim Keyes. He said early rollouts of Tornado had produced a 7% revenue increase, which the executive said underscored the short-term importance of physical distribution over digital distribution. “If we keep getting those results you will see us accelerate the deployment of them,” Keyes said. CLASSIFIED SHOWCASE B R O W S E R D I S P L AY CO M P U T E R S O F T WA R E Trans World Posts a Loss in Q2 Continued from page 1 USED TAPES & DVDS entertainment), Suncoast and Second Spin — in addition to related Web sites. DVD comp sales increased 1%, due primarily to a weakness in new releases, according to company executives. Video represents nearly 40% of Trans World’s revenue, up from 36% last year. “Our strength in DVD catalog continues to drive this business as the studios recognize our ability to differentiate ourselves … through expanded assortment and depth of product,” Jim Litwak, president and COO, said in a call with investors. Bob Higgins, founder, chairman and CEO, said he expects a strong fourth quarter but remains cautious due to a disappointing fourth quarter last year. “We feel pretty good about where the new releases are this year, but we feel even better about what we are going to be able to do with catalog for Q4,” Higgins said. Comp video game sales fell 10%, due largely to a strategic decision implemented last September to reduce the number of stores carrying games and hardware from 600 to 400. Litwak said the company remains committed to improving its game culture. Video games represented 8% of revenue. Consumer electronics same-store sales increased 6% and generated 14% of Trans World’s revenue. Operating 18% fewer stores contributed to total Trans World sales falling 19% to $215.2 million from $267.3 million the previous year. Same store sales fell 7%, and the company shuttered 10 stores. P E O P LE BUSINESS SERVICES I SONY UPS TALLEY TO SVP, RETAIL EXPANSION Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has promoted Jack Talley to SVP of retail expansion. He will report to Marshall Forster, senior EVP, North America. Talley will oversee the retail expansion team as well as the newly Jack Talley launched Signature sales team. Talley also will oversee the studio’s special market sales activity. Prior to joining Sony Pictures, Talley oversaw MGM’s grocery and drug-store sales division. He also has served at Best Video, ETD, Sound Video, Media Home Entertainment and Celebrity Home Entertainment. — Billy Gil I MPRM NAMES DOLLARHIDE SENIOR MANAGER Public relations company mPRm has appointed Clay Dollarhide to senior manager of digital marketing and public relations. He will head the agency’s sPRead Solutions, focusing on offering entertainment and technology companies up-to-date digital marketing and PR strategies and campaigns. He will report to Alan Amman, EVP and COO. — Lana Chichakly PA C K A G I N G REDUCING YOUR INVENTORY? We Buy VHS, and also DVD & Video Games xtreme deo E 733-7370 (203) Vi 32 Home Media Magazine August 24–30, 2008 http://www.homemediamagazine.com http://www.rapidrental.com http://www.corporate.com
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 Contents News High-Def News Electronic Delivery News TV DVD Fourth Quarter/Holiday Reviews Pipeline Research Top 20 DVD Sellers Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts Just Announced Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 (Page Cover1) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 (Page Cover2) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 (Page 1) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 (Page 2) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 (Page 3) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 (Page 4) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 (Page 5) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 (Page 6) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - Contents (Page 7) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - Contents (Page 8) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - Contents (Page 9) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - News (Page 10) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - News (Page 11) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - News (Page 12) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - News (Page 13) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - High-Def News (Page 14) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - High-Def News (Page 15) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - Electronic Delivery News (Page 16) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - TV DVD (Page 17) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - Fourth Quarter/Holiday (Page 18) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - Fourth Quarter/Holiday (Page 19) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - Fourth Quarter/Holiday (Page 20) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - Fourth Quarter/Holiday (Page 21) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - Reviews (Page 22) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - Reviews (Page 23) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - Reviews (Page 24) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - Reviews (Page 25) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - Reviews (Page 26) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - Reviews (Page 27) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - Pipeline (Page 28) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - Pipeline (Page 29) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - Top 20 DVD Sellers (Page 30) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts (Page 31) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts (Page 32) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts (Page 33) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - Just Announced (Page 34) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - Just Announced (Page 35) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - Just Announced (Page 36) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - Just Announced (Page Cover3) Home Media Magazine - August 24, 2008 - Just Announced (Page Cover4)
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