Almost every, and I mean every new disk I have gotten from the factory in Mexico have been scratched. Increasing costs for that plant to encourage production at the remaining one in the U.S. would be the best thing in a long while for this hobby.
@@chrisfratz Right, which is why the prices from the other plant still left in the U.S. will be cheaper and therefore more people will buy the cheaper priced disks. If that continues, which there is no reason it won't we would get better quality, made in america disks. At this point the ones from Mexico are pure garbage. There are tons of people on reddit complaining they needed to send a disk back 5 or 6 times before getting one that will play all the way through.
@@chrisfratz No, but basic economics means if it is cheaper to do business in the U.S. then more capacity will be built. Before Covid there were a lot more U.S. plants in operation. I think people are starting to reject streaming and their ever increasing costs. Either way, anything we can do to discourage the plant is Mexico is a good thing for this hobby.
This is mainly greedy Disney. All the guys that went out and bought their inflated steelbooks of Disney shows is probably what's causing this. Don't pay high prices for stuff when it's new and they won't charge high prices. If people don't buy it they have to load the prices. I rarely buy something when it's initially released. Because I know it's going to drop 5 to 10:00 in a few months. And then there's a big price drop at Black Friday.
@@MediaFeverPitch Yup, I passed on the Mando steel books cause of this. They literally own the IP yet they're charging a stupid amount of money for 8 episodes..
It's because fools are buying them and it's their own fault! That deadpool movie was the test ! And the average suckers failed it big time 😂😂. Just some facts folks ! Don't buy it prices stay low .
Worked 35 years in physical media distribution. Your looking at a narrow window here. Disney is actually saving money by not having an entire distribution system to pay for. Owning distribution versus paying a distribution fee… it’s night and day. There’s no way Sony is charging anywhere near 30%. It’s likely under 10% due to the massive catalog and top tier new releases. To me… and I’ve been at this a long time… Disney is testing to see how much people will pay for these tin pieces of product. Many here have it right… it’s price gouging.
Exactly do not pay these prices and then they're going to have to drop the prices. People are so afraid of losing physical media that they'll just take it up the ass. I honestly would rather Disney quit selling steelbooks then play 50.00 for one.
What sort of distribution strategies are going on with many titles only being released in USA ? We are also seeing a lot of Collectors editions and "limited" reprints in the last 6 months. They don't seem very limited at all. In UK it looks like there is a second pile of Deadpool Wolverine steelbooks coming after the initial release. We have stuff being touted as exclusive for it to turn up a few months later in another region sold by a different vendor. ATM it feels like any collectors item, limited item is a complete scam. 0:01
@@MediaFeverPitch Jeff had it right when he talked about the days when VHS and Laserdisc were $80. Don’t think for a moment that Disney and other major studios aren’t looking at historical trends when deciding to price a limited Steelbook. The discs themselves cost almost nothing to replicate. Disney does so much business with replicators that they’re paying pennies not dollars so it really is a majorly profitable endeavor. Warehousing, packing and shipping is (emphasis on shipping) is where costs skyrocket… not to mention returns from unsold product, which sometimes is eaten by the distributor. Sadly the collectors showed Disney exactly what they wanted to see with “Deadpool and Wolverine” Steelbook and the other Marvel series. I’m frugal so I always wait at least a year to buy most releases, heavily discounted but I know I’m not the regular consumer. Buyer beware… now more than ever.
@@Baldnesz It’s all a game of bulls*it. Mass produced “limited editions” are for the suckers of the collectors world. To your point, every country has their own “limited edition” and many of those get a reprint once they sell out. Just wait, in a year or so Disney will release a new “limited edition” for Deadpool and Wolverine with an entirely new image that will make these look basic and worthless. Smart from a business approach but reeks of greed from the point of a collector who “invested” $130+ so they could own both covers. Just my two cents.
When Best Buy quit selling physical media, Amazon was able to raise its prices. Walmart’s price generally is the same as Amazon’s price, but sometimes Walmart offers a better deal.
Amazon sell better movies and old ones compare to Walmart they only focus on tv shows and new moviex target 🎯 was the same way that’s why I buy from Amazon when it comes to old movies or I go to Aomeba records music 🎶 store in Hollywood they have everything
@ sure but Amazon is online and Walmart is in person. Regardless of who has better stock, people should be able to easily buy Blu rays/dvds in physical stores the same way they can easily buy the other forms of physical media in physical stores
@@thechairman74 As far as I'm concerned Disney can take Star Wars to a galaxy far, far away and stay there and not come back till they sort their sht out.
Keep in mind that inflation is up 40% but corporate profits are up 75%. Corporations are taking advantage of inflation and tacking on extra and they're making insane profits. It's pure greed.
I wouldn't be so quick to make such a blanket statement. It's some large companies that are fleecing collectors - such as Disney, simply because they can. Should these companies simply reduce their profit margins to nothing so that it doesn't hurt consumers? What would be the point of going into business if there was no money in it?
I'm proud of my collection and stopped buying new discs for about half a year to a year now. Any 4k movie over $25-$30 is just a non-starter for me nowadays. I want to support the industry, but I can't justify that cost. Movie collecting/watching isn't my main hobby and, since the cost of everything is up, I'm picking and choosing carefully. Movie collecting takes a back seat when I already have most of the movies I've wanted. Unless you're a new collector, it'll be hard to justify spending that much. And I think you're right; those tariffs are going to hurt - I work in the computer industry (10 years) and many of our costs went up 25-30% the last time we tried this. We passed that cost over to customers and I'm fairly certain we'll do the same again this time.
Agreed. I stopped a few years ago. I was a huge supporter and have over 1200 Blu rays in my collection, but I stopped because of prices. Unless a movie is something that I love and will rewatch over again and also have special features, then I will get it, otherwise, streaming will have to do.
I would advise others to only buy within your own means. I don't think it's wise to continue buying blindly at high prices simply because you have a fear of missing out. I usually set a ceiling price for my 4k collection, if it's above usd25 - I wait for a sale or I don't buy it. Or I just get the standard blurays. There are other necessity in our family (food,health,education) that we can overpay for. Blurays isn't one of them. If people stop buying at these crazy prices, it's also sending a message to sellers - that it is not OK to sell at these prices. We as consumer should vote with our wallet. In the worst case scenario , if the seller decides not to release certain titles because of poor demand. Then, so be it. It's sad, but that's how economy works. Pls be judicious with your spending.
Here in the UK, most newly-released 4k Blu-rays sell for £24.99 on Amazon, HMV and Zavvi. That's about $32.50 at current exchange rates. If you wait a few months they'll usually come down to £19.99.
When War of the Planet of the Apes came out in the UK you could get the Steelbook which had a 4K Disc, a 3D Disc and a Blu Ray Disc for just £25. Cut to the release of the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Steelbook which didn't feature the 3D Disc and it cost £35, with the Standard 4K costing what was once the price of the premium edition. Naturally, nobody is forcing me to buy these things (and there are bigger problems in the world, I am aware, before someone makes that argument) but it is definitely a deterrent for collectors such as myself, especially since £35 for premium and £25 for Standard seem to be the norm no matter the release, with some not even including a Blu Ray copy. At least the standard Blu Rays have remained a consistent £15 over the years.
My Dad had a guy tell him “If you let me set the price, I’ll give you whatever discount you want.” That’s what we have. Fifty percent off sounds great, until you look at the base price.
I was excited for Signs on 4K but when I saw the price I passed. I love movies and physical media but cannot justify this. Criterion: I only buy when they have the 50% flash sales.
This. Been waiting on Signs for years but can't do it for 35. If I dont buy 4K's secondhand, I go for the sales on gruv, other online outlets or even upcoming black friday sales
I’ve basically stopped buying physical because I refuse to pay what they’re asking. It’s almost like they’re passing the deficits caused by streaming onto physical collectors. And I’m NOT buying it Part of the problem when too few companies control the entire media space. Bad investments or poor performance in one area causes problems in another.
Make physical media expensive. Censor TV shows on streaming that are offensive. Edit old movies on streaming. Price people out of media. Make sure they can only consume what is streaming.
"They know people will pay." This has been the guiding principle behind vinyl manufacturing for the last 5-10 years and the price gouging there is absolutely absurd. And those guys eat it up, happily forking over $42 for a 2 LP. I feel like voting with your wallet is a concept that's lost on most people. They've been conditioned to need that instant gratification. At this point, I pretty much wait for sales on all forms of physical media I buy. Appreciate you putting this video out, Jeff. The next few years in physical media will be interesting from a cost perspective...
Maybe one of the few things behind it is if they raise the prices up, then it will put people off, making them think “oh I’ll just stream it instead”. Sometimes I think it’s all a push to get as many people as possible onto subscriptions. The same is happening in gaming and music too.
I can understand a couple $ increase on movies. But some of these are out of hand. Going from $35 to $60-70 is uncalled for! I agree that people should not buy them and show them it's unacceptable.
Disney has always charged more for their movies because they're a greedy shit company. When a standard bluray was like $20-$25, a standard disney bluray was $35. Gotta pay that $10 disney tax cause they're a small business that's really hurting for money 🙄 Fuck 'em. Evil, shit company that deserves a downfall
COVID gave all corporations for price gouging. First it was supply and demand, but then these Corp's saw we are all paying high prices...why not keep it that way. They all have RECORD PROFITS! The cost to make physical media has went to back to prior to COVID...but Corporation love the higher profits. SUCKS
When it comes to Physical media. I have started to curate my collection. I try to keep my collection relatively small (One large bookcase). Vast majority of my roughly 80-100 movies/Shows are Blu ray's and then my top 10 movies are 4k UHD's. The reason i do this is too make sure i better control my spending and only get the stuff that i REALLY want.
I think this is the main reason why DVD surpasses bluray a d 4k discs. DVDs are much much cheaper and the quality is good enough for me and most people.
Too many people are afraid of having patience or buying used. Fear of missing out is real but irrational, media goes out of print, things go out of stock, but unless its labeled as a limited time thing then they aren't going to disappear from the market overnight. I also understand wanting things new and untouched by someone else but as long as you're somewhat responsible you likely aren't going to get screwed over by it. Check what's in the case, check if its damaged, and you're typically good, any reputable site will reimburse you if you buy online and its a different product. Corporations are playing a game of chicken with us, we can win if we know the value of things. Subway is a good recent example, they price gouged for years until finally the bubble popped. Now they're bringing in $6 footlongs because people refused to pay 5 star prices for a cardboard sandwich. Stop letting them inch their way to $100 discs!
We've already been through this in Brazil. We boycotted, waited for promotions and in the end, the home video market here couldn't handle it and they stopped the releases. Now we pay much more to buy imported goods and prices keep rising.
Wow! I was thinking the same thing this morning. These prices😒 Started collecting about a year ago after finding this channel. This is most expensive it's been in my experience
The thing that frustrates me the most is that I worked a minimum wage job and I hate the fact that all physical media is starting to climb in price. I recently got into vinyl records and bought the soundtrack to Halo Combat Evolved from Laced. The total price was shipping included was $55.00. And that's nuts. And I basically spent money I shouldn't have. And I don't want that to happen with movies either.
@bigtony4829 Where did I say anything about being forced to buy physical media? I love paying for it. It just frustrates me how expensive it's getting. I will admit that I am an impulsive spender, but I usually get used out of whatever media I purchase. I love that stuff, is still getting released physically. I just wish it was cheaper.
@@Vladimir-nc9ru A good chunk of that came from the shipping because the record set itself is $33. which is a pretty good price for a two LP set. Also, fuck off. You don't need to post that you're laughing. No need to be a dick.
It's because they cost more to make in smaller batches and thats exactly what they're doing now. Not enough buyers means discs are being made in smaller batches.
I remember when BRs were first available, they cost $35. I purchased Wanted at Best Buy for $35. 4k's in the beginning were around the $35 range. New formats were always expensive. VHS titles $50 to $75 in the early 80's.
Consumers are the problem. If people would stop buying things at ridiculous prices and only buy things priced reasonably I doubt in that scenario they would get rid of physical. They would want to lower the price to see a profit. But y’all enjoy that Deadpool steelbook. I passed and I won’t lose a bit of sleep over it because no matter how much money you might have, 70 dollars for a movie is a terrible financial decision. We are seeing digital retailers do the same thing renting new releases out for 20 dollars. Hard pass. If you pay 20 dollars to rent a movie you might be insane 😂
The more people buy physical media the bigger the production to less costs. Not that many people buy physical media anymore. This results in higher prices. Also labor, energy and material prices went up worldwide.
When disney was doing in house production of physical media, they were just doing hdr10 and 66gb discs. Now with Sony, things are slowly improving in terms of quality.
I started noticing it right before Best Buy stopped selling physical media. I don't buy steel books in general, but a standard NEW release 4k movie should NEVER be over $29.99.
I’m not paying these prices. Disney sucks to begin with so it was already a hard sell for me. There’s only a few movies I’m holding out for. The rest of this crap can rot. Deadpool and Wolverine for $65?! Nah.
I think another problem is that while we want to pay lower prices, people end up paying the higher price because of perceived scarcity. Whether or not there actually is a limited supply, it seems like we don't usually know, so people pay whatever to get what they want on disc.
True. This happens frequently in a collector’s group I follow on Reddit. A lot of people will “panic buy” because they see that a title they want is supposedly about to be out-of-print even the supply isn’t truly about to be scarce.
Price hikes are getting pretty common recently, sadly. Especially in the US as I have seen on social media. In the UK it is happening as well with ultimate collector's editions going up from £34.99 to £39.99 to £44.99. Even the standard keepsake versions of movies still remain high at £24.99, but now you don't even get the additional Blu-Ray disc, just the 4K disc. Not sure if one 4K disc is worth £24.99, when a Blu-Ray is £14.99 (£10 hike for 4K quality)...
I was going to say something similar tbh, but totally agree. Also the propensity to release a steelbook months ahead of a standard release (if the standard release happens at all) - and the pseudo ‘limited’ editions (that don’t state the limited number). Surely spending £100 a month on maybe 4-5 movies serves the industry better than spending £100 a month on 2-3.
Also some big movies in the UK from A24 like X and Pearl didn't get a 4k release. And the recent Kung Fu Panda 4 and Despicable Me 4 didn't get a 4k release
Been longer than recently. Been a few years now. And it is likely to only get worse. 4K discs DO NOT cost more to manufacture than Blu Ray, period…. I have been trying to tell people this for a long time. I have been in the film and media industry in multiple areas for over 35 years now. The cost of the discs is comparable to standard Blu Ray. They have been raising these prices to see at what level the consumer w it’ll finally rebel and say “no more”. They are wanting to extract as much money from physical media collectors as possible. I have almost completely stopped buying physical media new (4K), because of the prices, unless I really, really like a movie. I buy nearly everything on sale, second hand or on deal like Black Friday. And this is coming from sone who has collected since the 90’s and has roughly 20K discs for movies, games, ect.. 🤷♂️ People also forget that VHS when it first dropped movies they were anywhere from $99 to $199 EACH! They came down pretty quickly. But in todays money, $200-$400. Insane!
You are absolutely correct about these prices. I stopped the fomo with this, even these “limited edition” releases. I have watched over the past year where I immediately bought a steelbook limited edition only to see these same discs months later selling for much cheaper than I paid for them. I’m done with that!
The problem is because not as many people are buying physical media, they have to increase the prices in order to make up the difference, especially the boutique companies. It makes sense from a business perspective, but it isn’t convenient for customers. I personally will not spend 40 dollars on a movie unless it’s something I really want. I don’t casually buy something for 40 dollars. Even as someone who loves physical media, I am turning more to streaming for casual entertainment, which obviously creates a vicious cycle. Of course, I still buy my favorite films on physical media. Sometimes, I’ll take a risk on a film if it has a cast or director that I like, but the days of casually buying a DVD are long gone save for when I visit thrift stores.
I believe this is the reason as well. There’s already licensing deductions when licensing a Blu-Ray release in general so they’re trying to maximize their profits. It makes sense, as sad as it is. Music CDs have long been double what they used to be for similar reasons before Blu-Ray had its turn.
@batman5224 My Walmart already removed its main movie aisle, and only have a $5 bin left, and other stores near me completely removed the movies. So yeah, I believe that.
Barnes and Noble, my primary store for physical media, is insane when it comes to pricing. I love when they do the criterion 50% off sale twice a year. Helps my wallet tremendously but good grief it’s insane for new releases.
I'm pretty ticked that Disney is not releasing the third wave of Disney + on Blu Ray here in the U.S. like they did with Wave 1 and 2.The only way to get them on Blu Ray is to import the U.K. releases which continue to be 4K + Blu Ray combo steelbooks. It sucks that U.S. releases have dropped the combo packs from certain studios and in this case, Blu Ray users are suffering because they are only releasing these on 4K disks this time here. ETA I think if people stop buying then they'll just stop making physical media. It gives them a reason not to continue producing the disks and point everyone to streaming and digital only whicvh is what they really want. Bill Hunt said he heard the reason the third wave of Disney + shows didn't get Blu Ray steelbooks is because Wave 1 & 2 didn't sell well enough. so they dropped them for wave 3.If they just made them combos in the U.S. like they've been doing in the U.K. ,this wouldn't even be an issue for Blu Ray users. So yes speak with your wallets but also keep in mind it may also lead to the studios just deciding not to continue to produce the product at all rather then lower the price points.
Some people say the prices have to increase to account for cost otherwise we don’t get anything, but what happens when prices rise too much and people stop buying due to being priced out? Then profits still fall. We as consumers need to better understand how this process actually works so we can at least stop providing cover for the rampant greed of these megacorporations and their stockholders and boards of directors that expect endless growth year over year so they can give themselves bigger and bigger salaries and bonuses. As you mentioned, smaller independent and boutique labels are evidence that it is entirely possible to ask reasonable prices for products.
Supply and demand .... you explain it pretty well at the end of your video . Everyone complaining needs to listen to that part , understand it, and act accordingly.
Thank you for addressing this! I thought I was going crazy! Here in Sweden prices for movies has also been surging, and I thought it was just me who was wrong, but I wasn't 😄
I just don’t buy movies very often anymore. I buy maybe one a month now. I refuse to pay $35-40 for a new release. I wait for a significant price reduction. It’s sad but it’s the reality. I’ve actually bought more digital this last year because it’s so much cheaper
The corporate industry is slowly killing off this segment for their greed. I will not pay more than $20 for any movie, even if it means no longer getting movies I would like to own.
At the end of the day, you have to decide what’s best for you and your specific situation. I’m personally running out of room again, so I’m going to stop buying again. I’ll always tell people to support physical media if they can, but there’s no shame in taking a break or stopping all together.
I’ve been thinking the same thing. I usually allocate a set amount of money each month for physical media and I have been getting fewer titles since the prices have been going up.
Personally i think steel books and other expensive packaging is going to kill physical media. We need one size of packaging and make it cheap and easy to make and it will keep physical media going longer
I dislike steel books. I got one on sale because of the movie itself, and it was only available at that retailer in that packaging. I really didn't like the way two discs were semi-stacked on top of each other and how you'd have to nearly bend each disc to remove it. Packaging should protect its contents, not heighten the risk of damage.
This is kind of the reason why I almost exclusively by all my blu-rays discounted. I just can't justify spending $35 and a single movie that I'm going to watch maybe once every other year. Something like criterion or 4Ks I'll spend maybe 20 but that's about my limit
It's becoming niche. They charge $39 for some new vinyl records. A piece of plastic. Especially at a local record store. It's niche, a hobby, for collectors vs for viewers/ listeners.
I think another problem is the scalpers. People buy these things two or three at a time, wait a few months for the price to double or triple, and then sell them. Companies don't care because they sell their entire stock out quickly and make a gigantic profit. Collectors are a problem too. As long as they keep paying these crazy amounts, the companies will keep raising the prices.
Vote with your wallet. If buyers collectively stop supporting these high price points, they’ll probably continue to go up. It was mentioned towards the end of the video after I began typing. I have a ton of unwatched films with unwatched special features. I’m ok catching up and waiting for a price that I’m ok with. I took advantage of all of the October sales and saved hundreds.
I only buy used DVD and Blue Rays, I haven't had a problem with those prices and I'm getting all the films and shows I just want to own and enjoy without getting bent over the rails for them.
in germany we pay 34.99€ for a steelbook 4k release but also 39.99€ is possible and happen much more often these days also they increased these cheap collector boxes with useless paper extras like posters, artcards and such these go up to 49.99€ in price for a single movie it's insane and get hard to get em all with a regular income at least for me. Wait for a sale is not an option because the most Steelbook releases get bought just to re-sell on ebay and co. for even more money also fun fact Sony stopped releasing movies for home market here under their own label.
I understand some of the price raises. Things get more expensive over time. But the Marvel or Disney steelbooks are ridiculous. I got the standard 4K of Deadpool & Wolverine because that steelbook was stupid expensive. But at least I had that option. Some of these don't seem to be getting standard 4K releases, and that sucks. But you're 100% correct that these tariffs are gonna only make things worse.
Honestly I never understood how 4k prices were sustainable. I do come from the Laserdisc era where the T2 box set was $150 in 1994--which is probably like $300 today. (But also that box was HUGE, super ornate, and it had like 4 gigantic double sided discs in it) So I'm not surprised that as physical media demand plunges and it becomes a more collectors medium--we're approaching collector's prices.
@@turtleanton6539 yeah, it gets crazier the further back you go. in 1980 the average price of a VHS was $100, adjusting for inflation that would be $382.65. even when they finally dropped the price down in 1986 with top gun for $30 that would still be $86.31 today. when you look at the numbers adjusting for inflation, its no wonder piracy was so rampant. physical media has consistently been decreasing in price since the 70s, and the $ has been losing value since 1913
I want to own physical media, i couldn't care less about the packaging though. And 95% of the time I'm fine waiting for a price drop. I got most of my collection as the 2 for 30 or eBay.
I’m in the UK and prices have risen so much that instead of buying on release day, I’m waiting for a sale day or even the secondhand market. They can be £50 .. Ridiculous.!! I’m now being far more cautious and selective on what I buy. No risks!! It’s a shame and both me and the companies loose out.
Everything is getting expensive, in my mind I’m gonna wait until some of these releases depreciate in price but it’s sad that this is becoming a common occurrence
Vantiva manufactures the optical discs in Guadalajara México, it's only one plant, and yes they manufacture 90% of optical discs sold in the whole continent, Music CDs, Movies and Xbox games. PS4 and PS5 games are manufactured in Sony's DADC, located in Austria. Sony stopped manufacturing optical discs in US like 3 years ago. That location is still operating but it's kind of a place for distribution/logistics.
Wal-Mart, Target, and Best Buy have all stopped selling all blurays, dvds, and cds near me. 100% gone, everything. No movies, no music, no tv shows, and a single small case for a few games.
I’m just gonna say the truth and I know a lot of steel book collectors aren’t gonna like it. The reason why they’re upping the price is steel book is because they know you’re gullible and you’re gonna buy the same movie multiple times. They make multiple versions of a movie for that reason. Then there’s the other collector like myself that just wants the best experience with Movies and will only buy the regular addition. At the end of the day if books are too expensive just remember you’re watching the movie not the case it’s put in. Just get the regular edition.
For me, if the price is too high, they might as well not release it because I am not buying. I enjoy owning movies but I am not paying high prices. I believe the high prices are because physical media has moved into a niche hobby. Anytime a hobby is specialized, the prices go up. I remember seeing a stainless steel bolt at a boat supplier being significantly higher than the exact same bolt from the hardware store. I can certainly wait for a sale or do without.
Not many people are buying physical media anymore. I bought the Walmart Deadpool and Wolverine Blu-Ray for $30 and it seemed high for what I got. And the 4K Ultra in a Steelboxs are crazy. It’s cheaper to just buy a digital copy, and not too many places are selling them anymore. Target just stopped selling Blu-Rays so for just Walmart and B&N are only places to get them unless you order it off of Amazon or EBay.
Unfortunately prices for physical media are still very high in Europe. We don't get these massive sales or price drops that you guys get in the US. Deadpool vs Wolverine steelbook here was €50/$54. Some are sadly even more expensive than that.
Not meaning to sound unpleasant or 'enjoying the suffering of others' (schadenfreude) but to a certain extent "Welcome to the world outside the USA"... you've had it relatively easy with cheap prices for years; in the UK we've had a normal new 4K price (non-steelbook) of £25 = $32 and 4K steelbook of £32-35 ($41-45) for well over a year, though _REALLY_ weirdly the *Deadpool & Wolverine* 4K steelbook here is priced as a regular top end new 4K steelbook at £35 (as mentioned about $45), but that's the _only_ one I think we're better off on! I certainly agree with your reasons behind the prices rising though, with the market shrinking so companies introducing more Limited Edition, expensive sets and the other factors you mention... plus if people pay it companies will charge it.
I read on a forum that apparently Sony is behind the price hike in steelbooks, not Disney, and that they’re trying to set $65-$70 as the standard for new steelbook releases out of greed because they know that collectors will pay that much.
It’s mostly happening with the Sony/Disney releases so I cancelled my Deadpool & Alien steelbooks & I’m just going to start buying the standard 4Ks for their releases. I spend too much money already on physical media to be paying $50-$70 for a steelbook. I don’t mind paying that for limited boutique editions with all the great packaging & new special features, but I draw the line there. Hopefully it doesn’t start getting out of hand for everything or I might have to start passing on certain releases smh
I do not want that movie for 70 bucks. I saw it twice in theaters. I only have a couple steels i bought used for under 10 bucks in the wild. I don’t really prioritize packaging. I don’t have a cute shelf of movies or a large house plant. My life is not a set.
It’s sucks I just have to live with not having some movies I want. The exclusive steelbook releases from Pixar recently are insane. Inside Out 2 & Elemental being some examples. They’re $60-70 on release, sell the entire stock, then you’re subject to eBay price gouging afterwards. So annoying
I refuse to buy Disney physical media because I live in Australia where Disney no longer releases them here so to buy a region free disc it’s anywhere between $72-$85 aus
Jeff. I have stopped my movie collection cause of these ridiculous prices. Also I can’t stand these boutique companies who throw out a blu ray then a few months later a 4K of the movie for double the price. Does anyone really think a steel book is worth 50$ and up? Cause I don’t !!! 30$ and under is worth it but that’s it. And man many 4K films don’t even look better then their blu ray counterpart.
A lot depends on the player and TV as well ...No point buying a 4K if your tv sucks Like buying an expensive imported Vinyl LP and playing it on a twenty dollar hi fi
@ My tv is fine and my player is very very good. Just look and read reviews. Many 4ks are just a little better than blu rays. But not at 30$ or more worth it. But hey can’t change anyone minds you know.
On the other hand... If you're not interested in steelbooks, or editions with tons of useless goodies that artificially inflate the price without adding anything to the film, just buy the "basic" edition. However, if the price is still too high, you can also wait for sales. Finally, this allows you to optimize your choices as a collector, buying only the films that really matter to you.
Anyone else here pay $39.99 in the 80’s for movies on VHS? That would be well over $100 today after inflation. The prices today really don’t seem that crazy to me…
That's was because the VHS started out expensive and leveled off even when VHS was extremely popular and for a long time before dvds became commercially available. 4K UHD started out fairly priced, sold in stores and now they're becoming more expensive with limited runs of "exclusive steelbooks" which you basically have to buy online.
4k prices have been crazy. But at least with normal 4k disk they will eventually go on sale. For steel books tho it's like you have no choice if you really want it
Yup! I also remember my parents buying the Back to the Future trilogy on VHS for $120, in the mid ‘90s, off of Fingerhut. I’ve kept that trilogy all this time, thing’ll be a family heirloom for that price.
Join me on Whatnot for a more affordable place to buy movies! Get $15 free credit with my link: www.whatnot.com/invite/jeffrauseo
Almost every, and I mean every new disk I have gotten from the factory in Mexico have been scratched. Increasing costs for that plant to encourage production at the remaining one in the U.S. would be the best thing in a long while for this hobby.
@@DonP-b9q Honestly, I don't think that's gonna happen. Like a lot of stuff, companies are just going to pass the tariff costs off to the consumer.
@@chrisfratz Right, which is why the prices from the other plant still left in the U.S. will be cheaper and therefore more people will buy the cheaper priced disks. If that continues, which there is no reason it won't we would get better quality, made in america disks. At this point the ones from Mexico are pure garbage. There are tons of people on reddit complaining they needed to send a disk back 5 or 6 times before getting one that will play all the way through.
@DonP-b9q Unfortunately, I that one disc pressing plant in the United States as the capacity to manufacture every single disc that the country uses.
@@chrisfratz No, but basic economics means if it is cheaper to do business in the U.S. then more capacity will be built. Before Covid there were a lot more U.S. plants in operation. I think people are starting to reject streaming and their ever increasing costs. Either way, anything we can do to discourage the plant is Mexico is a good thing for this hobby.
A steelbook doubling in price is more than inflation, it’s most definitely greed.
This is mainly greedy Disney. All the guys that went out and bought their inflated steelbooks of Disney shows is probably what's causing this. Don't pay high prices for stuff when it's new and they won't charge high prices. If people don't buy it they have to load the prices. I rarely buy something when it's initially released. Because I know it's going to drop 5 to 10:00 in a few months. And then there's a big price drop at Black Friday.
@@MediaFeverPitch Yup, I passed on the Mando steel books cause of this. They literally own the IP yet they're charging a stupid amount of money for 8 episodes..
I will only buy a steel when forced. No need for them.
Reviewers buying up evry version of a release steelb ooks evrytging
It's because fools are buying them and it's their own fault! That deadpool movie was the test ! And the average suckers failed it big time 😂😂. Just some facts folks ! Don't buy it prices stay low .
Worked 35 years in physical media distribution. Your looking at a narrow window here. Disney is actually saving money by not having an entire distribution system to pay for. Owning distribution versus paying a distribution fee… it’s night and day. There’s no way Sony is charging anywhere near 30%. It’s likely under 10% due to the massive catalog and top tier new releases. To me… and I’ve been at this a long time… Disney is testing to see how much people will pay for these tin pieces of product. Many here have it right… it’s price gouging.
Exactly do not pay these prices and then they're going to have to drop the prices. People are so afraid of losing physical media that they'll just take it up the ass.
I honestly would rather Disney quit selling steelbooks then play 50.00 for one.
What sort of distribution strategies are going on with many titles only being released in USA ? We are also seeing a lot of Collectors editions and "limited" reprints in the last 6 months. They don't seem very limited at all. In UK it looks like there is a second pile of Deadpool Wolverine steelbooks coming after the initial release. We have stuff being touted as exclusive for it to turn up a few months later in another region sold by a different vendor. ATM it feels like any collectors item, limited item is a complete scam. 0:01
Pay more for that bright shiny gimmick
@@MediaFeverPitch Jeff had it right when he talked about the days when VHS and Laserdisc were $80. Don’t think for a moment that Disney and other major studios aren’t looking at historical trends when deciding to price a limited Steelbook. The discs themselves cost almost nothing to replicate. Disney does so much business with replicators that they’re paying pennies not dollars so it really is a majorly profitable endeavor. Warehousing, packing and shipping is (emphasis on shipping) is where costs skyrocket… not to mention returns from unsold product, which sometimes is eaten by the distributor. Sadly the collectors showed Disney exactly what they wanted to see with “Deadpool and Wolverine” Steelbook and the other Marvel series. I’m frugal so I always wait at least a year to buy most releases, heavily discounted but I know I’m not the regular consumer. Buyer beware… now more than ever.
@@Baldnesz It’s all a game of bulls*it. Mass produced “limited editions” are for the suckers of the collectors world. To your point, every country has their own “limited edition” and many of those get a reprint once they sell out. Just wait, in a year or so Disney will release a new “limited edition” for Deadpool and Wolverine with an entirely new image that will make these look basic and worthless. Smart from a business approach but reeks of greed from the point of a collector who “invested” $130+ so they could own both covers. Just my two cents.
When Best Buy quit selling physical media, Amazon was able to raise its prices. Walmart’s price generally is the same as Amazon’s price, but sometimes Walmart offers a better deal.
My Walmart completely removed its movie aisle and only has a $5 bin now. And it's not the only Walmart.
@@washere3955 Shop online.
Target’s gone now too. It’s so over
Amazon sell better movies and old ones compare to Walmart they only focus on tv shows and new moviex target 🎯 was the same way that’s why I buy from Amazon when it comes to old movies or I go to Aomeba records music 🎶 store in Hollywood they have everything
@ sure but Amazon is online and Walmart is in person. Regardless of who has better stock, people should be able to easily buy Blu rays/dvds in physical stores the same way they can easily buy the other forms of physical media in physical stores
It feels like they are just trying to punish physical media collectors for just not falling in line.
Screw Disney. I own all their classics on DVD so I don't need Disney plus and I'm not going to buy into this price gouging.
Make the product over expensive and when people refuse to buy it they'll say, "See, nobody wants physical media."
@@secondchance6603That's Disney. They're doing the same thing with Star Wars, putting out trash shows then criticizing the fans for not liking them.
@@thechairman74 As far as I'm concerned Disney can take Star Wars to a galaxy far, far away and stay there and not come back till they sort their sht out.
@secondchance6603 Yeah pretty much. It's going to be a while.
Keep in mind that inflation is up 40% but corporate profits are up 75%. Corporations are taking advantage of inflation and tacking on extra and they're making insane profits. It's pure greed.
@@GnocchiTV always the way of corporations
I wouldn't be so quick to make such a blanket statement. It's some large companies that are fleecing collectors - such as Disney, simply because they can. Should these companies simply reduce their profit margins to nothing so that it doesn't hurt consumers? What would be the point of going into business if there was no money in it?
have to agree .
They are taking advantage of FOMO
Inflation = SCAM!!!!
And stocks are at ALL TIME HIGH PRICE AND VALUATION!
I'm proud of my collection and stopped buying new discs for about half a year to a year now. Any 4k movie over $25-$30 is just a non-starter for me nowadays. I want to support the industry, but I can't justify that cost. Movie collecting/watching isn't my main hobby and, since the cost of everything is up, I'm picking and choosing carefully. Movie collecting takes a back seat when I already have most of the movies I've wanted. Unless you're a new collector, it'll be hard to justify spending that much. And I think you're right; those tariffs are going to hurt - I work in the computer industry (10 years) and many of our costs went up 25-30% the last time we tried this. We passed that cost over to customers and I'm fairly certain we'll do the same again this time.
Couldn't agree more my friend. Same with me.
You said it all!
I mainly just go to thrift stores now. My Walmart only had a $5 bin, that's it.
Agreed. I stopped a few years ago. I was a huge supporter and have over 1200 Blu rays in my collection, but I stopped because of prices. Unless a movie is something that I love and will rewatch over again and also have special features, then I will get it, otherwise, streaming will have to do.
Way back when, movies on Laser Disk were $50.00 and up.
I would advise others to only buy within your own means. I don't think it's wise to continue buying blindly at high prices simply because you have a fear of missing out. I usually set a ceiling price for my 4k collection, if it's above usd25 - I wait for a sale or I don't buy it. Or I just get the standard blurays. There are other necessity in our family (food,health,education) that we can overpay for. Blurays isn't one of them.
If people stop buying at these crazy prices, it's also sending a message to sellers - that it is not OK to sell at these prices. We as consumer should vote with our wallet. In the worst case scenario , if the seller decides not to release certain titles because of poor demand. Then, so be it. It's sad, but that's how economy works. Pls be judicious with your spending.
Im done with Steelbooks I haven't bought one since they are $70 now! Its Absurd.
That's only DISNEY steelbooks.
I never buy steel books, unless thats the only option and its discounted.
So glad I never got into steelbooks or slip cases lol man I'd be in trouble
The basic slip cover will most likely be under $15 on Black Friday. Never buy physical media unless it's at least a 50% sale
Mygod😅😅😅😅😅
Here in the UK, most newly-released 4k Blu-rays sell for £24.99 on Amazon, HMV and Zavvi. That's about $32.50 at current exchange rates. If you wait a few months they'll usually come down to £19.99.
When War of the Planet of the Apes came out in the UK you could get the Steelbook which had a 4K Disc, a 3D Disc and a Blu Ray Disc for just £25. Cut to the release of the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Steelbook which didn't feature the 3D Disc and it cost £35, with the Standard 4K costing what was once the price of the premium edition. Naturally, nobody is forcing me to buy these things (and there are bigger problems in the world, I am aware, before someone makes that argument) but it is definitely a deterrent for collectors such as myself, especially since £35 for premium and £25 for Standard seem to be the norm no matter the release, with some not even including a Blu Ray copy. At least the standard Blu Rays have remained a consistent £15 over the years.
I was angry when Amazon had their Prime Day and the movies were marked up 35%-50%, but then on "sale" for their original sticker price. Pure greed.
My Dad had a guy tell him “If you let me set the price, I’ll give you whatever discount you want.” That’s what we have. Fifty percent off sounds great, until you look at the base price.
Ofccc
I was excited for Signs on 4K but when I saw the price I passed. I love movies and physical media but cannot justify this. Criterion: I only buy when they have the 50% flash sales.
This. Been waiting on Signs for years but can't do it for 35. If I dont buy 4K's secondhand, I go for the sales on gruv, other online outlets or even upcoming black friday sales
Buy the blue ray more cheaper 😅
@@RobertQuant Blu ray and a upscaler 👍🏼
I’ve basically stopped buying physical because I refuse to pay what they’re asking.
It’s almost like they’re passing the deficits caused by streaming onto physical collectors. And I’m NOT buying it
Part of the problem when too few companies control the entire media space. Bad investments or poor performance in one area causes problems in another.
Make physical media expensive. Censor TV shows on streaming that are offensive. Edit old movies on streaming. Price people out of media. Make sure they can only consume what is streaming.
"They know people will pay."
This has been the guiding principle behind vinyl manufacturing for the last 5-10 years and the price gouging there is absolutely absurd. And those guys eat it up, happily forking over $42 for a 2 LP. I feel like voting with your wallet is a concept that's lost on most people. They've been conditioned to need that instant gratification.
At this point, I pretty much wait for sales on all forms of physical media I buy.
Appreciate you putting this video out, Jeff. The next few years in physical media will be interesting from a cost perspective...
Here in Canada bluerays are $50 and 4Ks are $70. So, if I want to buy a film I'm going the DVD route without any regrets.
Maybe one of the few things behind it is if they raise the prices up, then it will put people off, making them think “oh I’ll just stream it instead”. Sometimes I think it’s all a push to get as many people as possible onto subscriptions. The same is happening in gaming and music too.
I can understand a couple $ increase on movies. But some of these are out of hand. Going from $35 to $60-70 is uncalled for! I agree that people should not buy them and show them it's unacceptable.
Disney has always charged more for their movies because they're a greedy shit company. When a standard bluray was like $20-$25, a standard disney bluray was $35. Gotta pay that $10 disney tax cause they're a small business that's really hurting for money 🙄
Fuck 'em. Evil, shit company that deserves a downfall
Prices for discs are Crazy high! Even Amazon has extremely high prices for new 4K releases. This blows…
COVID gave all corporations for price gouging. First it was supply and demand, but then these Corp's saw we are all paying high prices...why not keep it that way. They all have RECORD PROFITS! The cost to make physical media has went to back to prior to COVID...but Corporation love the higher profits. SUCKS
When it comes to Physical media. I have started to curate my collection. I try to keep my collection relatively small (One large bookcase). Vast majority of my roughly 80-100 movies/Shows are Blu ray's and then my top 10 movies are 4k UHD's. The reason i do this is too make sure i better control my spending and only get the stuff that i REALLY want.
Ind3ed😊
I think this is the main reason why DVD surpasses bluray a d 4k discs. DVDs are much much cheaper and the quality is good enough for me and most people.
Too many people are afraid of having patience or buying used. Fear of missing out is real but irrational, media goes out of print, things go out of stock, but unless its labeled as a limited time thing then they aren't going to disappear from the market overnight. I also understand wanting things new and untouched by someone else but as long as you're somewhat responsible you likely aren't going to get screwed over by it. Check what's in the case, check if its damaged, and you're typically good, any reputable site will reimburse you if you buy online and its a different product.
Corporations are playing a game of chicken with us, we can win if we know the value of things. Subway is a good recent example, they price gouged for years until finally the bubble popped. Now they're bringing in $6 footlongs because people refused to pay 5 star prices for a cardboard sandwich. Stop letting them inch their way to $100 discs!
We've already been through this in Brazil. We boycotted, waited for promotions and in the end, the home video market here couldn't handle it and they stopped the releases. Now we pay much more to buy imported goods and prices keep rising.
Eu compro na cdpoint, a menos cara.
@ cosmic blu é melhor, a mais barata e melhor do Brasil 😉
@@vinicius.sarquis Não conheço, obrigado pela dica!
Wow!
I was thinking the same thing this morning.
These prices😒
Started collecting about a year ago after finding this channel.
This is most expensive it's been in my experience
The thing that frustrates me the most is that I worked a minimum wage job and I hate the fact that all physical media is starting to climb in price. I recently got into vinyl records and bought the soundtrack to Halo Combat Evolved from Laced. The total price was shipping included was $55.00. And that's nuts. And I basically spent money I shouldn't have. And I don't want that to happen with movies either.
No one forces you to buy any media it really is a luxury item
I never buy new anymore always used and only if the price is right
@bigtony4829 Where did I say anything about being forced to buy physical media? I love paying for it. It just frustrates me how expensive it's getting. I will admit that I am an impulsive spender, but I usually get used out of whatever media I purchase. I love that stuff, is still getting released physically. I just wish it was cheaper.
If you waste money you have no right to complain. Halo OST for $55 😆😆😆😆
@@Vladimir-nc9ru A good chunk of that came from the shipping because the record set itself is $33. which is a pretty good price for a two LP set. Also, fuck off. You don't need to post that you're laughing. No need to be a dick.
@@Vladimir-nc9ru No need to be a dick. Especially when the prices of some 4K releases are just bordering on that amount before shipping.
It's because they cost more to make in smaller batches and thats exactly what they're doing now. Not enough buyers means discs are being made in smaller batches.
man, I remember buying Blu-rays for $15, what happened??.
Greed. Greed is what happened
Blue rays are still cheap especially if there used same with DVDs 📀 it all depends on the movie ur buying they all have different prices
@@RobertQuantnew dvd releases at are still available @ 9.99 from the UK
I remember when BRs were first available, they cost $35. I purchased Wanted at Best Buy for $35. 4k's in the beginning were around the $35 range. New formats were always expensive. VHS titles $50 to $75 in the early 80's.
@ yes brand new not used depends on the movie
Comics went the same way as the comic book market declined. Since volumes were down, they sold more collectors editions, alternative covers, etc.
Consumers are the problem. If people would stop buying things at ridiculous prices and only buy things priced reasonably I doubt in that scenario they would get rid of physical. They would want to lower the price to see a profit. But y’all enjoy that Deadpool steelbook. I passed and I won’t lose a bit of sleep over it because no matter how much money you might have, 70 dollars for a movie is a terrible financial decision. We are seeing digital retailers do the same thing renting new releases out for 20 dollars. Hard pass. If you pay 20 dollars to rent a movie you might be insane 😂
The more people buy physical media the bigger the production to less costs. Not that many people buy physical media anymore. This results in higher prices. Also labor, energy and material prices went up worldwide.
I feel like its because they know that real physical media collectors who want to own their movies and games will still pay the $
When disney was doing in house production of physical media, they were just doing hdr10 and 66gb discs. Now with Sony, things are slowly improving in terms of quality.
I started noticing it right before Best Buy stopped selling physical media. I don't buy steel books in general, but a standard NEW release 4k movie should NEVER be over $29.99.
I’m not paying these prices. Disney sucks to begin with so it was already a hard sell for me. There’s only a few movies I’m holding out for. The rest of this crap can rot. Deadpool and Wolverine for $65?! Nah.
I think another problem is that while we want to pay lower prices, people end up paying the higher price because of perceived scarcity. Whether or not there actually is a limited supply, it seems like we don't usually know, so people pay whatever to get what they want on disc.
True. This happens frequently in a collector’s group I follow on Reddit. A lot of people will “panic buy” because they see that a title they want is supposedly about to be out-of-print even the supply isn’t truly about to be scarce.
Price hikes are getting pretty common recently, sadly. Especially in the US as I have seen on social media. In the UK it is happening as well with ultimate collector's editions going up from £34.99 to £39.99 to £44.99. Even the standard keepsake versions of movies still remain high at £24.99, but now you don't even get the additional Blu-Ray disc, just the 4K disc. Not sure if one 4K disc is worth £24.99, when a Blu-Ray is £14.99 (£10 hike for 4K quality)...
I was going to say something similar tbh, but totally agree. Also the propensity to release a steelbook months ahead of a standard release (if the standard release happens at all) - and the pseudo ‘limited’ editions (that don’t state the limited number). Surely spending £100 a month on maybe 4-5 movies serves the industry better than spending £100 a month on 2-3.
Also some big movies in the UK from A24 like X and Pearl didn't get a 4k release. And the recent Kung Fu Panda 4 and Despicable Me 4 didn't get a 4k release
Been longer than recently. Been a few years now. And it is likely to only get worse.
4K discs DO NOT cost more to manufacture than Blu Ray, period…. I have been trying to tell people this for a long time. I have been in the film and media industry in multiple areas for over 35 years now. The cost of the discs is comparable to standard Blu Ray.
They have been raising these prices to see at what level the consumer w it’ll finally rebel and say “no more”. They are wanting to extract as much money from physical media collectors as possible. I have almost completely stopped buying physical media new (4K), because of the prices, unless I really, really like a movie.
I buy nearly everything on sale, second hand or on deal like Black Friday. And this is coming from sone who has collected since the 90’s and has roughly 20K discs for movies, games, ect.. 🤷♂️
People also forget that VHS when it first dropped movies they were anywhere from $99 to $199 EACH! They came down pretty quickly. But in todays money, $200-$400. Insane!
Vote with your dollars! Don't buy these insanely priced discs!
You are absolutely correct about these prices. I stopped the fomo with this, even these “limited edition” releases. I have watched over the past year where I immediately bought a steelbook limited edition only to see these same discs months later selling for much cheaper than I paid for them. I’m done with that!
The problem is because not as many people are buying physical media, they have to increase the prices in order to make up the difference, especially the boutique companies. It makes sense from a business perspective, but it isn’t convenient for customers. I personally will not spend 40 dollars on a movie unless it’s something I really want. I don’t casually buy something for 40 dollars. Even as someone who loves physical media, I am turning more to streaming for casual entertainment, which obviously creates a vicious cycle. Of course, I still buy my favorite films on physical media. Sometimes, I’ll take a risk on a film if it has a cast or director that I like, but the days of casually buying a DVD are long gone save for when I visit thrift stores.
Physical media is doing better than it ever has. 2023 was the biggest year in the history of physical media. Stop believing the clickbait videos.
@ If that were true, it wouldn’t be disappearing from stores at a tremendous rate. Things don’t disappear if there’s demand for them.
I believe this is the reason as well. There’s already licensing deductions when licensing a Blu-Ray release in general so they’re trying to maximize their profits. It makes sense, as sad as it is. Music CDs have long been double what they used to be for similar reasons before Blu-Ray had its turn.
@@batman5224Please let them continue to think physical media is doing well. It's not. It's dying a slow death.
@batman5224 My Walmart already removed its main movie aisle, and only have a $5 bin left, and other stores near me completely removed the movies. So yeah, I believe that.
Barnes and Noble, my primary store for physical media, is insane when it comes to pricing. I love when they do the criterion 50% off sale twice a year. Helps my wallet tremendously but good grief it’s insane for new releases.
I'm pretty ticked that Disney is not releasing the third wave of Disney + on Blu Ray here in the U.S. like they did with Wave 1 and 2.The only way to get them on Blu Ray is to import the U.K. releases which continue to be 4K + Blu Ray combo steelbooks. It sucks that U.S. releases have dropped the combo packs from certain studios and in this case, Blu Ray users are suffering because they are only releasing these on 4K disks this time here.
ETA
I think if people stop buying then they'll just stop making physical media. It gives them a reason not to continue producing the disks and point everyone to streaming and digital only whicvh is what they really want.
Bill Hunt said he heard the reason the third wave of Disney + shows didn't get Blu Ray steelbooks is because Wave 1 & 2 didn't sell well enough. so they dropped them for wave 3.If they just made them combos in the U.S. like they've been doing in the U.K. ,this wouldn't even be an issue for Blu Ray users.
So yes speak with your wallets but also keep in mind it may also lead to the studios just deciding not to continue to produce the product at all rather then lower the price points.
Nearly $70 for a disc yet no disc-drive for the new $700 PlayStation… go home Sony, you’re drunk 😵💫
I think you are spot on. It's a buyers market. We need to vote with our wallets.
BluRay collecting is a new trend so they’re milking it.
Some people say the prices have to increase to account for cost otherwise we don’t get anything, but what happens when prices rise too much and people stop buying due to being priced out? Then profits still fall. We as consumers need to better understand how this process actually works so we can at least stop providing cover for the rampant greed of these megacorporations and their stockholders and boards of directors that expect endless growth year over year so they can give themselves bigger and bigger salaries and bonuses. As you mentioned, smaller independent and boutique labels are evidence that it is entirely possible to ask reasonable prices for products.
Supply and demand .... you explain it pretty well at the end of your video . Everyone complaining needs to listen to that part , understand it, and act accordingly.
Thank you for addressing this! I thought I was going crazy! Here in Sweden prices for movies has also been surging, and I thought it was just me who was wrong, but I wasn't 😄
Indeed😊
I just don’t buy movies very often anymore. I buy maybe one a month now. I refuse to pay $35-40 for a new release. I wait for a significant price reduction. It’s sad but it’s the reality. I’ve actually bought more digital this last year because it’s so much cheaper
The corporate industry is slowly killing off this segment for their greed. I will not pay more than $20 for any movie, even if it means no longer getting movies I would like to own.
At the end of the day, you have to decide what’s best for you and your specific situation. I’m personally running out of room again, so I’m going to stop buying again. I’ll always tell people to support physical media if they can, but there’s no shame in taking a break or stopping all together.
F'n Disney. That's exactly what I thought when i saw the prices of the Deadpool 4k steelbooks, is that they know people are still going to buy it.
I’ve been thinking the same thing. I usually allocate a set amount of money each month for physical media and I have been getting fewer titles since the prices have been going up.
Personally i think steel books and other expensive packaging is going to kill physical media. We need one size of packaging and make it cheap and easy to make and it will keep physical media going longer
I dislike steel books. I got one on sale because of the movie itself, and it was only available at that retailer in that packaging. I really didn't like the way two discs were semi-stacked on top of each other and how you'd have to nearly bend each disc to remove it. Packaging should protect its contents, not heighten the risk of damage.
This is kind of the reason why I almost exclusively by all my blu-rays discounted. I just can't justify spending $35 and a single movie that I'm going to watch maybe once every other year. Something like criterion or 4Ks I'll spend maybe 20 but that's about my limit
It's becoming niche.
They charge $39 for some new vinyl records. A piece of plastic. Especially at a local record store. It's niche, a hobby, for collectors vs for viewers/ listeners.
I’d be curious what a 30 dollar 4K movie costs the companies to make/print. 5 bucks?
This is basically the same with vinyl now. New records are now selling for 59.99 or higher and people are buying them.
Deadpool and wolverine in the UK is £35. $70 is nuts. It would be cheaper for those in the states to import from the UK at that price
I’ve slowed down a lot on physical media and switched to digital copies. New releases on iTunes usually go on sale after two weeks.
I think another problem is the scalpers. People buy these things two or three at a time, wait a few months for the price to double or triple, and then sell them. Companies don't care because they sell their entire stock out quickly and make a gigantic profit. Collectors are a problem too. As long as they keep paying these crazy amounts, the companies will keep raising the prices.
Vote with your wallet. If buyers collectively stop supporting these high price points, they’ll probably continue to go up. It was mentioned towards the end of the video after I began typing.
I have a ton of unwatched films with unwatched special features. I’m ok catching up and waiting for a price that I’m ok with. I took advantage of all of the October sales and saved hundreds.
And it makes no sense a 4K disc to be that more expensive than Blu-ray... the cost is basically the same. Or slightly different like 1 dollar per disk
I only buy used DVD and Blue Rays, I haven't had a problem with those prices and I'm getting all the films and shows I just want to own and enjoy without getting bent over the rails for them.
Movies are not that good to pay 70.00 dollars for any movie.
Ibdeed😅😅😅
Yeah, especially since many 4K movies seems to be upscaled.
Yep, people be buying any and everything lol. Hell, Criterion releases probably has the most value..
in germany we pay 34.99€ for a steelbook 4k release but also 39.99€ is possible and happen much more often these days also they increased these cheap collector boxes with useless paper extras like posters, artcards and such these go up to 49.99€ in price for a single movie it's insane and get hard to get em all with a regular income at least for me. Wait for a sale is not an option because the most Steelbook releases get bought just to re-sell on ebay and co. for even more money also fun fact Sony stopped releasing movies for home market here under their own label.
I understand some of the price raises. Things get more expensive over time. But the Marvel or Disney steelbooks are ridiculous.
I got the standard 4K of Deadpool & Wolverine because that steelbook was stupid expensive. But at least I had that option. Some of these don't seem to be getting standard 4K releases, and that sucks.
But you're 100% correct that these tariffs are gonna only make things worse.
Honestly I never understood how 4k prices were sustainable. I do come from the Laserdisc era where the T2 box set was $150 in 1994--which is probably like $300 today. (But also that box was HUGE, super ornate, and it had like 4 gigantic double sided discs in it) So I'm not surprised that as physical media demand plunges and it becomes a more collectors medium--we're approaching collector's prices.
$150 in 1994 would be $319.13 in todays money
@@michaelgrimes381insane 😅😅
@@turtleanton6539 yeah, it gets crazier the further back you go. in 1980 the average price of a VHS was $100, adjusting for inflation that would be $382.65. even when they finally dropped the price down in 1986 with top gun for $30 that would still be $86.31 today. when you look at the numbers adjusting for inflation, its no wonder piracy was so rampant. physical media has consistently been decreasing in price since the 70s, and the $ has been losing value since 1913
I want to own physical media, i couldn't care less about the packaging though. And 95% of the time I'm fine waiting for a price drop. I got most of my collection as the 2 for 30 or eBay.
I even bought used DVD s of signs and sixth sense recently i was going to buy the 4ks but 3 dollars is better than 35 bucks a movie
I’m in the UK and prices have risen so much that instead of buying on release day, I’m waiting for a sale day or even the secondhand market. They can be £50 .. Ridiculous.!! I’m now being far more cautious and selective on what I buy. No risks!! It’s a shame and both me and the companies loose out.
Everything is getting expensive, in my mind I’m gonna wait until some of these releases depreciate in price but it’s sad that this is becoming a common occurrence
There is nothing wrong with buying some used discs depending on their condition. You can save a bundle.
Vantiva manufactures the optical discs in Guadalajara México, it's only one plant, and yes they manufacture 90% of optical discs sold in the whole continent, Music CDs, Movies and Xbox games.
PS4 and PS5 games are manufactured in Sony's DADC, located in Austria. Sony stopped manufacturing optical discs in US like 3 years ago. That location is still operating but it's kind of a place for distribution/logistics.
Wal-Mart, Target, and Best Buy have all stopped selling all blurays, dvds, and cds near me. 100% gone, everything. No movies, no music, no tv shows, and a single small case for a few games.
The materials are often from China then shipped to Mexico for production also
I've notice so many new releases being price $50-$60 it doesn't make sense.
I’m just gonna say the truth and I know a lot of steel book collectors aren’t gonna like it. The reason why they’re upping the price is steel book is because they know you’re gullible and you’re gonna buy the same movie multiple times. They make multiple versions of a movie for that reason. Then there’s the other collector like myself that just wants the best experience with Movies and will only buy the regular addition. At the end of the day if books are too expensive just remember you’re watching the movie not the case it’s put in. Just get the regular edition.
Insane Price! Here in Austria "Deadpool Wolverine" Steel Released two Days Ago for 28 Euros.
For me, if the price is too high, they might as well not release it because I am not buying. I enjoy owning movies but I am not paying high prices. I believe the high prices are because physical media has moved into a niche hobby. Anytime a hobby is specialized, the prices go up. I remember seeing a stainless steel bolt at a boat supplier being significantly higher than the exact same bolt from the hardware store. I can certainly wait for a sale or do without.
Hey Jeff, love the Channel… just a heads up on the manufacturing, I just got Ghost Paramount Presents no 8 and it’s manufactured in Germany
Not many people are buying physical media anymore. I bought the Walmart Deadpool and Wolverine Blu-Ray for $30 and it seemed high for what I got. And the 4K Ultra in a Steelboxs are crazy. It’s cheaper to just buy a digital copy, and not too many places are selling them anymore. Target just stopped selling Blu-Rays so for just Walmart and B&N are only places to get them unless you order it off of Amazon or EBay.
Unfortunately prices for physical media are still very high in Europe. We don't get these massive sales or price drops that you guys get in the US. Deadpool vs Wolverine steelbook here was €50/$54. Some are sadly even more expensive than that.
Not meaning to sound unpleasant or 'enjoying the suffering of others' (schadenfreude) but to a certain extent "Welcome to the world outside the USA"... you've had it relatively easy with cheap prices for years; in the UK we've had a normal new 4K price (non-steelbook) of £25 = $32 and 4K steelbook of £32-35 ($41-45) for well over a year, though _REALLY_ weirdly the *Deadpool & Wolverine* 4K steelbook here is priced as a regular top end new 4K steelbook at £35 (as mentioned about $45), but that's the _only_ one I think we're better off on!
I certainly agree with your reasons behind the prices rising though, with the market shrinking so companies introducing more Limited Edition, expensive sets and the other factors you mention... plus if people pay it companies will charge it.
I read on a forum that apparently Sony is behind the price hike in steelbooks, not Disney, and that they’re trying to set $65-$70 as the standard for new steelbook releases out of greed because they know that collectors will pay that much.
Price gouging should be illegal
Everything is expensive now!
Thank you for making this video, I was wondering why prices were going up on physical media lately, thank you for clarifying
It’s mostly happening with the Sony/Disney releases so I cancelled my Deadpool & Alien steelbooks & I’m just going to start buying the standard 4Ks for their releases. I spend too much money already on physical media to be paying $50-$70 for a steelbook. I don’t mind paying that for limited boutique editions with all the great packaging & new special features, but I draw the line there. Hopefully it doesn’t start getting out of hand for everything or I might have to start passing on certain releases smh
I do not want that movie for 70 bucks. I saw it twice in theaters. I only have a couple steels i bought used for under 10 bucks in the wild. I don’t really prioritize packaging. I don’t have a cute shelf of movies or a large house plant. My life is not a set.
It’s sucks I just have to live with not having some movies I want. The exclusive steelbook releases from Pixar recently are insane. Inside Out 2 & Elemental being some examples. They’re $60-70 on release, sell the entire stock, then you’re subject to eBay price gouging afterwards. So annoying
I refuse to buy Disney physical media because I live in Australia where Disney no longer releases them here so to buy a region free disc it’s anywhere between $72-$85 aus
Jeff. I have stopped my movie collection cause of these ridiculous prices. Also I can’t stand these boutique companies who throw out a blu ray then a few months later a 4K of the movie for double the price. Does anyone really think a steel book is worth 50$ and up? Cause I don’t !!! 30$ and under is worth it but that’s it. And man many 4K films don’t even look better then their blu ray counterpart.
A lot depends on the player and TV as well ...No point buying a 4K if your tv sucks
Like buying an expensive imported Vinyl LP and playing it on a twenty dollar hi fi
@ My tv is fine and my player is very very good. Just look and read reviews. Many 4ks are just a little better than blu rays. But not at 30$ or more worth it. But hey can’t change anyone minds you know.
@@ebengreene6740 I agree with you. Many times the standard Blu-ray looks pretty good while the 4K is a bit better or not really much different.
On the other hand...
If you're not interested in steelbooks, or editions with tons of useless goodies that artificially inflate the price without adding anything to the film, just buy the "basic" edition.
However, if the price is still too high, you can also wait for sales.
Finally, this allows you to optimize your choices as a collector, buying only the films that really matter to you.
Anyone else here pay $39.99 in the 80’s for movies on VHS? That would be well over $100 today after inflation. The prices today really don’t seem that crazy to me…
That's was because the VHS started out expensive and leveled off even when VHS was extremely popular and for a long time before dvds became commercially available. 4K UHD started out fairly priced, sold in stores and now they're becoming more expensive with limited runs of "exclusive steelbooks" which you basically have to buy online.
4k prices have been crazy. But at least with normal 4k disk they will eventually go on sale. For steel books tho it's like you have no choice if you really want it
Just bought my basic Deadpool and Wolverine on 4k yesterday for £24.99 HMV.
Never been interested in steel books.
Same. There's no way I'd be able to keep up lol
The steel books are sold out at HMV I managed to pre order the wolverine version
Same. It's just a glorified cover. Next they'll probably make holograms for people to go "oooo the shiny edition!!" Lol
This is not ok, but I remember buying T2 on VHS for $90 in the early ‘90s at the Wherehouse
90 bucks for VHS? No wonder why video rental stores were popular...
Yup! I also remember my parents buying the Back to the Future trilogy on VHS for $120, in the mid ‘90s, off of Fingerhut. I’ve kept that trilogy all this time, thing’ll be a family heirloom for that price.