Previously, I recommended that anyone who buys DVDs sign up for Deep Discount DVD's (DDD) promotional e-mail messages so they can catch the sales. My second shipment from a recent order provided some insight into what motivates those sales. One of my boxes came with a Wal-Mart price sticker on it. So, I'm guessing that the sales are offered when DDD gets a load of titles that didn't sell well enough at stores or were overstocked. This also explains why their regular prices are generally on par with Amazon's. They're only super cheap when they're part of one of these returns.
On a side note, I thought Wal-Mart was supposed to be pretty cheap but $26.64 for a season of 3rd Rock doesn't seem particularly cheap, especially when Amazon sells it for $21.99. I've never been to a Wal-Mart in the U.S. and the way in which Wal-Mart does business in Japan is a completely different model. They work through a controlling interest in Seiyu which offers only sporadic discounts rather than "everyday low prices" as they do in the U.S. However, given what I've read about Wal-Mart's treatment of employees, I'd do my level best to avoid patronizing them.
3 comments:
Wow, that IS interesting that tag was on there. Makes me wonder who may really own DDD. It's not widely known that Wal-Mart is associated with Dollar General stores, and even less known that Hastings was originally a spin-off of their periodicals division.
And if/when you have the oppurtunity to go to a Wal_mart in the USA, you are correct to avoid them. I, sadly, only have them in my town of 17,000, so I do have to use them from time-to-time, but I always turn to the web as my first option.
I actually investigated the owner of DDD after seeing that sticker and it's Infinitiy Resources, Inc. From their web site, they seem to work with a variety of corporate clients but DDD is supposed to be their subsidiary (not a subsidiary of another company which they are doing business with). If it were owned by Wal-Mart, I'd have to seriously contemplate not buying from them anymore.
My sister also has limited access to stores in her rural location and has few options but to take some of her business to Wal-Mart. I think that's just the way it goes. At least you're aware of what the deal is even if you can't necessarily avoid them completely. Most people don't even want to know.
Ah, thank you for saving me the research work:) I do try to avoid Wal-Mart as much possible, even saving up purchases until I am near a Target. Whatever I can order online, I do. I just have no desire any more to support such a morally bankrupt company.
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