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Re: Best Buy exclusive dramatically limited 1st week sales!
If you don't think impulse buying didn't help ACDC, you don't know how much research, science, studying is put into the art of selling products to the masses, how to build effective in-store displays, placement to get every last sale possible. Walmart did it well; you went in there thinking Black Ice was the thing to have and if you didn't, you were missing something.
BB didn't. Yes, it falls on GNR because they chose them, and yes GNR probably got some casual/impulse buyers too, but not at the level of ACDC.
Again, I'm not joking when I say this: go to BB and count the people. Do the same at WM. There will be a HUGE difference, guarantee it. To say that doesn't affect sales is just being argumentative just for arguing's sake.
Now, how many more would GNR have sold at WM or if it was available everywhere like Metallica? That's for some industry analyst to figure, but I guess a lot more.
Before anyone jumps in, yes the fact that this is 2008 GNR and that no single hit out of the gate also hurt.
- Bright Eyes 2005
- Rep: 27
Re: Best Buy exclusive dramatically limited 1st week sales!
Best Buy's pathetic displaying, lack of employer awareness, failure to even have the album displayed and stocked on the day of it's release in many stores, hiding of the sisplays, no coherent placement of adds and posters from store to store, etc. is a an example of how NOT to market and sell a product. Best Buy diminished the value of the product, but running from it, instead of selling it. I think this partially stems from the grave financial condition the firm is in, which is worsening as we speak. UMG needs to help broker a deal where Best Buy can sell some of the excess inventory to all music outlets, and soon.
- Bright Eyes 2005
- Rep: 27
Re: Best Buy exclusive dramatically limited 1st week sales!
So when Axl's GNR plays to 1/3 full arena's, is that BestBuys fault as well?
Whole different ball game there. Live shows are different. BTW, the 2006 tour was a top ten world tour. Also, they were overbooked in the U.S. by Merck (booking Ames, IA in between a Chicago and Minneapolis show for example)--play half those shows, and every date would have been sold out. And just for you, I will re-post this for you. BTW, Best Buy bought 1.3 million one way, and yes, of course it was great for UMG, but again, that is not what we are discussing. We are talking about scans, now that it is in store, and how that is being affected by the decision to distribute through Best Buy. Good day:beer:
I've never read so much vacuous bull shit, void of any understanding of product distribution and retail marketing, presented as fact in my life. A few of you, and you are chronic haters, and blinded so much by your hatred (god knows why you post here, that's a whole other issue), that you ignore reality and facts if they digress from your predetermined notion of what the truth is. Really, between the Axl nutswingers, and the haters, reality is tough to find on GNR boards. The truth of the matter is Wal Mart put together one of the best marketing campaigns in history for Black Ice, and ACDC and their management matched Wal Mart's efforts in promotion of their album and tour promotion. That combination launched this effort. Combine that with the fact that the demographics (rural, white, working class) of Wal Mart shoppers match up perfectly with ACDC fans for the most part. It was a match made in heaven. Considering that the new ACDC album is mediocre at best, sounds identical, if not slightly inferior, to their past two efforts and it becomes clear that the distribution and roll out made this thing. Their last release sold 170K first week, and it is better than Black Ice. Wal Mart is a powerhouse, and they pushed the shit out of this in all the right ways. One cannot leave Wal Mart without seeing "ACDC" at least ten times, hearing it, seeing awesome merchandise for the band, and basically being brainwashed into thinking they are the coolest hard rock band that any teenager should love. We all know that is far from the truth as these guy's are in their 60's, but perception is everything, and the marketing makes them feel uber-cool. Moreover, Wal Mart and Sam's have over 5000 locations in the U.S.
Best Buy's demographics (more urban, higher educated, techie-latte loving, upper middle class) alone, do not benefit GNR. Wal Mart's demographics, for the most part, would be more favorable to GNR; although GNR is far more "hip" than ACDC is, and more well respected in the underground and on college campuses. Best Buy only has 900 stores, half of which are on the verge of bankruptcy and, in turn, are operating like funeral parlors. The in-store marketing was pathetic, their national marketing (tv, radio) was nowhere to be found, and the firm quite frankly had $0 money available when they needed it to market this--they are in big financial trouble. Combine that with the fact that GNR has a massive amount of fans in more rural areas, where poverty abounds and transportation to the cities is not easily attainable, and you have less fans who would be willing to buy the product for ten bucks even looking at it.
This is not to diminish the fact that Axl's lack of publicity did not help--it didn't at all, in fact it hurt the album, almost as much as Best Buy's pathetic effort did--although I should mention, the 5000 stores vs. only 900 urban stores thing is highly significant---not to mention that Wal Mart has about fifteen times more "eyespace" for ACDC per store than Best Buy does for GNR.
Bottom-line is this, anyone in their right mind, stating that the Best Buy exclusive did not drop domestic sales by upwards of 40% is not living in a world based on facts, figures, business models, science and math. The major fallout from the bad press alone, with every Axl hating editor chomping at the bit every day to write headlines with no context stating "Rose bombs", "Chinese Democracy dramatically dropping in sales", "Axl kills Best Buy", etc. is now hurting it and adding to the pain. In other words, this deal which saved UMG, has turned into a perfect storm damaging the disc from an in-store sales and publicity stand point.
The silver lining is this, many critics like the album and many alternative and underground critics have warmed to the quality of the work. Moreover, the band and album still have a good shot at coming back strong next year. Also, last week's figures are real interesting. It is quite shocking that the drop-off last week was very minimal, and it hovered around 50K of sales. That may not mean that it is not headed down to 10K next week, but shocked me and I am sure some suits in the biz, as it was a very stable week, in the face of some bad press. Enough already, the album rocks!! Enjoy it!
Re: Best Buy exclusive dramatically limited 1st week sales!
cd being in wal mart during the busiest shopping time of the year wouldn't help sales? hmmmmmm.
the fact is there are many reasons this cd wasn't a commercial success.
bigbri, i think yours is the most significant.
it's kind of silly how certain people said cd sales were plummeting the second week because all of the hardcore fans stopped buying it and they are now saying "it wouldn't have mattered if it were sold at wal mart" or "it's available to them if they want it". my response is yes, you're right, we are the only ones that bought the album and all of the casual rock fans or gift givers did not because........ they were all at wal mart buying all of their shit. they have everything best buy has(when money is an issue) and 500 times more. people aren't at best buy right now they are at wal mart. it's simple.
- Bright Eyes 2005
- Rep: 27
Re: Best Buy exclusive dramatically limited 1st week sales!
They were at Wal Mart, Circuit City, KMart, Borders, local music stores, Barnes and Noble, Virgin Records, etc., etc. etc...
Like I said, between the Axl nutswingers, and the haters, there is not room for reality. Those two opposing views, just warp these boards. In this instance, the fact of the matter, is the Best Buy distribution deal is dramatically hurting in-store sales. It's a fact, not open for debate. The world is round as well, and rotates around the sun. Axl Rose not promoting this also hurt sales, but that is another story altogether.
- Mikkamakka
- Rep: 217
Re: Best Buy exclusive dramatically limited 1st week sales!
I've never read so much vacuous bull shit, void of any understanding of product distribution and retail marketing, presented as fact in my life. A few of you, and you are chronic haters, and blinded so much by your hatred (god knows why you post here, that's a whole other issue), that you ignore reality and facts if they digress from your predetermined notion of what the truth is.
Tired of reality? Be an Axlite! 
- Bright Eyes 2005
- Rep: 27
Re: Best Buy exclusive dramatically limited 1st week sales!
Bright Eyes 2005 wrote:I've never read so much vacuous bull shit, void of any understanding of product distribution and retail marketing, presented as fact in my life. A few of you, and you are chronic haters, and blinded so much by your hatred (god knows why you post here, that's a whole other issue), that you ignore reality and facts if they digress from your predetermined notion of what the truth is.
Tired of reality? Be an Axlite!
The Axlite's are about as warped in their views as the opposite--those were the folks who expected this to sell 1 million albums in the U.S. during the 1st week, etc.
