Consumers continue to demand lower player prices ahead of what could be a big holiday shopping season for Blu-ray, as consumer spending is expected to increase.
Lower prices and higher consumer awareness are two issues that must be dealt with if Blu-ray is to really take off as expected, according to research group Retrevo. Blu-ray currently occupies 40% of retail shelf space in electronics stores -- up from 15% in 2008 -- but price remains a serious issue.
According to the Retrevo report, 50% of those surveyed never saw a Blu-ray movie -- and 33% who saw Blu-ray admitted the high-definition format is better than DVD.
Manufacturers must now try to focus on targeting Blu-ray towards an older, less technologically aware market, according to researchers.
"It was clear from the answers that the younger crowd is aware of Blu-ray and knows what a difference it can make," according to the Retrevo report. "So whether [retail takes] that as a marketing challenge to raise awareness among seniors or appeal to the already more sympathetic younger generations, [it still has its] work cut out."
Since the cost of HDTVs continues to decline -- and consumers are willing to spend money on new TVs -- it's up to Blu-ray makers to try and work their way into a more tactical position. For example, Sony and Samsung, along with all other TV makers who also have Blu-ray products, should begin to offer more bundled TV/Blu-ray combos for consumers to choose from.
If consumer spending does increase throughout Christmas, then this is the industry's chance to finally fix past mistakes. The clock is ticking for Blu-ray, as streaming content and Internet-enabled TVs become popular alternatives to physical media.
