I honestly think both Germany and the UK could with a bit of a slow down. I am personally happy to see classics and new releases getting the Steelbook treatment, but the 'floods' of titles we see now, and have seen in the past (remember there were many waves by other retailers as well, i.e Media Markt, Play, Amazon CA, Best Buy etc) cause people to re-evaluate what they wish to buy, and compare side by side different versions or titles, and set priorities. So this means some titles released on the same day may suffer.
But as a movie fan, unless you have an unlimited source of funds, there is no other option. I also think that there is a great deal of suspicion the less info is available, but then I also think about other retailers who don't share any of the info regarding finishes or print runs in advance, and they are still purchased. I think it was only a matter of time for Steelbooks to become more popular, because the momentum was gaining for quite some time, and with the incredible support they have gotten from the UK, Germany, and now Asia and the US, for instance, the studios would have taken more notice eventually.
As a collector myself for several years, I am currently buying a mix of titles-but generally I seek those with unique art/smaller runs. So for me, things like ES' Star Trek (Blu Cover), Kimchi's fantastic efforts to involve HDN, and release quality titles like the T2 package, Walmart's Villain ship, and some of Zavvi's standout catalog titles like Aladdin, Jungle Book, Close Encounters, Black Swan, etc are very cool and I am keeping those pre-orders. And I also hope for more 'meaty' flicks in films, which is why I was happy to see 'The Impossible' when I spotted it at Amazon JP. I have scaled down my pre-orders, over the years, because I simply had to make choices, but am still extremely excited about several titles, because I love the film.
I think Zavvi has tried to 'react' to a hole in the market because of the significant reorganization of UK retailers. And though I am sure they've made some errors, that only they will truly know of, internally, no matter how much speculation there is, I also know they are trying, by considering titles that many of our members have asked for in the past, by updating their packaging, and by keeping us updated with info as they are able to do.
I think since we are all in a position (on a forum that has helped certain titles be considered at all, and regularly shares feedback), to have our voices heard, we sometimes forget that that doesn't exist all of the time. While we know several industry members read our site regularly, this type of 'give your feedback' setting is not as common as we may think. Often retailers just post a listing for an item, and no one has any say about stickers, shrinkwrap, runs, slips, etc etc.
The UK does have a lot of releases right now (and not too long ago when Play had several 'waves' it was challenging then to keep up), and the best advice I can give you is to simply carefully select what titles mean the most to you from all retailers, not just those in the UK, and try to add those to your collection. If you think the price is too high, buy it elsewhere, or send the retailer a message and let them know you're not happy with their pricing. In the meantime, feel free to share any constructive criticism about any retailer or edition at HDN, as we've always welcomed. Rest assured that the current Steelbook market has been filled with new challenges for everyone involved.
For our large UK base, I do hope the spacing between titles becomes a bit less taxing. It's not fun to have to choose between titles, especially when they're much more limited than the Amaray, and you may feel anxious to 'not miss the boat', as we probably all have experienced. But no matter a retailer's selling strategies, marketplaces, pricing, or other aspects, it all comes back to the individual's buyer's choice.
Years ago catalog titles, for instance, were scoffed at for Steelbook treatment, and new releases only were emphasized. But an entire segment of movie tastes was initially ignored, very cool artwork neglected, and then eventually a few studios took a chance and released some older titles which is how we have the variety of Steels years later, to begin with. No one will ever please everyone all of the time, but sometimes it's necessary to step back and realize that you ultimately do have the power to steer your own choices. Don't buy titles in which you have no interest, and continue to give feedback, and credit when credit is due. All easier said than done, but at the end of the day it's one way you could use a balanced approached to some of these waves , re-releases, reprints, etc etc we're seeing now. Just a couple of thoughts from a Steel vet..enjoy the chat
