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Wal-Mart kills video download service

Posted Dec 28 2007, 02:15 PM by Kim Peterson
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Wal-Mart has canceled its online video download service, blaming HP for discontinuing the technology behind it. What a lame excuse. If the Wal-Mart video store was doing well, do you think HP would yank the engine powering it?

The reality is that few people used it. Those who did were not impressed. On paper, the service sounded great. All the major movie studios participated. New releases cost up to $20, and older films sold for as much as $10. TV shows were available the day after they aired for $2. Wal-Mart claimed it would only take 45 minutes to download a "near-DVD" video using a high-speed connection.

So why didn't it work? According to HP, the market for paid video downloads didn't perform as well as it had expected. I think Wal-Mart is having a tough time figuring out its online strategy. Does anyone remember "The Hub," the retailer's attempt at social networking? Shut down after 10 weeks, the site was supposed to be a place where teens could upload photos and videos and talk about Wal-Mart products.

Give the company kudos for at least trying to experiment. But Wal-Mart's brick-and-mortar brand simply overpowers its online identity. I think of Wal-Mart's site as the place to buy the same inexpensive items its stores sell. You go in, find what you need and get out -- just like you would in an actual Wal-Mart. It's not a place to linger, download videos or chat with your friends. 

As I look at the site today, I see that Wal-Mart is promoting price rollbacks, low-calorie water and products to help you quit smoking. That's the kind of stuff people visit the site for -- not near-DVD video downloading.

Comments

 

Ah the WM beast! We love it or hate it but most of still go to WM. I think the thing I hate about WM is why, WHY! do they put in 50 check out lanes but on a busy day they staff a mere 8 to 10 if your lucky but you are still waiting in line, a long line. I was recently in WM (standing in line) and the christmas comercial they had on was touting all the lanes open for your pleasure. WTF! I am standing in line as usual. As far as I am concerned it was a total you crapped the carpet your getting your nose rubbed in it. Well I don't like the smell of crap so guess what? NEVER EVER will I step foot in a Wal-Mart.

1% of the world's population owns 80% of the world's assets (and they want more).  That is the real problem for 99% of us.  Let's focus on it instead of all the superficial issues the 1% want to feed us.

ha ha ha.. the joke is on all!! I've worked at a retail grocery store that is well known all across th U.S. for 30 year's now, my husbund and I also do secret shop's for an auditing company..and I'm here to say"""Wallyworld"" is on it's way OUT..the customer service stink's,they are never properly stocked,(which HELLO this for 1 would make them even more richer than their BIG head's think), and 3rd which is MY personal favorite.. They are over priced.. Rollover what? The very price's they mark up, to then ROLL them back over? wow if you wally fan's are that gulbille to take it..<giggles> BE THEIR GUEST!!

The real shame about Wal-Mart is they have lost their identity, and in doing so have created a real mess for themselves and their customers. Sam Walton did not create this company to be a retail pig. Back in the 1980's and early 1990's the company touted "buy american". They advertised it in their stores, in their ads, and on television. Their corporate culture has caused the type of price pressure that has sent many american jobs overseas in order to supply the pig with the goods they want at the price they are willing to pay. In essence, we have given up thousands of jobs to save pennies. Think about it.

In addition, I am very aware of the cause an effect of increased wages = the cost of goods increasing and ya know what? I would be more than willing to pay a little more for service. How much is your time worth? Mine is certianly worth more than the time I (used) to spend stand in line at WM. We as a country need to grip the fact that with min wage slowly creeping up next time you order a cheese pizza from Dominos Pizza and wonder why in the hell you just paid $15 for just a cheese pizza well there ya go your making 9$ an hour working in Wal-Mart!

Kudos to WalMart for giving it a try.  WalMart is where I do my shopping.  Did you guys know that EVERY single WalMart gives out $1,000 community grants to charitable organizations at the local level EVERY month?  My wife works with the Civil Air Patrol cadet program and WalMart has been very receptive to the CAP cadets and my son's Boy Scout Troop when it comes to things like allowing them to conduct fundraising events right in the front door.  I can't imagine a better, more neighborly member of our business community than WalMart.  I will probably be going there for something tomorrow.

I didn't know that this service was available, however questions about DRM and the high price for the content lead me to believe that I probably wouldn't have used the service anyway. In addition, Wal-Mart isn't exactly a name that I would think of when I think cutting edge technology.

I have used the service cinemanow.com but I won't be renewing my subscription because of DRM and the poor quality and selection of the media content.  If a service like this is to survive, it must give me something that I cannot get elsewhere cheaper. Lately I have been using over the air HD and Windows Media Center to record all of the shows that I want to watch.  It's free (except for the cost of the computer and HD tuner) and the quality is perfect. I can then transfer the media to my Zune (after conversion) or any of my other devices. I can also archive it to watch it at a later date. No fees, no subscrition.

I personally do not like Wal-Mart because I have found that their prices, in general, are not any better than Target or some of the other stores that I frequent. Their selection is usually not very good and the quality of their in-store brand products is usually horrible. The product selections at Wal-Mart do not change very frequently and it is rare to find a clearance deal that is significantly better than the normal price at many other stores.

I like to shop at Target where in general the products are of very high quality and the in-store brands are comparable to the name brands. I like the product selections at Target and the fact that the product selections do not remain static. I also like the fact that Target routinely discounts (up to 90%) items that it wants to "move" in order to rotate new stock. I also like the cleanliness of Target stores and the product displays as opposed to the "warehouse" look of Wal-mart and I have noticed that the vast majority of Target stores that I have visited are far cleaner than the comparable Wal-mart stores.

Len is write about paying there associate  a decent wage.  They start new associate at a higher wage . The new associate are making more  then the old associate and they call that fair. Len is write about Sam walton  I think that if he knew what was happying to his stores he would roll over in his grave. Sam  had a good store once . Take the meat department the meat is frozen when its put on the shelves. And the bakery dept. and again everything is brought in frozen there to all they do is frost the cakes and cookies and put them on shelves.  Wal Mart dosen't  do any baking there.  And as for as managers thier is very few good ones there.And this store is #2402 in Elko Nevada.  And Len  is write about the quality you get what you pay for. This store here  is high  and they have lost alot of customers they are shopping at other stores  because  of the shelves are bare.  They hire people but they don't stay .        

i tryed this service and was not able to down load movies that i paid for. it took me almost three weeks to get refund even tho i had proof that i paid and was not able to download movies

Who cares.

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