DVD sales figures see big gains
By Marc Graser
HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Doubts over DVD's popularity with
consumers were laid to rest in 1998, as sales for the technology's
players and the discs that go with them performed far better than
expected.
According to the Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association
(CEMA), manufacturers shipped 1.5 million players to retailers in
1998; the number includes Divx players, which also play DVDs.
CEMA estimates that over 1 million of the players have reached
homes. The organization projected about 800,000 players to sell prior
to the Christmas rush.
Retailers sold only 349,000 units in 1997, generating $171 million in
receipts.
According to VideoScan, which tracks 80% of the DVD video
market, retailers sold 9.3 million titles in 1998, with Warner Bros.
Home Video dominating the DVD market with a 25% share.
Of the 2,300 DVD discs available, MGM's special edition of
"Tomorrow Never Dies" finished as the year's top-selling title.
"Godzilla," "Air Force One," "U.S. Marshals" and "Lost In Space"
rounded out the top five. In 1997, retailers sold only 1.5 million titles,
according to VideoScan.
DVD disc sales figures do not include online sales, which Internet
merchants are proclaiming were better than expected.
DVD players and discs were apparently at the top of the list for
many holiday shoppers, with retailers selling about 130,000 players in
the week leading up to Christmas.
Total DVD Video disc sales for the five week holiday shopping
period was nearly three million titles, VideoScan reported.
Like I said before, the future looks bright for Amazon.com
They sell books, CDs, VHS VIDEOS, DVD, Personal Electronics, Computer & Video Games, Toys, Adult Video, ...and so on. |
