Best Buy giving $50 gift cards to HD DVD adopters
Mega-chain Best Buy is sending $50 gift cards to customers who bought HD DVD players or attachments from its US stores prior to Feb. 23 (coincidentally, for our readership, the date Microsoft declared the format dead to the company). CNN reports most customers won't have to do a thing to receive the card as they'll be identified through the Reward Zone program, service plans or online purchases. If you're a customer who won't be identified in this manner, just grab a receipt (you do keep those, right?) or provide your credit card info to the company for proof of purchase. Gift cards will be sent out by May 1.
Circuit City provided a similar deal earlier this month to recent HD DVD adopters by allowing them to return the product if it had been purchased within 90 days. Both Best Buy and Circuit City's online trade-in programs (run by the same company) will allow you to unload your player beginning March 21. Before anyone thinks they're being witty, only HD DVD players can be returned for store credit, you're not getting $50 per movie disc purchased. Although this format war was in no way these retailer's fault, it's very nice to see them taking care of customers left out in the cold.
Circuit City provided a similar deal earlier this month to recent HD DVD adopters by allowing them to return the product if it had been purchased within 90 days. Both Best Buy and Circuit City's online trade-in programs (run by the same company) will allow you to unload your player beginning March 21. Before anyone thinks they're being witty, only HD DVD players can be returned for store credit, you're not getting $50 per movie disc purchased. Although this format war was in no way these retailer's fault, it's very nice to see them taking care of customers left out in the cold.











Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Shagittarius @ Mar 19th 2008 12:49PM
Really nice of Best Buy to do this, they have no obligation to early adopters...they must figure they will spend the $50.00 on a bluray player.
brian peppers @ Mar 19th 2008 2:13PM
What in the hell has just happened? Best Buy giving something away to it's customers? Well, I know I won't be spending my $100 on a PS3...who wants a system that only has one game.
Fullmetal Salchemist @ Mar 19th 2008 3:00PM
With the exception of three titles (Bioshock, Mass Effect, and Dead Rising), all of the good 360 games are on both consoles (CoD4, Rock Band, Orange Box), so your post is made of FAIL.
A for effort on the trolling though.
343 Guilty Fart @ Mar 19th 2008 3:17PM
I, for one, welcome our new Best Buy overlords.
bobartig @ Mar 19th 2008 3:40PM
Oh STFU to both of you. Both consoles have more than three good exclusives. For my money, the X360 has more and better titles currently, even though it will probably explode within a few months of ownership.
Developing for the PS3 just soured me on that console. It will be years before I forgive Sony for all that unnecessary trauma, but I'll own a PS3 some day.
Less whinging, more discussion about how HDDVD is dead, already.
micklol @ Mar 21st 2008 2:50AM
yes.. less whining.. just like how you buried the "trauma" sony gave
you...and the "sour"experience.
It will be years before you forgive all their whining, no?
Jerk Face @ Mar 19th 2008 12:52PM
Yeah, I'm pretty impressed by this too.
Lemmiwinks (SSBBFC: 0903-2436-0891) @ Mar 19th 2008 12:52PM
That pic is giving me Parappa flashbacks.
baby sea tuna @ Mar 19th 2008 1:08PM
Chop chop!
Lemmiwinks (SSBBFC: 0903-2436-0891) @ Mar 19th 2008 1:16PM
yo, BST: What's your Smash Bros friend code?
Vcize @ Mar 19th 2008 1:01PM
Yeah, bigtime kudos to Best Buy. You don't even have to trade in the player to get the giftcard, they just give it to you.
David J @ Mar 19th 2008 1:05PM
awww, thats 50 more dollars towards a new bluray player
Hala Madrid!!! SSBB Code:3866-7729-0830 @ Mar 19th 2008 1:20PM
Now what we need here is a comment from some PSfanboy
explaining again to all of us how Blu-Ray won. Thats just what we need
Haters Welcome
Deck @ Mar 19th 2008 1:23PM
Wow Best Buy! That's awesome! Good job for them for sticking their neck out there like that! Just to help the consumer, there's nothing in it for them and they don't have to do this. This is awesome!
Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Mar 19th 2008 1:32PM
You've fallen for the PR stunt.
Sure, they don't HAVE to do it. But if they give out a 50 dollar BB card for having a now worthless HD movie player, what is the logical thing you'd do with that 50 dollar BB card.
Here's a hint: buy a blu-ray player.
upz @ Mar 19th 2008 2:20PM
Crono's right on the ball. The latter half of the article also makes sound like you actually have to return your HD DVD player in order to get the gift card. I'd say just keep the player and buy some soon to be clearance priced movies. You'd likely get more utility that way than with the "10% off a Blu-ray player" coupon they're giving you.
Intentless @ Mar 19th 2008 2:38PM
Upz that was exactly my thought 'ello beautiful discounted HD DVDs.... Either that or if I get it and my federal rebate at the same time that might equate to a PS3... Because through and through I am a gamer and some day the PS3 may have something worth playing and until then I will be watching Casino Royale on repeat 24 7... Must cleanse the brosnan from my soul....
cjshrader @ Mar 19th 2008 1:25PM
Did Best Buy's heart recently swell three sizes?
umm....hello??? @ Mar 19th 2008 1:28PM
guess that would negate buying a x360 HDDVD at $50, returning it AND getting a $50 gift card then....whatevah, got my ps3 with bluray at launch wayyy back.
Viridium @ Mar 19th 2008 1:44PM
Canada?
Phranctoast @ Mar 19th 2008 1:50PM
Already reading on pro HDDVD sites that people are going to use the $50 to buy cheap discounted HDDVD's. This is all fine and dandy...but what happens when the HDDVD player breaks and your left with media that simply wont play in another device.
Kudos to Best buy though. thats really nice of them.
Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Mar 19th 2008 2:36PM
Thats what HD-DVD ripping programs are for.
Boss Tempo @ Mar 19th 2008 2:48PM
You trade in your shitty PS3 games and get one used. Duh.
Phranctoast @ Mar 19th 2008 4:00PM
neither response makes any sense in the context of my post. Did you two mean to reply to me, or did the joystiq reply system strike again?
@crono. I don't see how that would help if your HDDVD player broke. You would still need a PC HDDVD drive for the conversion.
@BossTempo. uhhhhhh what.......
AaronMD @ Mar 19th 2008 2:02PM
I love the pic!
BlackBeltJones @ Mar 19th 2008 2:32PM
If they would let me trade in all my free hd dvd's for blu rays I might consider it. But as I see it I already own one, and the 10 or so hd dvd's I own I got for free so I might as well just enjoy them.
rikimaru @ Mar 19th 2008 2:43PM
That cutting board picture is hilarious. I love you guys.
tiremfej @ Mar 19th 2008 2:50PM
So since HD-DVD died, my 50+ HD-DVD collection is obsolete as well?
Color me shocked!
Although the 50 bones would be nice, I'll hang onto my player, and since BR Players are going up in price rather than down...I think HD-DVD people will hang around for a bit.
miyagi @ Mar 19th 2008 3:56PM
Yay. I got my A2 at Best Buy for $98 with 2 free in store and 5 mail in. Due to a miscommunication the 2 free in store were box sets (Heroes S1 and Planet Earth) and I sold the 5 free for ~$50 total. I came out basically getting the player for free. Thank you format war!
Will @ Mar 19th 2008 4:27PM
This is awesome! I bought mine with my "reward zone" card and i'm pretty excited to get $50 for free... yes I understand it's PR by Best Buy, but they're still giving consumers free money which is awesome. For the moment I'm loving losing this war lol, I just bought Planet Earth HD for $25!
I'm probably going to regret it but thanks to the prices my HD library has grown from 6 to 18 movies since HD was declared dead... but I'm probably never buying a ps3, and i can't afford a bluray (not even close) so for now I have no other choice for my 1080 desires :)
Sean @ Mar 19th 2008 6:15PM
Anyone know if returning it will get you FULL store credit from what you paid for it?
PSN: KillaKornbread (the shirt is a lie!) @ Mar 20th 2008 12:06AM
that picture is full of win.
but that is very respectable on Best Buys part (and Circuit City as well apparently) to do that since it really isnt their fault anyway.
hvnlysoldr @ Apr 12th 2008 2:46PM
PR stunt or marketing gimmick you decide.