A little birdy just sent me a press release that VUDU has scheduled to hit in the morning. They will be cutting the MSRP on their entry-level box from $399 to $295 effective January 24th. Certainly a move in the right direction, but still too expensive for what it provides in my opinion. Get it down to $199 and it gets interesting, $99 and it is an easy sale. But I still don’t like the multiplying set top boxes. I wish it did more. If it worked as a media center extender, supporting other content, it would be a much better value.
In what I think it is nice gesture, VUDU will offer a $100 movie credit to anyone who has purchased a VUDU box in the last 30 days, provided they can supply proof of purchase. Shades of the iPhone price drop, though this credit should certainly be more useful to VUDU owners than Apple’s credit was to iPhone owners. They also restate that the VUDU XL, announced at CES, will ship by the end of February.
The press release:
VUDU CUTS ENTRY PRICE $100 TO $295
Breakthrough Instant-Access Video Entertainment Experience Drops To Mainstream Price Level
Santa Clara, CA – January 24, 2008 — VUDU Inc., the company that brings instant access to video-entertainment to the living room, today announced that it has lowered the price of the basic VUDU box to $295, a decrease of more than $100. The new price takes effect Jan. 24, 2008.
Since its launch last year, VUDU has quickly achieved critical mass among home video fans by offering instant gratification, always-on accessibility, a vast selection of current and classic video content and weekly delivery of new titles as they come to market.
“We’ve been thrilled by the enthusiastic response we’ve received from our early customers, which tells us we’re giving video fans the experience they’ve been waiting for,” said Patrick Cosson, VUDU’s VP of Marketing. “With its large catalog of Standard Definition and High Definition movies and TV shows and now a new lower price, VUDU is the perfect upgrade for any movie lover who wants great video quality plus the convenience that only digital delivery can offer.”
VUDU enables consumers to have instant access to video entertainment directly from their TV. By crafting relationships with every major Hollywood movie studio and more than 22 independent studios and distributors, VUDU offers the largest catalog of any online movie distributor and new movies and TV shows are added weekly.
Anyone who purchased a VUDU box in the last 30 days can receive a $100 movie credit with proof of purchase whether they purchased the product from VUDU.com or from any other retailer by contacting VUDU Customer Care (888-554-VUDU).
At the recent Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas, VUDU announced the addition of 70 HD movies from top studios and unveiled the VUDU XL, a brand new high-end version of the already successful VUDU box. The new product, designed for integration into high-end home theaters, will ship by the end of the February.
About VUDU
VUDU is dedicated to bringing instant access to video entertainment including thousands of mainstream movies, HD films and TV shows to every living room. Through relationships with every major US movie studio and more than 22 independent studios and international distributors, VUDU offers the optimal home entertainment experience for consumers. VUDU gives movie and TV fans the ultimate in flexibility and choice. Consumers can finally watch what they want, when they want-no planning needed, no computer necessary, no software downloads, and no cable TV service or satellite subscription required.
