Pre-Barnabas Episodes on DVD - UPDATE

[petofi]

Back in 1982, an out-of-market tv station in Poland Springs, Maine was carrying the '67 episodes.  I was in Bangor (pre-cable for us), where I could only get the sound from the Poland Springs station, so I audiotaped several episodes off of the tv!!  That was the extent of my DS exposure for several years.

Petofi

[JosettesMusicBox]

Quote from: EmeraldRose on May 07, 2006, 07:02:31 pm ... I would gladly sign a petition at the Fest or anyplace else to protest this.

I (JosettesMusicBox) will not be able to attend the Fest this year, but I'd like to sign a petition about this. 

Can we start one here on our Forum? 

Or maybe an informal Questionaire asking how many of us will join the club to get the Pre-Barnabus DVDs and how many of us will not?

[Willie]

I agree with Victoria Winters - this is marketing idiocy.  There is a whole world of fans out there who aren't members of the club.  It would be like Ford Motor Company announcing that from now on, only people who currently own Ford vehicles would be allowed to buy them in the future. 

I've spent $400 on DS DVD's, isn't that enough loyalty for them?  I don't have the money to pay $50 or whatever every two months.  I buy a few sets whenever I've got some extra cash.  I'll eventually complete my DVD collection, and then I'd like to get the pre-Barnabas episodes.  But I guess now I won't be sending my $240 to MPI.  I'm not loyal enough, only buying their DVD sets when it's convenient for me, not when it's convenient for them.  I guess when I end up buying them off Ebay, the seller will send me a note saying "Hey, you're plenty loyal for me, buddy!"

[ClaudeNorth]

Apparently, the MPI people do read the boards, so I'm guessing that they're picking up on dissatisfaction with the plans for the pre-Barnabas episodes on DVD.  However, the MPI rep did write that plans have not been finalized, so perhaps they're just testing the waters.

I'm not sure if petitions do any good.  My suggestion is to write a calm, carefully worded letter of complaint to MPI.  Written letters sent by postal mail are probably the most effective because they require a bit more effort than an e-mail and, therefore, carry more weight.

Also, accosting the sales reps at the Fest most likely will not help matters.  I suspect that the people MPI sends to the Fests have very little executive power.

The key is to express dissatisfaction in a calm, reasonable manner to the people who make these decisions.

[victoriawinters]

Also, accosting the sales reps at the Fest most likely will not help matters.  I suspect that the people MPI sends to the Fests have very little executive power.

I'm quite sure they are the hired at Fest help and really don't know anything.

I agree with you Claude about the letter writing.  I think a repetition of the same message to MPI might get through.

Here is what looks to be the address:  MPI Media Group, 16101 S. 108th Ave., Orland Park, IL 60467.  If anyone has a better one, please let us know.

[Midnite]

It would be like Ford Motor Company announcing that from now on, only people who currently own Ford vehicles would be allowed to buy them in the future.

I don't see that as an accurate analogy.  I signed up for the DVD club shortly before Vol. 19 was released, was asked which volume would be my first, and was not required to purchase any earlier releases.  And I don't see anything in MPI's announcements that indicates you have to be a member for any designated period of time before you can begin receiving the DVDs of the series' first year.  In other words, to purchase a Ford vehicle you merely sign up for a Ford club on the spot that you can quit at any time.

While I think this is a strange marketing strategy for MPI to undertake, I've also wondered why club members don't get our DVDs any earlier than non-members who are price comparing and pre-ordering, or heading to stores on the release dates.  And in most of those cases, I'm shelling out more for them.  And all I have to show for it is a Barnabas bobblehead, a case to store it in (following a certain period of membership), and a small collectible here and there like a keychain or photo.  For me, being a member is simply a matter of convenience, but perhaps MPI has finally caught on that there isn't much of an incentive to join.  Or perhaps they anticipate that the Pre-Barnabas eps won't be as popular and they don't want membership to decline? 

[Willie]

Well, that's sort of the question.  Can I wait to join until February of next year, then only get the pre-Barnabas episodes from them?  But that's not really rewarding the club members for any loyalty, that's just saying that the club will be the only place you can purchase the DVD's.  The way they seem to be wording it, as some sort of "reward for loyalty", it makes it sound - at least to me - like you would need to have been a member for some period of time, i.e. have purchased DVD's from them in the past in order to purchase those specific DVD's in the future.

I guess I wouldn't mind it too terribly much if they let a person join just to get the pre-Barnabas DVD's, but it would be really inconvenient because that's $60 every other month.  Like I was whining and griping and generally throwing a fit about before, I prefer to buy them when I've got some extra cash, not forego other "fun" purchases because I'm contractually obligated to send my money to MPI.  It's also about $15 more per set than I've been paying.

[Bobubas]

on another note i'd love to see that commercial featuring terry crawford.

I tried to answer this earlier, but it seems my post got lost in cyberspace. As BuzzH mentioned in an earlier post, I did "unearth" the 1 minute b&w Barnabas Collins Game commercial. I found it back in the mid 1990's, and before giving it to M.P.I., I placed it on the tail end of my Interview With A T.V. Vampire Video featuring Jonathan Frid. UNEDITED and lasting app. 1 hour in length, this interview was conducted by a Public Television station in the Wash DC area circa 1986 or 1987. Mr. Frid talks about how be initially became involved with Dark shadows, his time on the show, and other personal views about events surrounding the show. At the end he does a series of promos for the stations upcoming airing of Dark Shadows. These are very entertaining, as Mr. Frid does several takes to try and get them just right. I've recently transferred the interview and commercial from VHS to DVD. The DVD is now available for $15.00 + postage. Anyone interested in a copy can e-mail me at Bobubas@aol.com for further details.

[Midnite]

But that's not really rewarding the club members for any loyalty, that's just saying that the club will be the only place you can purchase the DVD's.  The way they seem to be wording it, as some sort of "reward for loyalty", it makes it sound - at least to me - like you would need to have been a member for some period of time, i.e. have purchased DVD's from them in the past in order to purchase those specific DVD's in the future.

Hi, Willie,

Well, as their membership registation stands now, you're able to come and go as you please (bobbleheads and other extras aside).  And they haven't used the words loyalty or reward in their announcements-- they've only said that club members will have exclusive access to the DVDs when they're released.  This also doesn't rule out that the DVDs will eventually be available elsewhere.

Like I said, I'm not wild about this strategy.  Making the DVDs available to members a little sooner is one thing (though I'd prefer to, hello, pay less for them than non-members), but the exclusivity thing, with its time limit up in the air, is obviously not going over well with fans.

I guess I wouldn't mind it too terribly much if they let a person join just to get the pre-Barnabas DVD's, but it would be really inconvenient because that's $60 every other month.  Like I was whining and griping and generally throwing a fit about before, I prefer to buy them when I've got some extra cash, not forego other "fun" purchases because I'm contractually obligated to send my money to MPI.  It's also about $15 more per set than I've been paying.

I hear you.  I would think they would cost less than that since the pre-Barnabas volumes will contain 35 eps vs. the 40 eps that currently cost $59.98 through the club.  One indicator of this should be their pricing for Vol. 26 with its 20 eps.