High-Def, Lower Prices

It’s been nearly two years since high-definition DVD debuted, and consumer interest in the dueling Blu-ray and HD-DVD formats has been lukewarm, at best. But now that both sides have cut prices and moved toward a showdown, high-definition players have finally become a hot item.

Wal-Mart and Best Buy got things rolling in early November, when they sold Toshiba HD-DVD players for $99 in a limited sale. Since then, other retailers have followed suit. Costco is now selling the Toshiba player for $179, a price that includes an instant manufacturer’s rebate of $70. And it’s selling a Sony Blu-ray player for $379 (pictured), including four free DVDs with each purchase.

Target is carrying the Sony Blu-ray players exclusively through the holidays and giving them a prominent spot on an endcap in its CE departments. Best Buy is selling the Toshiba player for $199 and the Sony player for $399, and is throwing in seven free DVDs with each purchase.