Search

FAQ

US Titles

UK Titles

Memories

VaporWare

Digest

GuestBook

Classified

Chat

Products

Featured

Technical

Museum

Downloads

Production

Fanfares

Music

Misc

Related

Contact

RCA Press Release for December 10, 1982

Strong retail visibility is a critical factor influencing consumers' actual decision to buy a video disc player, an RCA survey showed today.

In the latest survey of video disc owners, 43 percent said their initial exposure to the product was in a retail outlet, according to Stuart Gray, Division Vice President, Program & Market Research, RCA VideoDiscs.

He said 24 percent of the respondents admitted that their purchase was made on impulse. "These people said their decision to buy was made after they had entered the store and seen the retail display," Mr. Gray said.

Asked why they wanted the product, Mr. Gray said the largest percentage (67%) said it was because a video disc player "lets you watch what you want when you want." Other reasons cited, in order of popularity, included: "alternative to television," "provides parental control over entertainment for children," and "an inexpensive way of owning and collecting movies and other favorite programs."

Overall product satisfaction, at high levels to begin with, continues to increase with each survey, particularly in the case of selection and availability of discs, he added. Of those surveyed, 59 percent cited the large catalog selection as the reason they bought a video disc player. Another 42 percent cited ease of player operation.

Mr. Gray said, "We continue to see that cable television is not a competitive problem in marketing video disc players, since VDP owners are more likely to subscribe to cable -- both basic and pay -- than the general population. The VDP owner also continues to be much more likely to own a video cassette player than the general population (19% vs. 5%)."

Corroborating earlier surveys, Mr. Gray said the latest wave showed that the video disc player is geared more to families with children than the video cassette recorder, which continues to be more of a single, male-oriented product.

Although available at retail for less than six months, "On Golden Pond" was the most widely owned feature film among the respondents in this survey, followed by "Casablanca," "The Black Stallion," "Airplane!," and "The Muppet Movie."

The top non-features owned included: "Disney Cartoon Parade, Vol. 1," "Star Trek -- The Menagerie," "Jane Fonda's Workout," "Charlie Brown Festival, Vol. 11," and "Star Trek -- City On The Edge Of Forever."