Adult SuperSource, formerly known as General Video West and Erotech, notified their customers this morning that as of January 1, 2005, the distributor will no longer stock new releases in VHS format, striking another nail in the coffin a format that is quickly going the way of the eight-track.
Bob Wolf, general manager of Adult SuperSource, explained that dwindling interest in the VHS format dictated the move. “We’re drawing orders for 10 to 15 pieces of VHS compared to a couple hundred for DVD, and with that sort of discrepancy in demand, the reality is that the VHS platform has come to its technological end.”
Wolf points to the compact size, durability and “pristine quality” of the image on DVD as reasons why VHS sales have tapered off.
Adult SuperSource distributes Adult products throughout the United States, though their efforts are concentrated primarily on the West Coast.
“We’ve been watching the trend in our own retail stores over the last couple of years. What started out as a blip on the radar has become all-consuming, and that’s DVD,” Wolf told AVN.com. “We have watched our VHS numbers absolutely decline in terms of rentals, sales and requests, and its gotten to the point where our vendors are calling us and saying that they are no longer going to be producing VHS new releases.
“When the vendors stop, you know its pretty much gotten to that point,” he added.
Private Media Group, Legend Video, Cherry Boxxx Pictures and Nectar Entertainment are among the adult companies no longer releasing new titles in the VHS format.
Retailers who wish to continue placing orders for new-release VHS titles with Adult SuperSource can ask their sales rep to stock a specific series or title for them, but Adult SuperSource warns retailers that the trend to discontinue new releases in the VHS format is a growing one.
“We’ve been winding down for a while. We’re looking at this as a slow death,” Wolf said. “There’s still some holdouts, but there are less and less everyday.”
In an effort to “convert” those last few VHS holdout retail customers, Adult SuperSource has begun marketing DVD players, available at a wholesale cost of $42 each, in retail locations, with the DVD player retail purchase price tied to a DVD rental special.
Retailers wishing to participate in the DVD player promotion should contact their Adult SuperSource rep for more info, at (800) 748-6366.
