Tuesday News: Successful YA book fails to make big screen transition; Best Buy to price match; Revenge porn site owner subject to investigation
‘Die Hard’ Box Office Solid Over Presidents Day Weekend; ‘Beautiful Creatures’ Bombs – “Making a weak debut at No. 6 was the Warner Bros. teen fantasy “Beautiful Creatures,” which pulled in $7.5 million for the weekend and $10 million since opening Thursday. The movie is based on the first in the best-selling series about a Southern misfit (Alden Ehrenreich) who falls under the spell of a teen witch (Alice Englert).” There have been dozens of YA novels optioned for film but the disaster that is Beautiful Creatures may put many of these projects on the back shelf. For those unfamiliar with the process, a production company can buy a time option or the film rights to a book. But until that option is assigned a director and there is actual money behind the project, the book remains a book only. Huffington Post
Best Buy online Price-matching policy permanent to stop ‘showrooming’ – “Best Buy’s Low Price Guarantee hits online and in stores on March 3, signaling the end of “showrooming.” Best Buy will price match all local retail competitors and 19 major online competitors in all product categories and on nearly all in-stock products, whenever asked by a customer.” Target is also doing this but in order to get the price match, you have to go to customer service instead of through the regular check out line. Plus, Target is moving toward selling a lot of house branded items making the price matching more difficult (because they won’t have the same products). Best Buy also has a number of house branded electronics and in order to get the price match, you will have to be buying the same exact television or other electronic. Oftentimes, Best Buy will carry a slightly different brand than another store. BGR
Maker’s Mark learns a painful social media lesson, won’t dilute bourbon – Maker’s Mark announced last week that it would be watering down its bourbon to meet demand. The demand rose up and said that this was a horrible idea and now Maker’s Mark is backing down. The 84 proof Maker’s Mark will be stopped and production will start up again on the 90 proof bourbon. Quartz
Revenge Porn Website Operator May Be ‘Catfishing’, Impersonating Woman To Obtain Nude Photos – Craig Brittain claims he makes $3000 a month in advertising running a site that specializes in revenge or humiliation porn. He accepts submissions of naked women and then posts those pictures along with identifying information such as their facebook profile, phone numbers or addresses. Brittain claims that all the information is sent to him by anonymous individuals but there seems to be evidence that Brittain is acquiring some pictures by posing as a female on Craigslist and acquiring the images via “catfishing” which is pretending to be someone to trick another into an online relationship. Law enforcement is finally investigating Brittain. CBS Denver
I’m glad they’re investigating that guy. What a creep.
I’m glad that maker’s mark listened to their fan base…
…and now for the irony that is human nature. That core, vocal, maker’s mark fan base that protested this move is desperately trying to buy up any of the “limited edition” 84 proof bottles they can find at distributors!
Have fun with that price matching b.s., Best Buy workers. Wal-mart does it, and it is one of their most frustrating (and line slowing) policies. Not only does it have to be the same exact product, it has to be an exact advertised price that you have proof of, and it has to be a sale that is going on at that exact time–so they won’t match a sale that’s set to start tomorrow or was over yesterday. And they won’t match other Wal-marts or online prices. Get behind a customer that wants to do a bunch of price matches, and you might as well crawl in your cart and take a nap–it’s going to be awhile.
I read several reviews of Beautiful Creatures and was surprised by the divided responses. Some reviewers thought that the two young leads were refreshing and Jeremy Irons and Emma Thompson chewed the scenery, others thought the young leads were bland and Irons and Thompson were having fun with their roles. I may watch it when it hits Netflix to see which side I agree with.
I had heard about Craig Britain–who is an absolute piece of rotting garbage–though Popehat and Adam Steinbaugh (the latter has a full series of posts on Brittain and Is Anybody Down)
I’m with those that don’t think Best Buy or Target price matching will make all that much difference although I understand why they need to try. Showrooming was/is killing them. I certainly hope they see improvements since both companies are based in my home state and the layoffs have been killer.
I think the idea of bookstores QR coding books for browsers to scan and download (from yesterday) sounds a lot like showrooming and can’t imagine BnN and the like going for that. But I can imagine Google or Amazon being all over offering virtual books, music, movies etc. at future stores they may open. Small space, unlimited content.