http://tech.msn.com/news/articlepcw.aspx?cp-documentid=6557952&icid=tg6557952?GT1=40000Best Buy Forks Out $10 Million in Gift Cards to Burned HD DVD Customers
By PC World staff
HD DVD buyers are getting relief from Best Buy in the form of $50 gift cards if they purchased a HD DVD player before February 23 from the retailer. Following the lead of Circuit City, Best Buy is doing its best to console bitter HD DVD player owners who placed the wrong bet when buying a next-generation hi-def DVD player. In total Best Buy says it estimates a total of $10 million in gift cards will be distributed.
"At Best Buy, we understood and shared our customers' frustrations as they were being asked to choose one format or the other," said Brian J. Dunn, president and chief operating officer for Best Buy. "Now that the format war is over, we hope these gift cards will reassure our customers that we will help them make a smooth transition into the right technology for their needs."
Only Specific Model HD DVD Players Qualify
Best Buy is not requiring you return the HD DVD player to get the $50 gift card. However your HD DVD player must be either a Toshiba HD DVD (models: HD-A1, HD-A2, HD-A20, HD-XA2, HD-A3, HD-A30, HD-A35) or a Microsoft Xbox 360 HD DVD player accessory model 9Z5-00013.
According to Best Buy the gift card offer excludes "HD DVD-equipped computers and laptops, and so-called 'dual-format' or 'universal' high-definition disc player models designed to play both Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD media."
The sum of $10 million may sound like a lot to lose for Best Buy on HD DVD buyers. But that’s nothing compared to the estimated $986 million in losses suffered by the once HD DVD proponent Toshiba.
Earlier this month, Circuit City began a HD DVD player trade-in program that allowed customers to trade in their HD DVD equipment for credit toward a Blu-ray player or a gift card in the amount of the player.
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