Best Buy says it's discounting Blu-ray players

(CBC) - Best Buy Canada is following its subsidiary Future Shop and offering a break on Blu-ray players, the high-definition DVD player that recently became the standard format.

Best Buy said Wednesday that it will offer $50 off the price of a Blu-ray player that works only with that format in recognition of Blu-ray's triumph over the competing HD DVD technology. The discount starts March 21 and runs until May 2.

Toshiba, backer of HD DVD, said on Feb. 19 that it was conceding the market to Sony's Blu-ray format.

Best Buy said customers who bought an HD DVD player from its stores after Jan. 1, 2007, will also get a $50 gift card if they can produce the original receipt.

The gift cards can be used to buy anything in Best Buy stores, the company said in a release.

Best Buy's offer follows a somewhat different deal offered by Future Shop on March 7, but both offers are designed to ease the consumer pain from picking the wrong technology.

Future Shop said consumers who own HD DVD players will be able to trade in their machines for a $100 rebate off either an LG or Samsung combination Blu-ray/HD DVD player.

The retailer said it will donate the players traded to Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada.

U.S.-based Best Buy bought the Canadian chain Future Shop in 2001.