Digital Trends

Joining other major retailers in offering reparations for HD DVD buyers, Amazon recently sent out $50 gift cards to those who picked up their players before February 23.

It’s not all that bad to own an HD DVD player these days. Even though the last nails have been pounded into the format’s coffin, retailers have seemingly taken pity on those who picked up the ill-fated machines. Wal-Mart and Circuit City lengthened their return policies, Best Buy offered buyers $50, and now Amazon.com is coughing up the same $50 worth of condolences.

In an e-mail to customers posted on Gizmodo, Amazon gives a rather brief explanation for the gift: “New technologies don't always work out as planned. We at Amazon.com value our customer relationships more than anything and would like to support customers who purchased these players by offering a credit good for $50 off any products sold by Amazon.com.”

The letter went out to all customers who bought HD DVD players prior to February 23, 2008, which was HD DVD’s official doomsday. Individuals who bought more than one player were awarded a $50 credit for each, up to 10 units. Although Amazon encourages the gift cards be used on Blu-ray devices or HDTVs in its e-mail, it also continues to stock HD DVD players and discounted HD DVD discs.