why do stores always put the exercise videos in the adult section?

[mbt]

i went to best buy today to buy a karen voight dvd and was pleased with their fairly large exercise dvd section. however, i found it amusing that all the exercise dvds were mixed in with the playboy dvds and other adult entertainment dvds.

this guy who was obviously looking at the adult dvds practically ran away in shame when i showed up in the aisle looking for karen voight. poor guy, i probably ruined his day.

anyway, i was wondering if anybody else wished stores would stop sticking the exercise dvds with the porn videos. i guess i could understand it if they had some early-firm videos in the adult section, but i don't quite think richard simmons belongs there.

[Maryan, Paris]

I agree with you, but ... have you seen the cover of Brand New Butt ?

[SharonNYC]

Originally posted by Maryan, Paris
I agree with you, but ... have you seen the cover of Brand New Butt ?

Maryan,

that is one tacky cover. I am contemplating glueing a pin-up photo of Weegee the Magnificat on top of it.

[Linda B]

I know-

I was so excited a bit ago when our Best Buy moved them out of the porn section. But it didn't last, they got moved back by the next time I was there.

Probably it was an annoyed customer who moved them, and I was lucky enough to come in after her.

Which gives me an idea- what if we all staged a revolution, and just quietly moved the exercise DVDs to one shelf every time we went to BB. And, Maryan- we can make an even more subtle statement and leave the Butt DVD with the porn. Goodness knows, they put the vids together, so it can't completely have escaped their conscousness.

[Maryan, Paris]

I am wondering if our good old fitness videos don't have a submarket of men who watch them as voyeurs and not as exercisers (my husband's endless fascination with the FIRM women is an example of that ).

[patrice]

I know what you mean! I had an embarrassing moment with my daughter. I asked her to help me find a Firm tape, well she found firm things on a tape. We both left the story immediately because we were both so humiliated! (or maybe it was more of being totally grossed out).

Patrice

[Diavolobella]

I guess I live in a sheltered city, but they don't sell porn tapes at local video stores here. You'd have to go to an Adult Bookstore to get that. At our video stores the workout tapes are in their own section, usually right next to the documentaries or music video tapes!! Makes me glad I live here!!

Seriously though, I would complain vocally to the management. There is no valid reason on Earth why fitness videos should be put with the adult videos. I mean, geez, teenage girls use them and adult women (and men) who use them should not have to be subjected to exposure to pornography or the embarrassment of appearing to shop for it. I'd read the management the RIOT ACT!!

[peggy h]

The Best Buy I frequent has a special shelf for "fitness videos" but fitness DVDs are put in the "Special Interest" shelf.

Yesterday, I went to buy the Karen Voight DVDs (woo-hoo!) and it took a while to locate them. I had to wade through "Erotic Survivor" (which was lodged between Leslie's WAP and Kathy Smith's Yoga), and a whole lot of Playboy DVDs that were interspersed with the Firm DVDs.

[Deanna]

This has always bothered me a lot as well. Our local FYE (what used to be Record Town) is this way. I would often go in there on a weekday when they've got no business at all, and the sales people are clustered around doing absolutely nothing. Well, of course, they had to watch where in the store I went. Call me paranoid, but I know they were discussing my "taste" in videos and having a good laugh at my expense on more than one occasion. I haven't been in there in quite awhile because I felt so uncomfortable. If I go in there now it's always on a weekend when they're busy.

The FYE that's roughly 45 minutes away from me has, thankfully, finally, moved the exercise videos to a respectable section of the store. They've got a much larger selection than the local store does anyway.

Our Best Buy doesn't appear to have a rhyme or reason to their shelving system.

[nd2325]

"special interest". Most stores don't carry enough fitness videos/DVD's to warrant a "fitness" section. They do it an some borders stores too. I find it hilarious!