Now it's number two but it came out on DVD one week before New Moon and then it was number 1. I know mainly because Astro Boy came out on the same day and that was Number 2.
From Phillyburbs.com:
Best-Sellers
1. “The Princess and the Frog” (G); Grade: A; $29.99, DVD; $39.99, DVD/Blu Ray combo; $44.99, DVD/Blu-ray Disc with a digital copy
2. “Astro Boy” (PG); Grade: B+; $26.99, DVD; $34.99, Blu-ray Disc
3. “Up in the Air” (R); Grade: A; $29.99, DVD; $39.99, Blu-ray Disc
4. “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” (R); Grade: A; $29.99, DVD; $39.99, Blu-ray Disc
5. “Ninja Assassin” (R); Grade: B; $28.99, DVD; $35.99, Blu-ray Disc
6. “The Hurt Locker” (R); Grade: A; $26.99, DVD; $34.99, Blu-ray Disc
7. “Old Dogs” (PG); Grade: B; $29.99, DVD; $39.99, Blu-ray Disc; $44.99, Blu-ray Disc with digital copy
8. “2012” (PG-13); Grade: B; $28.99, DVD; $39.99, Blu-ray Disc
9. “Did You Hear About the Morgans?” (PG-13); Grade: NP; $28.99, DVD; $34.99, Blu-ray Disc
10. “The Fourth Kind” (PG-13); Grade: C; $29.99, DVD; $39.99, Blu-ray Disc
Partial source: Home Media Magazine, wire-service and Web reports; NP means not previewed.
This IS old. This is the report for the weekend of March 16, the day it came out but even so, being number 2 is nothing to sneeze at either. It means the movie is still holding it's own after being out for a while
BTW, That was a fascinating read you provided though I think a simpler explanation is that in this economy, no one can afford to take the whole family to the movies. We, a family of six would have to pay 60 big ones just to go to the movies and that's not even counting snacks. So I think it was a price issue. People couldn't take the whole family to the movie so they decided to just wait for the DVD