Select Sam’s Club warehouse stores in the U.S. are selling Microsoft Corp.’s Xbox 360 HD DVD Player for $72.54.

According to a thread on popular shopping website FatWallet.com, a buyer was able to purchase the external high-definition peripheral for the discounted amount.

The price would represent the lowest in-store discount for the device, which typically retails for $199. Samsclub.com sells the product for $181.42.

The Xbox 360 HD DVD drive allows owners to play new high-definition format HD DVD movies. The format is developed by Toshiba and is backed by heavyweights, including Microsoft, Intel, HP, and LG.

Recent sales figures for rival format Blu-ray disc may have helped contribute to slower sales for HD DVD devices and content.

Reuters this week reported that Blu-ray discs represented 70 percent of the high-definition discs purchased in the first quarter, while HD DVD accounted for the remaining 30 percent.

In addition, Microsoft offers downloadable high-definition content through its Xbox Live online network, which may have suppressed demand for an additional high-definition playback option.

Microsoft next week will launch the Xbox 360 Elite to U.S. retail. The new hardware SKU includes HDMI and a 120GB hard drive for $479.99.