Best Buy’s Big Goodbye to DVDs and Blu-rays: What's Going On?
So, I stumbled upon some news that might shake up your movie-collecting plans. Remember how we all used to rush to Best Buy for the latest DVD or Blu-ray release? Well, those days might be coming to an end. The word on the street (and by "street," I mean the good folks over at TheDigitalBits.com) is that Best Buy is thinking of ditching the whole physical media party. And they might pull the plug as early as Q1 2024!
Now, if you're like me and occasionally pop into a Best Buy, this might not shock you too much. Their in-store sections for DVDs and Blu-rays have been shrinking fast. But here's the kicker: they're not just pulling these from the stores. Best Buy is planning to stop selling them online too. Yep, no more of those exclusive Steelbook editions we loved to hunt down.
I've had my own "Where's Waldo?" moments at some Best Buy stores, especially the ones in SoCal. You know, when you're trying to find that one movie release and end up having to ask an employee to check the back? Yep, it's been happening more often than not.
The real curveball for me was the online sales part. Big players like Paramount are moving their exclusives from Best Buy to Amazon. Guess others might follow suit soon... and
Walmart, which is basically the kingpin of Blu-ray and DVD sales (they own more than 45% of the market), has been chatting with Studio Distribution Services (SDS).
The buzz is that they might let SDS handle some parts of their physical media business. With Best Buy ducking out and Walmart possibly joining forces with SDS, things are getting interesting.
But hey, let’s not get too gloomy. Just because Best Buy is tapping out doesn’t mean DVDs and Blu-rays are going extinct... YET.
Sure, the golden days of the late '90s and early 2000s are behind us. But there's still a crowd (myself included) that loves owning a physical copy. And hey, indie studios are still hanging in there, releasing some gems for us diehard fans.
So, what’s the game plan now?
My advice: If there's a movie or series you've been eyeing, maybe now's the time to snag it. And while we're at it, let’s keep showing our love for physical media. Because honestly, there's nothing quite like holding that new movie in your hand. What's next? Video Games?
Ugh... Wake me from this nightmare.
~Smash
Shoutout to The Digital Bits for the initial info!
