In another death knell for physical media purists everywhere, Best Buy is ceasing sales of physical DVDs and Blu-ray discs in 2024 — both in-store and online.
As first reported by The Digital Bits and later confirmed by Best Buy, the sales strategy is in response to the shifting tides in media consumption. “To state the obvious, the way we watch movies and TV shows is much different today than it was decades ago,” Best Buy shared in a statement to The Associated Press. “Making this change gives us more space and opportunity to bring customers new and innovative tech for them to explore, discover and enjoy.”
USA Today reports that Best Buy continued their sale of DVDs through the 2023 holiday season, but will terminate DVD sales in early 2024.
Best Buy is not the first company to cut ties with DVDs — with Netflix terminating their original DVD-by-mail service in September. According to CNBC, DVD sales declined more than 86% between 2008 and 2018.
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If you’re a DVD collector or just swear by the higher resolution of Blu-ray discs, don’t fret. As USA Today reports, Walmart, Amazon, and Target remain the top sellers for DVDs. Plus, Redbox kiosks seem to have cornered the market in DVD rental services.
