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In another sign that physical media is declining, Target plans on reducing the number of DVDs and Blu-rays it sells.
The retailer is preparing to sell fewer copies at Target stores, signaling it's due to decreased demand and the reach of streaming.
"Based on our guests’ shopping patterns and broader industry trends, we’re transitioning the limited assortment of DVDs we carry in our stores to Target.com, where guests will continue to find thousands of titles,” a Target spokesperson tells PCMag. "Moving forward, we’ll offer select DVDs in stores when they are newly released or during key times throughout the year when they are more popular, like for gift giving during the holidays."
Target didn’t mention ending DVD and Blu-ray sales. But the company responded after the Twitter/X account President of Physical Media claimed the retailer would stop the DVD and Blu-ray sales in-store and online by 2025, citing unnamed sources.
Rival Best Buy is ending physical media sales this year as more customers turn to streaming platforms. On BestBuy.com today, you won’t find any DVDs or Blu-rays for TV shows or movies.
Both Target and Best Buy plan to continue to sell physical copies of video games. But it looks like the era of owning physical copies of movies and TV shows is increasingly under threat. For now, both Walmart and Amazon continue to sell DVDs and Blu-rays. A service called Scarecrow Video is also offering DVD rentals through the mail.