The days of seeing shelves full of DVDs and Blu-ray discs at Best Buy are coming to an end.
The retailer confirms to Variety that it’s ending physical media sales next year, citing the dominance of online video streaming. “??To state the obvious, the way we watch movies and TV shows is much different today than it was decades ago,” a Best Buy spokesperson says. “Making this change gives us more space and opportunity to bring customers new and innovative tech for them to explore, discover and enjoy.”
The Digital Bits first reported the news, and says Best Buy might end physical media sales as soon as the end of Q1 2024 at physical stores and online. In the meantime, the retailer has already been spotted phasing out DVD and Blu-ray sales at stores across the country.
The news underscores the changing habits of consumers and the growing power of streaming services over traditional media. Netflix itself recently retired its own DVD-by-mail service, citing shrinking interest from users.
Best Buy bailing from the physical media sales may also signal that more movies and TV shows may be exclusively released on streaming services. Or they'll have a hard time tracking down certain titles, given that streaming services have pulled content in the last year in a bid to save money on licensing deals.
Fans of old-school physical media will still be able to buy DVDs and Blu-rays from retailers including Amazon, Walmart, and Target. In addition, a service called Scarecrow Video is offering DVD rentals through the mail.
Meanwhile, Best Buy tells Variety it’ll keep selling the discs through this year’s holiday season. The retailer will also continue selling video games.