Best Buy Is Saying Bye-Bye to a Once-Vital Movie Night Necessity The retailer is clearing the shelves to make room for more in-demand tech products.
By Sam Silverman Edited by Jessica Thomas
Key Takeaways
- Best Buy is nixing DVD sales to make room for different products.
- The decision follows the decline in physical DVDs and an uptick in the use of streaming services.
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Best Buy is bidding adieu to DVDs and Blu-Ray discs.
The electronics retailer announced on Friday that it will stop selling the once-essential movie-viewing tool online and in stores after the 2023 holiday season as consumers continue to shift to streaming services over physical discs.
"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 said in a statement to Variety. "Making this change gives us more space and opportunity to bring customers new and innovative tech for them to explore, discover and enjoy."
The decision to end DVD sales was reportedly made nine months ago, a source told Variety.
Related: Netflix Is Mailing Out Its Last DVD Today. I Got the Very First One 25 Years Ago.
Removing DVDs from the shelves will open up space for Best Buy to store and sell more in-demand tech products, according to CNN.
Although the tech retailer didn't divulge its DVD sales, Best Buy has downsized its DVD aisles in recent years, per the outlet.
According to data from trade association DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group, U.S. spending on physical home entertainment products dropped 28% in the first half of 2023, with sales falling to $754 million from $1.05 billion the previous year.
In addition to Best Buy, Netflix's decision to forgo physical DVDs — mailing its last red envelope just last month — leaves Amazon, Target and Walmart at the helm of the DVD industry. Walmart is the biggest player with its 45% market share, according to trade publication The Digital Bits.
