Best Buy Finished w/ Physical Media?
04-01-19, 03:25 PM
#176
DVD Talk Reviewer/ Admin
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Greenville, South Cackalack
Posts: 28,831
Received 1,884 Likes
on
1,239 Posts
Re: Best Buy Finished w/ Physical Media?
The Shout/Scream pricing seems to be such a no-go that bestbuy.com doesn't even carry those titles, which makes it that less likely that they'd carry 'em in-store. At least, not the recent ones I spotchecked: The Manitou, Perfect Blue (distributing for GKIDS), Valentine, The Deadly Mantis... I did notice Valentine: The Dark Avenger available for preorder, though, so I guess it's not a blanket thing.
Best Buy does occasionally get in some of those cult titles. I picked up The Gate in-store a couple years ago, anyway.
Best Buy does occasionally get in some of those cult titles. I picked up The Gate in-store a couple years ago, anyway.
04-01-19, 06:51 PM
#177
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Best Buy Finished w/ Physical Media?
Out of the entire Vestron catalog, I've seen some Best Buy stores carry (at one time) at least half of the titles available.
04-04-19, 09:06 PM
#178
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Best Buy Finished w/ Physical Media?
It used to take me 20 minutes to browse Target's video section, now it takes about 3 minutes. Our Best Buy still has quite a bit of media, I can still spend 20 to 30 minutes browsing videos in there. It's almost not worth it for me to visit Target anymore, Walmart has better prices on most other stuff anyway, especially media, and that's saying a lot because Walmart doesn't seem to want to compete with anyone anymore. Best buy's prices are still higher than I'd like but every once in awhile they surprise me.
10-12-23, 01:30 PM
#179
Re: Best Buy Finished w/ Physical Media?
BB to end physical media sales in 2024.
All right, folks... we’ve got a little bit of a whopper for you today. And so as not to bury the lede, let’s get right to it...
The Digital Bits has learned from industry sources—and we’ve confirmed it with multiple sources now—that Best Buy plans to exit the physical media business for good next year, possibly as soon as the end of Q1 2024.
This includes not just their in-store Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD sales, which the retailer has been gradually phasing out for a couple of years now in their many store locations nationwide, but online sales as well. This means no more Best Buy-exclusive Steelbook titles, and no more titles from Best Buy period.
The fact that Best Buy is discontinuing physical media sales in their retail locations should come as no surprise; anyone who’s visited a Best Buy store location on a Tuesday recently will be all too aware that the retailer’s disc sections keep getting moved around and have gotten smaller and smaller. Our own experience here at The Bits is that some store locations don’t even bother to stock new-release titles on the sales floor anymore—even their exclusive ones. More than once, in their Southern California locations, I’ve had to ask for the titles and wait while a clerk checks the storeroom.
But the idea that Best Buy would discontinue online sales too comes as a bit of a surprise... though perhaps it shouldn’t. We’ve noted in recent months that Paramount has quietly shifted their Blu-ray and 4K Steelbook exclusive titles—titles that would normally have been released at Best Buy—to Amazon instead. And it seems very likely that other studios will follow Paramount’s lead in the months ahead. [Read on here...]
Some of you may recall a story that my old friend TK Arnold, over at Media Play News, shared back in August (click here for that), which suggested that Walmart was in talks with Studio Distribution Services (SDS) about having SDS manage parts of the retailer’s own physical media operation, including shipping and distribution.
Walmart is already the largest retail seller of Blu-ray, DVD and 4K titles—larger even than Amazon—with over 45% market share. With Best Buy throwing in the towel, that leaves only Target and Amazon as serious competition in the physical media space here in the States. Amazon is certainly staying in that space for the long-haul, but Target stores too have scaled back their physical media sales in recent years. So it seems logical that these two pieces of news—Best Buy bowing out of the business and Walmart looking to upgrade or make more efficient their own—are not unrelated.
In any case, this is certainly a significant development. But while it obviously isn’t good news, no one should rush to the conclusion that this spells the end of physical media. The disc business is definitely no longer what it was, even five or six years ago. And the Golden Age of DVD and Blu-ray that so many of us remember fondly (a period that runs from 1997 to 2012–13) is long gone.
Still, the indie studios and distributors have built a thriving business—though one with narrow profit margins—by catering to diehard fans and collectors. And virtually all of the major Hollywood studios now recognize—or have begun to—that the disc business can still be a reliable source of revenue, even as streaming profits remain elusive and the theatrical business appears to be in decline.
As I said a few years ago, and have said many times since, physical media will likely continue to be viable through the end of the decade. But there is no doubt that times have changed, and it has most definitely become a niche market for collectors, not unlike the LaserDisc era back in the 1990s.
So our advice to disc fans continues to be this: Buy the titles you want while you still can, because gone are the days when the studios are going to keep releasing these titles on disc forever. Support physical media in every way you can, knowing that 4K Ultra HD is likely to be the last physical media format that comes to market. And enjoy your favorite movies and TV series on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K UHD for as long as they last.
Back with more tomorrow. Stay tuned...
https://thedigitalbits.com/columns/m...ts/101223-1100
All right, folks... we’ve got a little bit of a whopper for you today. And so as not to bury the lede, let’s get right to it...
The Digital Bits has learned from industry sources—and we’ve confirmed it with multiple sources now—that Best Buy plans to exit the physical media business for good next year, possibly as soon as the end of Q1 2024.
This includes not just their in-store Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD sales, which the retailer has been gradually phasing out for a couple of years now in their many store locations nationwide, but online sales as well. This means no more Best Buy-exclusive Steelbook titles, and no more titles from Best Buy period.
The fact that Best Buy is discontinuing physical media sales in their retail locations should come as no surprise; anyone who’s visited a Best Buy store location on a Tuesday recently will be all too aware that the retailer’s disc sections keep getting moved around and have gotten smaller and smaller. Our own experience here at The Bits is that some store locations don’t even bother to stock new-release titles on the sales floor anymore—even their exclusive ones. More than once, in their Southern California locations, I’ve had to ask for the titles and wait while a clerk checks the storeroom.
But the idea that Best Buy would discontinue online sales too comes as a bit of a surprise... though perhaps it shouldn’t. We’ve noted in recent months that Paramount has quietly shifted their Blu-ray and 4K Steelbook exclusive titles—titles that would normally have been released at Best Buy—to Amazon instead. And it seems very likely that other studios will follow Paramount’s lead in the months ahead. [Read on here...]
Some of you may recall a story that my old friend TK Arnold, over at Media Play News, shared back in August (click here for that), which suggested that Walmart was in talks with Studio Distribution Services (SDS) about having SDS manage parts of the retailer’s own physical media operation, including shipping and distribution.
Walmart is already the largest retail seller of Blu-ray, DVD and 4K titles—larger even than Amazon—with over 45% market share. With Best Buy throwing in the towel, that leaves only Target and Amazon as serious competition in the physical media space here in the States. Amazon is certainly staying in that space for the long-haul, but Target stores too have scaled back their physical media sales in recent years. So it seems logical that these two pieces of news—Best Buy bowing out of the business and Walmart looking to upgrade or make more efficient their own—are not unrelated.
In any case, this is certainly a significant development. But while it obviously isn’t good news, no one should rush to the conclusion that this spells the end of physical media. The disc business is definitely no longer what it was, even five or six years ago. And the Golden Age of DVD and Blu-ray that so many of us remember fondly (a period that runs from 1997 to 2012–13) is long gone.
Still, the indie studios and distributors have built a thriving business—though one with narrow profit margins—by catering to diehard fans and collectors. And virtually all of the major Hollywood studios now recognize—or have begun to—that the disc business can still be a reliable source of revenue, even as streaming profits remain elusive and the theatrical business appears to be in decline.
As I said a few years ago, and have said many times since, physical media will likely continue to be viable through the end of the decade. But there is no doubt that times have changed, and it has most definitely become a niche market for collectors, not unlike the LaserDisc era back in the 1990s.
So our advice to disc fans continues to be this: Buy the titles you want while you still can, because gone are the days when the studios are going to keep releasing these titles on disc forever. Support physical media in every way you can, knowing that 4K Ultra HD is likely to be the last physical media format that comes to market. And enjoy your favorite movies and TV series on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K UHD for as long as they last.
Back with more tomorrow. Stay tuned...
10-12-23, 01:34 PM
#180
DVD Talk Reviewer & TOAT Winner
Re: Best Buy Finished w/ Physical Media?
Can’t wait for them to go out of business now. Haven’t had any reason to go in their stores much since they started reducing media, and what’s the point of buying expensive equipment there with nothing to play on it?
The following users liked this post:
Michael Corvin (10-13-23)
10-12-23, 01:40 PM
#181
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Best Buy Finished w/ Physical Media?
I thought they were basically surviving with appliance sales, and Geek Squad. I dunno, I haven't been into one besides to pick something up in a long long time.
10-12-23, 01:42 PM
#182
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Best Buy Finished w/ Physical Media?
I have to imagine they did some number crunching and realized that physical media was costing them money, not making it. I don't know how BB stores are laid out these days but, from what I remember removing physical media would allow them to cut their footprint in half.
10-12-23, 01:47 PM
#183
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Best Buy Finished w/ Physical Media?
Like Target their in-store selection has been shrinking drastically for a while now. But the biggest update here is that they won't even have media online anymore.
10-12-23, 01:59 PM
#184
DVD Talk God
Re: Best Buy Finished w/ Physical Media?
I think now in 2023, the vast majority of Best Buy's customers come there for computers, tablets, mobile phones, appliances and TVs/stereos. That's how they keep the lights on. This isn't the late 90s or early 2000s anymore. Physical media is going to be a 100% online business within the next few years.
The last time I purchased physical media from them was November 2022.
The last time I purchased physical media from them was November 2022.
The following users liked this post:
IBJoel (10-13-23)
10-12-23, 02:04 PM
#185
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Re: Best Buy Finished w/ Physical Media?
Pretty much only reason I stop at Best Buy now, and it's rare, is if I need a piece of tech a) that's in stock and b) can't wait the 12-36 hrs for Amazon to get it to me.
10-12-23, 02:09 PM
#186
DVD Talk Reviewer/ Admin
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Greenville, South Cackalack
Posts: 28,831
Received 1,884 Likes
on
1,239 Posts
Re: Best Buy Finished w/ Physical Media?
I'm disappointed but not surprised. I'm especially pessimistic about the domino effect, as less competition = higher prices. This'll also affect my other Best Buy shopping, since one of the biggest reasons I bought electronics and appliances there was to use reward certs on movies and games. But if they're dropping movies and presumably games, they don't really have much of a differentiator anymore.
10-12-23, 02:27 PM
#188
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Best Buy Finished w/ Physical Media?
I'm not bothered by this news at this point. Walmart still sells physical media and I have one store in town called Vintage Stock that I buy from regularly. Other than those two stores all my purchases are online. There's not much else to shop for at Best Buy these days.
10-12-23, 02:31 PM
#189
DVD Talk God
Re: Best Buy Finished w/ Physical Media?
The last time I walked into a Best Buy was in June. I bought a cheap pair of wireless ear buds.
I took a peak at the physical media section and it was basically scraps. Hardly anything in stock and lots of empty spaces. They really don't give a shit about that section anymore.
I took a peak at the physical media section and it was basically scraps. Hardly anything in stock and lots of empty spaces. They really don't give a shit about that section anymore.
10-12-23, 02:33 PM
#190
DVD Talk Godfather & 2020 TOTY Winner
Re: Best Buy Finished w/ Physical Media?
I'm really upset by this. I have tons of Best Buy exclusive Steelbooks and am so surprised that they're totally getting out of the market. It's depressing.
The following users liked this post:
miller_time22 (10-12-23)
10-12-23, 02:41 PM
#191
DVD Talk Reviewer & TOAT Winner
Re: Best Buy Finished w/ Physical Media?
This is going to hurt the industry more than just the general decline in sales. Sales can’t help but decline even further when there’s fewer places to buy this stuff. I’ll buy titles I really want online but there’s less chance to find other titles at the same time that I may not have known about or pick up something just because the package is cool. It’s getting to the point now where there’s even fewer places to buy Blu-rays than there were laserdiscs back in the 90s.
The following users liked this post:
PhantomStranger (10-12-23)
10-12-23, 03:32 PM
#192
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Best Buy Finished w/ Physical Media?
I have been pretty much only buying UHDs in Steelbook form so this definitely sucks for me. I just picked up the Battlestar Galactica Steelbook from my local BB just an hour ago.
Also, I ran by my local library to pick up a few horror movie titles for DVDTalk horror movie challenge. My library used to have hundreds of Blu-rays but they were ALL gone. Seriously. They had maybe just 2 dozen new releases on Blu-ray. I asked one of the clerks about it and she said that they just weren't circulating, and they dumped them all. they are still going to continue carrying releases in DVD form but said due to the cost and lack of interest, their Blu-ray stock will soon be nothing. So no UHDs coming their way either. She said, for now, that DVDs still circulate pretty well.
Last edited by Spiderbite; 10-12-23 at 03:37 PM.
10-12-23, 03:47 PM
#193
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Best Buy Finished w/ Physical Media?
That's sad for media but I can't complain since me and others like me are to blame. Haven't really bought much in years. Even gave up on the Marvel stuff after End Game. I still pick up some cheapies here and there to keep at the Florida condo. It's a service for the tenants and I like having some stuff during the off-season when I don't have the wi-fi on. Other than the $5 bargains I don't think I've gotten a new release since Top Gun.
10-12-23, 03:51 PM
#194
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Best Buy Finished w/ Physical Media?
That's sad for media but I can't complain since me and others like me are to blame. Haven't really bought much in years. Even gave up on the Marvel stuff after End Game. I still pick up some cheapies here and there to keep at the Florida condo. It's a service for the tenants and I like having some stuff during the off-season when I don't have the wi-fi on. Other than the $5 bargains I don't think I've gotten a new release since Top Gun.
10-12-23, 04:01 PM
#195
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Best Buy Finished w/ Physical Media?
The lack of new studio releases for a couple years certainly hurt interest in media.
The following users liked this post:
Spiderbite (10-12-23)
10-12-23, 04:12 PM
#196
DVD Talk Reviewer/ Admin
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Greenville, South Cackalack
Posts: 28,831
Received 1,884 Likes
on
1,239 Posts
Re: Best Buy Finished w/ Physical Media?
For me and Marvel, I just feel like I'm stuck on a treadmill. With 1-2 movies a year, each one is an event -- something to be excited about, something to look forward to. When it's 3-4 movies a year, and another 3-5 TV series a year on top of that, it just starts to feel like work. It's hard to be excited about the next thing when there's always a next thing, especially if you're trying to keep up with Marvel and Star Wars. And with these projects being more uneven now -- the highs are still really high (like She-Hulk and Ms. Marvel), but the lows are...oof (Secret Invasion, Love & Thunder) -- it's even harder to keep my enthusiasm up.
10-12-23, 04:13 PM
#197
Re: Best Buy Finished w/ Physical Media?
The worst part about this is Amazon not having any Best Buy sales to match. I don't think I've bought an actual disc inside a Best Buy in years, and I've only ordered a handful from the website.
The following users liked this post:
miller_time22 (10-12-23)
10-12-23, 04:14 PM
#198
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Best Buy Finished w/ Physical Media?
I was mainly asking because I'm not sure myself... I would rush out to buy both Marvel and Disney movies basically day of to get my steelbook, and I stopped once steelbooks became less rare, Disney+ had every movie to watch at the same time, and Marvel kind of relaxed after Endgame.
10-12-23, 04:29 PM
#199
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Best Buy Finished w/ Physical Media?
Frankly, as far as I'm concerned, good riddance. My local Best Buy completed dropped physical media. Not one disc in store. You can't even order a SteelBook online for in-store pickup. That makes shipping the only option, and Best Buy consistently ships SteelBooks in flimsy padded envelopes. I'd rather take my chances with another retailer that might have the good sense to put it in a box.
Last edited by Josh Z; 10-12-23 at 04:35 PM.
10-12-23, 04:52 PM
#200
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Best Buy Finished w/ Physical Media?
I think now in 2023, the vast majority of Best Buy's customers come there for computers, tablets, mobile phones, appliances and TVs/stereos. That's how they keep the lights on. This isn't the late 90s or early 2000s anymore. Physical media is going to be a 100% online business within the next few years.
The last time I purchased physical media from them was November 2022.
The last time I purchased physical media from them was November 2022.