Best Buy to phase out physical media and exclusives in store/online in 2024
- Thread starter digitalbabe_LV426
- Start date
for US. 
Probably because of all those trying to access at the same time.
This is the relevant bit, TBC:
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.
I just hope Lionsgate will continue to produce their steelbooks, and sell through Walmart or Amazon, or wherever else.
Another formula for failure is when you have premium retailers who make 10 versions of the same movie AND it's from five years ago! Time to move on and do it for NEW and current releases. No more than 2 versions, that's it.
Another guarantee for failure is them taking 2 years to release the slips!
Another guarantee for failure is them taking 2 years to release the slips!
They will. This creates a massive gap in the market and potentially a much lesser known store to get their name out there. Those outside of the UK will have never heard of Zavvi before they started selling Steelbooks but the reality is that before Steelbooks Zavvi was a struggling chain of shops playing second fiddle to the much bigger HMV and the likes
It’s not like the writing wasn’t on the wall when the in-store inventory was culled and then how many fewer exclusives they’ve released this year than in the past.
I can see Walmart getting in on more (mostly lower priced) releases, and unfortunately Amazon. Not a particularly big loss for me. I’m happy to direct more money to smaller and independent retailers, when possible, and import releases.
I can see Walmart getting in on more (mostly lower priced) releases, and unfortunately Amazon. Not a particularly big loss for me. I’m happy to direct more money to smaller and independent retailers, when possible, and import releases.
could not give away my dvd of across the Spider verseMore money for slabbed and raw comic books. It might be time to think about selling my large collection of SteelBooks before nobody wants them, like DVDs
.
Styg - surely you mean to sayWhateverYes, because them extra ~4k # of copies sold makes a difference on overall amaray or dvd sales dude
Well, people keep buying The Dark Knight trilogy. Hdzeta, Blufans, UHD Club, European premium steelbooks and now everyone is waiting for Manta Lab. Nothing changes
Physical stores in general are struggling anyway so It makes sense to give priority to floorspace for items that will shift and make them seriously money like phones, washing machines etc. Goods that need to be seen and can still be viable to stores on the high street. 100% of my discs now i get online. I think HMV is the store i would ever actually go in and buy discs in person. Also the vanity labels love you buying direct as it's 100% profit for them.
