It’s the end of an era for DVD lovers. Just a few months after Netflix called it quits in the DVD game, Best Buy is now following suit.
The retailer confirmed it will no longer sell physical DVDs or Blu-rays, and this holiday season will be the last time shoppers will find them in stores or online. By the new year, DVDs will be a thing of the past for Best Buy.
“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 told Variety in a statement. “Making this change gives us more space and opportunity to bring customers new and innovative tech for them to explore, discover, and enjoy.”
Where to buy DVDs moving forward
The move to stop selling DVDs comes after a nationwide shift away from physical media. Best Buy has slowly cut back on its DVD sales over the last few years, and the industry at large has fared similarly.
The Digital Entertainment Group reported that physical media sales dropped nearly 30% in the first half of 2023. In the first half of 2022, these sales accounted for over $1 billion in revenue; this year, that number fell to $754 million.
Where should consumers turn now that Best Buy is out of the equation? Amazon, Target, Walmart, and Redbox are the last retailers standing in the DVD game.
According to The Digital Bits, the publication that originally broke the news about Best Buy’s decision, consumers shouldn’t delay any DVD purchases. Their best advice: strike if you see something you like.
“Our advice to disc fans continues to be this: Buy the titles you want while you still can, because gone are the days when studios are going to keep releasing these titles on disc forever,” they wrote.
Video games will still be available
While Best Buy stopped selling physical CDs back in 2018, DVDs and Blu-rays have stuck around a bit longer.
However, video game fans shouldn’t panic just yet. Despite Best Buy’s decision to scale back on their physical media sales, video games will remain on shelves for the foreseeable future.