Physical Media might not be dead, but Physical Media in Retail Stores are accelerating the death (1 Viewer)

mrz7 · Mar 4, 2018

Today, while I was waiting for my car to be repaired (it took 5 hours!!!), I went around to the local retail stores to shop around. Now I live in the western suburbs of the metropolitan Chicago area, and I couldn’t believe the reduction of space for physical media in 3 major retail chains, Best Buy, Target and Walmart. Now, I did read that Best Buy and Target were going to start eliminating CD’s to be sold in the store…..but what I am talking about here, is not only CD’s, but DVD’s and Blu-Rays too!!! I couldn’t believe it!!
Best Buy out of the 3 major chains is getting close to nothing. The store by me use to have 4 aisles of tv shows on DVD and Blu Ray…..it now has been reduced to ONE aisle. CD’s didn’t even have an aisle…..just one 4 shelf stand and one of those barrels with a bunch of CD’s throw in big barrel like stand with 4.99 as the clearance price. Movies on DVD were still somewhat ok…..but their were only 3 aisles (they had tripled that amount at one time). And a stand in...

bmasters9 · Mar 4, 2018

mrz7 said:
Best Buy out of the 3 major chains is getting close to nothing. The store by me use to have 4 aisles of tv shows on DVD and Blu Ray.....it now has been reduced to ONE aisle.

Thankfully, there is a Disc Replay store (sells used CD's, DVDs and Blu-Rays) that was next door to Best Buy. And another Book Store down the street that also sells used books, CD's DVD's and Blu-Rays.

Addressing those two points of what you said:

--The Best Buy experience that you described is the same way it was when I went to one for the first time in Greenville off Woodruff Rd. It had more television disc releases than one could shake a stick at, and it was hard to choose, but fun to look! Now, there's next to nothing, and current stuff only at that!

--There is a similar place that I've been to several times lately called 2nd and Charles, off U.S. 276 in Greenville. I've brought a lot of releases that I had no use for to that place, and traded them in for other things that might be of more interest to me, usually using store credit. What I'd like to know is, is the place you went to similar to this (trade things you don't want for other things you do)?

Mr. Handley · Mar 4, 2018

Yes, the physical media sections at the major b&m stores have been decreasing steadily for the past few years now. The one exception here in the Milwaukee area seems to be Barnes & Noble. They have a pretty decent selection still, even if they are a bit on the pricey side. Due to this poor selection, these stores no longer see me much these days and I do almost all of my DVD shopping online.

bmasters9 · Mar 4, 2018

Mr. Handley said:
The one exception here in the Milwaukee area seems to be Barnes & Noble. They have a pretty decent selection still, even if they are a bit on the pricey side.

It's the same way w/a B&N on Haywood Rd. in Greenville-- haven't purchased much in the way of discs there, but still fun to look!

Richard V · Mar 4, 2018

Same here, BUT one of the local Best Buys has actually expanded the physical media section, and there is a Walmart that still has a HUGE selection.

David Norman · Mar 4, 2018

bmasters9 said:
Addressing those two points of what you said:

--The Best Buy experience that you described is the same way it was when I went to one for the first time in Greenville off Woodruff Rd. It had more television disc releases than one could shake a stick at, and it was hard to choose, but fun to look! Now, there's next to nothing, and current stuff only at that!

--There is a similar place that I've been to several times lately called 2nd and Charles, off U.S. 276 in Greenville. I've brought a lot of releases that I had no use for to that place, and traded them in for other things that might be of more interest to me, usually using store credit. What I'd like to know is, is the place you went to similar to this (trade things you don't want for other things you do)?

Have you been to the Spartanburg BBY? I'd like to get an opinion compared to Greenville since I rarely get down that far.
I've always been surprised at that store compared to even most of the Charlotte stores with their stock.
It's certainly nothing like 2005-2010, but the store to store variation seems quite high I'm sure for a reason.

bmasters9 · Mar 4, 2018

David Norman said:
Have you been to the Spartanburg BBY? I'd like to get an opinion compared to Greenville since I rarely get down that far.

I have not been to the outlet there, so it'd be pretty much impossible for me to get a read on what's there; I very seldom go to Spartanburg itself, to be honest.

TJPC · Mar 4, 2018

Walmart was always so poorly organized. That is no great loss. Any store which put all the CDs in alphabetical order with Beethoven next to the Beatles never got my business. I only sometimes pull up an empty shopping cart next to the Blu ray dump bin and fire my rejects into it as I paw through. I find less and less in there now.

3 or 4 years ago I would go to Walmart and Target on Black Friday and come out with armfuls. The last 2 years — nothing.

Regulus · Mar 4, 2018

TJPC said:
3 or 4 years ago I would go to Walmart and Target on Black Friday and come out with armfuls. The last 2 years — nothing.

Corporate greed RUINED Black Friday. I REFUSE to go shopping on Thanksgiving Day, I'd rather spend this holiday with friends and family (and they agree with me!). I do see an end to buying shows on DVD, there just isn't much stuff out there that I don't already have. I'll keep my eyes peeled for "Grail" and/or "Bucket List" shows becoming available, that's about it for now.

David Norman · Mar 4, 2018

bmasters9 said:
I have not been to the outlet there, so it'd be pretty much impossible for me to get a read on what's there; I very seldom go to Spartanburg itself, to be honest.

Understood, but if you're headed that way someday with some time to kill it might be worth dropping in just to check it out and see how it compares. I have about a 45-60 mile radius I have to go enough to combine trips enough to check out various stores.

Asheville, Winston-Salem, and Greenville are just a bit further outside the easy trip though I've gone to the the GVL Costco (for gas and their Alcohol attached site), BBY, and BN on an Atlanta drive once a year or so.

Ron Lee Green · Mar 4, 2018

When was the last time you visited these store's DVD sections? It's been happening gradually. It just didn't happen overnight. Every time I went to Walmart or Best Buy in the past, I would visit their DVD section, and each time it looked smaller and smaller than before.
I know I purchased a lot of DVD's online because they're cheaper than buying them in the stores. I'm sure a lot of people do the same so that probably has some effect on brick-and-morter store's business..
I could also be a regional thing. I noticed stores in different regions are stocked differently. I visited 2 Walmarts (one in a middle-class neighborhood, and one in a more affluent neighborhood. The "affluent" store had a larger DVD selection.

Suzanne.S · Mar 4, 2018

I stopped by my local Barnes & Noble on Friday and it looks like they are starting to phase out their DVD/Blu-Ray Department. Of the 6 stores within a 50 mile radius only 4 have movies/music. If the one closest phases out, I may rethink my membership next year.

Richard V · Mar 4, 2018

Suzanne.S said:
I stopped by my local Barnes & Noble on Friday and it looks like they are starting to phase out their DVD/Blu-Ray Department. Of the 6 stores within a 50 mile radius only 4 have movies/music. If the one closest phases out, I may rethink my membership next year.

I have noticed the same, it started about 6-8 months ago.

EricSchulz · Mar 4, 2018

I was in my local B&N (Webster Plaza) and their vinyl section is HUGE!!! CDs are still present, but scaled way back. Same with DVDs.

mrz7 · Mar 4, 2018

bmasters9 said:
Addressing those two points of what you said:

--The Best Buy experience that you described is the same way it was when I went to one for the first time in Greenville off Woodruff Rd. It had more television disc releases than one could shake a stick at, and it was hard to choose, but fun to look! Now, there's next to nothing, and current stuff only at that!

--There is a similar place that I've been to several times lately called 2nd and Charles, off U.S. 276 in Greenville. I've brought a lot of releases that I had no use for to that place, and traded them in for other things that might be of more interest to me, usually using store credit. What I'd like to know is, is the place you went to similar to this (trade things you don't want for other things you do)?

To answer your question bmasters9, Disc Replay is exactly what you described. You can trade your old CD/DVD/Blu-Rays/Video Games/Vinyl records for cash or credit to buy something used in the store. Disc Replay I know has 3 locations in the Chicago suburban area (they had 4 locations, but one closed two years ago). We also have a couple of similar stores, Frugal Book Music and More and Half Price Books Music and More. There stores do exactly the same as Disc Replay, but they do include books. All these places are great stores......can get a lot of great items cheap. I believe there are several locations for these stores as well, but not sure how many are in the Chicago area, And I don't know if either place has locations outside of Illinois. I'm sure if you googled them they probably have a website you can even order online directly thru them. I hope that helps!!!

TJPC · Mar 4, 2018

Regulus said:
Corporate greed RUINED Black Friday. I REFUSE to go shopping on Thanksgiving Day, I'd rather spend this holiday with friends and family (and they agree with me!). I do see an end to buying shows on DVD, there just isn't much stuff out there that I don't already have. I'll keep my eyes peeled for "Grail" and/or "Bucket List" shows becoming available, that's about it for now.

I guess it’s vulture like, but as a Canadian this is not our thanksgiving (usually around Oct. 7th). We usually stop in Niagara Falls Canada for Buffett at Fallsview Casino and then check into Senica Casino in the USA, and then go out and shop our brains out (which takes about 5 minutes! )

Regulus · Mar 4, 2018

I WAS going to order Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In next month, but I got hit with an unexpected expense this week,

so I'm postponing that purchase until August. (I'll purchase some movies in April and another movie in July, As for R&M'sL-I it will be a birthday present from me to myself).

Regulus · Mar 4, 2018

TJPC said:
I guess it’s vulture like, but as a Canadian this is not our thanksgiving (usually around Oct. 7th). We usually stop in Niagara Falls Canada for Buffett at Fallsview Casino and then check into Senica Casino in the USA, and then go out and shop our brains out (which takes about 5 minutes! )

We "Celebrate" Leif Ericson Day on the same day you celebrate Thanksgiving (Christopher Columbus NEVER set foot in what would become the continental USA, but Mr. Erikson DID!).

TJPC · Mar 4, 2018

October 7th is also my birthday, I often have felt vaguely offended or proud that an entire nation celebrates it by eating turkey!

:rock:

Regulus · Mar 4, 2018

TJPC said:
October 7th is also my birthday, I often have felt vaguely offended or proud that an entire nation celebrates it by eating turkey!

Mine is August 19, and I like eating a thick, juicy Beef Rib Roast.

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