Oh noes teh sky is falling!

[King O.A.]

Not surprised. It's been dead there for a few years now. Movies not being put out. Shipping carelessly which means banged up steelbooks (sometimes not their fault) and as of late, just overpriced.

Physical media will live on. Mark my words.

Just very glad I started the collection with 4K, as I believe this is the last of the format.

[TravisTylerBlack]

Originally Posted by FlamedLiquid

Helps my wallet. Hopefully this will mean less exclusive steelbooks and they will won't be retailer specific.

It was a fun run?

It means less competition so less incentive for other retailers to lower prices. Nothing about this is good for the hobby.

[Trekkie313]

Originally Posted by TravisTylerBlack

It means less competition so less incentive for other retailers to lower prices. Nothing about this is good for the hobby.

Other retailers get more daily foot traffic than BB though and movies don't cost a lot to ship by weight in bulk.

[filmbuffTX]

I’ll believe it when I see it.

How can they justify selling disc players if they don’t sell the discs to play them on? Every retailer that sells players also sells the discs.

Best Buy is still an industry leader in home theater. It’s one of the few chains left that has people knowledgeable about home theater equipment.

My preferred location has a Magnolia Home Theater store inside (as well as Pacific Kitchen + Home). I bought a TV a few weeks ago from Best Buy. I went in already knowing what I wanted, but I was impressed how knowledgeable the employees were about the various brands and models. They really knew their shit.

[ZeroRo]

Originally Posted by King O.A.

Not surprised. It's been dead there for a few years now. Movies not being put out. Shipping carelessly which means banged up steelbooks (sometimes not their fault) and as of late, just overpriced.

Physical media will live on. Mark my words.

Just very glad I started the collection with 4K, as I believe this is the last of the format.

Yeah they raised prices on some some stuff because they can

[Kylo_Ren]

Honestly, if actually true, this is really terrible news! And not just for us collectors of steelbooks, but for physical media in general. Of course, it's not going to sell as well if they keep limiting people's access to it one way or another. This is just another example of it yet again. You'd think with BB selling high-end TVs, they'd want to keep 4K discs readily available for customers/home theater enthusiasts to enjoy, but I guess not. That would make far too much sense.

With no 4Ks being offered at BB, this would pretty much only leave retail stores like Target, Walmart, and B&N for us to visit. And two of those are rather poorly stocked as it is. My nearest Target doesn't even bother to put out the newest 4Ks on release day. The few times I've gone there for an exclusive, they've often told me to wait and come back later in the week! haha

Walmart, in my experience, especially when ordering steelbooks online has been pretty bad to be honest. Most of their stock is either sent damaged (like the Top Gun: Maverick steelbooks) or is damaged in the mail because they send steelbooks in those thin plastic envelopes via FedEx.

This only leaves Amazon. At least, sometimes, they package steelbooks better. And even if they don't, your order usally arrives through their own delivery service, not the post office, which may somewhat reduce the chance of getting damaged items.

If BB leaves the physical media market, they'd only be giving Amazon more money and discouraging more competitive prices. This is bad news for us, the consumers, any way you slice it.

[Kylo_Ren]

Originally Posted by SteelbookCat

hand steelbook exclusives off to walmart then.

Gosh, I hope not!

What little experience I have personally had buying steelbooks from Walmart has been very poor. The majority of the time, the steelbooks I order online arrive damaged in those thin, plastic enevelopes. And as far as their retail stores, they never carry 4K steelbooks, only the regular blu ray versions of them unfortunately.

Originally Posted by DarkEco910

I was thinking it would be online only, but even that looks not to be the case?

Yeah, it's truly baffling, isn't it? I get them wanting to maybe shrink their physical media section in stores, but to completely get rid of the New Releases sections, which are small displays and take up very little floor space in their stores, makes no sense.

And to get rid of ALL physical media online is mind-blowing to me!

How can they be leaving so much money on the table by cutting off online sales for 4K blu rays/steelbooks. This is just awful if true!

I am always a "glass half full" kind of guy, but I just see nothing positive about this situation at all. haha

[thecalm_7]

Originally Posted by AspiringMinimalist

My Target has totally abandoned their movie section. It’s just books and toys now.

My target and big target (not super) have recently downsized. The new releases are all that’s left and a few TV box sets where the CDs were and the CDs (all K-POP in their special odd sizes) are just thrown haphazardly on the former movie stand. I’m in target 4-5 times a week as it’s right beside work. Nobody is buying books, which is laughable that they’ve increased it to the full back wall and 4 aisles. As for the collector toys, it’s a joke. That September geek out or haulathon thing, none of the targets within a 5 hour radius got it. But Wednesday they cleared an end cap and put out the decals for it and put out 4 pegs of Lando from SW Black Series.

[erixon20]

Guys, guys, guys...at least we still have Circuit City...Oh Wait.....

[gto35830]

Originally Posted by ROTTENLUNGZ206

Hopefully Target gets more. They always have good Target Circle deals plus 5% savings for using their Red Card.

No Target is starting to move most of their in store video out. looks like they might be only having on-line sales od disc's.

[Brian81]

Originally Posted by Saraph

I know people who have good experiences there are going to miss them. I'm not that person.

I hate BB with every fiber of my collector being and I hope they fold with this being the first step. I miss the days when returning or even getting an exchange wasn't a hassle or an epic saga of terrible choices. I miss GCU, My Best Buy perks for spending a certain amount every year, and people who actually cared to help you.

These days BB is short staffed by design, their CS is offshore and (by a BB employees own admission) isn't even technically connected to BB, they're just contracted out to take the calls and don't even utilize the same system.

I do hope this isn't a big blow to physical media in the states as some are suggesting but we as consumers deserve better than BB has been offering for years now.

They treat you like a thief when trying to do an exchange. I'd be willing to open every disc in person and show them right there the scratched up discs. I only go there so I can see the slips and SteelBooks in person.

[Kylo_Ren]

As a steelbook collector for a long time, my favorite thing about BB carrying physical media has been that throughout the years, and with few exceptions here and there, they've usually had steelbooks in stock.

This has allowed me to go to the store, inspect their condition, and pick out a nice copy or exchange a copy damaged in the mail with a better one in stores. To me, as a collector, this has been extremely important and very helpful.

Now, if I have to entirely rely on having steelbooks shipped by mail, trying to collect ones that aren't damaged will become an absolute nightmare! haha

[MattBowers2020]

Ultimately I'm kinda happy about this. Best Buy went from my favorite place to buy steelbooks to my least favorite in the space of a couple of years. At least now they won't have any exclusives that I can't find unless I pre-order the split second it becomes available for pre-order. It will be interesting to see how far they drop the price on those Disney 100 steelbooks as they clearance all of their physical media out.

[Rayjg]

Sucks if true. I go a few times a month on release day to peruse the new releases. Sure a lot of titles look like shit but every once in a while you find a perfect slipcover. And a big plus, compared to Barnes & Noble and FYE, is they don’t put destructive price stickers on their stock anymore. I’m actually not too worried about steelbooks. It just means they might become more widely available and easier to purchase. Though I’m sure Warner, Lionsgate, Disney and Sony will still try to make exclusive deals with someone else and probably online only now since there aren’t many big box retailers left that carry titles. Wal-mart, bleh, is really the only biggie left.

[DarkEco910]

Originally Posted by Bobafett345

Well played, best buy. I just let them know that their exclusives were the last thing keeping me shopping there.

As the kids on the internet say "top kek."

Won't miss them in the slightest.

I guess I'll pay off my Best Buy card and chop it up. I have no other reason to shop there if there will be no steelbooks available.

Is this why Walmart is carrying more steelbooks? I refuse to shop there, so I guess I'll be really picky with what I buy from now on and get it from overseas or Amazon.

[Bubbles-11]

Originally Posted by EzioAuditoreAC

https://thedigitalbits.com/columns/m...ts/101223-1100

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.

This will kill their store.

[Integra1995]

Mine did too but on the other hand. , their 4K Steelbook game is now 5 X Fold. Wow!

[thecalm_7]

I understand physical media isn’t the seller it once was but I don’t see what they could possible sell in that meager amount of space that could sell.
-Video games- Best Buy’s near me only have a limited amount of games. The switch games are behind the counter and they have these faded signs in acrylic lock boxes saying what game. PS5 is a few flops at 70$ and Best sellers, Xboxis abysmal with maybe an armspan of games.
-CDs gone aside for Christmas music from 5 years ago
-toys like NECA just trashed and ripped up so they don’t sell, lots of hot wheels and legos, and a few random Funko pops from Hamilton.
-home stereo- some sound bars and maybe a few receivers on display
-TVs, maybe more TVs so they aren’t in the walk way
- car stereo most of it is used and in baggies behind a display case
- cell phone section- avoid as the cases and accessories are way more than other retailers and it’s always people screaming
- appliances- never see them getting bought or delivered
- computer section- old folks walking around with questions while carrying their comically heavy old PC around with them. Maybe a group of obnoxious teens being loud talking trash about the gaming PCs.
-cameras and drones and vr- nobody ever there unless they’re taking a call or obviously pricing something in hand.
What I see people buying- TVs, movies, PS5/xbox console, and occasionally small appliances like a Ninja. Usually I wait in line behind numerous returns and people saying geek squad fouled up their stuff.

[Cplhicks]

Used to love shopping at Best Buy (and Fry's back in the day). Go in for some movies, wander around check out/buy other stuff. The movies were the main reason I went though. Since BB has turned their movie section into a crappy corner of the store, I have been maybe once. At least they had okay online sales and steelbooks though. Without that, I really have no reason left to go to Best buy, unless maybe once in a blue moon I am looking for a new appliance. This means black friday sales will probably be a lot worse, with a major competitor out. And possibly steelbooks etc become more rare. I am sad physical media is so unloved by the general public.

Between this and the RightStuf anime store closing down, it's been one big bummer recently as a media fan.

[teddyballgame]

It was nice having the option to hand pick your steelbook sometimes. I'll miss that

From what I can tell people come in to look at the TVs or get help with their cell phone/activation but other than it's a ghost town.

Retail in general was headed for a decline but Covid accelerated that process. I even get the groceries delivered now