Buying Blu-Rays in Spain...Suddenly a treasure hunt

[Grimmy11]

So I tend to find myself in Spain every year visiting in laws. In different parts, but usually a brief stop in Madrid. I always make a point to pick up a couple of Blu-Rays when I do. Usually of something Spanish that hasn't had a release in the UK.

This time though...It's like physical media has died overnight in Spain?!? at least in terms of bricks and mortar stores.

Last year I was in Valencia and FNAC, El Corte Ingles and MediaMarkt were all full with DVDs, Blu-Rays and 4K's as was Madrid in times prior,

This time in Madrid though. Nothing... The main El Corte Ingles on Gran Via only had books and a small Vinyl section. No movies at all. The FNAC (which to me is their closest thing to an HMV) opposite was closed and the building being gutted.

Mediamarkt...nothing.

The two other FNAC stores in the city I tried. One with no movies, the other had one shelf about 3 feet wide with mostly 4Ks on it.

and that's it. Genuinely baffling that in a city like Madrid I had to hunt down for one small shelf that had a singular copy of a new Spanish movie release (Rodrigo Cortes' Escape)

I guess the question is, to anybody who lives in Spain or goes more regularly. Is that the norm now? Am I missing some big movie store I should keep an eye out for next time? Or is it a Madrid thing and other cities stores still stock movies?

[jp1965]

FNAC and El Corte Ingles in Malaga both still have a reasonable sized area devoted to 4ks and Blu-rays, although nothing on the level you would find in HMV.

[Grimmy11]

Well, that sounds positive at least.

Hopefully, it is just a Madrid thing. The big FNAC there does say "temporarily closed" on Google Maps, so hopefully it comes back (although it's basically just the shell of the building at the moment).

[ronand]

I was in Madrid and Valencia last October and both FNAC and El Corte Inglés had discs in stock. A lot of the blurays that FNAC were selling are considered bootleg elsewhere. FNAC in Portugal has stopped selling movies a few years ago.

[NathansUncle]

This is NOT what I was hoping to hear. I will be visiting Spain for three weeks in May, and I was hoping to pick up Blu-ray copies of Infamous (Historia de Un Crimen) and Angels in America (Angeles en America). I will be in Madrid one day before heading to León to begin the Camino de Santiago. Any store or other title suggestions would be much appreciated.

[4KFiend]

Malaga is where I usually like to shop in Spain. Pass by the El Corte Ingles and had never thought to check for blu rays there. Trying to get as many of the Fantaterror series as possible.

[vieyra]

I live in Madrid and the scenario is just like you said, plainful dead in terms of big retailers such as El Corte Inglés, FNAC and MediaMarket...

Truth is nobody is buying physical media these days, or at least not the amount of people is needed according to big department stores sells expectations, El Corte Ingles for example, just moved online the blurays selling. Biggest FNAC is under refurbishment but I really doubt that will keep the same space for blurays ---other FNACs dont have more than a shelf with 20 movies in best of the cases, so redirect you to online web---, besides that, not counting all the bootlegs and typical common 4K novelties, they never had too many blurays in my opinion ---at last the last years---.

I guess this is something happening sooner or later in all Spain, but some small cities stores could resist if they have regular sales due specific circumstances of its location, but I really doubt market will be bigger again soon.

Cheers,

[4KFiend]

Originally Posted by vieyra

I live in Madrid and the scenario is just like you said, plainful dead in terms of big retailers such as El Corte Inglés, FNAC and MediaMarket...

Truth is nobody is buying physical media these days, or at least not the amount of people is needed according to big department stores sells expectations, El Corte Ingles for example, just moved online the blurays selling. Biggest FNAC is under refurbishment but I really doubt that will keep the same space for blurays ---other FNACs dont have more than a shelf with 20 movies in best of the cases, so redirect you to online web---, besides that, not counting all the bootlegs and typical common 4K novelties, they never had too many blurays in my opinion ---at last the last years---.

I guess this is something happening sooner or later in all Spain, but some small cities stores could resist if they have regular sales due specific circumstances of its location, but I really doubt market will be bigger again soon.

Cheers,

Just got back from Malaga. Mediamrkt there is a bust, thery have no movies there either. The selection at FNAC is pretty good and there were definitely some big scores at CEX. I might be headed to S\Sevilla and Granada in a couple months, aside from Fnac are there any other stores that carry physical media

[PonyoBellanote]

Sadly, I have to inform you this seems to be the norm.

[ronand]

I'm just on the way out of Madrid heading for Salamanca. It seems that 4 of the El Corte Inglés stores in Madrid are still stocking discs. I picked up a few 4k discs in the store on La Princesa. The display is a bit of a jumble but I think it's been like that any time I've been there. The FNAC on Gran Via was the best shop in Madrid but as mentioned earlier the building has been gutted. So after that there only seem to be the CEX shops for used discs.