Retail chain Target has responded to the recent reports claiming that it will stop selling physical media, revealing that it will continue to sell physical media but will limit the number of copies it sells in its retail stores.
A Target spokesperson told IGN that the retail chain will be “transitioning the limited assortment of DVDs” they carry in retail stores. The official website will still offer “thousands of titles” for customers to purchase. Though the retail stores are pivoting to a more selective approach in what physical media it carry, the spokesperson told IGN that it would offer select DVDs in its stores when it a new release or “during key times throughout the year when they are more popular,” such as Black Friday or during an anti-Prime day sale.
“Based on our guests’ shopping patterns and broader industry trends, we’re transitioning the limited assortment of DVDs we carry in our stores to Target.com, where guests will continue to find thousands of titles,” the spokesperson said. “Moving forward, we’ll offer select DVDs in stores when they are newly released or during key times throughout the year when they are more popular, like for gift giving during the holidays.”
The spokesperson also confirmed that its new policy will not impact physical games sold in its retail stores. This will only impact the physical copies of movies and TV Shows.
Exclusive:
Target Sources are telling me they reportedly will stop selling physical media in-store and online by 2025 pic.twitter.com/uTT971d1B9
— President Of Physical Media (@PhysicalMedia_) April 17, 2024
Target’s response comes a day after the X/Twitter account The President of Physical Media posted that its sources told the account that the retail giant would stop selling physical media in-store and online by next year.
Though Target is not entirely abandoning it, the pivot to being more selective is the latest in a continuing, worrying trend for the state of physical media.
Despite the rise of streaming services and digital-only entertainment devices, physical media continues to show its importance, particularly as it gives consumers full control over the media they purchase. In certain cases, movies and TV shows made for streaming services have been pulled completely, leaving fans with no way to view them. In another recent case, the Funimation app shut down earlier this month, and customers are expressing frustration that their digital copies of the app wouldn’t transfer over to Crunchyroll despite the merger between the two anime giants.
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Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.