Major Change Coming to Best Buy Stores in Maine

They’re changing with the times, but it’s still going to be a weird adjustment.

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The traditional experience of strolling through aisles, leisurely perusing an extensive collection of both new and classic movies, is fading away. Best Buy's previously disclosed plans to discontinue the sale of physical media will come into effect in 2024.

To clarify, Best Buy will cease selling physical DVDs, both in-store and online. This decision is a response to the diminishing relevance of physical media, largely overshadowed by the prevalence and relative convenience of streaming services.

The decline of physical media isn't unexpected. The surge in popularity of streaming and digital downloads has significantly reduced the demand for DVDs and Blu-rays. A CNBC article from 2019 highlighted an 86% decline in DVD sales since 2008. While this change might have been foreseeable, its actual implementation is still somewhat surprising.

Best Buy officially confirmed this shift late last year, expressing its intention to conclude the year with a final push in DVD and Blu-ray sales during the holiday season.

In an emailed statement, Best Buy acknowledged, "To state the obvious, the way we watch movies and TV shows is much different today than it was decades ago."

Furthermore, it's important to note that Best Buy has assured that video games will not be affected by this change, as confirmed to The Associated Press.

As of now, there are three Best Buy stores in Maine: one in Bangor on Bangor Mall Blvd, another in Augusta on Crossing Way, and a third in South Portland located in The Maine Mall.