Best Buy to stop selling CDs in-store this year

Yes it was! I still remember the last album I bought from there the last day it was open......Buzzcocks - Singles Going Steady.

 

Not in the last few years, but over the years, I've bought a ton of CDs from BB. And while I don't buy as much as I used to, I still buy a fair amount, but mostly fairly obscure stuff that I'd never expect BB, or any brick & mortar store outside of Amoeba, to carry.

So while my buying habits have changed some, BB's selling habits have also changed... which came first? Who's responsible? Who knows!

 

I wish. They always had the best music selection in our area.

 

Definitely. During the 1980s, I remember buying many sealed pre-1980s LPs from Target. Just the other day, I came across some sealed Herman's Hermits LPs (actual albums from the 60s) I bought during that period and they still have those Target discounted tags on the cellophane. Unlike their fairly predictable CD department, I always found that Target's vinyl selection varied from store to store during the 80s and no two selections were ever quite identical.

 

True but they had a better selection than Walmart and London Drugs currently have. Gas stations used to have more CDs than than those 2 places.

 

Out of principle, I look forward to boycotting Target and Best Buy.

 

Nowadays, a lot of people stream music (me being one of them) so that would make sense.

 

start one!

 

That, too, but maybe both.

 

If B.B. is phasing them out, my $4 purchase on Black Friday included a six month Tidal hifi subscription, so something good came out of it.

 

Come June 1st, Best Buy will no longer offer CDs in its retail stores. Physical music is only generating around $40 million in annual revenue for the company and executives would rather dedicate the floor space to more lucrative items, Billboard notes. Best Buy will continue to sell vinyl for at least the next two years, but titles will now be merchandised with turntables.

Meanwhile, Target is reportedly pressuring record companies into signing consignment agreements. Under such a scenario, the label would be required to purchase back any unsold inventory. Though Target only stocks 100 titles at any given time, it’s still responsible for a sizable chunk of sales. For example, last year Target moved 500,000 copies of Taylor Swift’s latest, Reputation. Even still, one major label has already turned down Target’s demands, while two others are undecided, according to Billboard.



Best Buy will cease selling CDs later this year

 

Ok, within walking distance or a quick drive during lunch hour, maybe not, but otherwise? Trenton? C'mon -- aren't you a short distance away from famed Princeton Record Exchange??? I'm envious. It's not at all unusual for me to buy a record that's still got a Princeton Record Exchange sticker on it.

There are lots of specialty items that no one would expect to find in a Best Buy or Walmart, and from now on, music will be one of them. But it might be a good thing for independent record stores, at least some of which appear to be doing pretty well.

 

Live near Trenton; work just outside of Princeton. Less than a 10 minute drive to Princeton Record Exchange. I stop in at least once a week. There is always a large turnover of used CDs, and they are on top of new releases too. Great staff there as well. Just picked up the new Ty Segall there this week.

 

It's sad to have fewer choices, but as most others have pointed out, the selection at my locals store(s) is pathetic. I occasionally bought some new release like Metallica's Hardwired to Self-Destruct or the Rolling Stones Lonesome and Blue from them rather than order from Amazon. The local independent stores mostly only carry LP's now.

 

It is sad. I used to go to Best Buy almost weekly to check out, and usually pick up, a new cd relaease. Occasionally, a blu ray or DVD release. While there, I would end up buying something I never came in to buy like a video game, headphones, iPhone accessory, portable speaker, computer accessory, etc. I was always in the top level of their reward program picking up numerous reward coupons.
When they stopped carrying CDs other than top pop ones, I moved to Amazon or other on line cd sellers. I have actually saved money without the impulse buys. However, I miss being able to physically browse cd selections.

 

Can't remember the last time I bought a CD at either Best Buy or Target.

Yeah, I guess it's been that long.

 

When it comes to PREX, one hour is not enough time.

 

Funny......I had to stop in at Target the the other day to pick up something for my wife and bought the Rush - Working Men Live compilation for $5. That was probably my first purchase there in years.

 

I love Princeton Record Exchange! I no longer live in NJ, but whenever I visit, I always stop there at least once and box up and ship whatever I've purchased to my house in GA. Such a great selection, and very good prices on most of it.

 

Let the clearance sale begin!

 

Hardly surprised their meager CD selection is garnering a meager amount of cash flow. Who didn't see this coming? The only shock is that they carried CDs this long.

 

The only time I shopped at either store for CDs was when they had exclusively editions of CDs at those stores. I guess that goes away now.

 

i will miss those exclusives though

 

And of course Amazon’s prices have been trending higher.

 

I haven't bought music at a Best Buy in several years but this is still a sad reminder of better times. I cut my teeth on the classical and early music genres back in the 90's when Best Buy had a special enclosed room for classical CD's and I spent many hours and dollars shopping there. It was very sad the day I came in and they had dismantled that room. But even as late as the mid-2000's another Best Buy near my workplace at the time had a special section for DVD-A and SACD - wish I could go back in time and grab a bunch of titles off those racks!