Mail order dvds

The nostalgia! Mail-order DVDs were a popular way to purchase movies and TV shows before the rise of online streaming services. Here's a brief overview:

History: Mail-order DVDs emerged in the late 1990s and early 2000s, as DVDs became a popular format for home video entertainment. Companies like Amazon, Walmart, and specialty retailers like DVD Planet and Deep Discount began offering mail-order DVD sales.

How it worked: Customers would browse online catalogs or print out paper catalogs, select the DVDs they wanted to purchase, and place their orders by phone, mail, or online. The DVDs would then be shipped directly to their homes.

Benefits: Mail-order DVDs offered several advantages:

  1. Convenience: Customers could browse and purchase DVDs from the comfort of their own homes, without having to physically visit a store.
  2. Selection: Mail-order retailers often carried a wider selection of DVDs than local stores, including hard-to-find titles and foreign films.
  3. Price: Mail-order DVDs were often cheaper than buying them in-store, especially for used or older titles.
  4. No sales tax: In some states, mail-order purchases were exempt from sales tax, making them an attractive option for budget-conscious consumers.

Popular mail-order DVD retailers: Some notable mail-order DVD retailers included:

  1. Amazon (launched its DVD sales in 1998)
  2. DVD Planet (founded in 1999)
  3. Deep Discount (founded in 1999)
  4. Walmart (launched its DVD sales in 2000)
  5. Best Buy (launched its DVD sales in 2000)

Decline: The rise of online streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime in the late 2000s and early 2010s significantly impacted the mail-order DVD market. As more people turned to streaming for their entertainment needs, the demand for physical DVDs decreased, leading to a decline in mail-order DVD sales.

Legacy: While mail-order DVDs are no longer a dominant force in the entertainment industry, they played an important role in popularizing the DVD format and paving the way for online streaming services. Many of the retailers that emerged during this period continue to operate today, albeit with a focus on online sales and streaming services.