Tuesday, 12 November 2013

Say Goodbye to Blockbuster

As Blockbuster goes into administration once again, we need to ask ourselves: Is there a place for hard-copy DVD sales and rentals anymore? Or should we scrap that archaic format and fully embrace the streaming culture?  

This can’t be judged simply as an issue of sentimentality. With these changes come huge life-changing decisions made by the CEOs of massive companies, which inevitably affects the people working for them the hardest. For instance Blockbuster currently employs over 2,000 people across 264 stores in the UK, and that’s only half the level that it did this time last year. As the company is forced into administration once again, these workers are hoping that they’ll have some pennies to scratch together come Christmas. No one wants these people to lose their jobs, but by saying that we should abandon hard-copy DVD rental, we have to know that there will inevitably be consequences.


Many would argue that Netflix has replaced Blockbuster as our favourite provider of broadcast entertainment. They now have over 29 Million subscribers and don’t look set to be slowing down anytime soon. Blockbuster created an ‘On-Demand’ service to download movies online, but it is so far behind in the game that it doesn’t really stand a chance. Still, despite The United States revealing that it plans to close all of its 300 stores, with such an extensive film collection the investors are trying to find a way to keep Blockbuster alive through its ‘On-Demand’ service. It’s certainly not Blockbuster as you remember it, but for those who wish to hold onto the last shreds of the entertainment giant of our past, it’s something.

The closure of Blockbuster shows the power of the rapidly growing Online Retail Market. Look at our latest exclusive reports on Online Retail to understand how to be successful in the digital world, available here. 


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By Elizabeth Ryan
Marketing

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