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Netflix has announced the closure of its original DVD by mail business, DVD.com, marking the end of an era after a 25-year run. The decision comes as Netflix focuses on retooling its streaming offerings, including a new ad-supported plan.
“Our goal has always been to provide the best service for our members, but as the DVD business continues to shrink, that’s going to become increasingly difficult,” Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos wrote in a statement. The last discs will be mailed out September 29, and must be returned by Oct. 27.
Over the years, DVD.com shipped an estimated 5.2 billion DVDs to its subscribers. The first DVD ever shipped by the service was Beetlejuice on March 10, 1998, marking the beginning of a new era in home entertainment. The most popular title shipped by DVD.com was The Blind Side, a critically acclaimed drama.
Throughout its 25-year run, DVD.com amassed 40 million unique subscribers who enjoyed the convenience and flexibility of renting DVDs by mail. Subscribers eagerly awaited the red envelopes, often patiently waiting by their mailboxes for the next installment of their favorite TV show or movie. But, when 2023 draws to a close–that ritual and those red envelopes will both be relics of the past.
The closure of DVD.com also reflects Netflix’s ongoing transformation from a DVD rental service to a global streaming powerhouse, producing original content and dominating the streaming landscape with its vast library of movies and TV shows.
Image credit: Getty Images/Justin Sullivan/Staff
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