Best Buy Discontinuing the Sale of CDs, Target Could Follow
Considering U.S. CDs sales were down by 18.5 percent in 2017, Best Buy is planning to pull CDs from their stores by July 1, and Target is suggesting on-demand sales of CDs on a consignment basis from the labels.
According to Billboard, though Best Buy will stop the sale of CDs, they will reportedly continue to sell vinyl for two more years because of a commitment it made to vendors. The vinyl will be "merchandised with the turntables", which has seen a rise in sales in recent years, mostly due to nostalgia consumers.
Target, on the other hand, is willing to continue CD sales, but under the condition of selling on a consignment basis only. In other words, what they don't sell would be returned to the labels, and they would take the loss in sales, not Target. So far, none of the labels have agreed to the demands.
A decade ago industry professionals predicted the end of CD sales, but we didn't think it would have taken this long for the decline of CD sales to take effect. Sadly with confidence, I can say it's finally happening. I knew things were downhill when my CD distributor chose to close its doors in 2017. I wasn't receiving many orders anymore, not to mention many new vehicles don't have CD players anymore. Out with the old and in with the new. That's life.
[Read More: Billboard]