Has Disney+ affected the value of Disney physical media?

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Guitarman
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Has Disney+ affected the value of Disney physical media?

Post by Guitarman »

A few months ago, I made a post asking if Disney+ had caused people to start unloading their Disney physical media collections. I now have a somewhat similar question: has Disney+ affected the value of Disney DVDs/Blu-Rays, etc. Two things I’ve noticed as of late that lead me to this question:

1. I go to a lot of stores that sell used media (DVDs, Blu-Rays, video games, etc.) and I’ve noticed that they do seem to have a lot more Disney titles than they used to. This leads me to wonder if a lot of people have unloaded their physical media collections after signing up for Disney+.

2. I’ve also noticed that the price on lots of the Walt Disney Treasures sets seems to have dropped quite a bit on ebay. Some sets that might have sold for $250 now sell for about $100, or in some case, less. Has the advent of Disney+ really caused the value of Walt Disney Treasure sets to plummet (I’ve also seen more of them for sale in stores recently than I used to)?

So, what do people think? Has Disney+ caused the value of Disney physical media to decline? Will those titles ever go back to demanding the kind of prices they used to, or are those days over?

Thank you.
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Re: Has Disney+ affected the value of Disney physical media?

Post by Disney's Divinity »

With more people unloading their Disney physical media, there are probably more Treasure sets ending up online to be sold, which is probably the reason for their price drop.
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Re: Has Disney+ affected the value of Disney physical media?

Post by Elladorine »

This makes me think of how a couple of our local Goodwill locations no longer accept VHS donations, because “they take up too much shelf space.” Although it wasn’t mentioned when I asked, it’s also likely it’s because they can’t “give them away.”

Aside from a small percentage of people that are collectors, any particular physical media is considered outdated once it’s been replaced with a newer, fancier, and/or more convenient media, or when the content can easily be found elsewhere (youtube, streaming, etc.).

I believe when it comes to Disney films, the majority of the purchases made has been for families with small children. But speaking as a collector myself (now with a small child that also loves Disney movies), I have to admit I’ve lost interest in collecting physical media anymore. It’s expensive, it takes up too much space, and it doesn’t have the simple convenience of opening an app up in your TV.

I still have quite the collection of DVDs and Blu-rays, but … well, there’s all boxed up in the garage, including my Treasures sets. I haven’t been following the prices of Treasures sets at all, but I’ve noticed that DVDs in the thrift stores often go for less than $5 (although some locations add a premium price to any Disney titles). I also used to love browsing the electronics section of Walmart or going straight to the movie section of Best Buy, but it seems pointless these days.

The only reason I shop for VHS tapes anymore (and asked Goodwill about their VHS donation policy) is because I upcycle the case inserts into notebook covers. Realizing the situation with them had made me feel old, lol … I can still remember the December our family bought our very first VCR. Back then, the tapes themselves were insanely expensive, around $100 each!
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BK
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Re: Has Disney+ affected the value of Disney physical media?

Post by BK »

It's only dirt cheap now in Western countries. If only all that excess, unwanted supply could be available in other countries.

There was only one physical media retailer here and they closed during the pandemic. Prices were always obscene as well.

Sad to see the oversupply yet being unable to get them.
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Jules
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Re: Has Disney+ affected the value of Disney physical media?

Post by Jules »

BK wrote:It's only dirt cheap now in Western countries. If only all that excess, unwanted supply could be available in other countries.

There was only one physical media retailer here and they closed during the pandemic. Prices were always obscene as well.

Sad to see the oversupply yet being unable to get them.
Where are you from BK?

Prices were and are still obscene in my country. I first started collecting DVDs from brick-and-mortar stores in Malta way back in 2004. I soon realised that 15 Maltese Liri (about $45) for the Gold Classic Collection of Robin Hood was ridiculous. (And coincidentally every title I'd buy was always the "last one" they had in stock so I'd be stuck with the one on the shelf which was already opened and had the disc removed to discourage stealing. :lol: Having been on the shelf for a few years as a "display title" you can imagine that the white Amaray keepcase sans seal didn't exactly look new.)

I then shifted to buying online from the UK, the USA, and any other country where a release I was looking for was available. That was much cheaper.

It is not really so cheap anymore, though, when you factor in outrageous shipping costs, customs duties, and now added VAT at 18%! :cry: (Thanks EU commission!)
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