Now here’s something that’s a few years too late and really needs a bigger partner to work with, like Netflix. Walmart and its purchase of VUDU awhile back is bearing some interesting fruit in that they’re announcing an exclusive in-store disc-to-digital service which gives movie owners the ability to watch their DVD/Blu-ray collections from Internet-connected devices, including televisions, tablets, smartphones, gaming consoles and more. The service is powered by VUDU, the industry-leading video streaming service.
Walmart, in partnership with the major Hollywood studios: Paramount Home Media Distribution, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Universal Studios Home Entertainment and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, is increasing the value of movie ownership for its customers. Starting April 16th, 2012 in more than 3,500 stores, Walmart customers will be able to bring their DVD and Blu-ray collections to Walmart and receive digital access to their favorite titles from the partnering studios. An equal conversion for standard DVDs and Blu-ray discs will be $2. Standard DVDs can be upgraded to High-Def (HD) for $5.
“Walmart is helping America get access to their DVD library,” said John Aden, executive vice president for general merchandising, Walmart U.S. “Walmart Entertainment’s new disc-to-digital service will allow our customers to reconnect with the movies they already own on a variety of new devices, while preserving the investments they’ve made in disc purchases over the years. We believe this revolutionary in-store service will unlock new value for already-owned DVDs, and will encourage consumers to continue building physical and digital movie libraries in the future.”
Walmart Entertainment’s Disc-to-Digital Service Powered by VUDU: How it Works
The process to convert previously-purchased DVD/Blu-ray movies to digital copies is quick and simple:
- Bring your movie collections from the participating studio partners – Paramount, Sony, Fox, Universal and Warner Bros. – to your local Walmart Photo Center.
- A Walmart associate will help you create a free VUDU account.
- Tell the associate how you’d like your movies converted:
- Convert a standard DVD or Blu-ray movie for $2; or,
- Upgrade a standard DVD to an HD digital copy for $5.
- Walmart will authorize the digital copies and place them in your VUDU account. No upload is necessary, and you get to keep your physical discs.
- Log onto VUDU.com from more than 300 Internet-connected devices to view movies any time, any place.
- Walmart Entertainment supports UltraViolet, the movie industry’s initiative currently in its beta phase that allows consumers to put their purchased movies into a cloud-based digital library and keep track of them safely and securely. Walmart is able to offer customers the ability to watch and purchase UltraViolet-enabled titles directly from VUDU. These enhancements to Walmart Entertainment’s services are the first of their kind from a major retailer and mark an important milestone in the expansion of digital home video ownership.
To learn more about Walmart Entertainment’s new services and to view an animated demonstration please visit: www.walmartstores.com/entertainment
And the studios themselves have some interesting things to say on the whole subject:
“Consumers today want new and flexible ways to enjoy movies and Walmart’s disc-to-digital program will be another important avenue to introduce Paramount movies on this new platform to a broader, more comprehensive audience,” said Dennis Maguire, president, Worldwide Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures. “The unmatched reach of Walmart – which serves over 140 million consumers every week – means we can quickly grow awareness for this unique technology throughout every region across the country.”
“Never before have consumers been able to add value to their existing collections so easily and economically as with Walmart’s disc-to-digital conversion service,” said David Bishop, president, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. “Disc-to-digital will be a milestone through which Hollywood and Walmart are finding ways to create even more value for consumers.”
“With Walmart’s new disc-to-digital service, there has never been a better time to own movies,” said Simon Swart, executive vice president and general manager, North America, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. “There are more than 100 million households in the US that have an existing DVD or Blu-ray library. It is now possible to digitize those movies conveniently and enjoy the benefits that ownership gives at home or any place you go.”
“Walmart’s disc-to-digital service is a terrific consumer proposition, offering exceptional value, ease and convenience in preserving and enhancing consumers’ prized movie collections,” said Craig Kornblau, president, Universal Studios Home Entertainment. “Now, with the launch of this pioneering service, Blu-ray and DVD buyers are afforded both the opportunity and the affordability to future proof their movie collections and assemble their own digital libraries that can be easily stored and accessed through their own UltraViolet cloud for viewing anywhere, anytime.”
“Consumers want value and convenience and Walmart’s disc-to-digital service will deliver both while helping consumers realize the benefits of digital ownership,” Ron Sanders, president, Warner Home Video. “Between the heavy foot traffic in-store and the aggressive educational campaign Walmart is planning, this partnership is the perfect opportunity for us to reach a mainstream audience much sooner than by more traditional means, while making the process as quick and easy for consumers as possible.”
