Scratch that: John Lewis throws DVD players on the scrapheap as Netflix takes over
John Lewis has pulled the plug on DVD players as competition from online streaming has decimated demand for physical films.
The disk, which became popular in the last decade, fell out of fashion as Netflix invaded British homes.
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But those with a broken reader and a shelf full of movies can still get DVD-compatible Blu-ray players from the department store.
Meanwhile the TV screens we watched the World Cup on have nearly doubled in size from 36” in 2010 to the store’s most popular +70” screen today.
Technology is also killing off alarm clocks, with sales down 16 per cent as people rely on their smartphones to get them up for work in the morning. And analogue door knockers are stuck outside as smart doorbells take over.
However, digital innovation has likely not had any effect on the trouser press, which seems to be dying a natural death with sales down 36 per cent this year.
But Baywatch fans will rejoice as thongs are back in. Sales have risen 72 per cent, driven the popularity of reality show Love Island, which has also boosted suspenders by 132 per cent.
Brits were also more loved up, buying more than twice as many Valentine’s Day cards in February than 2017.
Shoppers are also changing how they buy, not just what they buy, as for the first time more purchases are made via smartphones than by tablet or computer.
Read more: Netflix and kill: Digital movie sales overtake DVDs for the first time
Trading director Simon Coble said: “How we shop is changing at incredible speed and shops need to combine the very best in service and experiences with unique and fantastic products. And the mobile phone is vital in both as a means to browse and research but also as a place to buy.
“Identity was a major theme across all shopping trends this year and it is no coincidence that the idea of identity is central to John Lewis’s long term plans – our strategy is firmly about dialling up what makes us different so that we remain relevant. It is our job not only to celebrate what makes us stand out as a business but also to help our customers celebrate everything that makes them unique too.”