Walmart with Vudu and UltraViolet give US customers disc-to-digital option

Walmart is working with its video streaming product Vudu to give the US population a chance to transform their physical DVD/Blu-ray collections into digital movies.

The nation’s largest home entertainment retailer is the first to announce an exclusive in-store disc-to-digital service using the UltraViolet initiative, allowing movie lovers the freedom to watch their DVD/Blu-ray collections from Internet-connected devices, including televisions, tablets, smartphones, gaming consoles and more.

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 16th April 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 favourite titles from the partnering studios. An equal conversion for standard DVDs and Blu-ray discs will be $2, while standard DVDs can be upgraded to High-Def (HD) for $5.

Walmart had previously conducted some consumer research amongst thousands of its customers and found that customers want to own physical Blu-rays and DVDs but also want to have digital access to those same movies for convenience. Customers also cited accessibility, security, affordability, and simplicity as key decision factors for wanting a digital solution. Walmart listened and is delivering America’s first disc-to-digital service.

“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

• Customers bring their movie collections from the participating studio partners – Paramount, Sony, Fox, Universal and Warner Bros. – to their local Walmart Photo Center.
• A Walmart associate will help create a free VUDU account.
• Customer tells the associate how they’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 authorise the digital copies and place them in the customer’s VUDU account. No upload is necessary, and they get to keep the physical discs.
• Customer can then log onto VUDU.com from more than 300 Internet-connected devices to view movies any time, any place.