Big Finish CD Policy From Jan 2025

I don’t know if there’s already a thread about this but read this
Screenshot 2024-12-09 06.56.43
What do you think about this because I personally don’t know?

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I think this is something that Big Finish have been building to for a while. In fact didn’t they make a similar statement a few years ago?

But it seems increasingly clear that making large numbers of physical CDs and also storing them is no longer commercially viable for Big Finish. It’s a shame for those that do buy only the physical product, particularly those who might have limited financial resources. Because now some people might have to make difficult choices about what to buy in order to avoid the risk of missing out on a physical CD.

So it’s a shame but this feels sort of inevitable. BF is producing a niche product for a niche audience on an increasingly niche format. Something had to give at some point.

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I dont buy CD and this will not affect me. I hope that they print enough for those who do want it.

I wounder when they will start with a subscription. Feels like the next step.

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I don’t tend to buy CDs either, I only have a few ones that I thought would be special to me (Stuff of Legend) or maybe be worth something one day (Once and Future :roll_eyes:) but as I don’t use them and don’t want to take up space, I see no point in them.

But I’m sorry for those that collect, this will surely make things more difficult and expensive.

But yeah it must just be a business decision based on the number they sell and the warehouses they have to rent to store them all in. Also they have had issues with the CDs of late. I’m sure Big Finish would be relieved if one day they no longer had to print CDs, it would make their lives easier.

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I’m torn on this because, on the one hand, I love a physical product and have a huge number of CDs from BF but equally, of late, have tended to just get downloads - except for special releases - simply becaue they tend to be a bit cheaper. The thing with this is, I rarely buy anything on release any more so inevitably by the time I get around to picking something up, it will probably be download only.

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I only buy the downloads since with added shipping and taxes, they are just so much cheaper. Though I might get the thirteenth doctor adventures on CD, actually, and have been considering starting a gallifrey collection (but most of those have long been out of print anyway).

The decision makes a lot of sense from a business perspective, since they have no costs in providing a download, but of course it sucks for collectors, especially those who don’t have the flexibility to buy everything as soon as possible.

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Yeah, I don’t really buy or use CDs these days, so this doesn’t affect me. It’s a pity but also understandable, as this is the trend nowadays and the way things are going to be in the future.

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I presumed this is what they did anyway.

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I’m a 20th century boy. I’ve always wanted physical media, you know, to hold in my grubby little hands.

When I look at my cluttered house, and my sagging bookshelves and CD shelves…well, more and more I can see the appeal of digital downloads.

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They previously talked about a shift from CD to download for eco reasons then, shortly after, started releasing old titles on vinyl; which shouted loudly that it was nothing to do with the environment and everything to do with profit. (I get they exist to make a profit, but don’t lie about it.)
I’m old school and like to have the CD. I didn’t buy the Vamp range because it was download only.
It all depends on how many they press. I wasn’t able to get the Once and Future special editions because they were gone by the time I could afford the bundle. (I actually ended up getting a far better deal on them via Ebay many months later!)
If it gets too hard to buy them, I have such a backlog to listen to and often don’t remember them, so might just stop buying an relisten to what I already have.

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you can always put the mp3 files on a cd, if you want to. it’s not a collectible, but if what you want is physical media it’s still possible. this decision makes a lot of sense to me. i considered buying the dimension cannon audios on cd but they were too expensive to justify, even before factoring in taxes and fees–but also, the only cd player i have at this point in time is the one in my car. i’ve been meaning to get a drive for my laptop for ages but it hasn’t happened.

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Burning the mp3s on to a CD isn’t really the same as buying a physical product because you’re also paying for the case, the artwork, the professional finish etc. Back in the early days, the booklet would also contain little comments from the people involved, cast photos and other artwork.

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sure, i’m just saying that it’s not a total death for physical media. it’s sad to miss the booklets and such. (i would definitely argue in favor of a digital equivalent of the booklet–again, it’s nice to have a physical copy, but barring that there’s no reason to abandon the content.)

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