The BBC has announced that it will close its digital download store less than 18 months after the serviced launched due to poor demand.
Users of the BBC Store service have already received emails detailing the closure that is set to take place on November 1 this year. Programmes are no longer available to buy through the service.
That means that customers will no longer have access to the content they have paid for on the store, but the BBC has said it will offer full refunds. The BBC Store opened for business in November 2015.
Ironically, the company will provide Amazon vouchers that can be used to buy or rent content through the marketplace. The vouchers provided will be worth more than each user has spent on content from the BBC Store.
The BBC Store was launched as a marketplace for customers to purchase BBC content and opened the doors to content that was never previously available digitally with programmes such as Dad’s Army and Morecambe & Wise making the jump online.
The Store currently contains over 7000 hours of TV, but consumers have been choosing streaming services from providers such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, instead of opting for the pay to own model the BBC elected for in its store.
This isn’t necessarily a surprise, as in some instances, a £7.99 monthly Netflix subscription costs the same as a single box set on the BBC Store.
The broadcaster has said that it is working on new ways to distribute content that is not currently available digitally due to the closure.
Related: Netflix vs Amazon Prime Video
Are you saddened by the closure of the BBC Store? Let us know in the comments.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
