Wal-Mart Slides into Video Downloading

By Geoff Duncan Published November 29, 2006

Wal-Mart Slides into Video Downloading — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Retail juggernaut Wal-Mart has decided to dip a toe in the baby end of the downloadable movie business, offering customers who buy a copy of Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns on DVD the opportunity to download the same movie for use on a PC or portable device. For $1.97, users will be able to download the movie for use on a portable device; for $2.97 users can download it for use on a desktop or notebook computer, and for $3.97, you can download for both. The offer comes by way of a promotional code printed on a sticker with the DVD.

Some news coverage reports the downloadable version for portable players will work with iPods, but it’s not true: the download service requires Windows Media Player 10, and is only compatible with PlaysForSure-compatible devices. Ironically, this means they won’t work on a Zune, either. Linux and Macintosh systems are not supported. Movie files can be backed up to DVD, but cannot be burned to DVD for playback in standard DVD players.

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"This unique Superman Returns physical/digital DVD combination not only marks our first step into the video downloads market, but gives our customers the best of both worlds in movie entertainment," said Kevin Swint, Wal-Mart’s divisional merchandise manager for digital media, in a statement. "They have the DVD as a collectible and for viewing on their home theaters, plus the freedom to download and watch the movie on multiple devices."

Wal-Mart plans to test the download option with additional movie titles in the future. But let’s remember: Wal-Mart dipped toes into the music download and social networking spaces with less than stellar success. One wonders: have they learned anything from those experiences?

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Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…

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