Netflix shut down its DVD-by-mail service in 2023, ending the last mailings on September 29, 2023, after 25 years of operation. The company said it was winding down the service because demand had faded and it wanted to focus on streaming instead.

What happened to the DVDs

Netflix said it would let remaining DVD customers keep any discs they had, and it also offered one final optional shipment of up to 10 randomly selected DVDs before the shutdown.

What Netflix did with the inventory

Reports at the time said Netflix planned to recycle most of its remaining DVD inventory through third-party recyclers, with some discs donated to film and media organizations.

Why it ended

The DVD business had once been huge, but by the time it closed, streaming was the company’s main growth engine and the DVD segment had become a much smaller part of the business.