BBC Store was a

video on demand Video on demand (VOD) is a media distribution system that allows users to access videos without a traditional video playback device and the constraints of a typical static broadcasting schedule. In the 20th century, broadcasting in the form of ...

store that launched in the UK on 5 November 2015 and opened the

BBC Archive BBC Archives are collections documenting the BBC's broadcasting history, including copies of television and radio broadcasts, internal documents, photographs, online content, sheet music, commercially available music, BBC products (including ...

to consumers, allowing them to buy episodes or series of a show and download them (using dedicated BBC Store apps). BBC Store was approved by the

BBC Trust The BBC Trust was the governing body of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) between 2007 and 2017. It was operationally independent of BBC management and external bodies, and its stated aim was to make decisions in the best interests of ...

in 2014. It was initially hosted on a dedicated website, but was later integrated with

BBC iPlayer BBC iPlayer (stylised as iPLAYER or BBC iPLAYER) is a video on demand service from the BBC. The service is available on a wide range of devices, including mobile phones and tablets, personal computers and smart televisions. iPlayer services del ...

. BBC Store was provided and funded through

BBC Worldwide BBC Worldwide Ltd. was the wholly owned commercial subsidiary of the BBC, formed out of a restructuring of its predecessor BBC Enterprises in January 1995. The company monetises BBC brands, selling BBC and other British programming for broadca ...

, a commercial subsidiary of the BBC. It closed on 1 November 2017. Following the launch of BBC Store, the BBC's UK physical and online shop (

BBC Shop BBC Shop is an online retailer owned by BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC and operating in the US & Canada. It sells BBC Worldwide published products, and selected BBC-related products published by third parties, including DVDs, books, ...

) closed on 29 March 2016. However, the online shop in the US and Canada is still fully operating. In November 2017 Tony Hall said, "We made the decision to go into download-to-own when the market looked like t would work” said Hall. “It was an experiment. We got out of it quick." The BBC are now looking for a way to replicate a

subscription service similar to

Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a ...

, rather than a buy to own service.

Content

The service offered around 6,000 hours of recent programmes and 4,000 hours of archive content; 3,000 hours were of older titles that were currently available commercially. The last 1,000 hours were to be editorially selected. The Executive hoped each year to release a further 500–1000 hours of archive programmes. Certain programmes were available to buy straight after broadcast. The store did not affect BBC iPlayer's 30-day catch-up service and the iPlayer remained free for UK

television licence A television licence or broadcast receiving licence is a payment required in many countries for the reception of television broadcasts, or the possession of a television set where some broadcasts are funded in full or in part by the licence ...

payers. Both Store and iPlayer are available to UK residents only.

Closure

On 20 May 2017 an article in ''The Telegraph'' claimed the BBC Store would be closing. Then, on 25 May 2017, the BBC announced that the BBC Store would be closing on 1 November that year. All customers will be entitled to a full refund of any money paid for programmes. Purchases were available to watch until 1 November.

References

External links

Official website
(Archive)
BBC Trust Report

Ofcom Report
{{Video digital distribution platforms Media players Defunct video on demand services BBC Internet properties established in 2015 BBC New Media 2015 establishments in the United Kingdom 2017 disestablishments in the United Kingdom Internet properties disestablished in 2017