Wal-Mart Enters Video Downloads Market

BENTONVILLE, Ark. - Wal-Mart Stores here has entered into the video downloads market with an exclusive "Superman Returns" DVD bundle containing a video download option with purchase of the physical DVD, available starting today only at Wal-Mart, the company said yesterday. This physical/digital DVD bundle gives customers the flexibility to watch the Warner Bros. movie the way they want, on their TVs, portable devices and/or computers, the company said. "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 the coming months, Wal-Mart will test additional DVD bundles with this download option, as well as offer a beta version of a video downloads service. The beta launch will feature movie and television content from a number of top studios and TV networks. Further details of the beta service will be announced closer to the launch time frame, Wal-Mart said.