There is a current and growing trend in 2025 of consumers thrifting VHS tapes and DVDs as a way to avoid streaming subscription costs and to access physical media that may not be available on streaming platforms.
Mostly True
New trend is thrifting VHS & DVD to avoid streaming costs.
Your Old VHS Tapes Could Be Worth $25K — How to Check - Kiplinger
Source: kiplinger.com
At a glance
Verified August 1, 2025Key Evidence
The New York Times (2025) discusses how some fans still prefer physical media over streaming due to content availability issues.
A 2025 CTV News article highlights a TikTok trend driving collectors to thrift stores for VHS and DVDs.
Reddit communities show active engagement in thrifting these formats.
Additionally, Record Head and The Hollywood Reporter note a potential comeback or sustained interest in DVDs as streaming services remove titles.
The reporting
What the Evidence Shows
In 2025, despite the dominance of streaming services for movies and TV shows, there is a notable resurgence in interest in physical media formats such as DVDs and VHS tapes. This trend is driven by several factors: streaming platforms frequently rotate or remove titles, leading consumers to seek permanent ownership through physical copies; thrifting offers an affordable way to acquire these media; and nostalgia or collector interest fuels demand for older formats.
Multiple sources from 2024 and 2025 document this phenomenon, including reports of TikTok-fueled trends where collectors scour thrift stores for hidden gems, Reddit communities dedicated to VHS and DVD collecting, and articles highlighting the limitations of streaming services. While the market for VHS is niche and often tied to rare or collectible items, DVDs remain widely used and continue to sell well compared to other physical formats.
Thus, the claim that thrifting VHS and DVDs is a new trend to avoid streaming costs is largely accurate, reflecting current consumer behavior in 2025.
Primary trail
Verified Sources10
Open source