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Columbia House Ends Mail-Order Business After Sept. 15, 2026

8/19/2026

50 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Columbia House will stop accepting new orders after September 15, 2026, ending its 71-year mail-order business.
A customer-service rep confirmed the shutdown to CNN.
NPR later reported the website notice was removed.
The company said members can still buy books with credit cards or stored credits.
Sony Music owns the trademark while Edge Line Ventures LLC licenses the brand and runs the site, whose catalog held a dozen DVD titles in 2026.

History

Historical Context

In the early 2000s, Tower Records, once a global music-retail chain founded in 1960, faced mounting debt from 1990s expansion and rising internet piracy. It entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the first time in February 2004, with debts estimated at $80-100 million and assets just over $100 million. The collapse mirrors Columbia House’s 2026 order shutdown, underscoring the industry’s shift to streaming.

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Story summary

Columbia House will stop accepting new orders after September 15, 2026, ending its 71-year mail-order business.
A customer-service rep confirmed the shutdown to CNN.
NPR later reported the website notice was removed.
The company said members can still buy books with credit cards or stored credits.
Sony Music owns the trademark while Edge Line Ventures LLC licenses the brand and runs the site, whose catalog held a dozen DVD titles in 2026.

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