Tag Archives: Redbox

Redbox Gives Netflix the Blues

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So, what service (or services) are you using for your media rentals? Still going to the video store? Downloading or streaming? Using the DVD kiosk outside the 7-11?

Well, your choices keep multiplying! DVD purveyor Redbox is on a roll since they made the deal to buy up all of rival Blockbuster’s kiosks. The latest development? They are breaking out of the physical DVD realm and getting into streaming, courtesy of a new partnership with Verizon.

The service called “RedBox Instant by Verizon” will offer more or less the same features as Netflix will, without the home delivery option.  Consumer Affairs

Which is MORE bad news for Netflix.

Netflix is in perhaps in that fabled location between a rock and a hard place. It is losing about 1 million DVD customers per quarter while its slow-growing online customers are consuming more and more streaming video. DVD rentals are about five times more profitable than streaming video. Consumer Affairs

I guess the question is, are your rental habits changing? Me, I finally got an HD TV. I am getting about 10 channels of local HD content, and thinking of signing up for a couple of rental services like this. And, once and for all…DITCHING CABLE! What do you think?

Blockbuster Bummer!

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Prefer to rent your DVD’s from Blockbuster Express vs. Redbox? So sorry! I just received a notice from Blockbuster Video that states, in short:

NCR, which operates your Blockbuster Express kiosks, has entered into an agreement to sell its kiosks and other assets to Redbox. Until the transaction is completed (3rd quarter 2012), you will continue to enjoy the convenience, choice, and value you’re used to from BLOCKBUSTER Express.

They had not much to say about how things will be run afterwards. Is BB going away? I don’t know, but not having machines SEEMS like sort of a handicap!

Now, I have no particular love or hatred for Blockbuster. But never having to go in their store again was a nice feature of the kiosk! However, there were definitely fewer Blockbuster than Redbox kiosks. BB managed to get some advantage with certain exclusive deals where they would have a film 2 or 3 weeks  before Redbox got it. So, for a while it was something of a 50/50 advantage between the two rivals.

Then BB screwed it up with tiered pricing. Redbox was 99 cents across the board (now 1.29.) BB was .99 to 2.99, based on newness and popularity. Basically, you never knew what you were going to pay. But the more you wanted to see it, the higher the price. That irked me.

So, now what? BB’s kiosk machines are being sold to their rival. I have to say my preference in this battle goes to Redbox. Flat pricing, with BB’s exclusives removed? Nearly perfect. But who knows how long that warm feeling will last when they have ZERO competition?

So, how about you? Red or Blue? Do you prefer one over the other? Why?