AfterDawn: News

Grocery chain replaces rental service with kiosks

Redbox, whose video rental kiosks have become common sights at McDonald's restaraunts around the United States, is attracting interest as a replacement for existing in-store rental operations from at least one company. Giant Eagle is about half way done installing the kiosks in 90% of their stores.

“In general, customer interests have moved away from renting videos in bricks-and-mortar rental stores and toward both video purchasing and newer, more convenience-oriented rental services,” namely via online and kiosks, he said. “As Giant Eagle changes its video business with these trends, we have made the decision to transfer our video rental offerings away from our Iggle Video departments and focus on both our video sell-through offering as well as our Redbox rental kiosks.”



The kiosks typically have the week's top 100 new releases, which is certainly fewer than the number typically available from each store's in-store rental operation, but without the overhead associated with stocking and operating such a service.

Movies cost $1 per night to rent, and can be returned to any Redbox kiosk, including those at McDonald's.

Source: Video Business

Written by: Rich Fiscus @ 7 Oct 2007 13:25

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• 9 comments

• ZippyDSM

  mmmmmm 2$ for week would be better a mail in option would not be bad...

  7.10.2007 14:10 #1

• Unfocused

  As long as the kiosk is close to home, $1 a night is a viable option for renting, watching it that night, and returning it in the morning.
  
  I have yet to see any of these yet. The Publix by me has something like this, but to even browse the available selections, you need to swipe a credit card first. I have avoided this beceasue I don't feel that I should have to swipe for a feature as simple as browsing. If I was able to see that there was a movie available that I might be interested in, then I would have no problem swiping away.

  7.10.2007 14:37 #2

• spydah

  I love the Redbox. Its easy to use and dont kill me with cost. I just mention this in another article. If they make the dvd transaction a lot faster that would be great but for right now its a excellent source for a quick rental.

  7.10.2007 15:42 #3

• ydkjman

  to even browse the available selections, you need to swipe a credit card first
  
  At all the ones around me you don't have to do this. You can see what they have right there by touching the screen.

  7.10.2007 16:49 #4

• pcrazy99

  I've seen some of the grocery stores out here in Arizona drop their video sections for some dvd kiosks. I don't know if they are Redbox, but they are self serve. I'm still to lazy to go pick up a dvd. I'd rather have them delivered to my house.

  7.10.2007 18:54 #5

• gddesha

  I use the Redbox kiosk and it works great. Now you would think that anyone that would rent a video is old enough to rent a R-rated movie because it requires a credit card. Isn't that up to mom and dad to monitor the use of credit cards. When you rent the movie it does prompt the user if they want to rent a R-rated movie. Where are the parents in this picture?

  8.10.2007 00:40 #6

• limelight

  I used one of these for the first time last week and they are really great. $1 per day cant be beat. And it doesnt charge your credit card until the movie is returned is nice too, (so that you dont have a charge for each day show up on your cc bill; its all condensed into one charge).
  
  Highly recommended!

  8.10.2007 10:08 #7

• borhan9

  All these new things that are being done to McDonald's and even star bucks i have not seen anything in Australia yet when are we going to see something like that. Even india has some innovation with having mobile phone charge stations.

  18.10.2007 17:18 #8

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by limelight: I used one of these for the first time last week and they are really great. $1 per day cant be beat. And it doesnt charge your credit card until the movie is returned is nice too, (so that you dont have a charge for each day show up on your cc bill; its all condensed into one charge).
  
  Highly recommended!10 a month for 1 or 2 dvds at a time mailed to you and...netflix rocks harder :P

  18.10.2007 17:26 #9