Redbox’s top competitor in the dvd rental kiosk space, DVDPlay, has just announced that they will start stocking BluRay movies in their kiosks starting in June.
BluRay disc is Sony’s high-definition (HD) replacement for standard DVDs. You must have a BluRay player (like Sony’s PS3) to view these movies.
Is this going to give DVDPlay a leg up on Redbox? Do you think that Redbox should start stocking HD movies in their kiosks as well?
Bdub said
August 17 2008 @ 5:41 pm
About Bluray: Anyone have minidiscs? Yeah, that’s what I thought.
It’s all hype. I think we’re a lot more likely to see online media displace DVDs than Bluray. That’s exactly what’s happening with CDs, thanks to Apple and the iPod. (Had record companies not been so greedy a decade ago, they might have embraced mp3s and led the charge, rather than allowed Apple to snatch the obvious market.) Why buy yet another physical object that takes up space, clutters your house, can get dirty, be scratched, or break, when you can just have it stored magnetically on your already existing computer–which most people are a lot more likely to take good care of than a disc? Networking people’s existing electronics is the logical next step, not adding another gadget to an already full house.
daniel644 reply on August 17th, 2008 7:21 pm:
OK for starters if you want to talk about didgital media vs blu ray you need to take into account the large sizes of hd video files on a computer and most people do not have large hard drives and the average person (not me, i can) doesn’t know how to install internal hards drives, then also what happens when your drive fails and you loose all that content (as this has happened to me before but I had already backed up much of my drive to DVD-R’s) if you want true longevity disc are still the best for the mainstream, there are still many people (I know several) that don’t even have a computer in there house, let alone one capable of playing back HD content?
greg said
July 8 2008 @ 9:28 am
OK! now wait a minute… Blue ray and DVD is like the battle between VHS and Beta; at the end the VHS won the battle. It is true that the blue ray gives a high definition picture just like the Beta did back in the days, but it did not stop people from liking VHS more since the VHS player was more popular at that time. In Business there is something called switching cost. People will not stop using their DVD player because the blue ray is a high quality image. The reason behind it is that what they gain in term of quality is not as high compare to what they would lose in term of getting rid of their DVD player. Also people has other options out there. The newest DVD players can convert the standard DVD into HD picture.
I will never buy a blue ray or invest my money into it. Mark my words, the blue ray will be just like another beta out there. Red box will do just fine if it says focus on DVD, but if they would like to attract the gamers, they can always have a small inventory of blue ray. Red Box should not lose its focus. They should continue on with what they are doing. I can’t wait to buy stocks from their comapany. they are the new wave in the movie rental industry.
Billy said
July 3 2008 @ 8:00 pm
If redbox doesn’t start offering blueray they will soon start losing a lot of business. Charge 2 dollars and you will still be better priced than blockbuster and you will earn the business of all the current and future Blueray customers. I was a constant user but since getting a blueray player I now have a bluckbuster account, once you go high def you can’t go back !!!
Redbox « My Ramblings said
June 17 2008 @ 8:12 am
[...] Redbox and bluerays [...]
jag said
June 16 2008 @ 11:24 am
I don’t have a BluRay HD player and it will be a while before I even consider buying one, so I’m against it, but I wouldn’t mind if they gave us a choice of both so that those who have the new HD players can use them.
Chris said
June 11 2008 @ 5:58 pm
They’re going to have to eventually add Blu-ray. There’s just no way around it.
I don’t see why so many people are opposed to this. They could keep the same $1 charge for a standard DVD, and charge $1.49 or $1.99 for a Blu-ray. They wouldn’t have to stock a ton of copies on Blu-ray, so it wouldn’t take up a bunch of space. Think of Blockbuster…they usually don’t have more than two (usually one) copy of a title on Blu-ray. If Redbox just threw one or two copies in of new releases, it wouldn’t be that big of a deal.
More people have Blu-ray than you think. It all also depends on what market you’re in. Central Wyoming probably wouldn’t be a good place to market Blu-rays too. If you’re in a large city, however, there’s no reason not to.
lowrider429 said
June 11 2008 @ 11:09 am
I myself dont have a blueray player and i think many people are in the same boat as me, nor do I have a HD tv. Because they are still too expensive.and i know what your are saying that they have come down in price, but not nearly enough for the average salery and many of us in the below average salery, who are having a hard time right now. REDBOX is something that we can afford with the one dollar rental and the dvd player we have at home. maybe when the economy picks up and we are making better money.
solutions oriented said
June 9 2008 @ 12:32 pm
Yes, of course redbox should stock bluRay discs. it is the natural next step. They can charge a premium for the premium discs and keep the regs at $1. Everyone wins. People cry too much. If you don’t think BluRays are popular just check the section at Blockbuster.
Change is inevitable. If you want Redbox to stay viable you have to get out there and make moves.
John - Las Vegas reply on June 10th, 2008 11:00 pm:
DvdPlay charges a tax on all rentals in NV whereas Redbox does not. How is this possible? Anyone know?
Andy said
June 8 2008 @ 5:46 pm
Redbox is essentially free with the codes anyway so I can put up without Blu-ray from them. Honestly, I don’t know how they make a profit anyway, I’ve easily “rented” over 100 DVDs without paying a dime, plus there isn’t a DVDPlay within 100 miles of me. But, I have a player so I definately wouldn’t mind if they did stock Blu-ray.
Trevor said
June 3 2008 @ 1:29 pm
I’ve never even heard of DVDPlay, and I have no plans to change to any HD DVD format - I’m still using 19″ CRT TVs.
I too am getting tired of all the badly acted low budget DVDs that Redbox has been stocking lately, but I can’t complain about the price.
I use Redbox to get the new releases and Netflix to get older stuff. My wife’s currently on a CSI kick, and is working her way through all the seasons via Netflix while I watch the Redbox new releases in the other room. :)
ron said
June 2 2008 @ 4:38 pm
yes redbox should get hd movies.I think they need to keep up with the comp. The selection always sucks and maybe this will help
BJ reply on June 4th, 2008 12:18 pm:
No to stocking BlueRay. This will just complicate the selection issue… making it worse, not better.
Suggest they wait until greater market penetration of BlueRay… say nearing 50%. Today I think it’s less than 10% penetration, even including PS3 players… and at about $400 per player and no HD DVD conpetition… don’t know if prices will plunge… which is needed for greater market share…
Increase selection, don’t add BlueRay.
Peter said
June 2 2008 @ 3:28 pm
I really like the idea that DVDPlay has to go into the BluRay market. I have a PS3 and I’d like to actually be able to use it for more than just dvds and videogames! At $1.49, which is the same as a DVDPlay rental, I would say that’s a pretty sweet deal. I also really like the promotions that DVDPlay puts out for their weekly specials.
Rick said
June 2 2008 @ 3:15 pm
YES! Redbox needs to start stocking blu-ray discs but only if they have a separate box for them or something because all the redboxes in my area are always out of the new releases. they could paint the other box blue and call it Bluebox! the red boxes for the red laser DVD’s and the blue boxes for the blue laser Blu-ray’s! Hooray!!
ang reply on June 11th, 2008 10:47 am:
I don’t think the BlueBox idea would go over well. Just saying. I don’t have any DVDPlay near me, but we do have movieCube, which is a big blue machine lol. I live in a smaller area, we have a whopping FOUR redbox machines and two movieCubes. Hopefully that will increase.
stevem reply on June 12th, 2008 11:25 am:
where are located?
ang reply on June 12th, 2008 2:51 pm:
SE Washington. In po-dunk, USA ;)
Khaled said
June 2 2008 @ 2:28 pm
no dont change prices at redbox are great you guys have all the latest movies and any movies that come out come out in dvd not necessarily blu-ray therefore if u change u wont have all the new movies all the time anymore, rdbox is great and for those who want blu-ray got to clokbuster or hollywood video leave redbox as it is its doing great its a money making machine and its 10 times cheaper which is great for those who want to watch a movie quickly and get it for cheap rather than paying $10 at blockbuster for a one nght fee
Xay said
June 2 2008 @ 2:26 pm
If you can afford a blu player, you can afford to buy the disc media. Redbox are for the rest of us who don’t have $400 plus lying around. Also for you blu owners, keep buying the disc media because if you don’t, Blu will die a painful Sony death.
psxzombie reply on June 10th, 2008 4:19 pm:
the war is over, Blu-Ray won, so there won’t be anymore death…
John - Las Vegas reply on June 10th, 2008 11:03 pm:
Use your Stimulus check to pick up a Blu-Ray Player. The checks are designed to bolster the economy so you will be doing your country a great service if you spend it vs. saving it. It was never intended as a savings check. Spend spend spend.
Jonathan reply on June 11th, 2008 11:57 am:
LOL or spend it buying gas, so you can give back to the Oil companies. Look at it this way, the CEOs need to make their Ferrari payments.. lol.
Sand Ames said
June 2 2008 @ 1:37 pm
No, please keep Redbox the way it is for awhile - if you change to BluRay, you will raise your prices - & I can’t afford to pay more. I use Redbox alot as there is no DVDPlay in my small town & I can’t even afford to go to the regular movie houses. Don’t change for awhile, cause I can’t even afford a BluRay Player either. I love my $1.00 movies!!!
John - Las Vegas reply on June 10th, 2008 11:06 pm:
The question was not a complete change in venue. It was “should Redbox add Blue-Ray to it’s offerings?” Of course the answer is yes as this will bring in more people. I travel out of my way as it is to a Blockbuster store across town because they are the only store with Blue-Ray rentals so far. This would be a big plus for Redbox and usher them into the next generation of movies while it is still relatively new.
Luke said
June 2 2008 @ 1:27 pm
Redbox would earn my dollars again if they started carrying BluRay discs. The first time I was exposed to a 1080p BluRay on my HDTV, I became an HD snob. DVD’s were no longer enough… I needed 1,080 lines of horizontal resolution, or nothing at all, thank you very much. I was done with DVDs, and by proxy, done with Redbox.
I’m doing a little better these days… I no longer yell at my daughter when she timidly asks to watch her Barbie Rapunzel DVD, but I do have to count to 10 and walk away. My only hope is that someday she will bravely ask again, and I can calmly say, “No, dear. But let’s go to Redbox and pick up something our discriminating eyes can bear. In HD.”
P.S. That was an over-the-top dramatization, but I do miss my Redbox. That is all.
Bill Cooney said
June 2 2008 @ 11:22 am
If I’m not willing to pay $10 in the theater to see much of what is offered by Redbox, I’m certainly not going to pay more to watch it in BluRay format. Keep the DVD’s for now.
John - Las Vegas reply on June 10th, 2008 11:08 pm:
You can keep those rabbit ears on your tv too til next Feb. but at some point you are going to have to join the 21st century. The dime double feature is long gone. I bet you refuse to pay $4 a gallon for gas too! LOL. Just kidding. Keep on peddling!
lowrider429 reply on June 11th, 2008 11:30 am:
They have converter boxes for the working poor so they dont have to buy HDTV
John - Las Vegas reply on June 11th, 2008 12:28 pm:
If you do get a converter box, you’re welcome! They come in a form of rebate paid vis the government, thus via my taxes. :-)
David Lewis said
June 2 2008 @ 11:05 am
Yes, Yes, Yes. The only reason I am still using netflix is because I can get Blu Ray there. My dream is for a day that Redbox will offer Blu Ray. At this point I will have to start using DVDPlay and I like redbox so much better! Even if they cost a tad more I would do it! Just make sure the Monday Codes work for those also.
Dave
SteveClark1000 said
June 2 2008 @ 10:51 am
Although Blu-ray has been declared the winner in the HD-DVD & BluRay war, it is now the worst time to invest in a standalone Blu-ray player, because of the high prices and looming obsolescence. Many of the current Blu-ray manufacturers have announced new players that will support BD Profile 2.0 (which will allow connection to the Internet), so my advice would be to buy a PS3 or wait for the next-generation players.
(http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/36428/113)
The latest profile—Profile 2.0, or BD Live—adds an Ethernet port for Internet access capability, enabling you to get the latest movie trailers or interactive games from the web. Unfortunately, earlier players can’t be upgraded to the latest profile. The one exception we know of is the latest version of Sony’s PlayStation 3 game console, which can be updated via a firmware upgrade to conform to the BD Live specifications. The first standalone Profile 2.0 players are expected to arrive shortly.
In our opinion, that’s a compelling reason to continue waiting. While many of us may be happy simply playing movies, why settle for less than a fully featured model, especially since it will likely carry a cheaper price? But it’s up to you to make sure that you’re getting a player that has all the Blu-ray functionality currently being offered—something the Blu-ray format has unnecessarily complicated.
(http://blogs.consumerreports.org/electronics/2008/02/is-your-blu-ray.html)
Adaeze reply on June 2nd, 2008 9:10 pm:
The PS3 is absolutely the best and most “progressive” of all blu-ray players out there. As you stated in your post, it is because of the firmware updates. Sony’s PS3 already has BD-live in place.
Kelly said
June 1 2008 @ 11:56 pm
I feel that RedBox would get les rentals if they went to charring only BluRay instead of regular DVD’s, but would get increased rentals if hey carried Both types of DVD format.
So many people that rent from RedBox do so because it is affordable. Those that don’t rent from RedBox usually have enough $ to just bye their movies in BluRay format and many not be as interested in just renting them for a night.
If the RedBox rental fee goes up, people would most likely stop renting from RedBox as much as relying on internet based renting companies such as “Net Flix”
John - Las Vegas reply on June 10th, 2008 11:12 pm:
Why would people “just buy the movie in Blue-Ray”? How many times do you want to watch the same thing? I hope at least 20 to make up the cost of $1.49 vs. a cheap Blue-Ray disc of $29.99. No thank you. I could afford to pay for any movie I want, but I only want to see most one time so I don’t need to own the disc. However, “Planet Earth” on Blue-Ray would be worth owning!
Reiki said
June 1 2008 @ 2:10 pm
I think that this is just a natural progression. This is just an example of changing with the times. Now that the BluRay/HDDVD war is over and companies are more comfortable investing in BluRay, these types of changes in the Kiosks will increase. I think it is a positive change. In the short term, the number of people that have Bluray players is so small that I absolutely do not think Redbox has lost any tangible ground.
Artie reply on June 2nd, 2008 10:54 am:
I agree with this comment. BluRay is a fad that Sony devised and probably will not be around like previous VHS Beta-recorders and Beta VHS movies. Remember that?
John - Las Vegas reply on June 10th, 2008 11:14 pm:
Blue-Ray is no fad. Watch one one time and you will see the attraction to them. Stop by Costco or Best Buy and watch one for a few minutes. You will be very sad when you go back to your 480 standard tv.
cat said
June 1 2008 @ 10:15 am
It makes absolutely no sense for Redbox (or DVDPlay, for that matter) to compete in this market. Redbox has finite kiosk capacity and needs to focus on titles it can ‘turn’ as often as possible and as profitably as possible; that pressure will only increase with its impending IPO. I hate the presence of straight-to-video junk in Redbox kiosks, but I understand that these titles are the most profitable for the rental industry.
Peter said
May 31 2008 @ 10:22 pm
I tend to think that the market for HD playback is still somewhat limited. BluRay players are still relatively expensive and most people don’t have a TV that would show them a really noticeable difference. As they become more commonplace, I can see this being more important, but I don’t think it’s any huge competitive advantage at this point. Of course, I could be proven wrong if people flock to this, but I just don’t think the market is quite right for mass market renting of BluRay disks. I think they’ll end up taking space more often than not.
Ryan said
May 31 2008 @ 6:31 pm
Redbox will need to do bluray eventually. If that is now or in the future remains to be seen - but if Redbox had $1.50 or $2 bluray rentals I’d definitely get a bluray player. Part of what has been holding me back is the simple fact that I don’t like blockbuster and Redbox doesn’t have bluray.
There isn’t a DVDPlay within 50 miles of me - but if there was one close by I would definitely use it.
John - Las Vegas reply on June 10th, 2008 11:16 pm:
Netflix offers most new movies in Blue-Ray option for rental. If you get a Netflix account, tell them John sent you. I get a dollar!