I'm probably late to the party, but I recently discovered Redbox. Redbox is a DVD rental kiosk from which customers can rent movies for $1 per night. So far, I've seen kiosks at McDonald's, Albertson's (a grocery chain), and Wal-Mart.
Some years ago I heard that McDonald's was looking into operating DVD rental kiosks. I dismissed the idea outright. Who would want to go to McDonald's to rent DVDs? Until recently, I continued to go to the large rental chains---Hollywood Video being my favorite. The other day, I happened to walk past a Redbox kiosk at Albertson's. The touch-screen LCD display beckoned me---and I surrendered to temptation. I was still somewhat skeptical, but for $1, how could I go wrong.
The rental experience is very good. Obviously, the physical constraints of the kiosk mean that selection is limited. Most of the movies are new releases although Redbox throws in a few older "classics" for good measure. The touch-screen interface is simple to use. Payment is done by credit card and Redbox will even take your e-mail address to send receipts and return notices. Movies are dispensed through a slot-loading device that slowly ejects the DVD from the machine. The same slot smoothly slurps returns back into the kiosk.
As an added bonus--> you can return your movies to any Redbox location. Sweetness!
The Good
- $1 movie rentals (compare to $4 at Blockbuster or Hollywood)
- Convenient locations
- Return to any kiosk
- Moron-proof user interface
- Cool e-mail receipts and return notices
- Online rental (so you know that the movie will be there waiting for you)
The Bad
- Limited selection (it is what it is)
- How will Redbox fair once downloadable rentals are available?
The Bottom Line
Give Redbox a try the next time you want to rent a movie. It is most excellent!
1 comment:
I'm really glad we discovered Redbox. I think the next good location for them is at gas stations. Most people end up there at least once a week.
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