Movie providers compete for sales

By LINDSAY ALEXANDER

Every Blockbuster in the area has a closing sale banner on its windows.  The company filed for bankruptcy in December 2010, wiping out their debt, but launching them into a large reorganizing process.  Blockbuster’s collapse has left a rental dilemma for movie watchers who are searching for new alternatives.  The two primary options are the tech-savvy Netflix and convenient Redbox.

Netflix is a digital movie rental service that allows customers to rent movies and television episodes by streaming them through Internet-connected Blu-Ray players, Internet-connected HDTVs, Apple and Google televisions, Internet-connected gaming systems (Wii, PS3, Xbox 360), computers, iPhones, iPads or  Windows phones (with the free Netflix application). For $7.99 a month, one can instantly watch unlimited movies and television episodes. For an additional $2 a month, one can receive unlimited DVDs by mail; however, only one item is sent at a time.  Netflix offers a one month free trial and no cancellation fees as well.

Netflix also presents the option of Starz Play for $6.99 a month, which limits movie selection to mainly movies that are new to watch instantly and television  episodes, and cuts the option of ordering through the mail. There are no due dates or late fees, and no advertisements.

“It’s a lot easier to use; it’s more convenient. I didn’t always have time to go get movies. With Netflix it just comes to you,” sophomore John Childers said.

Redbox is a system of movie check out kiosks located at grocery stores, drugstores and convenience stores nationwide. Redbox has 26,000 locations, each holding 500 disks. There are 50-60 titles in a machine at one time. Each movie is paid by credit card at $1 per night, $1.50 per night for every Blu-Ray Disc and $2 per night for video games. Rentals can be returned to any Redbox location and movies can also be reserved at a local Redbox, online or through the free Redbox application on a smart phone.

“Redbox is better because it’s cheaper and you can get a movie whenever you want, you don’t have to wait for it to be delivered,” sophomore Monica Joyce said.

Both systems of movie rentals boast convenience, but each has drawbacks. With both services one cannot rent movies from certain movie companies, such as Fox and Universal, until 28 days after the DVD is released. For example, The Switch and Tangled are still not available through Redbox. Although Netflix offers the ability to instantly watch unlimited movies  this does not mean they have every movie available for instant streaming. If one wanted a movie not in Netflix’s instant library they would have to rent it through snail mail. However, 97 percent of movies arrive within one business day.  Classics like Gone with the Wind must be ordered through the mail and even newer releases such as Easy A and Clash of the Titans must be ordered through the mail as well.

In contrast, Redbox has both Easy A and Clash of the Titans available. Even though  Redbox may have some movies Netflix streaming does not,  it still only holds about 60 movies so chances are if a customer wanted a film that came out over a year ago, it will not be there.

With these two services it should not be hard for a possible customer to find the perfect fit.  If a customer rents more than seven movies a month and wants access to movies that are not limited to primarily New Releases, then Netflix is a good investment. Where as, the less avid movie watcher will reap the benefits of Redbox’s cheap, no-contract way of movie rental.

Quiz

1. How do you feel about leaving the house to rent a movie?
   1. It doesn’t bother me.
   2. It bothers me.
   3. It depends.

1. Do contracts bother you?
   1. yes
   2. no
   3. How long is the contract?

1. What kind of movies do you watch?
   1. New Releases
   2. I don’t watch movies, I watch TV.
   3. Classics

1. How do you prefer to watch a movie?
   1. on the weekend
   2. movie marathons
   3. other

1. How well do you return movies?
   1. I always return it the next day!
   2. I’m really bad about it.
   3. It takes me a while, but not too long.

Mostly

a’s- Redbox

b’s- Netflix

c’s-You’re hard to please, try the library.