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Redbox Being Challenged By The Movie Studios

December 16th, 2009

Redbox is suing 21st Century Fox and Universal Studios for telling Redbox to wait a few weeks after their movies go on sell before renting them. In the past the studios had attempted to prevent movie rental stores from even starting. This attack against Red Box seems like another attempt by the movie studios to prevent a movie rental business model from developing.

The Redbox movie rental boxes in Walmart actually help the movie studios considering Redbox users rent about 20% more movies then other more traditional movie rental stores. Redbox has sold more then 77 million dollars in DVD’s through their boxes from users who have decided to keep the DVD rather then return it. All in all a case can be made that Redbox is really helping the movie studios rather then hurting them.

Since Redbox is a new business model the movie studios are just unsure about how it will effect their bottom line. The fact is Redbox is increasing volume, providing savings back to the consumer and offering a more convenient way to rent movies. Over the next few years Redbox will be helping the movie studios rather than hurting them as they offer a more effecient way to purchase and rent movies.

The movie studios like any major cash cow business becomes stuck in the familiar old school ways of doing business and are uncomfortable venturing out and trying something new to increase sales. They see Redbox making all this movie money and they feel that Redbox is shaving profit margin from new DVD sales. The fact of the matter is that Redbox stepped up and provided a more affordable and convenient way to shop and rent DVD’s by paying a dollar a day from convenient Walmart red boxes.

I have bought atleast one Redbox DVD simply because I never returned it. I have rented more movies that I would have never rented before because of the convenience of Redbox and I enjoy the limited but good selection of top dvd rentals. I end up spending an hour or two in a DVD movie rental store but only about 5 minutes searching for a movie rental using Redbox.

The movie studios need to leave those little Redbox movie rental boxes in the Tyler Texas Walmarts alone. We Tylerites like our Redbox, they’re good for me.

Serving your family at every stage of life

October 31st, 2009

Well here we were the day before Halloween and I had yet to decide on a topic on which to write that coincides with the season, but along came Walmart. Now I realize the retail giant gets a lot of undeserved criticism, but in this regard I find the critics to be constructive. The store announced that they will now be selling caskets and urns on its website. I believe in capitalism, the open market, and making a buck. I also believe in saving a buck as a consumer, but this is an example of a product whose price I am fairly indifferent about.

I confess that I’m not sure why this story bothers me so much. I just find it strangely depressing that the last purchase of my life would be made at the same place I buy diapers, food and everything in between. I guess it’s kind of a circle of life thing. I’m starting to feel like just another resource for the department store to tap. If a product called Soylent Green appears on the shelves, here’s a hint, don’t eat it! It tastes just like people. I think death and mourning is probably not a good product for whole sale retailers. Buying urns in bulk, or dropping off and picking up your dead at the drive through window could prove just a little dehumanizing. I can hear it already, “Will the Hague family please report to isle five for your father’s wake.”

In all seriousness, I understand that fraud and scams in the funeral services are very real mine fields for grieving families to navigate. Largely for this reason, my own father sees it as perfectly acceptable for the department store to offer the on-line products. By the way, the caskets actually have product names like; “the executive,” (almost sounds like something one might prefer to test drive prior to purchasing), and “Mom and Dad remembered.” There’s nothing like a little manufactured sympathy. It comes down to this, I just don’t want to be considering end of life options while in the middle of it. And Dad, I don’t care what you say; I’m not burying you in a Walmart casket!

Instead of turning to a department store in preparation for the life to come, I suggest simply planning ahead. Find a funeral home and director you know to be honest, and make your wishes known to your family not your local Walmart. As I finish this piece I am reminded that I need to head to Walmart for more Halloween candy. Hey! Maybe I should pick up an urn to put it in!

To see the on line listings follow the links below.

Walmart Caskets

Walmart Caskets link 2