VB Mobile Log In  |  Register          
Advertisement
VB Resources
Subscribe to VB Magazine

DVDPlay game for Safeway

FROM VSDA: Kiosk company hopes to install 200 machines a month

By Susanne Ault -- Video Business, 7/13/2006

JULY 13 | LAS VEGAS—After about a year in limbo, DVDPlay has recommitted to installing rental kiosks in the entire Safeway grocery chain.

The company first moved its machines into Safeway stores in spring of 2005, but DVDPlay stalled after 60 locations due to lack of funding. Now, after a $40 million infusion of capital and the appointment of new CEO Chuck Berger (VB, 6-27), DVDPlay is set to roll into 1,600 Safeways by the middle of 2007.

Based in Los Gatos, Calif., DVDPlay is hoping to add new kiosks at a peak rate of 200 machines per month.

Although DVDPlay experienced the expansion hiccups, Berger is confident the company now has the resources to succeed.

“We plan to buy over the next four years $250 million in DVD product for rental and sale,” Berger said.

At this point, DVDPlay just rents new release movies. It hopes soon to sell used DVDs as it ramps up its presence.

At 300 locations, mostly in supermarkets and on military bases, DVDPlay remains one of the smallest disc kiosk providers. Redbox stands at 1,400 locations across McDonald’s stores and groceries. TNR Entertainment expects to move into 1,000 spots by the end of 2006.

Initial Safeway results prove that DVDPlay’s formula is working, said Berger.

On average, “people go to grocery stores about two times a week,” he said. “Over 50% of [Safeway] renters bring DVDs back within a day. So clearly we are driving people back into the grocery [store] more times than they would go normally.”

Talkback

Related Content

Related Content

 

By This Author

Sponsored Links



 
Advertisement

MOST POPULAR PAGES

More Content

  • Blogs
  • Photos

Blogs

  • Samantha Clark
    DISC DISH

    November 23, 2009
    Surrogates DVD, Blu-ray details
    The $38 million-grossing sci fi thriller Surrogates will bow on DVD and Blu-ray Jan. 26 (prebook Dec...
    More
  • Samantha Clark
    DISC DISH

    November 19, 2009
    Capitalism: A Love Story on DVD next year
    So, we saw on Blu-ray.com that Michael Moore's latest movie, Capitalism: A Love Story, is coming to&...
    More
  • » VIEW ALL BLOGS RSS

Photos

  • Ben 10 premiere
    Cartoon Network recently held a screening for TV movie Ben 10: Alien Swarm, which premieres on the network Nov. 25 and streets on DVD and Blu-ray on Dec. 1. Warner distributes Cartoon Network titles.
  • 50 Dead Men walking
    Phase 4 Films execs and 50 Dead Men Walking star Jim Sturgess visited with distributor VPD recently.
  • Fans for Fight Club
    Fox held a screening of Fight Club for 200 fans in Los Angeles on Nov. 17 to celebrate the film’s 10th anniversary. David Fincher’s 1999 film starring Brad Pitt and Edward Norton is now available on Blu-ray.
Advertisements





NEWSLETTERS
VB Daily News
VB Indie Film Guide
VB Weekly Summary
VB Just Announced
VB Green Report
Please read our Privacy Policy
©2009 Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Use of this Web site is subject to its Terms of Use | Privacy Policy
Please visit these other Reed Business sites