Hastings expands Blu-ray rental with sharing

High-def format available at all stores

By Susanne Ault -- Video Business, 9/28/2007

SEPT. 28 | Hastings Entertainment has significantly expanded Blu-ray Disc rental in all 150 of its stores following a revenue-sharing deal with Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

The Amarillo, Texas-based chain, which also sells DVDs, music, books and other merchandise, now offers Blu-ray titles for rent in all stores as well as improved copy depth at each location. Currently, Hastings’ offers HD DVD titles for rent in about one-third of its stores, which are found primarily in secondary U.S. markets.

Deal terms were not disclosed by either Hastings or Sony.

“It basically helped us to spread [Blu-ray] to all of our stores and not have to make that much of a financial investment,” said Mason Goodfellow, Hastings video category manager. “We might be able to get in as many as eight to 10 copies per title [in one store]. Without revenue-sharing, that might have been three to four copies.”

Sell-through selection of HD DVD and Blu-ray remains evenly matched at Hastings.

For the most part, Goodfellow believes HD DVD and Blu-ray performance depends mostly on what’s being released on each. Universal Studios Home Entertainment’s Sept. 25 bow of blockbuster comedy Knocked Up exclusively on HD DVD, for instance, was expected to make for a dominant HD DVD frame last week at Hastings.

Sony sees the Hastings shift in its rental operations as a win for the Blu-ray camp.

“Naturally, SPHE is delighted about this since Hastings obviously acknowledges the fact that consumers have voted for Blu-ray as the high-definition format of the future,” said Marshall Forster, Sony senior executive VP of North America.

Sony did not comment on the progress of its revenue-sharing offerings with accounts elsewhere. Sony and Rentrak in July unveiled a Blu-ray revenue-sharing plan designed to help rentailers begin offering the format.