InMotion plans growth strategy

Six new stores, adding Blu-ray

By Marcy Magiera -- Video Business, 6/23/2008

JUNE 23 | LAS VEGAS--Airport DVD specialist InMotion Entertainment has plans to expand by more than 10% this year, while remodeling and enlarging a number of existing locations.

The company rents and sells DVD software and players and sells music, videogames, portable electronics devices and accessories from 51 stores in 30 different airports. It plans to add six stores by the end of the year, said Jeremy Smith, managing director and president.

InMotion also will remodel a number of stores, moving some to better locations within airports and enlarging some locations.

The Jacksonville, Fla.-based company, which started in 1999 and merged with competitor AltiTunes in 2005, also has started to expand into Blu-ray Disc, catalog DVD and used DVD sales, said Steve Torr, director of video purchasing and rental services. Although most travelers still do not have portable devices capable of playing Blu-ray, frequent business travelers tend to be early adopters and will buy Blu-ray titles to take home, Torr said.

InMotion’s core business is renting DVDs and portable DVD players, which can be returned to any InMotion store or mailed back to the company. It charges $5 for a five-day movie rental and $1 more for returning by mail. It also offers a subscription option that lets consumers keep movies as long as they like.

Player rentals start at $15 per day, according to the company’s Web site. www.inmotionstores.com

Torr cited San Francisco as a key market for player rentals, with strong business among vacationers catching flights to Hawaii.