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Blockbuster Planning In-Store Movie Download Kiosks
Posted by Matt Buchanan at 7:30 PM on November 9, 2007
Blockbuster really is falling back hard on its B&M outlets, so hard they're missing half the point of digital distribution, which is not having to drive to the store to grab a movie. Part of their revival plan is to install kiosks at B&M stores where you can download movies straight to your portable media player. Awesome! Except that I have one of those at my house: a computer.
I wouldn't really call having to trudge all the way to a Blockbuster location to jack my iPod or whatever player into a big blue box to download a movie "bypassing the need for...transferring videos from a computer." It takes the worst aspect of each form of distribution—leaving your easy chair and middling quality video that's not easy to throw up on my TV—and combines them into one totally not ideal experience. Better idea on Blockbuster's part: integrating MovieLink's direct download store with the Blockbuster site and services. That's the way digital distribution is supposed to work. If I come to your store, I expect to walk out with a piece of shiny plastic. [Electronista, Flickr]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
Mark
Posted November 16, 2007 12:54 AM
The real problem with most broadband in australia is speed. I am never able to plan hours in advance what I'm doing that night. Why can't they burn it on the spot for u, then u get your plastic as well?
Sean
Posted 3:32 PM 9/11/07
I actually like this idea, but it probably won't have Zune support, so I don't really care.
(And even if they did, the Zune would delete the file on me the next time I synced.)
Sean
kahri
Posted 2:06 PM 9/11/07
@Lorne: +1
kahri
Lorne
Posted 11:28 AM 9/11/07
I'd be willing to try, but only if the download includes some brutally restrictive DRM to limit my use and enjoyment of the product.
Or maybe I'll just buy a stack of used DVDs and take them home to do whatever I want with them.
Lorne
kahri
Posted 11:06 AM 9/11/07
Have you guys looked at it from BlockBuster's side? They already built all these B&R stores, which also employ a bunch of people but that's another issue. I'm sure they realize that the public wants digital media, but are you surprised they're trying to get the most out of their investment before it crumbles? which it will, i agree. It's a last ditch effort for a falling mega company, which won't work, but they'd be idiots if they didn't try.
kahri
omg-ponies
Posted 9:41 AM 9/11/07
Is it me, or would a better strategy be to focus on areas where the company is doing well and stripping out unprofitable parts.
At a certain point, Blockbuster should be asking itself if brick-and-mortar rental stores are still a viable business model. If not, refocus the business. There is precedent for this.
Sega realized that it couldn't afford to be a hardware manufacturer and instead retooled the business to licensed content. One might snicker at the thought of playing Sonic and Nights on a Nintendo machine, but the model makes money for Sega - with lower overhead.
There are still some miles left in the Blockbuster brand. It may be time to shut down physical retail operations and license the brand to Amazon or TiVo.
omg-ponies
92BuickLeSabre
Posted 9:02 AM 9/11/07
This reminds me of when tech companies were still trying to market ways, locations, and reasons to download information from public kiosks onto PDAs and smartphones using bluetooth and bluetooth-esque technology.
After Wi-fi and wireless had already started to take off.
"So you want me to stand here in front of this box for 3 minutes, so that I can purchase a new ringtone?"
92BuickLeSabre
keepr
Posted 8:17 AM 9/11/07
The $3.00+ per gallon that you expend driving to and from the legacy movie outlet dont exactly help.
keepr
DRoberts
Posted 8:12 AM 9/11/07
This is probably a better option for non- tech savvy people, but how many of those have (or know what is) a PMP capable of doing this. More interesting would be program where you could rent a player and the videos to go with it. Possibly for vacation or something?
DRoberts
mirolator
Posted 7:29 AM 9/11/07
Wait, what?
mirolator
ghmlco
Posted 7:28 AM 9/11/07
Then again, with the download you don't have to take the shiny disk BACK to the store.
ghmlco
PlasmaMachine
Posted 6:04 AM 9/11/07
lols @ the pic
PlasmaMachine
DJJS
Posted 5:11 AM 9/11/07
Why at the store when u can do it at your house.. good job. Block buster u take one step foward to take 2 step backs..
DJJS
x23
Posted 4:20 AM 9/11/07
unless you have a super duper connection i have to imagine locally hosted files would download faster from a kiosk at Blockbuster than from the internet to your computer. even including driving time.
that said... i'd probably stick with a computer as well if i am having to deal with plugging a PMP into my TV and dinking around with it. and if i am at Blockbuster anyway... i might as well just pick up the DVD.
x23
atomicafro
Posted 9:17 PM 9/11/07
Turn off auto-sync Sean... deletion problem solved!
atomicafro
jfoto
Posted 11:53 AM 9/11/07
This would be very convenient for business travelers, vacationers, etc. However, it would be much more convenient if it was located in airports, or hotel lobbies.
On the Big Brother side, loading straight to the player makes it more difficult for a user to keep/copy/share the videos. Which works for Blockfu.... oops, Blockbuster.
jfoto
koz1000
Posted 11:05 PM 9/11/07
Hey, I know where that sign is! 38 and County Farm Rd outside of Wheaton, IL. The sign's been like that for a few months now...
koz1000
side
Posted 3:24 AM 12/11/07
"offering other digital services in the physical stores, such as an interactive children area or PlayStation 3 demo booths" Both of which are excellent sources of revenue to make up the $600 million lost from eliminating late fees! Great Thinking Jim (overpaid CEO) Keyes.
Two words, "short blockbuster".
side