I remember how video stories started getting DVDs. They switched from VHS. But I never understand why video stores went out of business entirely.
No more late fees and keep the movie as long as you want.
I remember how video stories started getting DVDs. They switched from VHS. But I never understand why video stores went out of business entirely.
I remember how video stories started getting DVDs. They switched from VHS. But I never understand why video stores went out of business entirely.
No more late fees and keep the movie as long as you want.
The concept of the video store still exists, it just took a different form. Your corner video store is essentially a Redbox robot, capable of performing all the typical functions of a video store, at an astoundingly reduced cost (no brick-and-mortar store, no employees, reduced utility costs, insurance costs, etc.)
Netflix started with their rental by mail program, and that took a huge dent out of the Blockbuster franchises. Once Netflix added streaming (as broadband became more prevalent), they basically ate Blockbuster’s lunch.
Today, Netflix has more monthly subscribers than Comcast. It’s value is pretty good, even after some price increases.
Streaming video killed them. Why get in the car and burn gas to get to the video store when you can have a movie or TV show come straight to your living room via Netflix or Hulu, or even to your mobile device with iTunes?
I totally miss going to video rental stores. I always loved browsing the shelves of everything from the new releases to the B grade movies.
It was so much more recreational then ordering movies the Netflix or download.
I’m still going to always prefer physical Blu-ray and DVD though. More reliable, better and deeper resolution and color, and there’s just something about having a tangible box sitting in my shelf as opposed to in the cloud or even on my hard drive drive.
Two factors.
1. Late fees
2. Dearth of new movies worth getting into the car and driving to the store to rent.
For me it was mostly the latter.
Tucson still has our best rental place. But they survive by knowing their niche, hard to find art movies that aren’t at RedBox or Netflix.