As consumers continue to look for value, the DVDPlay kiosk features a wide variety of movies including the latest Hollywood releases for just $1 per night, making it an entertainment destination in 1,400 other locations nationwide.

“Convenience and price are the main draws,” said CEO Chuck Berger. “A trip to the theater these days costs families a small fortune; we offer movie nights for a fraction of that cost.”

These popular kiosks hold over 500 movies and allow customers to choose from a broad selection of titles using a touch-screen monitor. Once customers select their movies, a simple credit card swipe completes the transaction and the DVDs are dispensed within seconds.

“Just head to your local grocery store, pick up some popcorn, soda and a couple $1 DVDs and you have a fun-filled movie night for the whole family that won’t break the bank,” said Berger. optical channel

This must be lawsuit week…

In a bold move, DVDPlay filed a lawsuit today against Redbox and Coinstar (separately) for patent infringement.

I dug into this a bit, and found that DVDPlay filed for this patent on May 25, 2000, and it was just issued today (Oct 28, 2008). So, it has been over 8 years since the patent application was filed.

In addition, I know that Redbox got its start by using (via lease?) DVDPlay-made machines before they started having their own manufactured in 2004.

So, the question is, does DVDPlay have a chance at winning a case like this when they previously worked with Redbox voluntarily?

It seems to me that DVDPlay is grasping at anything it can to get additional money for their currently failing operation. With Redbox and Coinstar leading the pack, perhaps DVDPlay sees them as a target with deep pockets.

Also, how will this patent and these cases affect Blockbuster’s plans?

I would love to hear any thoughts you may have on this, so please comment below. If you are a lawyer (or play one on TV), please let us know what you think about DVDPlay’s chances here, as well as their possible motivations.

You can view the patent here, as well as more info on the court filing here. I will post more info as soon as it becomes available.

What are your thoughts?

From the press release:

In addition to the new everyday low-price commitment DVDPlay will expand their title selection, based on customer preferences, by adding top-rated popular and classic DVDs to the new releases which are already available every Tuesday.

“In an economy of rising prices, our customers are looking for value for their entertainment dollars,” said DVDPlay President and COO Charlie Piper. “By offering more competitive pricing and a greater selection of DVDs, we’re delivering the ultimate in convenience and value to our customers and helping to make our partners, including Kroger, Safeway and Albertsons, destinations for entertainment.”

This comes at a time when Redbox - the leader in kiosk dvd rentals - has been seeing record growth.

DVDPlay reports they have about 1,400 kiosks, compared to 10,000 for Redbox.

Will this change be enough to help DVDPlay gain more marketshare in the areas where they compete with Redbox?

Personally, I have heard good things about DVDPlay customer service, as well as their selection. Perhaps this is just because they aren’t quite as popular as Redbox - and not as busy - but perhaps if they can make customers feel like they are providing better service, that will go a long way in helping them compete.

What do you think?

DVDPlay is looking to expand its number of kiosks this year to 3200, with more than 90% of them in Safeway and Albertsons, according to the article.

It remains to be seen if they can catch up to Redbox, or at least grab more of the market before Redbox, which estimates they will have 11,000 kiosks in 2009, gobbles it all up.

The roll-out of BluRay movies will start in June. DVDPlay CEO Chuck Berger has also stated that, for now, a BluRay rental will still only cost $1.49/day, the same as regular DVDs. This may change in the future, though.

Do you have a BluRay player (or PS3)? Will this make you more likely to rent movies from DVDPlay kiosks (as opposed to say, Redbox)?

They hope this new program will help them gain on the #1 DVD Kiosk, Redbox, by bringing customers back to their kiosks more often.

DVDPlay CEO Chuck Berger had this to say: “We are thrilled with the success we’ve enjoyed over the past year, and we want to give back to those who helped us get here.” [from Videobusiness.com]

This sounds like a great program. Loyalty programs are good for both the company who implements them as well as consumers. I don’t think it will be enough, though. As Redbox ends up in more and more markets, how can DVDPlay compete?

As of right now, DVDPlay has about 1,400 kiosks, while Redbox has about 7,400.

What do you think? Does DVDPlay have any chance of catching Redbox?

Go check it out, use it, and let me know what you think!

DVDPlay Codes page

If you can catch it, the lady even tells you her email address. Feel free to email her and say “Thanks!” for the great video!

DVDPlay will be utilizing a complete managed solution from Intelisys to rapidly deploy its DVD Movie Rental Kiosks throughout North America using advanced wireless technologies.

“The ability to rent new release movies for just $1.49 for the first night with no late fees, at stores, where consumers shop every day, is transforming the market,” said Chuck Berger, Chairman and CEO, DVDPlay. “The Intelisys Mobility Solution maximizes our flexibility and speed to meet the needs of our DVDPlay customers and retail partners,” said Berger.

DVDPlay currently has about 600 kiosks operating in the USA, and they expect that number to grow to 2,250 by the end of the year. That is definitely “rapid” growth.

What do you think - can DVDPlay beat out the market-leading Redbox over the next few years?

via SysCon

Melissa Morre is now a part of the DVDPlay team. She comes from ADVO Inc. where she did an excellent job. Now, she’s going to play a huge role in “building and maintaining our relationships with major retail chains and extending our leadership position in the movie rental kiosk marketplace.”