A Company That Rents DVDs From Vending Machines: Guide

Although not as popular as it was in the 1990s and the first decade of the 21st century, renting DVDs is still a preference for many movies and film lovers.

They believe that the quality of a Blu-ray picture is a lot better compared to online streaming or even DIRECTV service.

It may be surprising to hear about a company that rents DVDs from vending machines nowadays, especially with the apparent domination of online streaming platforms.

A DVD Vending Machine/ kiosk refers to any physical structure that deals in the dispensing of DVDs for rental or retail, handles the return of DVDs, and processes the billing of customers. This includes the merchandising layout, the vending machine itself, and any additional accessories.

This business model continues to exist, however, the companies of the industry are working to find a profitable way to merge their physical media with the online space.

The biggest name in the DVD kiosk world nowadays is Redbox. Today, we’re discussing the details of how they work and where you can find them. Let’s get started.

What is a DVD Kiosk?

As we explained above, the term “DVD kiosk” refers to any physical structure that does the following:

• Deals in the dispensing of DVDs for rental or retail.
• Handles the return of DVDs.
• Processes the billing of customers.

A DVD kiosk consists of all the related properties of the business including the merchandising layout, the vending machine itself, and any featured accessories.

Do DVD Kiosks Still Exist?

Although there aren’t as many DVD kiosks as there were in the 1990s and the first decade of the 21st century, you can still find DVD kiosks across the country in retail outlets and tourist areas.

Redbox, the biggest name in the DVD kiosk world nowadays, was founded in 2002 and has more than 40 thousand DVD kiosks located throughout the country in the outlets of hundreds of retail partners.

You can spot the signature red color of Redbox DVD kiosks in more than 35 thousand places ranging between convenience stores, grocery stores, fast-food restaurants, pharmacies, and mass retailers.

DVDNow is another well-established DVD kiosk franchise that mainly focuses on tourist areas where visitors may not have the same comfort of entertainment access as they do at home. The company has been serving the hospitality industry for more than 20 years, partnering with names like Marriott, Hyatt, and Wyndham.

While the vast majority of DVDNow kiosks are located at hotels, resorts, vacation rentals, and timeshares, you can find some units placed in convenience stores and other similar businesses.

How do DVD Kiosks/ Vending Machines Work?

Presenting DVDs for rent or sale in a vending machine format has revolutionized the way the market worked over the last 2 decades or so. Redbox gets the credit for that.

When people ask how they can use a DVD kiosk, chances are they’re talking about a Redbox machine. So, here’s how you can rent a DVD from a Redbox DVD kiosk:

On-The-Spot Rentals

You can rent DVDs from a Redbox vending machine without any prior communication with the company by following the steps below:

1. Visit the nearest machine

Go to your local Redbox kiosk or use the company’s store locator to find where the nearest machine.

2. Choose “Rent a DVD”

Once you’re standing in front of the vending machine, look at the screen and you’ll see 3 options displayed:

• Rent a DVD
• Online Rental Pickup 
• Return a DVD

Tap to select “Rent a DVD”.

3. Choose a DVD

Redbox has a wide library of movies and games that you can rent.

• Once you pick ” Rent a DVD”, you’ll be prompted to browse the DVD selection in the kiosk where you’ll see the titles currently available in stock.
• Tap “More Titles” to browse more DVD options.
• When you find the DVD you want to rent, tap its title on the screen. This action will show you more information about the movie so you can make sure it matches your taste.
• If you’re certain you want to rent this DVD, hit “Add to Cart” on the same screen. This puts the DVD on your rent list for the current session.

From here, you can go back to the titles list if you want to rent more than one DVD. Just choose the title you want and add it to the cart like above.

4. Check out and enter your information

After you’ve added the DVD(s) you want to rent to the cart, hit “Check Out”. This will prompt you to pay for the purchase by swiping your credit/debit card through the card reader.

Next, you’ll be brought to a screen where you should enter your email address and zip code.

• If this is your first time using a Redbox DVD machine, it’ll save your information for future purchases.
• You’ll receive a receipt at the email address you entered.

5. Confirm the process

Hit “Enter” to complete the purchase. The machine will then dispense your DVD(s) like any vending machine.

• Keep the red plastic case that houses the DVD as you’ll have to pay a fee if you lose it.

6. Return the DVD

By 9:00 pm of the day following the rental, you should bring back the DVD(s) to avoid any late fees.

The good thing here is that you don’t need to return the DVD(s) to the same Redbox kiosk you rented from. Any of the company’s vending machines will do!

Simply choose the “Return a DVD” option then place the DVD in the slot it was dispensed from.

Online Reservations

You can also reserve DVDs and grab them from a Redbox machine within a day of the reservation.

• Simply visit the company’s website, create an account, then brown through the available titles.
• Once you find the DVD you want, click “Hold” and choose a kiosk location for pickup.

Wrap Up

There you have it, an in-depth look at a company that rents DVDs from vending machines. The concept isn’t extinct yet, and to many people, it’s a convenient solution when online streaming isn’t accessible.