You used to be able to make Walmart movie rentals, but that practice has since been canceled by the retail giant.
Walmart Discontinues Online Movie Rentals
A number of years back, Walmart offered online movie rentals and was one of the major competitors (and threats) to NetFlix. Walmart began renting movies online in 2002, but it soon became apparent to executives that the online movie business just wasn't the right direction for the retail chain. In addition to that realization, Walmart execs also discovered that they just couldn't compete with NetFlix and decided to make a deal with them as opposed to compete with them. A part of that deal (in which the details were not disclosed), Walmart movie rentals were officially discontinued in 2005.
With its online based movie rentals defunct, many people were left wondering how they could rent movies from the largest retailer in the world. Well, Walmart answered this burning question by adding Redbox DVD rental machines into their stores.
Walmart and Redbox
Walmart may have stepped out of the DVD renting business directly, but it wasn't out of renting DVD's to its millions upon millions of customers completely.
In 2008, Walmart struck a deal with the still relatively unknown DVD rental company Redbox. At the time, Redbox was only really being offered at select McDonalds chains around the country. Walmart began by agreeing to test run Redbox DVD vending machines in 800 stores. This test soon proved to be such a success, and it later agreed to install Redbox DVD vending machines in another 2,700 stores on top of the 800 existing stores.
Walmart and Rebox, Continued Expansion
Both Walmart and Redbox continued to see positive growth from their partnership and soon, the retailer struck yet another deal with Redbox, agreeing to put their DVD vending machines in nearly 7,000 Walmart and Walgreen's locations across the nation. The retailer has not revealed a final number as to how many Redbox DVD vending machines they plan on installing in their stores, but they have stated that the installations are projected to be complete by the end of 2009.
Redbox Walmart Movie Rentals
By now, most of us are familiar with the big red vending machines from Redbox. If you aren't familiar with what Redbox is all about, here are a few stats:
- Each vending machine contains approximately 500 DVD's
- Movie rentals are only one dollar
- You can return your Redbox DVD to any Redbox location and not only at the location in which you rented it.
- You can reserve your movie online if you would like and Redbox will hold your reservation for 24 hours.
If you have never rented a DVD from Redbox at Walmart or any other location, it's ridiculously easy, safe and convenient. Plus, with the availability of movies right there, you can get your grocery shopping done and get a movie in just one stop. It saves time, gas and money. Not to mention, it is far, far cheaper than the average four dollars it costs to rent a movie at Blockbuster. Now who doesn't like to save a little bit of coin?
Walmart may have withdrawn from the movie rental business, but it isn't out of it. With the rapid growth and expansion of Redbox DVD vending machines in their stores and the way that it seems new Walmart stores are popping up all the time, it looks like this retail giant is in the DVD rental business for good, even if it is passive.
Next time you are in your local Walmart and it's a dreary day or you just don't feel like going out of the house that particular day or night, slide up to a Redbox DVD vending machine at your local Walmart. Once you have found your film of choice, saunter on into the store to get yourself a handful of goodies to enjoy while watching your Walmart movie rental.
